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Professional Diploma in Law

ProfDip (NFQ Level 9)

This course is available through the following application route(s)

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This Professional Diploma in Law has been designed to allow individuals the flexibility to study a selection of legal modules from a wide range of subjects on offer in UCD Sutherland School of Law. It is a 30 credit programme that is ideal for professionals with either a legal qualification or a qualification or experience in an area of relevance to the subjects they wish to study. Students applying for this course will benefit from the option to tailor the Diploma to their own specific needs in terms of the modules they will select and the time those particular modules are offered. 

The Professional Diploma in Law offers students a choice of modules from our Masters in Law (LLM) programmes, and lectures will be shared with LLM students.  In essence, you will ‘build’ your own unique Professional Diploma in Law, concentrating on the areas of law of most interest or relevance to you i.e. Human Rights, IP & IT, Criminology & Criminal Justice, etc. This is a flexible opportunity to study a selection of LLM modules  without the time committment required for a Masters degree. 

 

 

About This Course

Participants in this Diploma are challenged to think more critically about the social, cultural and political dimensions of the law, as well as the technical aspects of its application. The understanding thereby acquired is relevant to their contribution as citizens in an increasingly wide range of areas, as well as to their chosen careers. To these ends, the programme makes intensive use or teaching, learning and assessment approaches such as small-group teaching, in class presentations (individual and group) and academic writing.

On completion you will be equipped to:

  • Demonstrate specialised knowledge and understanding of modules taken
  •  Apply that knowledge and understanding in diverse environments
  • Communicate, appropriately, to different audiences

Below is a list of all modules offered for this degree in the current academic year. Click on the module to discover what you will learn in the module, how you will learn and assessment feedback profile amongst other information.

Incoming Stage 1 undergraduates can usually select an Elective in the Spring Trimester. Most continuing undergraduate students can select up to two Elective modules (10 Credits) per stage. There is also the possibility to take up to 10 extra Elective credits.

Module Type Module   Trimester Credits
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW40120 Foundations of Environmental Law Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW40150 International Competition Law Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW40360 Advanced Issues in European Competition Law Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW40640 Advanced Criminological Theory Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW40780 Law of the ECHR Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW41040 Law and Governance of the EU Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW41270 Data Protection and Privacy: National and International Perspectives Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW41450 International Tax Law Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW41610 Patent Law Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW42280 International Refugee Law Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW40060 International Commercial Arbitration Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW40280 Trade Mark Law Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW41090 Climate Change Law and Policy Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW41150 Online Regulation Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW41790 Data Protection Governance Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW42020 Law of Armed Conflict Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW42270 International Migration Law Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW42290 Gender, Conflict-related Harm & Transitional Justice Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW42300 Law & Rationality Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - A) Min 3 of:
Choose 3 of the following:
 LAW42310 AI Regulation Spring  10
Stage 1 Options - B)3 of:
Students wishing to specialise in Criminology and Criminal Justice only should choose the 3 modules below.
LAW40640 Advanced Criminological Theory Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)3 of:
Students wishing to specialise in Criminology and Criminal Justice only should choose the 3 modules below.
LAW41270 Data Protection and Privacy: National and International Perspectives Autumn  10
Stage 1 Options - B)3 of:
Students wishing to specialise in Criminology and Criminal Justice only should choose the 3 modules below.
LAW41790 Data Protection Governance Spring  10

Professional Diploma in Law (B389) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 4820
nonEU    fee per year - € 7540

***Fees are subject to change

Applications are accepted from 

  • Practising barristers or solicitors
  • Barristers or solicitors actively engaged in legally connected employment,
  • Graduates holding an approved university degree or law-based interdisciplinary university degree,
  • Persons with other academic and/or professional qualifications and/or such experiences as would satisfy the School that they are able to participate on this course.

Applicants should take careful note of the following

  • Official references must be submitted as proof of work experience by all applicants or Official Transcripts can be submitted as proof of examination results, where relevant.  Students of UCD applying for the Diploma do not need to supply Transcripts but should submit relevant professional references.
  • The personal statement is an important component of the application. It should contain information demonstrating your capability to undertake the course successfully. Thus, you should detail your relevant professional and practical experience.
  • Applicants must nominate two academic referees unless the applicant has been in employment for more than two years, in which case one of the named referees must be an employer. Applicants are required to submit the name, position held, postal address, email address and contact number for the two academic referees.

For Further Details Contact:

Áine Ahern 

UCD Sutherland School of Law, 
University College Dublin, 
Belfield, 
Dublin 4 

Telephone (01) 716 4112
E-mail: lawdiplomas@ucd.ie

You may be eligible for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), as UCD recognises formal, informal, and/or experiential learning. RPL may be awarded to gain Admission and/or credit exemptions on a programme. Please visit the UCD Registry RPL web page for further information. Any exceptions are also listed on this webpage.

Part Time option suitable for:

Domestic(EEA) applicants: Yes
International (Non EEA) applicants: No


Applications for admission to the Programme are invited from practising barristers or solicitors, graduates holding an approved university law degree or law-based inter disciplinary university degree or equivalent.



Applications will also be considered from the holders of academic and/or professional qualifications and/or proof of such experience as satisfy the School of Law that they are able to participate fully in the course and will be required to study the Introduction to Law module in advance of being admitted to the course.


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General application route(s) for Irish/UK/EU applicants* for International (non-EU) applicants* to Professional Diploma in Law:

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B389
Professional Diploma in Law
Professional Diploma

Part-Time
Commencing September 2025
Graduate Taught
Not available to International applicantsApply
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