MSc Environmental & Climate Law

Environmental degradation and the climate and biodiversity crises are amongst the most important issues of our time. At their heart are questions of intersectionality and justice. This interdisciplinary programme enables law and non-law graduates to develop core knowledge and skills that will be needed to help address these challenges, whose significance will continue growing in the years ahead.

The programme draws on UCD Sutherland School of Law’s established strength in climate and environmental law and policy, while also benefiting from teaching and research expertise from across the university, including from the Schools of Geography, Economics, Biology & Environmental Science, and Architecture, Planning & Environmental Policy. It can be studied full-time for one year, or part-time over two years.

This programme is suitable for law and non-law graduates and is designed to equip graduates to work in the fields of climate and environmental law/policy, internationally or in Ireland, as a practising lawyer, legal adviser, policy maker, advocate, researcher, consultant or academic.

It will be of interest to both law graduates and those that have graduated from social sciences or natural science degrees who have ambitions to work in this area. Because of its online nature, full-time or part-time study is relevant to students whether they are based domestically or in other countries throughout the world.

The four core modules (10 credits each) are

• Foundations of Environmental Law
• Climate Change Law and Policy
• Natural Resources Law
• Environmental Moot Court

The two remaining modules can be from any of the following:

• Practical Environmental Assessment 
• NGOs: Law, Governance and Social Change 
• The Market for Labour, Land & SDGs
• Ecology and its Applications 
• Peatlands and Environmental Change 
• Culture, Heritage and Human Rights
• Sustainable Cities
• Planning Law
• International Law of the Sea

Details of each module can be found by searching here.

This programme is intended for applicants with a degree in law or another relevant discipline, including the social and natural sciences. Exemption may be given to those with significant, relevant, practical experience or those with a relevant graduate qualification.

Applicants whose first language is not English must also demonstrate English language proficiency of IELTS 6.5 (no band less than 6.0 and 6.5 in reading and writing), or equivalent.

The aim of this programme is to equip graduates to work in the fields of climate and environmental law/policy, internationally or in Ireland, as a practising lawyer, legal adviser, policy maker, advocate, researcher, consultant or academic.

Career opportunities exist for example in inter-governmental organisations (e.g. United Nations, European Union, Council of Europe), in government departments and agencies, in local government, in international and domestic non-governmental organisations and think tanks, and in leading planning and environmental consultancies and law firms.

This programme is delivered and assessed entirely online. The minimum registration to the MSc is two years, however, students have four years in which to complete the programme thereby affording flexibility. The online format of the programme enables students enrolled to combine studying while in employment.