Law - Marine & Maritime Law - LLM

Course Outline

Our LLM programme gives our students the chance to work with the best maritime and marine lawyers in the country, under the academic overview of the globally-recognised UCC School of Law. Our LLM (Marine and Maritime Law) programme integrates theoretical and practical learning of relevant law modules with marine and maritime activities taking place in Cork, such as marine environmental research, marine renewables, law enforcement at sea, fisheries management, shipping and port activities. This programme is based on flexible workload arrangements and is suitable for both law graduates and marine and maritime professionals alike.



Whether you are a law graduate or a marine/maritime professional, this programme provides an in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge, and analysis, of Marine and Maritime Law.



Programme Content

We offer a wide choice of module options, allowing students to either specialise in their preferred area of marine or maritime law or take a broad range of diverse modules.



A clinical module on Law of the Sea allows students the opportunity to understand the practice of law enforcement at sea, and includes access to the Naval Service at Cork. The practical aspect of marine law is also available through science-based, non-law modules such as GIS and Remote Sensing.



Presentation of Dissertation/Submission Dates

The dissertation must be submitted for examination at the Winter Board, on a date in September to be specified by the School of Law at the commencement of the programme.



Exit Awards

Postgraduate Diploma in Law (Marine and Maritime Law) (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)

Upon successful completion of modules to the value of 60 credits, registered LLM (Marine and Maritime Law) students may opt not to proceed with the programme and exit with a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (Marine and Maritime Law).



Postgraduate Diploma in Law

Applicants for the LLM (Marine and Maritime Law) Degree also have the option of registering for a Postgraduate Diploma in Marine and Maritime Law. Students take 60 credits of taught masters’ modules from those on offer for the LLM (Marine and Maritime Law) programme. The Postgraduate Diploma can be completed over 9 months full-time or 18 months part-time.



This shorter programme may be attractive to legal professionals and others who may prefer not to make an initial commitment to a full-time masters' level programme. It is possible for graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma to progress their studies by completing a 12,500-word research dissertation qualifying them for a Masters in Law (LLM).

Core Modules (30 credits)

LW6652 Legal Research Methods and Writing (5 credits)

LW6659 LLM Dissertation (25 credits)



Taught Modules (30 credits)

LW6620 Introduction to the Law of the Sea (10 credits)

LW6621 Admiralty Law (10 credits)

LW6645 Marine Environmental and Natural Resources Law (10 credits)



Elective Modules (30 credits)

Students take modules to the value of 30 credits from the lists of elective modules set out below; with at least 20 credits from List A and up to 10 credits from List B.



List A

LW6566 Contemporary Issues in International Law (5 credits)

LW6581 Method in Environmental Law (5 credits)

LW6606 International Human Rights Law (10 credits)

LW6617 International Biodiversity and Ecosystems Law and Policy (5 credits)

LW6618 Climate Change Law and Policy (5 credits)

LW6619 Alternative Dispute Resolution: Processes and Practice (5 credits)

LW6622 Sale, Insurance and Carriage of Goods at Sea (5 credits)

LW6623 Global Maritime Security (5 credits)

LW6624 Port Law (5 credits)

LW6625 Law of the Sea (Clinical) (5 credits)*

LW6627 International Environmental Law (5 credits)

LW6633 Public International Law (5 credits)

LW6644 Managing Complex Disputes (10 credits)

LW6649 Environmental Law in Practice (10 credits)



List B: Undergraduate Modules*

LW3371 Sources and Foundations of Environmental Law (5 credits)

LW3372 Environmental Law: Contemporary Issues in Governance,

Regulation and Enforcement (5 credits)



* Registration for these modules requires the permission of the Programme Director. Where appropriate, the Programme Director will identify, in consultation with the candidate, whether any undergraduate modules must be taken.

Applicants 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). Applicants 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.



For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.



International/Non-EU Applicants

For full details of the non-EU application procedure 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.

• Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.



English Language Requirements

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

Closing Date

Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.



Non-EU Closing Date

Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.

Generally students are examined by continuous assessment throughout the year and the dissertation must be submitted in September. Individual module assessments can be viewed in the Book of Modules

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

The Diploma Fee is €5,300 Full-time €2,650 part-time

Start Date: 8 September 2025

Skills and Careers Information

As this course allows students to acquire an education in Marine Law, or in purely commercial Maritime Law it allows access to a broad swath of professions including:

• academia

• governmental and regulatory agencies

• industry

• infrastructure developers

• international organisations / secretariats

• legal professions

• local government

• marine, maritime and environmental consultancy

• non-governmental organisations (NGOs)

• utilities sector