Law with French Law

This is a highly valued degree by employers both in Ireland and in Europe. Language proficiency is increasingly important in the modern business world and this qualification gives graduates a distinctive point of differentiation when seeking employment.

Law with French Law is one of two French Law Courses offered by Sutherland School of Law, the other being the dual degree - the BCL/ Maîtrise. All students interested in the French Law Courses enter the BCL (Law with French Law) in first year. Both degrees offer the exciting opportunity for immersion in two of the world’s major legal systems. Student will learn about the common law system, practised in Ireland and the UK (and in some form, in most of the English-speaking world) and the civil law system which is used throughout Europe.

The BCL (Law with French Law) degree provides students with a qualification in Irish law, while acquiring a broad knowledge of French law and a very high level of competence in French language and French legal terminology. French Law classes are small, and students are encouraged to interact throughout, thus enhancing their spoken French. On graduation, students may choose to pursue a career in an Irish legal context but this degree will also have given them the opportunity to gain valuable comparative insights, which inform an enhanced critical perspective on Irish law.

This degree is four years in duration with third year spent at a leading law school in France.

Click here to Download Course Pathways document.

All French law modules studied at UCD are taught through French.

First Year

First year focuses on the core law modules of Constitutional Law, Contract Law, Tort Law. Legal and Professional Skills and General Introduction to the Irish Legal System. This is combined with intensive French language training and modules covering French Public Law, French Private Law and French Law Book Club.

Second Year

In second year, you will study other core law modules including: EU Law, Property Law and Criminal Law. You will also advance your French language training and continue to study French Private Law and French Public Law.

A non compulsory peer-to-peer French Law Clinic provides additional supervised tutorials led by students. These are organised and taught by third and final year dual degree students from Toulouse.

Third and Fourth Year

You will spend your third year at a partner university in Aix-Marseille, Nice, Lyon, Paris, Strasbourg or Toulouse. You will return to UCD for the final year of your BCL degree and will be required to complete a dissertation in French on French law.

The French Law Dissertation is in fact most of the time a Comparative work about French law and Irish law, or can be in European law or International law.

You will also study some modules, such as:

• Jurisprudence and Equity • Environmental Law and Policy • Migration Law • Environmental Law and Policy • Migration Law • European Human Rights Law • Medical Law • Criminological Theory

You may apply to study abroad for either a semester or a year through the Erasmus programme or on a non-EU exchange. UCD has over 200 Erasmus partners in Europe and an increasing number of non-EU exchange agreements with universities in the USA, Canada, Australia, Japan and elsewhere. Please visit the Erasmus section by clicking on the International Office link at the top of this page.

This degree ensures that graduates are well placed to pursue careers with international law firms, EU and international organisations, diplomacy and government departments, or Non-Governmental Organisations.

Past graduates have progressed to study at prestigious institutions in the EU and internationally and others have obtained scholarships to the renowned College of Europe in Bruges.

• Level 5/6 QQI-FET
• Open Learning Entry Route
• Mature Entry Route
• DARE Entry Route
• HEAR Entry Route
• University Access

The UCD Sutherland School of Law is a connected community of students and faculty who are committed to creating a more sustainable and equitable future for all. We work together in a culture of collaboration to support each other to thrive and achieve our full potential, in service of broader societal goals. Through our undergraduate and graduate education, research and external engagement, we aim to ensure that our students, faculty and staff thrive and contribute to sustainable well-being on our campus, in Ireland and across the wider world. Our faculty are globally recognized experts in the fields of Law and Criminology, advancing knowledge through research, engaging with government, business and civil society to enhance our world, and using their knowledge to design and offer cutting edge education within their disciplines of Law and Criminology .   

The Law degrees at UCD incorporate a diverse range of formal and informal learning opportunities for students, delivered by excellent researchers who are leading their fields globally, and embedding the UN’s sustainable development goals (SDG’s) in their educational activities where appropriate.

Law governs many aspects of our lives. It affects many of our day-to-day interactions, transactions and personal relationships, as well as the fundamental challenges which face our societies such as climate change, human rights violations and rule of law backsliding. Law students gain a deep understanding of Law and develop real-world skills in research, communication and leadership. By integrating their legal expertise with the goals of sustainable development, our graduates can significantly contribute to advancing these global objectives and creating a more just, equitable, and sustainable world.

Through learning how policy makers respond to societal challenges, students are equipped to make a difference to the world, affect cultural change, contribute to public service or corporate responsibility to advance the sustainable development goals. The curriculum for our law degrees align with many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in meaningful and impactful ways. The following are the primary areas where there is closest alignment:

• Quality Education (SDG 4)
• Gender Equality (SDG 5)
• Decent work and economic growth (SDG 8)
• Industry, innovation and infrastructure (SDG 9)
• Reduce Inequalities (SDG 10)
• Peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16)

Non-EU Undergraduate Fee information can be found here.

UCD offers a number of competitive undergraduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD undergraduate degree programme. For information on Undergraduate Scholarships, please see the UCD International Scholarships webpage.

Language/ Other Requirement / Recommendation: French A Level B IB HL 6