LLM (Law, Technology and Governance)—full-time and part-time

College of Business, Public Policy, & Law

Key facts

Entry requirements

Applicants must hold a Second Class Honours Grade 1 degree in law. In exceptional circumstances, applicants holding a degree in another discipline or a degree of less than a Second Class Honours Grade 1 standard may be considered where they have professional experience in law.

Duration: 1 year, full-time
2 years, part-time

Next start date: September 2012

ECTS weighting: 90

Average intake: 25

Closing date: You are advised to apply early, which may result in an early offer; see the offer round dates

Mode of study: Taught

Course overview

This is a unique and pioneering programme with a focus on the interconnection between law, technology, science, and innovation.  The LL.M. in Law, Technology and Governance offers students an opportunity to explore in depth substantive social issues and questions of law and governance as these mechanisms evolve to deal with ever-changing technology and rapid scientific advances.

It gives students the benefit of the expertise of members of the Law School, with a national, European and international perspective. In addition, academics from other institutions and key figures in public service, private practice and national and international organisations regularly contribute to the programme and enrich the overall learning experience.

Our graduates practice law with large corporate law firms or in their own boutique practices, work as researchers in (for example) the Judges’ Library and the Attorney-General’s office or have gone on to study for PhD degrees in Galway and elsewhere.

For more information about the programme, please visit the Law School website at www.nuigalway.ie/law

Course outline

An active and dynamic learning environment is on offer, with significant interaction between students and staff. Its objective is to produce highly-skilled and competent graduates with a significant expertise in their chosen subjects.

Fundamental to the programme are a number of core modules designed to equip students with critical legal research, writing and presentation skills. Optional modules probe current controversies and legal debates caused by advances in science, technology and globalisation. 

The dissertation, which is completed over the summer months, provides an opportunity for students to research in detail an area of their own choosing along the themes of the programme, expanding their expertise on a specific topic.

Students must take all of the mandatory modules listed below, together with the dissertation, and three optional modules.  There are no written examinations: all modules are examinable by coursework.

Mandatory Modules

Advanced Legal Research and Methods
Law, Regulation and Policy
Law, Governance and Enterprise: Contemporary Issues
Dissertation

Optional Modules (modules available may vary) 

Communications Law: Law, Technology and Change
Comparative Copyright Law and Policy 
Copyright in the Digital Era
Corporate Governance
Data Protection, Privacy and Retention
Internet Regulation and Governance
Competition Law and Intellectual Property
Internet Torts
The Law of Electronic Contracts
The Patenting of Biotechnology
The Regulation of Biotechnology

Applications and selections

Applications are made online via The Postgraduate Applications Centre (PAC), application code GYL08.

Who teaches this course?

Ms. Ursula Connolly
Ms. Caterina Gardiner
Ms. Anna-Louise Hinds
Mr. Rónán Kennedy
Ms. Marie McGonagle
Dr. Laurent Pech
Mr. Paul Lambert
Ms. Ciara Staunton

Requirements and assessment

Assessment for individual modules includes a combination of essays, presentations, group work and other methods. Students must also complete a research thesis / dissertation of 20,000 words.

Find out more

Rónán Kennedy
T 353 91 495 626 
E llmltag@nuigalway.ie

PAC code

GYL08, full-time GYL18, part-time

Fees for this course

EU (Total): €6,015 (FT); €3,120 (PT)
 - Student levy: €224
Non-EU (Total): €13,250

Fees for courses

RDJ Glynn Solicitors fund a generous scholarship which is awarded on
the basis of a competition open to all successful applicants for the LL.M.
in Law, Technology and Governance. A separate application is required.
Further details are available on the Law School web site www.nuigalway.ie/law

Current students

Thomas Mullen
 

Law, Technology and Governance

“The LLM in Law, Technology and Governance is proving to be the most enjoyable phase of my study of the law, both for the subject matter and the teaching dynamic. I am thoroughly enjoying the programme’s exploration of the compelling legal issues posed by the digital world and I am deriving particular benefits from the interactive nature of seminars. I would strongly recommend this LLM programme to anyone who is intrigued by the challenges and opportunities we face in today’s ‘Information Society’ and who wishes to pursue this interest in an engaging learning environment.”

 

Past students

Aonghus McClafferty
 

Law, Technology and Governance

“I enjoyed the interaction and close personal attention that the lecturers give to the students. They had a genuine interest in helping us all do as well as we could in the course and also encouraged us in other activities such as submitting papers to external conferences.

This programme offers students the chance to study innovative and developing areas of law. This programme takes you beyond the classroom and library and encourages study and research by igniting a genuine interest in the wide range of modules. Furthermore it provides interaction with people exploring the same areas with class outings to research conferences and more.”

 

Downloads

Get the prospectus

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Postgraduate prospectus

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