Law

UCD Sutherland School of Law is the first purpose build university law school in Ireland. Key features include the Clinical Legal Education Centre, Negotiating Suite and Ceremonial Moot Court. Our degrees provide a strong foundation for a career either in legal practice or in one of the many other rewarding fields in Ireland and abroad. Our graduates have progressed to hold some of the highest legal and political offices in the State, including Chief Justice, Attorney General, Director of Public Prosecutions, Taoiseach and Tánaiste.

Why UCD Law?

• UCD Sutherland School of Law is ranked within the Top 100 Law Schools in the World*.
• We offer world-class learning and teaching facilities in a state-of-the-art building. Features include the purpose-built Clinical Legal Education Centre (CLEC) which offers specialist clinical law modules.
• We offer the widest range of law degrees in Ireland. You can choose to focus primarily on Law (BCL) or to combine your study of Law with one of the following: Business, History, Irish, Philosophy, Politics, Economics, Social Justice or French Law If you choose the BCL programme you may study a language (Chinese, French, Irish, Spanish) throughout your degree.
• Our academic staff are experts in a wide range of fields in national, European and International law.
• You may undertake a placement in a leading law firm, in the courts or non-governmental organisation.
• You may have the opportunity to develop your foreign language skills and to study other legal systems through our extensive international exchange programme with universities in Europe, North America, Asia and Australasia.
• Our graduates have gained admission to study at prestigious universities including Cambridge, College of Europe, European University Institute, Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania, the London School of Economics and Oxford.
• In 2023, we are delighted to offer an exciting new degree – the BSc Criminology with Psychology.

First Year Experience in UCD Law

UCD Sutherland School of Law welcomes first year students to a friendly community. Under our Peer Mentoring and Academic Adviser schemes, current students and lecturers are assigned to each first year student in order to offer advice and support.

You will explore the fundamentals of law by studying modules in Constitutional Law and Contract Law. You will also learn about the legal system in General Introduction to the Irish Legal System and, the skills of practicing law, in the Legal Skills module.

Lectures are supplemented with small group tutorial teaching to help you learn how to understand cases, to interpret legislation and, ultimately, find your own voice. Overall, there are 125 places in DN600.

You will be encouraged to get involved in debating and mooting (mock trials).

You can join other students in the UCD Law Society, which organises many events, including debates.

You may decide to participate in the UCD Student Legal Service. Run by Law students, it provides legal information clinics to students.

Specialist careers support is provided by the School’s Career Adviser to help you identify and achieve your career ambitions.

You may be interested in the following blog posts: Why I chose to study Law at UCD.

UCD Sutherland Opportunity supported by Mason, Hayes & Curran

The UCD Sutherland Opportunity supported by Mason Hayes & Curran provides funding and assistance for law students at every stage of their degree to create a transformative university experience leading to a successful career in law. The aim is to create greater diversity in the legal profession and other careers where legal expertise is sought. Scholarships, career mentoring and bursaries to fund international study and experiences are provided