Marine Environmental and Conservation Law Micro-credential

This micro-credential has been designed for anyone working, or interested in, the fields of marine environmental and conservation law, policy, or science. For example, those working in the legal sector; environmental consultants; environmental policy-makers and regulators at an EU level, and in central and local government; natural resource managers; planners, and those working for environmental NGOs.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this micro-credential, you will have a strong understanding of:

• The foundational rules of the international law of the sea, and especially the jurisdictional principles that apply in each of the maritime zones.
• International fisheries and marine conservation laws, including through regional regimes and institutions, international and regional environmental rules, and the protection of marine biodiversity.
• European Union rules on fisheries law, habitats, and protection of marine biodiversity,
• National approaches to the conservation of marine living resources and marine spatial planning, as influenced by international and European legal rules and regimes (including application of transboundary approaches).

You will also be able to:

• Understand and evaluate problems and tensions in international legal frameworks, and
• Critically engage with national practices from the perspective of norms and standards of international marine environmental and conservation laws.

Due to the breadth of the environmental law field, several key substantive areas will be selected for particular focus. Topics vary from year to year but may include:

• Who governs the environment? International and European institutions;
• Principles of environmental law;
• Techniques of governing the environment;
• Enforcing environmental law at international and EU levels;
• Human rights and the environment;
• Sustainable development.

Individuals and their employers will benefit by way of the knowledge and skills gained, allowing Marine Environmental and Conservation Law to be better applied and enforced in practice via those working in (or hoping to work in) the public, private, and NGO sectors. 

Taking this UCD micro-credential will give you the opportunity to learn from leading law experts, with extensive experience in academia and in practice.

This micro-credential is delivered through the UCD online learning platform (Brightspace) and will consist of pre-recorded lectures, podcast style interviews, web resources, surveys, quizzes and scheduled synchronous online seminar discussions. 

A repository of resources will be available to support your learning, and as a UCD student you will have full access to the library. 

This is a 10 ECTS micro-credential and involves 200+ hours of learner effort.

Applicants must hold a degree in law or another relevant discipline, including the social and natural sciences. An upper second-class honours Level 8 degree (GPA 3.08), or international equivalent is required.

Applications will also be accepted from those with significant, relevant, practical experience or those with a graduate qualification relevant to the micro-credential.

Applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate proof of English proficiency as per UCD's minimum English language requirements.

All applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis.

• 3000 word essay – 70%

• Continuous Assessment: Reflective diaries and questions set on class content throughout the trimester – 30%

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

This micro-credential is also a module on the UCD Sutherland School of Law’s MSc Environmental & Climate Law programme.