BCL (Hons)
UCD School of Law provides a challenging and engaging academic environment leading to a wide variety of career paths, including the legal professions.
WHY IS THIS COURSE FOR ME?
Whether you intend to pursue a career in Law as a barrister or solicitor in Ireland, or overseas – or whether you simply want a good general degree, the BCL is for you. At UCD School of Law you will have the opportunity to study an extensive range of subjects. The School has pioneered the teaching and development of various branches of the law including European Law and Criminal Law. We are committed to achieving excellence in both teaching and research and to providing a rich and vibrant intellectual environment for all students.
WHAT WILL I STUDY?
In your first two years you will learn the fundamentals of legal knowledge. This will cover why we have Law at all, and will outline the differences between Civil and Common Law. You will learn how to write and to analyse legal concepts. The groundwork for the major areas of Law will be laid, including Constitutional Law, Contract Law, Tort, EU Law, Property Law and Criminal Law. In third and fourth year, in addition to the overseas options outlined on page XX, you will be able to plan your own pathway to your final degree. There are now four major pathways:
- Law and Practice, which includes Equity and Trusts
- Law and Business, which includes Intellectual Property Law and Commercial Law
- Law and Society, which includes Criminal Justice and Environmental Law
- Law and the Individual, which includes Human Rights Law and Family and Child Law
In your third year, you can choose those modules necessary to gain a qualifying law degree. In your final year we will also introduce you to the concept of Clinical Legal Education, which will teach you how to apply, in a practical sense, what you have been learning throughout your four years.
Career Opportunities
The BCL programme offers graduates a choice of career paths. Many join one or other branch of the legal professions (solicitor or barrister). Please note that as with any law degree, possession of a law degree does not entitle people to join the legal profession automatically as either a solicitor or barrister; if students wish to qualify as a solicitor or barrister they must go on to complete the professional courses of the Law Society of Ireland or the Honourable Society of the King's Inns respectively.
