LLM by Research

Suitably qualified candidates may be accepted onto the LLM by Research programme (also known as LLM Mode B) on submission of a detailed research proposal. (Note also the existence of our PhD programme). The LLM by Research Degree involves writing a thesis of approximately 40,000 words under academic supervision. The degree can be completed in one or two years full-time (or two or four years part-time). It is possible to register for the degree in October, January or April of each year.

Eligibility for LLM by Research Degree

Candidates must hold a Second Class Honours Grade 1 BCL Degree from the National University of Ireland or a Second Class Honours LLB Degree from University College Cork or a Postgraduate Diploma in Law from University College Cork with Honours and have such other relevant third level educational and/or professional experience as, in the opinion of the Faculty of Law, qualifies the candidate to undertake the LLM Degree. For an authoritative statement of the rules governing the LLM by Research, see the UCC Postgraduate Calendar .

Candidates with an interest in pursuing this kind of research should contact Veronica Calnan, the Faculty of Law Postgraduate Administrator. Acceptance onto the programme is conditional upon the availability of suitable supervision within the department. Information on the research interests and publications of our staff is available in the  Staff Directory section of this website. The Department’s research profile has recently been further strengthened with the recruitment of Professor Steve Hedley from Cambridge. Candidates on the LLM by Research programme are eligible to apply under the Aidan Synnott Graduate Study Travel Bursary Scheme, an annual fund which assists with travel to research centres outside UCC.

For further details of scholarships and funding opportunities (and fees), click here . Candidates should bear in mind the possibility of financing their research through a Government of Ireland Postgraduate Scholarship . For application information click here .

Contact Details

Veronica Calnan
Postgraduate Administrator
Faculty of Law
University College Cork
Tel:  353 (0)21 4903995
Email: lawpostgrad@ucc.ie  

Profiles of Current LLM by Research Students

Agnieszka Siwiera from Ostroleka Poland, graduated with a First Class Honours Master Degree (Law) from Adam Mickiwicz University in Poznan . She is currently working on a thesis entitled "Online digital music copyright infringement" under the supervision of Dr. Darius Whelan and Louise Crowley.

Gerard Sadlier graduated from UCC with a first class honours BCL degree in 2007.  He is currently undertaking an LLM by major thesis on disciplinary proceedings under the supervision of Professor David Morgan.

Deirdre Morgan is working on a thesis entitled “The Parameters of the ‘Safe Country” Concept as it Pertains to Irish Asylum Law” and is being supervised by Dr Siobhan Mullally.

Kathryn Harnett is working on a thesis entitled "Regulatory Criminal Law" under the supervision of Dr. Shane Kilcommins.

Thomas Peter O'Mahony is working on a thesis entitled "The Press, Privacy and Freedom of Expression" under the supervision of Dr. Aine Ryall.

Eltin Ryle graduated from UCC with a BCL Honours Degree in 2006 and an LLM Honours Degree in 2007, He is currently researching the topic "Insurance Intermediaries-New Challenges, New Environments" under the Supervision of Dr. Mary Donnelly and Ms. Fidelma White. Eltin is the current holder of the Matheson Ormsby Prentice "Information Technology Law Scholarship" for 2008/09.

Cian Fenton graduated from UCC with a BCL (Law and German) Degree in 2008. His is working on a thesis is entitled "Striking a balance: Protecting a Companies Creditors while allowing its Directors the freedom to trade out of Difficulty" under the supervision of Dr. Conor O'Mahony. He is the recipient of the Ronan Daly Jermyn Scholarship. 

Emma Jane Williams  is working on a thesis entitled "Lawyers stemming the flow of illicit money: Implications of 'gatekeeper' initiatives" under the supervision of Professor Caroline Fennel and Dr Fiona Donson.She holds an LLB (Hons) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Employment law.In the communications field she was awarded a diploma in Public Relations by the PRII and also holds diplomas in Event Management and Journalism.She has worked in various areas of legal practice and non-profit fundraising.She was appointed Policy Development Executive of the Law Society of Ireland in June 2007 where she continues to work while undertaking her thesis on a part-time basis.

Some Recent Graduates

Laura Cahillane graduated with a First Class Honours BCL (Law and French) from UCC in 2007 and completed her thesis entitled "Disciplining Judges in Ireland : A Comparative Study" under the supervision of Professor David Gwynn Morgan.  She graduated in December 2008.

Louise O' Brien graduated from U.C.C. with a First Class Honours BCL Degree in 2007. Her thesis entitled "Restriction Orders in Ireland " was supervised by Professor Irene Lynch Fannon. She was the recipient of the Ronan Daly Jermyn Scholarship for 2007/08.  Louise was conferred with her LLM by Research in December 2008.

Lorcan Rowland holds a first class honours degree in Corporate Law from NUIG.  He completed a thesis entitled "Cyberspace: Regulation, Security and Enforcement: A Model Platform for Netizens" under the supervision of Dr. Darius Whelan.  He was the holder of the Matheson Ormsby Prentice Information Technology Law Scholarship 2007/08.  He received a First Class Honours for his thesis and was conferred in December 2008.

Sinead Middleton, graduated with a First Class Honours BCL (Law and French) from UCC in 2006.  Her thesis entitled "The Regulation of Independent Broadcasting in Ireland: Law Policy and Practice was completed under the supervision of Professor David Gwynn Morgan.  Sinead was awarded a First Class Honour for her work and graduated in December 2008.

Tom Wren , an Evening BCL graduate from UCC, is a chartered surveyor. He completed his thesis the supervision of Professor Stephen Hedley on a thesis entitled “Has the doctrine of unconscionable conduct a wider commercial application?” and graduated in December 2008.

Karole Cuddihy is a law graduate from UCC (BCL 2006 1H).  He recently completed his LLM Thesis entitled "A Statutory Derivative Action for Ireland" under the supervision of Professor Irene Lynch Fannon and graduated in December 2008 with a First Class Honours.

Kieran Trant graduated from UCC with a First Class Honours BCL Degree in 2006. His thesis is entitled “The rationale for the regulation of insider dealing in the EU and the US and the effectiveness of the methods employed to deter it”. His supervisor is Professor Irene Lynch Fannon. He is the recipient of Ronan Daly Jermyn Scholarship. Kieran was awarded a 1H for his thesis and will graduate in September 2008.

Michael Kelleher is undertaking research related to the governance of universities in Ireland under the supervision of Professor David Gwynn Morgan.  Michael graduated in December 2007.

Stamatakis Nikolaos is from Greece and already holds a doctoral degree. He thesis was in the spectrum of Criminology with special emphasis on Restorative Justice under the supervision of Dr. Shane Kilcommins. Stamatakis graduated in December 2007.

Micheal O Dowd is a graduate of UCC and has been heavily involved in the co-ordination of the BAILII and IRLII projects. Micheal has recently been awarded First Class Honours for his thesis under the supervision of Professor Maeve McDonagh on “The Privacy Implications of a National Identification Scheme”.

Martin Koren is a graduate of the Comenius University in Bratislava . He came to UCC from Slovakia .  He completed his LLM thesis on “The Punishment of Juveniles” under the supervision of Dr Shane Kilcommins and Dr Ursula Kilkelly.  He was conferred in September 2006. 

Paul Daly graduated with a First Class Honours BCL from UCC in 2005 and recently completed his thesis under the supervision of Professor David Morgan on a thesis entitled “The Limits of the Irish High Court's Powers of Judicial Review” for which he received First Class Honours.

Dahzong Wang came to UCC from China . Amongst his other qualifications he holds an LLB Degree from the Jilin University . He was the 2004 holder of the Matheson Ormsby Prentice Information Technology Law Scholarship. His thesis, completed under the supervision of Professor Maeve McDonagh, was entitled “Reformulated Common Resources for Scientific Research Data under a Strict Intellectual Property Protection Regime”.

Ian Walsh , a graduate of WIT and UCC, wrote his thesis on “The Doctrine of Precedent in the Irish Supreme Court and an Examination of Cases Where the Supreme Court has Departed from Its Previous Decisions” under the supervision of Dr Shane Kilcommins.

PJ Breen completed his thesis in 2004 on “Pre-Nuptial Agreements in Comparative Study” under the supervision of Frank Martin. PJ was the holder of a Government of Ireland scholarship.

Deirdre Kiely , an Evening BCL graduate from UCC, is a chartered accountant and a barrister. In 2004, she completed a thesis under the supervision of Mary Donnelly which applied feminist legal theory to the trial process in relation to rape.

Rossa McMahon completed his LLM Mode B with First Class Honours in 2003. He received his BCL and LLB from UCC in 2001 and 2002 respectively. He was a holder of the Matheson Ormsby Prentice Information Technology Law Scholarship. His thesis, which was supervised by Darius Whelan, was entitled “A Critical Comparison of Online Dispute Resolution Systems”.

Thomas Coughlan , a practising solicitor, completed a thesis in the area of Irish immigration law under the supervision of Dr Ursula Kilkelly (having also been supervised by Dr Siobhan Mullally).

Adrian Bannon, graduated with a BA in Geography (2004) and an LLB (2005) from the National University of Ireland, Galway. He subsequently completed an LLM in Electronic and Commercial Law from University College Cork (2006). He is currently pursuing an LLM by Research in the area of Commercial Law under the supervision of Professor Steve Hedley. He is the current holder of the Matheson Ormsby Prentice Information Technology Law Scholarship.  Adrian graduated in December 2007.