Law and Human Rights

Law (BCL) and Human Rights

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Course Overview
Key Facts
Course Outline
Further Education
Why Choose This Course?
Course Fees
Find Out More

Entry Points (2024)

506

Course Overview

The four-year Bachelor of Civil Law (Human Rights) is an innovative and unique programme – the first of its kind in Ireland. It offers students the opportunity to combine a full undergraduate law programme with the study of human rights.

The study of human rights involves gaining an understanding of how the international human rights treaties function as tools to ensure that states respect and protect the equal human dignity of all people. Students will learn about how human rights law develops, including the influence of activism and grassroots movements for social change.

Human rights are not just legal concepts; therefore students on this course will have the opportunity to gain philosophical and political insights that will broaden their knowledge and deepen their critical thinking skills. Students will also study emerging areas of human rights law and contemporary issues of large-scale injustice such as climate change, the environment and human rights; data privacy; refugee rights; poverty; and business and human rights. In addition, this course will provide a basic introduction to International Criminal Law and International Humanitarian Law.

Students on the programme will be challenged and engaged by a rich curriculum of core and optional law modules. Students will be trained in key legal skills such as written and oral advocacy; and they will be educated in the principles, theories and doctrines of human rights law and practice.

The School of Law and the Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway are pioneers in legal education and research on human rights. Students will have access to world leading researchers, writers and lecturers in human rights at the Irish Centre for Human Rights.

Students complete all the modules required to support them to undertake the entrance exams for the Law Society of Ireland, should they wish to qualify as a solicitor. Students who wish to qualify as a barrister will have the option of taking all additional modules required by the Honourable Society of King’s Inns, through the Legal Professions specialised stream in the final year.

Professional Work Placement or Study Abroad

In year three of this course students will have the opportunity to spend the academic year completing professional work placement or studying abroad. Students will have the opportunity to apply for a professional work placement in a leading law firm, a corporate organisation, a public sector organisation or other suitable legal placement. Study abroad is highly recommended for students who choose to study a language (Legal French or Legal German) and are encouraged to study in our partner universities in Germany and France. We have also partnered with a number of leading universities who teach through English in Austria, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Czech Republic, China, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, India, Poland, The Netherlands, Spain and the United States of America.

Note: Students who choose the optional specialist stream in Legal Irish will spend year three divided between one semester studying at NUI Galway’s Gaeltacht campus in An Cheathrú Rua and one semester of professional work placement in an Irish-speaking legal environment.

Specialist Streams

In final year students have the opportunity to shape their degree and focus on an area of study that interests them and develop special expertise in their chosen field. Students may choose one of the following specialist streams.

Business and Commercial Law
Public Law, Risk and Regulation
Human Rights, Crime and Equality
International, Comparative and Transnational Law
Law and Innovation
Language: Legal French, Legal German or Teanga an Dlí (Legal Irish)
Legal Professions
General

Applications and Selections

Who Teaches this Course

Some of the lecturers that teach on this course include :

Dr Maeve O’Rourke
Prof Donncha O’Connell
Dr Ciara Smyth
Prof Siobhán Mullally
Dr Brian Tobin
Dr Conor Hanly

Requirements and Assessment

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Minimum Grade H5 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at O6/H7 level in the Leaving Certificate including Irish, English, another language, and any three other subjects recognised for entry purposes.

Additional Requirements

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Duration

4 years

Next start date

September 2025

A Level Grades (2024)

universityofgalway.ie/alevels

Average intake

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

1 (More Info)

Closing Date

NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

Award

CAO

GY252

Course code

Course Outline

Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change. Current students should refer to the for details of modules available in the current academic year.

Year 1 (60 credits)

This year focuses on building skills with strong foundational teaching. The module ‘Understanding the Law’ builds a platform of essential skills and helps students to transition to the expectations of a university degree.

The module ‘Human Rights: Theories, Concepts and Selected Issues’ provides a grounding in critical, inter-disciplinary and practical approaches to human rights designed to enable deep engagement with human rights law in subsequent years. Topics in past years have included feminist theories of power and injustice, ‘rebellious lawyering’ theory, climate justice, disability rights, the past and present human rights issues arising from Ireland’s history of institutionalisation and family separation, and participation in a mock examination of Ireland by the United Nations Human Rights Committee.

Compulsory Core Modules (50 credits)

Human Rights Law: Theories, Concepts and Contemporary Issues (10 credits)
Understanding the Law (10 credits)
Constitutional Law (10 credits)
Contract Law (10 credits)
Tort Law (10 credits)

Optional Modules (10 credits)

Family and Child Law (10 credits)
Language: Legal French/ Legal German/ Teanga an Dlí (Legal Irish) (10 credits)

Year 2 (60 credits)

In second year students develop their skills further with modules such as ‘Mooting’ which helps develop communication and advocacy skills. Students will also complete a ‘Guided Research Essay’ on a topic of their choice and will be supported by an academic mentor.

Students take four compulsory modules in human rights law, which together provide a comprehensive overview of the human rights treaty systems that influence state laws and practice in Ireland, Europe and the world over. These modules also address areas of emerging human rights law and contemporary issues, and they introduce students to a range of staff and postgraduate researchers specialising in human rights at NUI Galway as well as to guest speakers practicing in human rights law.

Compulsory Core Modules (50 credits)

Criminal Law I & II (10 credits)
European Union Law I & II (10 credits)
European Human Rights Law - Systems & Themes I & II (10 credits)
International Protection of Human Rights I & II (10 credits)
Mooting (5 credits)
Guided Research Essay (5 credits)

Optional Modules (10 credits)

Labour Law I (5 credits)
Labour Law II (5 credits)
Industrial and Intellectual Property Law (5 credits)
Environmental Law I (5 credits)
Environmental Law II (5 credits)
Language: Legal French/ Legal German/ Teanga an Dlí (Legal Irish) (10 credits)

Year 3 (60 credits)

Customise your experience by choosing either professional work placement or study abroad.

Caithfidh na mic léinn a dhéanann Teanga an Dlí seimeastar amháin ag staidéar ar champas Gaeltachta Ollscoil na hÉireann Gaillimh ar an gCeathrú Rua agus seimeastar amháin eile ar shocrúchán oibre i dtimpeallacht lán-Ghaeilge. (Students who study Legal Irish will spend one semester studying at NUI Galway’s Gaeltacht campus in An Cheathrú Rua and one semester of professional work placement in an Irish-speaking environment.)

Year 4 (60 credits)

Students will have the opportunity to shape their degree by choosing a specialist stream. Students may choose one of the following specialist. Certain specialist streams have prerequisite modules which must be passed before choosing the stream in the final year. Students who wish to qualify professionally as a barrister should choose ‘The Legal Professions’ stream which covers all the modules required to apply for the degree of Barrister–at–Law at The Honorable Society of King’s Inns. Module selection is subject to timetable clashes and availability.

Compulsory Core Modules (30 credits)

Company Law I & II (10 credits)
Equity Law I & II (10 credits)
Land Law I & II (10 credits)

Specialist Streams (30 credits)

Students will have the opportunity to shape their degree by choosing one specialist stream. These streams correspond to thematic areas of study and allow students to specialise in a particular topic or area. Certain specialist streams have prerequisite modules which must be passed before choosing the stream in the final year.

The Legal Professions

Compulsory Modules

Administrative Law I (5 credits)
Jurisprudence (5 credits)
Evidence I & II (10 credits)

Optional Modules (Choose 10 credits)

Applied Legal Theory (5 credits)
Commercial Law (5 credits)
Comparative Competition Law (5 credits)
Environmental Law I (5 credits)
Equality and Law (5 credits)
Information Technology Law (5 credits)
Labour Law I (5 credits)
Lawyering, Technology and Innovation (5 credits)
Independent Research (5 credits)
Revenue Law I (5 credits)
Animal Law (5 credits)
Administrative Law II (5 credits)
Alternative Dispute Resolution (5 credits)
International and Comparative Disability Rights (5 credits)
Criminology (5 credits)
Environmental Law II (5 credits)
Health and Safety Law (5 credits)
Housing Law and Policy (5 credits)
Industrial and Intellectual Property Law (5 credits)
International Trade Law Labour Law II (5 credits)
Law and Analytics (5 credits)
Revenue Law II (5 credits)
Family and Child Law (10 credits)
Public International Law (10 credits)

Human Rights, Crime and Equality

Applied Legal Theory (5 credits)
Equality and Law (5 credits)
Labour Law I (5 credits)
Animal Law (5 credits)
International and Comparative Disability Rights (5 credits)
Criminology (5 credits)
Housing Law & Policy (5 credits)
Labour Law II (5 credits)
Family and Child Law (10 credits)

Business and Commercial Law

Commercial Law (5 credits)
Comparative Competition Law (5 credits)
Information Technology Law (5 credits)
Labour Law I (5 credits)
Labour Law II (5 credits)
Revenue Law I (5 credits)
Revenue Law II (5 credits)
Alternative Dispute Resolution (5 credits)
Health and Safety Law (5 credits)
International Trade Law (5 credits)
Industrial and Intellectual Property Law (5 credits)
Entrepreneurial Venture Development (5 credits)

Public Law, Risk and Regulation

Applied Legal Theory (5 credits)
Environmental Law I (5 credits)
Information Technology Law (5 credits)
Comparative Competition Law (5 credits)
Administrative Law II (5 credits)
Criminology (5 credits)
Environmental Law II (5 credits)
Health and Safety Law (5 credits)
Housing Law & Policy (5 credits)
Industrial and Intellectual Property Law (5 credits)
International Trade Law (5 credits)

International, Comparative and Transnational Law

Equality and Law (5 credits)
Comparative Competition Law (5 credits)
International and Comparative Disability Rights (5 credits)
International Trade Law (5 credits)
Public International Law (10 credits)

Law and Innovation

Information Technology Law (5 credits)
Industrial and Intellectual Property Law (5 credits)
Lawyering, Technology and Innovation (5 credits)
Business Intelligence & Analytics (5 credits)
Comparative Competition Law (5 credits)
Alternative Dispute Resolution (5 credits)
Decision Modelling and Analytics (5 credits)
Entrepreneurial Venture Development (5 credits)
Implementing Digital Innovation (5 credits)
Law and Analytics (5 credits)

Language

Students who choose a language must also choose 20 credits of optional modules from the General stream to meet credit requirements.

Legal German / Legal French/ Teanga an Dlí (Legal Irish) (10 credits)

General

Applied Legal Theory (5 credits)
Commercial Law (5 credits)
Comparative Competition Law (5 credits)
Environmental Law I (5 credits)
Equality and Law (5 credits)
European Human Rights Law - Systems & Themes I (5 credits)
Information Technology Law (5 credits)
International Protection of Human Rights I (5 credits)
Labour Law I (5 credits)
Lawyering, Technology and Innovation (5 credits)
Independent Research (5 credits)
Revenue Law I (5 credits)
Animal Law (5 credits)
Administrative Law II (5 credits)
Alternative Dispute Resolution (5 credits)
International and Comparative Disability Rights (5 credits)
Criminology (5 credits)
Environmental Law II (5 credits)
European Human Rights Law - Systems & Themes II (5 credits)
Health and Safety Law (5 credits)
Housing Law and Policy (5 credits)
Industrial and Intellectual Property Law (5 credits)
International Protection of Human Rights II (5 credits)
International Trade Law (5 credits)
Labour Law II (5 credits)
Law and Analytics (5 credits)
Revenue Law II (5 credits)
Family and Child Law (10 credits)
Public International Law (10 credits)

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits: You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module: An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Subject: Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
Optional: A module you may choose to study.
Required: A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Required Core Subject: A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
Semester: Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.

Year 1 (60 Credits)

Year 2 (60 Credits)

Year 3 (60 Credits)

Year 4 (60 Credits)

Further Education

Graduates of this course may complete further study to become a barrister or solicitor. Graduates will have completed the modules examined in the solicitor entrance exams at the Law Society of Ireland and will have the option to complete the modules required for the barrister entrance exams at The Honorable Society of King’s Inns.

Graduates may also be interested in completing a LLM (Master of Laws) or PhD programme. The School of Law offers a wide range of taught LLM programmes and LLM or PhD programmes by research.

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

The Irish Centre for Human Rights has a global network of alumni working in human rights, providing excellent links and supports for our students.

Graduates of the Law (BCL) and Human Rights programme will be well prepared to work in international human rights law, policy or legal practice. Graduates will have the foundation necessary to pursue opportunities with international organisations, United Nations bodies or developmental agencies.

Graduates of this degree will be ready to sit the professional entrance exams for the Law Society of Ireland (solicitor). Graduates who completed the Legal Professions specialised stream will be eligible to sit the professional entrance exams for the Honourable Society of King’s Inns (barrister).

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Our students will have the opportunity to gain a professional focus and real world experience through professional work placement. Students gain invaluable experience by putting theory into practice and developing new skills which can support and influence career direction. Students will have a range of CV and interview preparation supports available in advance of their work placement. The course will offer some international work placements through its partnerships with international non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other human rights bodies. Some of our current work placement partners include the Irish Council for Civil Liberties, Irish Refugee Council Independent Law Centre, Irish Council for Social Housing, ISPCC, Centre for Housing Law, Rights and Policy NUI Galway, Sage Advocacy, Threshold and A&L Goodbody Probono Practice.

Study Abroad

Students can study abroad at partner institutions around the world, giving them the opportunity to experience legal education in an international setting and to gain a different perspective on the law.

Irish Centre for Human Rights

Students will have access to world leading researchers, writers and lecturers in human rights at the Irish Centre for Human Rights. The Irish Centre for Human Rights is one of the world's premier academic human rights institutions, dedicated to the study and promotion of human rights, international criminal law and humanitarian law.

National and International Internships

In addition to professional work placement opportunities in third year, students in their final year will have the opportunity to apply for a limited number of national and international summer internships which are offered on a competitive basis.

Terence O’Malley DLA Piper Scholarship

Students on this course may be eligible to apply for the Terence O’Malley DLA Piper Scholarship. The Scholarship will support the successful Scholar throughout their degree to a minimum value of €7,500. The scholarship is awarded on the financial need and academic merit of the successful applicants. View full scholarship details.

Mooting

All students will complete the Mooting module and will have access to the NEW state-of-the-art on-campus Moot Court. Mooting is a simulated courtroom experience. The module is delivered through a taught component made up of lectures and an active component where students will participate in practical seminars and a mock trial. Past students described participating in mooting as ‘transformative’.

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€6,593 p.a. (€6,733 p.a. including levy) 2024/25

Fees: Tuition

€3,593 p.a. 2024/25

Fees: Student Contribution

€3,000 p.a. 2024/25

Fees: Student levy

€140 p.a. 2024/25

Fees: Non EU

€18,500 p.a. (€18,640 p.a. including levy) 2024/25

EU Fees are comprised of Tuition + Student Contribution Charge + Student Levy** €140. **Payable by all students and is not covered by SUSI. Further detail here.

Find out More

Phone: +353 (0)91 492389
Email: law@universityofgalway.ie
School of Law webpage

School of Law Undergraduate Courses

Highlights from the School of Law Undergraduate courses

FAQs

What Our Students Say

Tom O'Connor | Law (BCL) and Human Rights Graduate

The Law (BCL) and Human Rights programme at University of Galway provides a strong foundation for a wide range of career paths. The support from my lecturers was instrumental in helping me secure a George Moore Scholarship and a Northwestern University Scholarship to undertake a Master’s in Journalism at Northwestern’s Medill School in Chicago. Additionally, the communication, research and critical analysis skills I developed during my undergraduate degree have been invaluable for my journalistic work. With lots of extra-curricular activities on offer, I got involved in University of Galway Law Review, student newspaper, and student radio station which allowed me to pursue my interest in journalism alongside my interest in law and human rights. The School of Law provided invaluable support during many of my extra-curricular endeavours, particularly a documentary I produced about the late human rights activist, Kevin Boyle, who lectured at the School of Law. I recommend this course for its diverse curriculum and supportive community.

in Connect with Tom

Molly Quinn Monaghan | Intern at Insurance Ireland

The main reason I chose to study at University of Galway was the opportunity to study the Law (BCL) and Human Rights course. This course is not offered anywhere else in Ireland, and I was lucky enough to be a student the first year it ran. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at University of Galway and would highly recommend this course to anyone interested in human rights law. During my four years at University of Galway, I studied a wide range of areas, including corporate law and human rights law at domestic, EU, and international levels. Additionally, the School of Law and the Irish Centre for Human Rights at University of Galway have an extremely high calibre of lecturers with experts such as Prof Siobhán Mullally, Dr Maeve O’Rourke, Dr Ciara Smyth, and many more. Through the Law (BCL) and Human Rights course, I had the opportunity to complete a professional work placement in the Pro Bono Department at A&L Goodbody. I gained invaluable experience in corporate law and human rights, which solidified my decision to pursue a career as a solicitor.

Isabella Barrett Gannon | FINAL YEAR LAW (BCL) AND HUMAN RIGHTS STUDENT

My decision to study Law (BCL) and Human Rights at University of Galway was inspired by its unique programme and the wide range of modules offered. Studying this course in Galway City was an exciting prospect for me, as it is the home of the Irish Centre for Human Rights. The opportunity to study both core law modules and a broad range of human rights modules is simply not offered elsewhere. The top-quality lectures delivered by various renowned experts in law and human rights proved this course to be an unparalleled academic experience. A highlight of my degree is my experience on the Erasmus programme, where I spent my third year studying in France. This experience opened my eyes to the study of law from further afield. If I could do it again this year, I would! I highly recommend this course to anyone interested in studying law and human rights. Having completed this degree, I can confidently say that I thoroughly enjoyed it. It has equipped me with the necessary knowledge and skills to undertake various opportunities in my future career.

Róisín McGrath | Final Year Law (BCL) and Human Rights Student

The Law (BCL) and Human Rights at University of Galway gives students the unique opportunity to study Human Rights from a legal perspective. The University’s Irish Centre for Human Rights is a significant asset to students as we count UN Special Rapporteurs, Law Reform Commissioners and NGO founders among our lecturers. The programme contains certain compulsory modules ensuring that students can sit professional exams as well as modules for students who are more interested in the Human Rights element of the degree, such as European and International Human Rights Law. University of Galway has several activist societies and initiatives, such as the University of Galway Law Review publication, which provides first-hand experience in legal research, writing and advocacy. Students are actively encouraged and supported in their search for further learning and work experiences, including summer schools, which take place both in Galway and in cities worldwide. These opportunities have allowed me to critically engage with topical issues unfolding on the global stage and develop my knowledge and understanding of past and present injustices in our society.

Ruth Cormican | Human Rights Attaché to the Permanent Mission of Ireland to

There are great opportunities for law students at University of Galway. For example, I undertook a summer internship in Suffolk University Law School in Boston working with two criminal justice NGOs: Prisoner Legal Services and the New England Innocence Project. After my degree I was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study for an LLM in International Human Rights Law at the University of Notre Dame in the United States.

Tessa Maria Lambrich | Graduate of the Irish Centre for Human Rights

Studying at the Irish Centre for Human Rights is an incredibly enriching experience. I appreciate most that there is room to link academically high level discussions to practical considerations and issues in the field and to contemporary examples, which is very important to me due to my previous experience. Every question is welcome and taken seriously by the staff! The atmosphere between students is so friendly - we come from all over the world and have different educational backgrounds which make discussions interesting and diverse

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