Universities Ireland National University of Ireland Galway Courses Law and Human Rights

Law and Human Rights
at National University of Ireland Galway

Galway, Ireland

Tuition Fee € 17,040
Country Rank#14
Duration48 Months
Score IELTS: 6.5 TOEFL: 88

Program Overview

The four-year Bachelor of Civil Law (Human Rights) is an innovative and unique programme – the first of its kind in Ireland. It offers students the opportunity to combine a full undergraduate law programme with the study of human rights.

The study of human rights involves gaining an understanding of how the international human rights treaties function as tools to ensure that states respect and protect the equal human dignity of all people. Students will learn about how human rights law develops, including the influence of activism and grassroots movements for social change.

Human rights are not just legal concepts; therefore students on this course will have the opportunity to gain philosophical and political insights that will broaden their knowledge and deepen their critical thinking skills. Students will also study emerging areas of human rights law and contemporary issues of large-scale injustice such as climate change, the environment and human rights; data privacy; refugee rights; poverty; and business and human rights. In addition, this course will provide a basic introduction to International Criminal Law and International Humanitarian Law.

Students on the programme will be challenged and engaged by a rich curriculum of core and optional law modules. Students will be trained in key legal skills such as written and oral advocacy; and they will be educated in the principles, theories and doctrines of human rights law and practice.

The School of Law and the Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway are pioneers in legal education and research on human rights. Students will have access to world leading researchers, writers and lecturers in human rights at the Irish Centre for Human Rights.

Students complete all the modules required to support them to undertake the entrance exams for the Law Society of Ireland, should they wish to qualify as a solicitor. Students who wish to qualify as a barrister will have the option of taking all additional modules required by the Honourable Society of King’s Inns, through the Legal Professions specialised stream in the final year.

Course Content
Year 1 (60 credits)

This year focuses on building skills with strong foundational teaching. The module ‘Understanding the Law’ builds a platform of essential skills and helps students to transition to the expectations of a university degree.

The module ‘Human Rights: Theories, Concepts and Selected Issues’ provides a grounding in critical, inter-disciplinary and practical approaches to human rights designed to enable deep engagement with human rights law in subsequent years. Topics in past years have included feminist theories of power and injustice, ‘rebellious lawyering’ theory, climate justice, disability rights, the past and present human rights issues arising from Ireland’s history of institutionalisation and family separation, and participation in a mock examination of Ireland by the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

Compulsory Core Modules (50 credits)
- Human Rights: Theories, Concepts and Selected Issues (10 credits)
- Understanding the Law (10 credits)
- Constitutional Law (10 credits)
- Contract Law (10 credits)
- Tort Law (10 credits)
Optional Modules (10 credits)
- Family Law (10 credits)
- Critical Thinking for Lawyers (10 credits)
- Language: Legal French/ Legal German/ Teanga an Dlí (Legal Irish) (10 credits)
Year 2 (60 credits)

In second year students develop their skills further with modules such as ‘Mooting’ which helps develop communication and advocacy skills. Students will also complete a ‘Guided Research Essay’ on a topic of their choice and will be supported by an academic mentor.

Students take four compulsory modules in human rights law, which together provide a comprehensive overview of the human rights treaty systems that influence state laws and practice in Ireland, Europe and the world over. These modules also address areas of emerging human rights law and contemporary issues, and they introduce students to a range of staff and postgraduate researchers specialising in human rights at NUI Galway as well as to guest speakers practicing in human rights law.

Compulsory Core Modules (50 credits)
- Criminal Law I & II (10 credits)
- European Union Law I & II (10 credits)
- European Human Rights Law - Systems & Themes I & II (10 credits)
- International Protection of Human Rights I & II (10 credits)
- Mooting (5 credits)
- Guided Research Essay (5 credits)
Optional Modules (10 credits)
- Labour Law I (5 credits)
- Labour Law II (5 credits)
- Industrial and Intellectual Property Law (5 credits)
- Environmental Law I (5 credits)
- Environmental Law II (5 credits)
- Language: Legal French/ Legal German/ Teanga an Dlí (Legal Irish) (10 credits)
Year 3 (60 credits)

Customise your experience by choosing either professional work placement or study abroad.

Caithfidh na mic léinn a dhéanann Teanga an Dlí seimeastar amháin ag staidéar ar champas Gaeltachta Ollscoil na hÉireann Gaillimh ar an gCeathrú Rua agus seimeastar amháin eile ar shocrúchán oibre i dtimpeallacht lán-Ghaeilge. (Students who study Legal Irish will spend one semester studying at NUI Galway’s Gaeltacht campus in An Cheathrú Rua and one semester of professional work placement in an Irish-speaking environment.)

Year 4 (60 credits)

Students will have the opportunity to shape their degree by choosing a specialist stream. Students may choose one of the following specialist streams including the ‘General’ stream which allows students to choose modules from multiple streams. Certain specialist streams have prerequisite modules which must be passed before choosing the stream in the final year. Students who wish to qualify professionally as a barrister should choose ‘The Legal Professions’ stream which covers all the modules required to apply for the degree of Barrister–at–Law at The Honorable Society of King’s Inns.

Compulsory Core Modules (35 credits)
- Company Law (10 credits)
- Equity Law (10 credits)
- Land Law (10 credits)
- Module to be confirmed (5 credits)
Optional Specialist Streams (25 credits)

Students will have the opportunity to shape their degree by choosing a specialist stream. Students may choose one of the following specialist streams including the ‘General’ stream which allows students to choose modules from multiple streams. Certain specialist streams have prerequisite modules which must be passed before choosing the stream in the final year.

The Legal Professions
- Administrative Law I (5 credits)
- Jurisprudence I (5 credits)
- Evidence I & II (10 credits)
- Choose a module from another stream (5 credits)
Human Rights, Crime and Equality
- Criminology (5 credits)
- Family Law (10 credits)
- Labour Law I (5 credits)
- Labour Law II (5 credits)
- Housing Law & Policy (5 credits)
- Comparative Disability Law (5 credits)
- Public International Law (10 credits)
- Applied Legal Theory (5 credits)
Business and Commercial Law
- Banking Law (5 credits)
- Alternative Dispute Resolution (5 credits)
- Labour Law I (5 credits)
- Labour Law II (5 credits)
- Commercial Law (5 credits)
- International Trade Law (5 credits)
- Law and Economics (5 credits)
- Industrial and Intellectual Property Law (5 credits)
- Comparative Competition Law (5 credits)
- Law and Innovation (5 credits)
Public Law, Risk and Regulation
- Environmental Law I (5 credits)
- Environmental Law II (5 credits)
- Criminology (5 credits)
- Housing Law & Policy (5 credits)
- Information Technology Law (5 credits)
- Industrial and Intellectual Property Law (5 credits)
- Admin Law II (5 credits)
- Law and Innovation (5 credits)
International, Comparative and Transnational Law
- Comparative Disability Law (5 credits)
- Public International Law (10 credits)
- Comparative Competition Law (5 credits)
- International Trade Law (5 credits)
- Applied Legal Theory (5 credits)
Entry Requirement
Undergraduate and mature students can satisfy matriculation registration requirements for NUI Galway by achieving certain grades in the following examinations.

Leaving certificate (for EU and non-EU)

You need a pass in at least six subjects in the Leaving Certificate in accordance with College requirements with:
- Minimum Grade H5 (Higher Level) in two subjects
- Passes in the remaining four subjects at O6/ H7
You should pick your subjects based on the requirements for entry to your desired course.

All subjects of the Leaving Certificate are accepted for matriculation registration purposes, with the exception of Gaeilge Bonnleibhéal (Irish Foundation Level), Mathematics (Ordinary Alternative/Foundation Level and; Home Economics (General), which is recognised only for St. Angela's College, Sligo.

GCE and GSCE

You need a pass in at least six subjects in accordance with College requirements with at least:
- GCE Advanced Level: Grade C in two recognised subjects and
- GCSE Level: Grade C in four recognised subjects.
You should pick your subjects based on the requirements for entry to your desired course.

English Language Requirement:

IELTS :- 6.5

TOEFL :- 88
Fees & Scholarships
Fees: EU
€6,733 p.a. 2022/23

Fees: Tuition
€3,593 p.a. 2022/23

Fees: Student Contribution
€3,000 p.a. 2022/23

Fees: Student levy
€140 p.a. 2022/23

Fees: Non EU
€17,040 p.a. 2022/23

EU Fees are comprised of Tuition + Student Contribution Charge + Student Levy** €140. **Payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI.
Career Prospect
Career Opportunities
The Irish Centre for Human Rights has a global network of alumni working in human rights, providing excellent links and supports for our students.

Graduates of the Law (BCL) and Human Rights programme will be well prepared to work in international human rights law, policy or legal practice. Graduates will have the foundation necessary to pursue opportunities with international organisations, United Nations bodies or developmental agencies.

Graduates of this degree will be ready to sit the professional entrance exams for the Law Society of Ireland (solicitor). Graduates who completed the Legal Professions specialised stream will be eligible to sit the professional entrance exams for the Honourable Society of King’s Inns (barrister).

Work Placement
Our students will have the opportunity to gain a professional focus and real world experience through professional work placement. Students gain invaluable experience by putting theory into practice and developing new skills which can support and influence career direction. Students will have a range of CV and interview preparation supports available in advance of their work placement. The course will offer some international work placements through its partnerships with international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other human rights bodies. Some of our current work placement partners include the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Irish Refugee Council Independent Law Centre, Irish Council for Social Housing, ISPCC, Centre for Housing Law, Rights and Policy NUI Galway, Sage Advocacy, Threshold and A&L Goodbody Probono Practice.

Cost Of Studying At National University of Ireland Galway

Interest rates as low as 8.9% ^*

250K+

Students Assisted

800Cr+

Loan Amount Disbursed

5000+

Loans Sanctioned

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Law and Human Rights at National University of Ireland Galway