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.

Theory 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)

NEW Double Degree Masters in Law with University Western Australia located in beautiful Perth

This 1+1 Double Degree consists of two separate awards: a UCD SSoL  one-year taught Masters Degree  followed by a UWA Law School one year taught Masters Degree.

The UCD SSoL degree will be from one of the following programmes

● LLM General,

● LLM International Commercial Law,

● LLM in Criminology & Criminal Justice,

● LLM in IP and IT Law,

● LLM in International Human Rights,

● LLM European Law and Public Affairs,

● MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice,

● MSc International Law and Business AND

The UWA Law School one year taught Masters Degree can be taken in one of the following fields:

● Master of International Commercial Law,

● Master of International Law,

● Master of Taxation Law,

● Master of Law, Policy and Government,

● Master of Commercial and Resources Law, and

● Master of Mining and Energy Law. 

More details on the UWA programmes available

https://www.uwa.edu.au/able/schools/law-school#anchor-Courses-9D61DB9F-11D2-4ED0-AFA5-9AC77FF94CCB

The academic calendar at UWA extends from February to June (Semester 1) and July to November (Semester 2). So the first entrants from UCD will take place in February 2020

Students transferring from UCD will be required to meet normal overseas admission standards before being admitted to the UWA Masters programme i.e. the equivalent of a Weighted Average Mark of 60% overall in the first year of their UCD Masters study

Each student shall pay the full annual fees for the programme to the institution they are studying at for the year of payment.

         Each year, UWA may award full or partial tuition fee scholarships to the best qualified UCD candidates who commence the UWA Masters programme. The number of these full or partial scholarships and eligibility for them may be determined by UWA in accordance with the number of students entering the programme and/or their academic performance.

It is expected that these will be as follows:

-    For Students with a UWA WAM equivalent of 70% (UCD GPA of 3.08) or greater a fee waiver of $A5,000 per annum.

-    For Students with a UWA WAM equivalent of 75% (UCD GPA of 3.38) or greater a fee waiver of $A8,000 per annum.

-    For Students with a UWA WAM equivalent of 80% (UCD GPA of 3.68) or greater a fee waiver of $A10,000 per annum.

The programme gives students, who already hold an undergraduate law degree or have practised law for a significant period, specialised and in-depth knowledge and understanding of international human rights law, political theory of rights and international relations relating to human rights. It qualifies student to work in the human rights field in Ireland or abroad, as lawyers, policy-makers, advocates, researchers or academics. Career opportunities exist in intergovernmental organisations, government departments, international and domestic non-governmental organisations and in law firms.

Students are challenged to understand and think critically about the intersections between law, politics and international relations that come to the fore in the study of human rights. The understanding thereby acquired is also relevant to their contribution as citizens in an increasingly wide range of areas.

We strive for a learning environment that encourages students to work individually or as part of a team, so that they can develop their own and others' leadership, teamwork and communication skills, with a special emphasis on the applicability of these in the practise of international human rights law.

To these ends, the programme makes intensive use of teaching, learning and assessment approaches such as small-group teaching, in-class presentation (individual and group) and academic writing. A 30 credit dissertation on a topic devised by the student is an integral part of the programme.

• apply their knowledge and understanding of international human rights law, political theory and international relations and their problem-solving abilities in diverse environments.
• demonstrate specialised knowledge and understanding of domestic, European and International Human Rights Law, political theory of rights and international relations relating to human rights.
• have the intellectual toolkit required to research and write a major dissertation.
• integrate source material from a variety of disciplinary areas to reach reasoned decisions about the relative status of competing claims to knowledge.
• unpack complex legal and theoretical arguments and to render intelligible to a non-specialist audience, key disciplinary insights.
• use knowledge of substantive law and theory to critique arguments as to whether and how the law in this field is in need of reform.

View All Modules Here

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

LLM International Human Rights (B440) Full Time
EU          fee per year - € 11500
nonEU    fee per year - € 22600

LLM International Human Rights (B441) Part Time
EU          fee per year - € 5340
nonEU    fee per year - € 11300

***Fees are subject to change

Tuition fee information is available on the UCD Fees website. Please note that UCD offers a number of graduate scholarships for full-time, self-funding international students, holding an offer of a place on a UCD graduate degree programme. For further information please see International Scholarships. 

We also offer scholarships for EU applicants. All applicants who apply before May 31st will be included. Further details at http://www.ucd.ie/law/study/scholarships/

The School affords its students the opportunity to spend a semester abroad as part of the Comparative, International and European Law (CIEL) graduate exchange programme with our partner Universities.

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 (60 ECTS Credits) 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.
• These are the minimum entry requirements – additional criteria may be requested for some programmes 

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.
• Students meeting the programme’s academic entry requirements but not the  English language requirements, may enter the programme upon  successful completion of UCD’s Pre-Sessional or International Pre-Master’s Pathway programmes. Please see the following link for further information http://www.ucd.ie/alc/programmes/pathways/ 
•  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

Adriana Ferreira dos Santos
Norbert Costa, Brazil
Student

The LLM in Human Rights in UCD included subjects from both Law and Politics which met my academic needs. I visited the campus and realised it had everything I was looking for; a well-structured course with faculty that have great expertise in the area, interesting subjects, an excellent research database and impressive facilities. Ireland has a beautiful landscape and the people are welcoming. I also think it has the perfect atmosphere for study. I joined the boxing club at UCD and found it a great place to make friends and relax after studying. I really enjoyed the amazing sports complex. I think UCD has both high academic standards and great facilities available to the students; you have the option of having a meal on campus, watching a film at the Student Centre or playing sports in the Sports centre. I think this makes the academic experience more complete.

• LLM Criminology & Criminal Justice PT
• LLM General FT
• LLM Intellectual Property & Information Technology Jan FT
• MSc International Law & Business FT
• LLM International Human Rights Jan FT

The following entry routes are available:

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