LLM (Criminal Justice) Degree (by Coursework and Minor Thesis)
The LLM in Criminal Justice is an innovative, specialist LLM offered by the Law Faculty UCC. It is unique because of a core clinical component, which offers students the opportunity to pursue a theoretical inquiry into criminal justice while experiencing the reality of the criminal justice system in practice.
UCC Law Faculty has developed a well-established network of relationships with various criminal justice agencies. A Clinical Co-ordinator in the Faculty of Law organises a series of placements in partnership with these agencies enabling students to explore the perspectives of the Gardaí (police), victim organisations, the Probation Service, prisons and the courts (judiciary, prosecutors and defence).
In 2006 the Faculty was honoured when Hon Mr Justice Paul Carney, presiding judge of the Central Criminal Court, accepted an invitation to be appointed Adjunct Professor of the Faculty of Law. This prestigious appointment confirms the Faculty’s position as a leader in criminal justice research. In this position, Mr Justice Carney contributes to the LLM (Criminal Justice) by giving a number of guest lectures and seminars to students during the year.
This partnership between academia and the broader community offers an unrivalled opportunity for research into criminal justice theory and the divergence between policy and the reality of the implementation of criminal law on the ground.
Graduates of this programme are in a unique position to work within criminal law and contribute to future policymaking, research and reform. Graduates have qualified as solicitors and barristers as well as working as researchers with the Law Reform Commission, the Judicial Research Office, the Irish Human Rights Commission and the Director of Public Prosecutions. A number of graduates are also currently engaged in further research at PhD level in the areas of criminal justice and human rights, many of whom are Government of Ireland (IRCHSS) scholars.
Please click here for list of graduate profiles
We welcome applications from professionals working within the criminal justice system, including solicitors, barristers, members of An Garda Siochana, the Prison Service and the Probation Service. We also welcome applications from students in other jurisdictions, including the US. Non-EU applicants should contact the International Education Office by email at international postgrad@ucc.ie for application details.
Eligibility for LLM Degree
The LLM (Criminal Justice) has a compulsory clinical compenent at its core, which is undertaken in partnership with the Faculty's placement partners and involves significant interaction with the criminal justice system and its stakeholders. In this regard, the Law Faculty must be satisfied of the candidate's commitment to, and suitability for, the programme. Candidates should pay particular attention to satisfying this criterion when completing their application.
Applicants must also:
(a) Hold a BCL (Hons) Degree from the National University of Ireland with at least Second Class Honours Grade 1(2:1) or a Second Class Honours LLB Degree from UCC
or
(b) Have such other relevant third level educational qualifications and/or professional experience as, in the opinion of the Faculty of law, qualifies the candidate to undertake the LLM (Criminal Justice)
English Language Requirements:
IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL equivalent
Part-Time Taught Postgraduate Programmes:
The programme can be taken over 12 months full-time or 24 months part-time.
Please note that non-EU applicants are not eligible to study part-time programmes
For the authoritative statement of the relevant rules please see the UCC Postgraduate Calendar.
Courses on Offer for the LLM (Criminal Justice)
Students taking this specialised degree must complete ninety credits which must include the LLM (Criminal Justice) minor thesis LW6547 (30 credits), on a subject of their choice in the area of Criminal Justice as approved by their supervisor. The module LW6519 Criminal Justice (Clinical Programme) (20 credits) is also a compulsory module.
Compulsory Modules:
- LW6547 LLM (Criminal Justice) Thesis (30 credits)
- LW6519 Criminal Justice (Clinical programme) (20 credits)
Students then choose 40 credits from the range of taught modules below:
Students choose 30 credits from the list below:
- LW6544 Criminology (10 credits)
- LW6560 Cybercrime (10 credits)
- LW6550 International Criminal Law (10 credits)
- LW6546 Juvenile Justice (10 credits)
- LW6558 Mental Health Law (10 credits)
- LW6545 Penology (10 credits)
- LW6525 Terrorism Dissonance and Criminal Justice (10 credits)
- LW6573 War Law 1: Ius Ad Bellum (10 credits)
- LW6556 War Law 2: Ius in Bello (10 credits)
Students choose 10 credits from the list below*:
- LW6549 Children's Rights (10 credits)
- LW6551 Immigration and Refugee Law (10 credits)
- LW6572 Contemporary Issues in International Law (10 credits)
- LW6530 Contemporary Issues in Irish Constitutional Law (10 credits)
- LW6576 Disability and the Law (10 credits)
- LW6577 Current Topics in United States Constitutional Law (10 credits)
The range of courses offered are subject to change.
Candidates are obliged to reflect a balance between terms 1 and 2 in their choice of modules.
Notes:
*In certain cases with the permission of the Head of the Department of Law, students may elect to take 1 module from the modules available in the LLM Mode A (Taught) (Other than those listed above) (see here) in substitution for one of the elective modules listed above.
For Application Information click here.
See also:
