The Sutherland School of Law offers a wide range of modules for the Masters programmes. Modules of especial interest to those undertaking this programme include:
Environmental Law and Policy - Environmental law forms a fundamental part of how our society interacts with its natural surroundings. This course comprises a practical, in-depth examination of environmental law, with a focus on European and international perspectives. It will trace the development of EU and international environmental law to date and will analyze the legal principles applied to environmental protection.
Immigration and Asylum Law - States have a right under international law to limit access by non-citizens to a state. However, this right is necessarily limited and prescribed. Immigration and asylum law raise questions regarding the ability of states to regulate or control in-ward migration for certain categories of non-citizen. Immigration & Asylum: Law, Politics & Rights is designed for both law and non-law students. With profound changes expected to the Irish immigration and asylum systems over the coming years, this course will be useful to a wide variety of individuals. A sound knowledge and understanding of the legal rules and principles that have evolved to govern immigration and asylum law is useful and necessary for all persons operating in government, national and international governmental organisations, politics, business, as practising lawyers, policy makers, or as rights advocates within the international and national non-governmental sector (NGOs).
Regulation of Food Safety addresses how the differing interests and actors involved in the production and consumption of food interact to regulate the safety and quality of food and examines the current and future challenges in the regulation of food safety and quality.
CIEL
The Comparative International and European Law (CIEL) programme is an exchange programme for registered full-time LLM students. The programme includes joint thesis supervision with academic colleagues at both the home and host institution. Upon successful completion students are awarded the CIEL certificate in addition to their LLM award.
Maastricht University (Courses through English: English as first language or an overall score of score 6.5 in IELTS)
Universität Mannheim (Courses through German: German as first language, Leaving Certificate B2 or equivalent)
Universitat Pompeu Fabra (Courses through English: English as first language or an overall score of score 6.5 in IELTS)
Université Toulouse 1 Capitole (Courses through French: French as first language, Leaving Certificate B2 or equivalent)
University of Antwerp (Courses through English: English as first language or an overall score of score 6.5 in IELTS)
University of Zagreb (Courses through English: English as first language or an overall score of score 6.5 in IELTS)
Students admitted to LLM programmes holding a 2:1 in their undergraduate Law degree and relevant language results are eligible to apply in late September/Early October when they have begun their programme. Spaces are allocated on a competitive basis. Open to September start students only.
LLM Exchange to the University of Melbourne
Sutherland School of Law will offer one full-time registered LLM, September start, student the opportunity to spend Semester Two of their full-time LLM programme in the University of Melbourne. This is open only to students admitted to an LLM programme holding a high 2:1 in their undergraduate Law degree. Allocation will be based on academic performance to date and interview. Application to this will open in October.
Additional Notes for Applicants:
Please note that the Part Time programme has the same timetable as the full time programme but is held over 2 years rather than 1 year.
There will be dissertation seminars in weeks 1-4 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11-1pm (Jan-May term)
January start full time students will be expected to submit a dissertation title as soon as they have registered for the programme, January, and will have to submit a proposal and poster within the first weeks of their first semester.
Vision and Values Statement
The programme gives students, who already hold an undergraduate law degree or have practised law for a significant period, specialised and in-depth knowledge of the law and acquire a profound understanding of how law works in theory and in practice, both in Ireland and elsewhere. The qualification enhances students' prospects of employment or promotion in law firms, domestically and internationally, while providing knowledge, skills and experience applicable in a wide variety of careers.
Students are challenged to think critically about the social, cultural and political dimensions of the law, as well as the technical aspects of its applications. The understanding thereby acquired is relevant to their contribution as citizens in an increasingly wide range of areas, as well as to their chosen careers.
We strive for a learning environment that encourages students to work individually or as part of a team, so that they can develop their own and others' leadership, teamwork and communication skills, with a special emphasis on the applicability of these in the practice of law.
To these ends, the programme makes intensive use of teaching, learning and assessment approaches such as small-group teaching, in-class presentations (individual and group) and academic writing. A 30 credit dissertation on a topic devised by the student is an integral part of the programme.
Programme Outcomes
demonstrate specialised knowledge and understanding of Irish, and/or European and/or International Law
apply their knowledge and understanding of the law and their problem-solving abilities in diverse environments.
use knowledge of substantive law to critique arguments as to whether and how the law studied is in need of reform.
integrate source material from a variety of disciplinary areas to reach reasoned decisions about the relative status of competing claims to knowledge.
unpack complex legal arguments and to render intelligible to a non-specialist audience, key disciplinary insights.
have the intellectual toolkit required to research and write a major dissertation.