Bachelor of Laws (Hons) LL.B

Overview

The Bachelor of Laws (Hons) is recognised by the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. Studying law at undergraduate level has an appeal to any student considering a career in the legal profession. A Bachelor of Laws degree provides a firm foundation for students wishing to qualify as a solicitor or barrister.

The study of law improves and develops the student’s power of reasoning, clarity of thought and the ability to analyse and express complicated ideas. These skills also lend themselves to a wide variety of career options quite apart from private legal practice on completion of the programme.
Aims and Objectives

The objectives of the Bachelor of Laws (Hons) programme are:

• To provide learners with sound educational underpinning which will enable them to acquire a solid grounding in legal principles, the fundamental features of the Irish legal system and general transferable skills
• To equip learners with a fundamental understanding of the core Irish legal subjects to facilitate progression to the professional stage of training in Ireland with the Law Society of Ireland or the King’s Inns
• To enable learners to develop a range of transferable skills including the powers of inquiry, critical analysis and logical thinking, initiative, independent learning and commitment to scholarship
• To enable learners to develop a range of graduate skills in preparation for employment in a wide variety of fields and a fundamental understanding of society and of the role of law within society

Professional Accreditation

The Bachelor of Laws (Hons) enables graduates who wish to qualify as solicitors, to sit the Law Society of Ireland FE1 examinations, which are a prerequisite to training as a solicitor. The programme also enables graduates to sit the Honorable Society of King’s Inn’s entrance examinations the passing of which are a pre requisite for taking the Barrister-at-Law degree.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirements for the BA (Hons) in Financial Services are:

• Leaving Certificate – Applicants must obtain a minimum of 2H5s and 4 O6s/H7s, to include English or another language, or
• FETAC – A full Level 5 FETAC Award (i.e. 8 modules) with at least 3 distinctions, or
• A-Levels / GCSE – Applicants must obtain a minimum of 4 GCSE passes at grade C to include Mathematics and English or another language, plus 2 A-Level passes at grade C or higher, or
• BTEC – Applicants must obtain a minimum of a BTEC National Diploma in a cognate area.
• For applicants whose first language is not English and who have not previously undertaken a degree taught through English, evidence must be provided of proficiency in English language equivalent to B2+ or above on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). This must be evidenced through a recognised English Language test such as IELTS, Cambridge Certificate, PTE or DBS English Assessment. Test certificates should be dated within the last two years to be considered valid.

Mature

All EU nationals aged 23 years before 1st of January in the year of application are classified as ‘mature applicants’. Mature learners can apply directly to the college and will be assessed on basis of age, work experience and educational attainment as outlined in the DBS Quality Assurance Handbook (QAH).

Course Content

The Bachelor of Laws (Hons) programme has the following content:

Stage 1

• Introduction to Legal Research Skills
• IT Skills for Law
• Criminal Law
• Constitutional Law
• Legal Systems
• Contract Law

Stage 2

• Mooting and Professional Practice
• Law of Tort
• European Union Law
• Law of Real Property
• Company Law
• Commercial Law

Stage 3

Core Modules:

• Contemporary Issues in Law
• Equity and Trusts
• Administrative Law

Elective Modules (Choose 3):

• • Jurisprudence
  • Family Law
  • Law of Evidence
  • Employment Law
  • International Law

Teaching and Assessment

The law degree programme is taught mainly through lectures, seminars and workshops with students taking responsibility for a significant amount of study outside scheduled class contact hours. In general first year modules are assessed by way of exam worth 60% and continuous assessment worth 40%. Some modules are assessed wholly via continuous assessment. In second year, the exam weighting will increase in several of the modules, but is balanced by the inclusion of continuous assessment in each module. In final year there is a higher emphasis on examination weighting in most modules. A blend of individual and group assessment has been factored into modules throughout the programme with a mix of the types of assessment in the modules.

Structure

Students study five substantive law modules in first year in addition to a module focused on the acquisition of legal research skills. There are also two semesterised modules in year 1. First year subjects are compulsory. In second year students study five modules and students can choose their sixth module.
In year three there are three compulsory modules and students can select three other modules from a list of options.

Career Opportunities

The Bachelor of Laws degree provides a firm foundation for students wishing to train as solicitors or barristers. Additionally a law degree is one of the most respected undergraduate qualifications. It opens up a range of career opportunities apart from the practice of the law. Law graduates are employed in a wide variety of areas including commercial industry, social sciences, politics, the media and the public service. A legal education therefore opens more doors than just the practice of law.

Professional Accreditation

The Bachelor of Laws (Hons) enables graduates who wish to qualify as solicitors, to sit the Law Society of Ireland entrance examinations. The Bachelor of Laws (Hons) also enables graduates to sit the Honorable Society of King’s Inns entrance examinations the passing of which are a pre requisite for taking the Barrister-at-Law degree.

Fees

The Course Fees for the Bachelor of Laws (LL.B) are €5,500 per annum.

For a full list of part-time undergraduate business degree fees click here. You can also contact our admissions team who will also be able to advise on the payment options available to our students.

Visit Us

Open days are a great way to help you make your decision about your course of interest. The open day will give you the opportunity to receive one on one advice and direction from leading academics in your chosen subject area, meet current students and also have your questions answered on entry requirements, student support and the admissions process. Find out when our next open event is taking place. The Admissions Office is located in our Aungier Street campus and you are welcome to visit the college to speak with a member of our admissions team from Monday to Fridays, 8:45am – 5:15pm. Alternatively, you can contact us by email.