Law: International Criminal Law

The LLM in International Criminal Law provides students with an advanced understanding of the history, structures, law and practice of the various international criminal tribunals and the International Criminal Court.



Students will gain an in-depth knowledge of international criminal law, its component crimes, substantive law and key procedures. Students will also develop an analytical approach to the relationship between other accountability mechanisms, such as truth commissions.



The LLM in International Criminal Law is of interest to those seeking to learn about the growing field of international criminal justice, the role of the International Criminal Court in international affairs and means for holding to account perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

The module International Criminal Law and the dissertation are compulsory. The modules International Humanitarian Law and Procedure before International Criminal Courts and Transitional Justice are also recommended for ICL students. A wide range of subject choices is available to students, drawing on the expertise of our full-time staff and prestigious Adjunct faculty. A list of modules is available at: www.universityofgalway.ie/irish-centre-human-rights/academics/llmprogrammes/modules



Courses each year are subject to change, but may include the following:



African and Inter-American Regional Systems of Protecting Human Rights

Business and Human Rights

Children's Rights

Conflict and Post-Conflict

Contemporary Issues in International Migration Law and Transnational Lawyering

Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights

Economic, Social & Cultural Rights

European Convention on Human Rights

European Union and Human Rights

Genocide

How to Argue with an Economist

International Criminal Law

International Criminal Procedure

International Humanitarian Law (Term I)

International Humanitarian Law (Term II)

International Refugee Law

Introduction to Human Rights Law

Minority Rights

Peace Support Operations

Public International Law

Procedure before International Criminal Courts

Right to Development

Transitional Justice

Candidates must be approved by the School of Law. They should preferably hold a Level 8 degree in law or an interdisciplinary degree which includes a substantial law component and in which they have attained a minimum Second Class Honours, Grade 1 standard or its equivalent.

Applications must be completed online at: https://nuigalway.elluciancrmrecruit.com/Apply/Account/Login.



An application requires a registration fee of €35. You will be asked to upload proof of identification, academic transcripts, a personal statement, an academic reference and documentation to fulfil the English requirement (where English is not your first language).

1 year full-time

2 years part-time

Next start date September 2025

Career Opportunities

Students who have undertaken and successfully completed the programme tend to fall into one of four categories:

1. those who work within the United Nations (UN) or with UN-affiliated organisations;

2. those who work in NGO and quasi-NGOs— both human rights and development;

3. those who work in academic institutions or pursue a PhD/JD;

4. those who work in diplomatic or government-based work (in the human rights division of the Department of Foreign Affairs, for example).



Within these umbrella categories, students have pursued work in the ICC, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, ICRC, the UN system (Geneva and New York), locally-based NGOs, trade and health organisations, as well as domestic law firm work that draws on international legal mechanisms and research-based work in university research centres, to name but a few.