Expand+Degree Requirements
• Applicants must hold a Law degree, or an inter-disciplinary degree in which law was a major component. Applicants must have achieved at least an upper second class honours or equivalent.

• Applicants holding a Graduate Diplo...

Hide-Degree Requirements
• Applicants must hold a Law degree, or an inter-disciplinary degree in which law was a major component. Applicants must have achieved at least an upper second class honours or equivalent.

• Applicants holding a Graduate Diploma in Law may be considered but will normally be admitted only where they can show an exceptionally strong performance in both their undergraduate degree and diploma.

• Exemption from these requirements may be given to those with significant, relevant, practical experience or those with a graduate qualification at Masters level or higher in a relevant discipline. Such applicants should state clearly in their application why they feel their qualifications/experiences are appropriate for admission to the programme.

English Language Requirements
• Applicants whose first language is not English must submit satisfactory evidence of competence in written and spoken English, i.e. overall IELTS 6.5 (including a minimum of 6.5 in the reading and writing parts and no part below 6.0) or 90 in the TOEFL iBT (with a minimum of 22 (reading) and 24 (writing) and no part below 20.) The test results must be less than 2 years old.

• The School encourages all applicants whose first language is not English to attend the pre-sessional English programme offered by the UCD Applied Language Centre, details of which are available at www.ucd.ie/alc.

• International applicants should visit the UCD International Office website (www.ucd.ie/international) for information regarding our campus, location of UCD, visa information, registration and orientation.

Application Procedure
Applicants should indicate which programme they are applying for. All applicants should note:

-Official transcripts must be submitted as proof of examination results by all applicants except UCD graduates.
-The personal statement is an important component of the application. It should contain information demonstrating your capability to undertake the course successfully. You should detail any relevant research and practical experience including any publications and major essays/projects.
-Applicants must nominate two academic referees (name, position, postal address, e-mail address and telephone number). If an applicant has been in employment for more than two years, one of the referees must be your employer.
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Please note: If you are offered a place on the LLM programme, accepting that place is a two-part process. You must submit an on-line acceptance and you must also pay a non-refundable deposit (normally €500) within 15 working days of the date of your offer letter.

- Letter Of Recommendation‌

Expand+Overview
This programme offers a genuinely inter-disciplinary approach to European studies for law students in order to analyse how our understanding of the nature of the European Union is shaped by our particular disciplinary perspectives. Students...

Hide-Overview
This programme offers a genuinely inter-disciplinary approach to European studies for law students in order to analyse how our understanding of the nature of the European Union is shaped by our particular disciplinary perspectives. Students will be challenged to think outside the box of their discipline within the core modules and to develop their discursive skills in relation to their twin discipline. Members of staff in the Sutherland School of Law have engaged in major research in this area spanning the full range of European Law from the institutional structure of the EU to critiques of existing area of EU law such as competition law and environmental law.
- To understand and think critically about the intersections between law, politics and international relations that come to the fore in the study of EU law;
-To apply their knowledge and understanding of EU law, political theory and international relations to real and hypothetical factual situations;
-To conduct independent research and write coherent, well-structured papers.

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:

Law and Governance of the EU asks the question: what is the role of law in the governance of the EU? This involves identifying and analysing the nature of the rule of law, the constitutionalisation of the EU and the nature of governance in general and in the EU in particular. Having briefly reviewed EU legal structures, the module turns to specific examples of governance structures in the EU especially networks and soft law noting their relationship with hard law and the extent to which they challenge or meet rule of law requirements such as accountability. In the process the interplay of law and governance in particular sectors such as fiscal governance, competition and the internal market are analysed.

The Politics of International Law aims to explore the inter-relationships between international law and politics by considering a number of issues and concepts from legal, moral and political perspectives. The issues will include the nature, structure and institutions of international law, global governance, the role of international courts, statehood and other actors of international law and politics, as well as the politics of international criminal law. The concepts will address normativity, authority, as well as accountability, justice, and international ethics.

Comparative European Politics aims to provide an advanced understanding of major theoretical, empirical and substantive issues in the politics of Europe, both at domestic and EU-levels. After examining the methodology of comparison, the module's primary focus is on the political systems of Europe and the European Union in a comparative context, through the prisms of executive-legislative relations, political parties, elections, and patterns of political representation.

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.
-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.
-There will be dissertation seminars in weeks 1-4 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11-1pm (Jan-May term)

Expand+The LLM requires the completion of 90 ECTS. The dissertation is worth 30 ECTS and there is a dissertation seminar in semester 2 for 2 hours per week with the dissertation being completed in Semester 3.

The typical enrolment for a full-time student...

Hide-The LLM requires the completion of 90 ECTS. The dissertation is worth 30 ECTS and there is a dissertation seminar in semester 2 for 2 hours per week with the dissertation being completed in Semester 3.

The typical enrolment for a full-time student is 3 modules in Semester 1 and 2. Although all modules are available, students on this programme usually choose from the following modules.

Part-time students, taking the degree over two years, should note that classes are as for those taking the full time option, but will take less credits per semester as they have 2 years to complete this programme.

For January start Full Time students the Dissertation seminars begin straight away and the dissertation will take place during the summer.

Stage 1 - Core
Law and Governance of the EU LAW41040
ELPA Dissertation LAW41320
Politics of European Governance POL40970

Stage 1 - Option
Human Rights Law and Equality EQUL40070
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International Commercial Arbitration LAW40060
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Environmental Law and Policy LAW40120
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The Regulation of Food Safety and Quality LAW40180
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Media Regulation LAW40230
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Regulatory Governance LAW40250
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Advanced Issues in European Competition Law LAW40360
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Corporate Governance LAW40670
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NGOs: Law, Governance and Social Change LAW40760
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Law of the ECHR LAW40780
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International Human Rights LAW40790
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Digital Investigations & the Law LAW40860
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Climate Change Law and Policy LAW41090
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Immigration & Asylum: Law, Politics & Rights LAW41310
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Human Rights Clinic LAW41670
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Theory of Human Rights POL41030
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The Global Political Economy of Europe POL41650
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Race, Space and Place SOC40610

Expand+Careers
This programme will enable you to qualify in the legal profession while specialising in European law and public affairs. It is also the ideal platform from which to pursue a career in the European public service, e.g. European Commission and...

Hide-Careers
This programme will enable you to qualify in the legal profession while specialising in European law and public affairs. It is also the ideal platform from which to pursue a career in the European public service, e.g. European Commission and European Courts of Justice.

Several UCD careers events are held throughout the year, including dedicated law careers fairs which are attended by top employers. For specific careers advice, the UCD Sutherland School of Law has a dedicated careers advisor on its academic faculty, Dr Oonagh Breen.