Bachelor of Laws (Law Plus)

General Information

You might be attracted to studying law if you are interested in understanding humans and society itself. The study of law will help you develop your analytical and reasoning skills.You will learn how to research, how to study and develop your acute analytical and reasoning skills.While you may have some experience of this from your Leaving Certificate, you will learn to look at things in a new way. You will acquire conflict resolution skills, a skill that enables you to identify problems, anticipate counter arguments, and reconcile various interests.The study of law will open your mind to critical evaluation.

Introduction

The study of law is an enriching educational experience that provides intellectual stimulation and an exposure to decision-making and argumentative skills. In addition to the educational objectives of a traditional law degree, the Law Plus programme permits candidates to include advanced study in other courses such as politics, history, criminal justice and languages.This is particularly useful for candidates who are uncertain as to their future career but require the desirability of a legal training coupled with exposure to other disciplines and the freedom to craft an individual and unique programme of their choosing. Candidates can therefore expect to have a wide degree of options open to them upon graduation.

Course Structure

The programme is of four years' duration, of which seven semesters are spent on campus and one on Cooperative Education. In general, the programme consists of three law modules and two elective modules per semester.The law component of the course is designed to provide students with a mastery of the discipline of law through the study of the core legal subjects which are considered essential to an adequate legal education: Lawyering Skills, Contract,Torts, Criminal Law, Public Law, Equity and Trusts, EU Law and Land Law.

The elective component of the degree consists of a wide variety of modules, specified below. In general, the electives introduce the student to the study of the respective disciplines and develop a focus on themes that are of interest to them.The electives serve to broaden the base of a student's legal studies and refine the student's knowledge of the wider world. Please note that the exact choice of electives is subject to continual change and not all electives may be available due to a variety of factors including, but not limited to, scheduling and resource implications.

During the first half ofYear 3, a six-month period of Cooperative Education provides the students with an opportunity to apply the knowledge that has already been acquired. Normally this will take the form of a work placement. Students should be prepared for the possibility of spending this period abroad. In addition, a limited number of academic placements are available, either through an exchange programme with a European law school or with one of our partner law schools worldwide.

DuringYear 4 students will take Advanced Lawyering modules that involve a variety of practically focussed activities such as writing a research article, undertaking a moot trial, working in a Business Law Clinic and participating in a conveyancing scenario.

Exemptions

The Bachelor of Laws (Law Plus) covers the core subjects required for the Law Society of Ireland Final Examination, Part 1.As this is a new programme, applications for exemption purposes are in process with the Honorable Society of the Kings Inns, Law Society of England andWales (Solicitors) and the General Bar Council of England &Wales (Barristers) and with the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators in the UK.As exemptions are under continual review, please contact the School of Law, University of Limerick, for current information.

Please note that all information on this programme (including Entry Requirements) is provisional, pending final approval. Please contact the School of Law for more current information.

Entry Requirements

Applicants are required to hold at the time of enrolment the Leaving Certificate (or an approved equivalent) with at least grade C3 in two higher level subjects and grade D3 in four ordinary or higher level subjects including Mathematics, Irish or another language; and English. For certain electives, additional special qualifications specific to individual subjects or disciplines may be determined by the respective departments in accordance with Academic Council regulations.We welcome applications from Mature Students.Application forms for mature student entry are available from the UL Undergraduate Admissions Office.

Career Prospects

This course should attract not only those students who wish to enter the legal profession as barristers or solicitors but also those who intend to pursue a wide variety of careers in administration, government and business.