Law with Philosophy

Are you interested in thinking for yourself? Do you like problem solving? Do you want to tackle some of the most challenging questions that have fascinated thinkers for centuries, such as: How can we know anything? Do we have free will? How should we live? Does God exist? The main requirement for studying philosophy is a capacity for clear thinking and methodical argument.

Legal systems express and reflect the prevailing moral, political, social and economic philosophy of the state. Law and philosophy are, therefore, complementary fields of study. An understanding of law is fundamentally enhanced by a deeper knowledge of philosophical theory. This course offers you a highly respected degree in law combined with an enriched appreciation of its philosophical underpinnings.

Explore fundamental questions about society, knowledge and human existence, and how they impact and influence the law.

With a wide choice of law and philosophy modules, you can pursue your own areas of interest. Module choices include: •

• Company Law
• Environmental Law and Policy
• Lawyers, Ethics and Legal Practice
• Philosophy of Mind and AI
• Feminism & Gender Justice
• Critical Thinking

The study of both law and philosophy will train students to read texts closely, to think independently and to foster an ability to communicate complex ideas with clarity and accuracy. These attributes are essential in many professional occupations, not least the world of legal practice. The Roman philosopher and lawyer, Cicero, has said that: "It isn't enough to possess wisdom; you should be able to use it too." The study of philosophy within this degree aims to provide students with insight and analytical skills. These are invaluable tools for building a career and will be used to graduates throughout their lives.

At UCD Sutherland School of Law, we actively encourage our students to travel abroad as part of their education. In today’s globalised world this is an unrivalled opportunity for students to broaden their horizons and gain life experience. We offer our students the best range of opportunities of any Irish Law School to study abroad, including numerous partners across Europe, as well as Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, and the USA.

UCD participates in the ERASMUS+ programme which has an extensive portfolio of partner universities around the world. This programme ensures that our students have the widest range of options possible for study abroad. Depending on which particular programme you choose to study, you will have different options to spend a trimester or a year at one of our partner universities. The widest range of destinations is offered to BCL students.

As a UCD law graduate, you will be very well placed to pursue various careers in Ireland and abroad. UCD Sutherland School of Law graduates have a strong reputation in the legal professional marketplace. Given their exposure to multidisciplinary studies, it is no surprise that many have also developed careers outside the law in fields such as banking, taxation, journalism and broadcasting.

UCD Law graduates have been admitted to study for postgraduate degrees at many prestigious universities abroad, including Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge, the College of Europe and the European University Institute. Graduates can also choose to deepen their knowledge of a specific area of law by studying one of the ten law masters degrees that we offer in UCD.

We offer an extensive internship programme which allows students gain valuable employment experience during their degree.

What is an Internship? In an internship, you take up a paid role in an organisation to gain work experience for a fixed period of time. Employers place considerable value in the skills and experience gained by graduates who have completed internships.

How long is an Internship? Internships are offered in Year 3 and involve a one trimester placement of 14 weeks. This will generally run between January and April in Trimester 2.

Why Internships? An internship is an experiential learning opportunity that provides lifelong academic, personal and professional benefits. It will allow you to apply your skills and knowledge in the real working world while enhancing your confidence and helping you gain a better insight into a particular role or industry sector.

• 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.