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1. Study
2. Postgraduate
3. Taught Courses
4. Postgraduate Diploma
5. Law - PG Dip (Environmental and Natural Resources Law)

Course Fact File

Code	PDLENR
Duration	9 months Full-time; 18 months Part-time
Teaching Mode	Full-time, Part-Time
Qualifications	PG Dip
NFQ Level	Level 9
Closing Date	Rolling deadline. Open until all places have been filled. Early application is advised.
Non-EU Closing Date	Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.
Start Date	8 September 2025

Course Outline

Our Postgraduate Diploma in Environmental and Natural Resources Law at University College Cork takes advantage of a concentration of legal expertise in the field at the School of Law where our staff have held advisory roles with a wide range of Irish and international agencies and organisations, including, for example, the European Environment Agency, the Environmental Protection Agency, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, an Bord Pleanála (Irish Planning Board), and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The Postgraduate Diploma programme at UCC offers you a wide variety of legal topics ranging across traditional areas of environmental law, policy regulation, and governance, as well as planning and land-use law, heritage protection, international environmental law, marine environmental law, natural resources law, and human rights law. It aims to prepare our graduates for a variety of careers in the broader environmental regulatory space, including in the legal professions, governmental and regulatory agencies, environmental NGOs, compliance and sustainability roles in industry, academia, and environmental consultancy.

Environmental and Natural Resources Law offers you a wide choice of options, allowing you to take a broad and diverse range of specialist modules. We seek to integrate theoretical and practical aspects of the application of environmental and natural resources law, and to connect module content with legal and regulatory frameworks operating locally, nationally, regionally, and globally. As far as possible we facilitate flexible workload arrangements, to suit recent law graduates and environmental professionals alike.

Exposure to the more technical aspects of environmental and natural resources law is also available through optional science-based, non-law modules on GIS and Remote Sensing for example. In addition, students have access to selected non-programme but complementary law modules, covering such areas as Law of the Sea, International Human Rights Law, Corporate Insolvency Law, International Refugee Law, and International Criminal Law, etc.

This shorter programme may be attractive to legal professionals and others who may prefer not to make an initial commitment to a full master’s programme. Graduates of the Postgraduate Diploma may further progress their studies by completing a 12,500-word research dissertation and graduating with a Masters in Law (LLM).

Modules

• Full-time: 60 credits over 9 months.
• Part-time: 60 over 18 months, completing a total of 30 credits (including a minimum of 25 credits of core modules) in Year 1 and 30 credits in Year 2 (including any core modules not already taken in Year 1. The part-time option is taught during weekday working hours over two years.

Core Modules

Students take 60 credits as follows – all listed core modules (40 credits) and 20 credits of elective modules:

• LW6581 Method in Environmental Law (5 credits)
• LW6617 International Biodiversity and Ecosystems Law and Policy (5 credits)
• LW6618 Climate Change Law and Policy (5 credits)
• LW6627 International Environmental Law (5 credits)
• LW6645 Marine Environmental and Natural Resources Law (10 credits)
• LW6649 Environmental Law in Practice (10 credits)

Elective Modules (20 credits)

Students take modules to the value of 20 credits from the following lists of elective modules - at least 10 credits must be chosen from List A and up to 10 credits may be chosen from List B:¹

List A

• GG6501 Introduction to Geographical Information Systems (5 credits)
• GG6502 Introduction to Remote Sensing (5 credits)
• LW6101 Introduction to Planning Law
• LW6200 Law of EU Foreign Policy
• LW6566 Contemporary Issues in International Law (5 credits)
• LW6606 International Human Rights Law (10 credits)
• LW6619 Alternative Dispute Resolution: Processes and Practice (5 credits)
• LW6620 Introduction to the Law of the Sea (10 credits)
• LW6623 Global Maritime Security (5 credits)
• LW6624 Port Law (5 credits)
• LW6633 Public International Law (5 credits)
• LW6634 Refugee and Forced Displacement Law (10 credits)
• LW6642 Environmental Law Clinic 2 (10 credits)
• LW6643 Negotiation and Mediation (10 credits)
• LW6644 Managing Complex Disputes (10 credits)
• LW6651 International Law and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (5 credits)
• LW6655 Foundations of International Children's Rights3 (5 credits)
• LW6668 Business and Human Rights Law (5 credits)
• LW6671 Children’s Rights and Climate Justice (5 credits)

List B: Undergraduate Modules3 (Max. 10 credits)

• LW2211 Principles of Public International Law (5 credits)
• LW2216 Humanitarianism and the Law (5 credits)
• LW3371 Sources and Foundations of Environmental Law (5 credits)
• LW3372 Environmental Law: Contemporary Issues in Governance, Regulation, and Enforcement (5 credits)

¹It may be that not all modules listed below will be offered each year and/or other options may become available.

²LW6642 cannot be selected without the prior approval of the Programme Director.

³Registration for these modules requires the permission of the Programme Director. Where appropriate, the Programme Director will identify, in consultation with the candidate, whether any undergraduate modules must be taken.

Examinations

Full details of regulations governing Examinations for each programme are contained in the Marks and Standards Book and for each module in the Book of Modules.

Postgraduate Certificate in Law (Environmental and Natural Resources Law) (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)

Upon successful completion of modules to the value of 30 credits, registered Postgraduate Diploma(Environmental and Natural Resources Law) students may opt not to proceed with the programme and exit with a Postgraduate Certificate in Law (Environmental and Natural Resources Law).

Course Practicalities

The course involves a combination of lectures and directed study. Some programme modules (those offered in conjunction with the LLM Marine and Maritime Law, i.e. Marine Environmental Law, Natural Resources Law, International Environmental Law) are scheduled on Fridays and Saturdays, in order to facilitate a flexible workload programme to students, particularly those with a professional career. Others will run on various days of the week throughout the Semester, but will employ Panopto lecture-capture technology (digital recordings made available via Blackboard) in order to maximise workload flexibility and accessibility to students, particularly those with a professional career. Non-programme modules will mainly run throughout the semester and, where possible, will be available through digital recording.

Assessment

Individual module assessments can be viewed in the Book of Modules. Most programme and non-programme modules are assessed by way of continuous assessment (essays).

Who teaches this course

The teaching staff at UCC specialising in environmental and natural resources law is one of the programme's key strengths. Please see the School of Law page for a full list of school members.

As a national programme, modules will also have contributions from other Irish academics in the field. UCC School of Law benefits from strong links with key environmental agencies and organisations at the national and international levels, upon which we expect to rely for a full programme of guest speakers.

Why Choose This Course

This programme aims to equip you with the skills to participate and excel in any aspect of professional engagement with environmental and natural resources law, policy, or regulation. Upon graduation you can develop a rewarding career in, for example, the legal professions, governmental and regulatory agencies, industry, NGOs, or academia. The programme adopts a global perspective, with a focus on international and comparative law and on the techniques of environmental regulation, which are universal in their application and relevance.

Top 100 Ranking

UCC School of Law has been ranked among the world’s best Law Schools in the latest QS World University Rankings by subject, placing 59th in the World and 1st in Ireland.

Skills and Careers Information

What can I do after I graduate with an Postgraduate Diploma (Environmental and Natural Resources Law)?

The Postgraduate Diploma (Environmental and Natural Resources Law) will prepare you for a variety of careers in legal practice, regulation and compliance, including the legal professions, governmental and regulatory agencies, international institutions, and compliance roles in industry. It also provides a strong basis for careers in the broader environmental regulatory and policy space encompassing environmental advocacy and campaigning, environmental consultancy, environmental policy advice and research, and academia. It is relevant for those of you interested in careers in the energy, infrastructure, utilities, natural resources, and project finance sectors. The degree provides a valuable opportunity for those already working in these fields to further develop their knowledge and skills and to keep up-to-date with the latest developments and emerging trends in this rapidly developing area.

Occupations associated with the Postgraduate Diploma (Environmental and Natural Resources Law):

• Legal professions
• Governmental and regulatory agencies
• Local government
• Industry
• Utilities
• Infrastructure developers
• Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
• Environmental consultancy
• International organisations/secretariats
• Academia

Requirements

Applicants must be approved by the School of Law. Applicants must normally hold a Second Class Honours Grade I in a primary honours Law degree (NFQ, Level 8). Applicants with other third-level qualifications and/or relevant professional experience are also encouraged to apply.

Applications from overseas candidates are welcome, and their qualifications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

For Applicants with Qualifications Completed Outside of Ireland

Applicants must meet the required entry academic grade, equivalent to Irish requirements. For more information see our Qualification Comparison page.

International/Non-EU Applicants

For full details of the non-EU application procedure visit our how to apply pages for international students.

• In UCC, we use the term programme and course interchangeably to describe what a person has registered to study in UCC and its constituent colleges, schools, and departments.
• Note that not all courses are open to international/non-EU applicants, please check the fact file above. For more information contact the International Office.

English Language Requirements

Applicants who are non-native speakers of the English language must meet the university-approved English language requirements. Visit our PG English Language Requirements page for more information.

Fees and Costs

How To Apply

Additional Requirements (All Applicants)

Please note you will be required to provide additional information as part of the online application process for this programme. This will include the following:

• You may enter the details of professional or voluntary positions held. (We strongly encourage you to complete this section with all relevant work experiences that will support your application.)
• In addition to your previously declared qualifications, please outline any additional academic courses, self-learning and professional training relevant to this programme.
• Please describe your motivation and readiness for this programme.
• Please enter the names and email addresses of two referees.

The closing date for non-EU applications is Open until all places have been filled or no later than 30 June. Early application is advised.

 

The closing date for non-EU applications is Open until all places have been filled or no later than 15 June. Early application is advised.

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