Expand+The following entry routes are available:

LLM International Human Rights Jan FT (B442)
Duration 1 Years
Attendance Full Time
Deadline Rolling *

LLM International Human Rights Jan PT (B443)
Duration 2 Years
Attendance Part Time
Deadline Ro...

Hide-The following entry routes are available:

LLM International Human Rights Jan FT (B442)
Duration 1 Years
Attendance Full Time
Deadline Rolling *

LLM International Human Rights Jan PT (B443)
Duration 2 Years
Attendance Part Time
Deadline Rolling *

LLM International Human Rights FT (B440)
Duration 1 Years
Attendance Full Time
Deadline Rolling *

LLM International Human Rights PT (B441)
Duration 2 Years
Attendance Part Time
Deadline Rolling *

* Courses will remain open until such time as all places have been filled, therefore early application is

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 Diploma i...

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.

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+On this programme you will acquire specialised and in-depth knowledge and understanding of international human rights law, political theory of rights and international relations relating to human rights. The programme is interdisciplinary thus buildi...

Hide-On this programme you will acquire specialised and in-depth knowledge and understanding of international human rights law, political theory of rights and international relations relating to human rights. The programme is interdisciplinary thus building on the strengths in this area of the Sutherland School of Law and the School of Politics and International Relations.

The LLM General programme affords you the opportunity to choose any combination of the graduate modules offered by the Sutherland School of Law. Members of staff in the Sutherland School of Law have engaged in major research across the areas of law reflected in the modules offered in the programme ranging from cross-border divorce law, the socio-economic rights of asylum seekers to the regulation of charities in Ireland.

Expand+Overview
On this programme you will acquire specialised and in-depth knowledge and understanding of international human rights law, political theory of rights and international relations relating to human rights. The programme is interdisciplinary t...

Hide-Overview
On this programme you will acquire specialised and in-depth knowledge and understanding of international human rights law, political theory of rights and international relations relating to human rights. The programme is interdisciplinary thus building on the strengths in this area of the Sutherland School of Law and the School of Politics and International Relations. Members of staff in the Sutherland School of Law have engaged in major research in this area spanning the full range of international human rights law from asylum law and practice, the EU and fundamental rights to the law of privacy in Ireland.

On completion of this programme, students will be able:
•To understand and think critically about various facets of Law;
•To apply their knowledge and understanding of Law to real and hypothetical factual situations;
•To conduct independent research and write coherent, well-structured papers.

Who should apply?

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. No

Full Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. Yes

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants currently residing outside of the EEA Region. No

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:

International Human Rights will consider the theoretical underpinnings and development of contemporary international human rights law. It will critically examine the institutional architecture developed by the UN system and regional systems to implement human rights norms as well as national methods of implementation of human rights law. The course will also consider key themes and challenges facing those systems in securing effective protection of human rights.

Law of the ECHR involves a critical examination of key aspects of the operation and substantive law of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). In particular this course focuses on the incorporation of the ECHR into domestic law; the individual-complaint procedure and the operation of the European Court of Human Rights; methods of interpretation by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR); as well as in-depth analysis and critical evaluation of the ECtHR’s jurisprudence across a representative selection of rights in the ECHR.

Theroy of Human Rights: Human rights play a peculiar role in contemporary national and international affairs. They are, first and foremost, moral rights that all human beings should be guaranteed, but they also require implementation in positive law and institutions. This module will examine some of the most prominent theories of rights and examine some of the problems that arise from human rights talk and human rights implementation. These include various challenges to the idea of human rights, conflicts between rights, human rights and democracy and the relation between human rights and distributive justice.

Politics of Human Rights: By examining recent political science scholarship on human rights, this module will facilitate understanding of how human rights norms spread and what effects they have on state behavior. After a brief theoretical and historical overview of international human rights, the course will turn to perspectives that seek to explain how and under what conditions human rights norms would be expected to influence state conduct. Topics covered include the role of transnational activist networks, legalization and legal norms, transitional justice, trade and economic sanctions, and the role of domestic institutions.

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 is...

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 of the ECHR LAW40780

International Human Rights LAW40790

Human Rights Dissertation LAW41360

Politics of Human Rights POL41020

Theory of Human Rights POL41030

Stage 1 - Options

Human Rights Law and Equality EQUL40070

Media Regulation LAW40230

NGOs: Law, Governance and Social Change LAW40760

Climate Change Law and Policy LAW41090

Online Regulation LAW41150

International Criminal Justice LAW41160

Key Issues in Conflict of Laws LAW41200

Data Protection and Privacy: European and US Perspectives LAW41270

Immigration & Asylum: Law, Politics & Rights LAW41310

International Tax Law LAW41450

Patent Law (Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals) LAW41610

Human Rights Clinic LAW41670

Politics of Development POL40100

Race, Space and Place SOC40610

Art, Knowledge & Social Change SOC40790

Expand+The programme qualifies you to work in the field of human rights, either internationally or in Ireland, as a practising lawyer, legal adviser, policy-maker, advocate, researcher or academic. Career opportunities exist in inter-governmental organisati...

Hide-The programme qualifies you to work in the field of human rights, either internationally or in Ireland, as a practising lawyer, legal adviser, policy-maker, advocate, researcher or academic. Career opportunities exist in inter-governmental organisations (United Nations, Council of Europe, European Union, Organisation for Cooperation and Security in Europe), government departments, international and domestic nongovernmental organisations, and law firms including McCann FitzGerald and Allen & Overy.

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.