Law and Human Rights

Discover Law (BCL) and Human Rights at NUI Galway

Course Overview

The Law & Human Rights programme is an innovative and unique programme – the first of its kind in Ireland. It offers students the opportunity to combine a full undergraduate law programme with the study of human rights.

Students on the programme will be challenged and engaged by a rich curriculum of core and optional law modules.  Students will be trained in key legal skills such as written and oral advocacy; and they will be educated in the principles, theories and doctrines of human rights law and practice.

The School of Law and Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway are pioneers in legal education and research on human rights.   Students will have access to world leading researchers, writers and lecturers in human rights at the Irish Centre for Human Rights.

Every student is given the opportunity of work placement or study abroad.  Work placement in a leading law firm, a corporate firm or a public sector organisation exposes students to application of the law which will supplement the academic legal education with practical exposure. Study abroad at partner institutions around the world provides students with experience of a legal education in an international setting and a different perspective on the law.

Students on this degree will be able to take French or German as part of their degree. These language options demonstrate the School of Law's committment to ensuring that graduates will be prepared for the globalised nature of law in the twenty-first century.

Law and Human Rights at the Virtual Open Day

Read questions and answers from our 'Ask a Lecturer' in Law and Human Rights Live Q&A session.

Explore courses and careers in Law through a video presentation.

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Additional Requirements

Course Outline

YEAR ONE
• Compulsory core modules:
· Introduction to Human Rights
· Understanding the Law
· Constitutional Law
· Contract Law
· Tort Law
• Optional modules:
· Family Law
· Language - French/German/Teanga an Dlí (Legal Irish)

YEAR TWO
• Compulsory core modules:
· International Human Rights
· European Human Rights
· Criminal Law
· EU Law
· Mooting
· Guided Research Essay
• Optional modules:
· Information Technology Law/ Housing Law/Intellectual Property Law/ Health Law/ Media Law
· Language - French/German/Teanga an Dlí (Legal Irish)

YEAR THREE
• Study Abroad or
• Professional Work Placement
• Caithfidh na mic léinn a dhéanann Teanga an Dlí seimeastar amháin ag staidéar ar champas Gaeltachta Ollscoil na hÉireann Gaillimh ar an gCeathrú Rua agus seimeastar amháin eile ar shocrúchán oibre i dtimpeallacht lán-Ghaeilge. (Students who study Legal Irish will spend one semester studying at NUI Galway’s Gaeltacht campus in An Cheathrú Rua and one semester of professional work placement in an Irish-speaking environment.)

YEAR FOUR
• Compulsory core modules:
· Company Law
· Equity Law
· Land Law
• Specialise in a discipline/stream:
· The Legal Professions
· Business and Commercial Law
· Public Law, Risk ad Regulation
· Human Rights, Crime and Equality
· International, Comparative and Transnational Law
· Language - French/German/Teanga an Dlí (Legal Irish)

Optional: Elective streams: (i) Human Rights, Crime and Equality; (ii) Legal Professions (for students who wish to complete eligibility for Kings Inns); (iii) International, Comparative and Transnational Law; (iv) General (i.e. no special focus – this is not, technically-speaking a ‘stream’ but rather a default option for students who do not wish to focus on one area); and (v) Language.

Further Education

Students who complete the BCL will be well-positioned for legal professional practice courses at the Law Society of Ireland (solicitor) and the Kings Inns (barrister).

Study will also be eligible to qualify to practice law in certain US states, including New York (provided they the Bar Exam) and in England and Wales.

The School of Law offers a range of masters degrees in law (LLMs) for students who wish to enrich their legal education. These include: (i) LLM (General); (ii) LLM in International and Comparative Business Law; (iii) LLM in Public Law; and (iv) LLM in Comparative Disability Law and Policy.

The Irish Centre for Human Rights also offers a range of masters degrees in human rights: (i) LLM in International Human Rights, (ii) LLM in International Criminal Law, (iii) LLM in International Migration and Refugee Law and Policy, and (iv) LLM in Peace Operations, Humanitarian Law and Conflict.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Work Placement

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

Fees: Tuition

Fees: Student Contribution

Fees: Student levy

Fees: Non EU

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