Law - Environmental & Natural Resources Law - LLM

Course Outline
The LLM (Environmental and Natural Resources Law) is a new programme which takes advantage of a concentration of legal expertise in the field at the School of Law, University College Cork. Academic staff at the Law School currently hold advisory roles with a wide range of Irish and international agencies and organisations, including the European Environment Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, an Bord Pleanála (Irish Planning Board), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, Aquaculture Licences Appeals Board, etc. The LLM programme offers a wide variety of legal topics ranging across traditional areas of environmental law, policy and regulation, as well as planning and land-use law, heritage protection, international environmental law, marine environmental law, natural resources law and human rights law. It aims to prepare graduates for a variety of careers in the broader environmental regulatory space, including in the legal professions, governmental and regulatory agencies, environmental NGOs, compliance roles in industry, academia and environmental consultancy. The LLM seeks to integrate theoretical and practical aspects of the application of environmental and natural resources law, and to connect module content with legal and regulatory frameworks operating locally, nationally, regionally and globally. To the greatest degree possible, the programme is based on flexible workload arrangements, to suit recent law graduates and environmental professionals alike.

Applicants for the LLM (Environmental and Natural Resources Law) Degree also have the option of registering for a Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental and Natural Resources Law. Students take 60 credits of taught masters' modules from those on offer for the LLM (Environmental and Natural Resources Law). The Postgraduate Diploma can be completed over 9 months full-time or 18 months part-time. Those who wish to apply for the Diploma should contact lawpostgrad@ucc.ie for application details.

This shorter programme may be attractive to legal professionals and others who may prefer not to make an initial commitment to a full master's programme. Graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma may further progress their studies by completing a 15,000 word research dissertation and graduating with a Masters in Law (LLM).

The LLM (Environmental and Natural Resources Law) offers a wide choice of options, allowing students to take a broad range of diverse modules.

Exposure to technical aspects of the application of environmental and natural resources law to marine law is also available to students through optional science-based, non-law modules on GIS, Remote Sensing and Characteristics of the Marine Environment. In addition, students will have access to selected non-programme but complementary modules, covering such areas as Law of the Sea, International and European Human Rights Law, Corporate Insolvency Law, EU Competition Law, International Refugee Law, International Criminal Law, etc.

The LLM (Environmental and Natural Resources Law) builds on the expertise and reputation of a cohort of dedicated academic researchers in Cork to offer world-class education in this field. Whether students are (recent) law graduates or other environmental professionals, the programme will provide them with a critical, in-depth theoretical and practical understanding of the key issues arising in environmental and natural resources law, policy and regulation.

Why Choose This Course
This programme aims to equip graduates to participate and excel in any aspect of professional engagement with environmental and natural resources law, policy or regulation, and to develop a rewarding career in this field with, for example, the legal professions, governmental and regulatory agencies, industry, NGOs or academia. The programme adopts a global perspective, with a focus on international and comparative law and on the techniques of environmental regulation, which are universal in their application and relevance.

Students take a total of 90 credits.

Core Modules
Students take core modules to the value of 70 credits as follows:

LW6101 Introduction to Planning Law (5 credits)
LW6580 Environmental Law in Practice (5 credits)
LW6581 Method in Environmental Law (5 credits)
LW6617 International Biodiversity and Ecosystems Law and Policy (5 credits)
LW6618 Climate Change Law and Policy (5 credits)
LW6627 International Environmental Law (5 credits)
LW6628 Marine Environmental Law (5 credits)
LW6629 Natural Resources Law (5 credits)
LW6631 LLM (Environmental and Natural Resources Law) Dissertation (30 credits)

Elective Modules
Students must choose 25 credits from the following:
GG6501 Introduction to Geographical Information Systems (5 credits)
GG6502 Introduction to Remote Sensing (5 credits)
LW6550 International Criminal Law (10 credits)
LW6560 Law of Cybercrime (10 credits)
LW6566 Contemporary Issues in International Law (5 credits)
LW6589 Contemporary Issues in EU Competition Policy (5 credits)
LW6606 International Human Rights Law (10 credits)
LW6619 Advanced Alternative Dispute Resolution (5 credits)
LW6633 Public International Law (5 credits)
LW6634 Refugee and Forced Displacement Law (10 credits)
LW6635 Environmental Law Clinic (5 credits)
LW6636 European Corporate Restructuring, Insolvency and Rescue (5 credits)
LW6637 Brexit - Legal and Political Perspectives (10 credits)
LW6638 Brexit and the Future of Europe (10 credits)
LW6639 FinTech: Law and Regulation (5 credits)

Requirements
Candidates must be approved by the School of Law. They must normally hold a Second Class Honours Grade I in a primary honours Law degree (NFQ, Level 8). Candidates with other third level qualifications and/or relevant professional experience are also encouraged to apply. Applications from overseas candidates are welcome, and their qualifications will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Non-EU applicants should contact the International Education Office by email internationaloffice@ucc.ie for application details. The number of places available in any given year is dependent on resources and all qualified candidates may not be admitted.

English Language Requirements
Applicants that are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university approved English language requirements.

For applicants with qualifications completed outside of Ireland:
Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements.

International/non-EU applicants
For full details of the non-EU application procedure please visit our how to apply pages for international students. In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.

For more information please contact the International Office.

How to apply
1. Choose Course
Firstly choose your course. Applicants can apply for up to two courses under one application. Details of taught courses are available on our online prospectus.

2. Apply Online
Once you have chosen your course you can apply online at the online application portal. Applicants will need to apply before the course closing date. There is a non-refundable €50 application fee for all courses apart from the Education - Professional Master of Education - (Secondary School/Post-Primary Teacher Training) which has a €100 application fee.

Applicants for the Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health Nursing must apply on the PAC website when the programme opens for applications.

3. Gather Supporting Documents
Scanned copies of the following documents will need to be uploaded to the online application portal in support of your application. Applicants may need to produce the original documents if you are accepted onto a course and register at UCC.

Original qualification documents listed on your application including transcripts of results from institutions other than UCC
Any supplementary items requested for your course.
Please log into the online application portal for more details.

4. Application processing timeline
Our online application portal opens for applications for most courses in early November of each year. Check specific course details.

5. Rounds
For courses that are in the rounds system (Irish and EU applicants), please check the rounds closing dates below.

The UCC application portal will open on November 1st for admission in September 2022.

Irish, EU, UK, EEA and Swiss Applicants: UCC operates a rounds closing date system for the majority of postgraduate taught courses, which means offers are made at a minimum of four times a year on a rolling basis.

The UCC rounds closing dates for postgraduate taught courses are below. Applicants are advised to apply as soon as possible.

Deadline for receipt of full applications/ Offers will be made:
For all completed applications received by January 17th, 2022 -
Offers will be made by January 31st, 2022
For all completed applications received by March 7th, 2022 -
Offers will be made by March 21st, 2022
For all completed applications received by May 3rd, 2022 -
Offers will be made by May 17th, 2022
For all completed applications received by July 1st, 2022 -
Offer will be made by July 15th, 2022

After July late applications may be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis for any courses that have remaining capacity.

Applicants from outside of EU, UK, EEA, Switzerland: Information may be found on the International Office Website.

NON-EU CLOSING DATE: 15 June

Additional Requirements (All Applicants)
Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following questions:

You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.

In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to this programme.

Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.

Please enter the names and email addresses of 2 referees.

Individual module assessments can be viewed in the Book of Modules. Most programme and non-programme modules are assessed by way of continuous assessment (essays).

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time.

Additional Teaching Mode Information
The part-time option will be taught during weekday working hours over 2 years.

Start Date 7 September 2020

Skills and Careers Information

What can I do after I graduate with a [LLM (Environmental and Natural Resources Law)?
The LLM (Environmental and Natural Resources Law) aims to prepare graduates for a variety of careers in legal practice, regulation and compliance, including the legal professions, governmental and regulatory agencies, international institutions and compliance roles in industry. It also provides a strong basis for careers in the broader environmental regulatory and policy space encompassing environmental advocacy and campaigning, environmental consultancy, environmental policy advice and research, and academia. It is relevant for those interested in careers in the energy, infrastructure, utilities, natural resources and project finance sectors. The degree provides a valuable opportunity for those already working in these fields to further develop their knowledge and skills and to keep up-to-date with the latest developments and emerging trends in this rapidly developing area.

Occupations associated with [LLM (Environmental and Natural Resources Law)]:
Legal professions
Governmental and regulatory agencies
Local government
Industry
Utilities
Infrastructure developers
Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
Environmental consultancy
International organisations / secretariats
Academia