Course Information
BCL (Hons) (NFQ Level 8)
Full Time – Undergraduate Studies
CAO Code: DN600
CAO Points Range 2019: 521
Length of Course: 4 Years
Average Intake: 125
- O6/H7 in English, Irish, a third language and three other recognised subjects
If you enter without a minimum of H3 in French you will not be able to take Law with French Law.
Why is this course for me?
The UCD Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) degree enjoys a proud history and an established reputation at home and abroad. The BCL degree allows you to immerse yourself in the study of law, to engage with a range of interesting legal perspectives and to acquire a profound understanding of how law works in theory and in practice.
Career & Graduate Study Opportunities
As a BCL graduate, you are well positioned to pursue a variety of careers, including qualifying as a solicitor or barrister who practise law independently, or working in:
- Law firms in Ireland or internationally
- Large corporations as in-house lawyers
- Professional service firms
- State bodies or Public Service
- Non-governmental organisations (NGOs)
- EU or other international institutions
- Legal research
- Academia
BCL graduates can also pursue successful careers other than in legal practice (e.g. as diplomats, journalists, broadcasters, authors or researchers) in Ireland or abroad. Graduates can undertake postgraduate law study programmes such as the LLM and/or a PhD in their area of interest.
What Will I Study
First & Second Year
In first year, you’ll explore some foundational areas of law, including:
- General Introduction to Legal Skills
- Contract Law
- Tort Law
- Constitutional Law.
You’ll study modules in civil and criminal procedure.
In second year, you’ll explore EU Law and core areas of Irish law, including:
- Property Law
- Company Law
- Criminal Law.
You’ll attend lectures and tutorials, in addition to engaging in study and preparatory work. A sample timetable can be viewed at www.ucd.ie/myucd/law.
Third & Fourth Year
You can tailor your BCL by selecting from a wide choice of Law modules, such as:
- International Human Rights
- Environmental Law
- Intellectual Property Law
- Media Law
- Family Law
- Commercial Law
- Employment Law.
In addition, our Clinical Legal Education Centre (CLEC) offers “clinical” modules, which include Advocacy & Mooting, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Legal Practice and Legal Placement.
Assessment includes end-of-semester examinations, essays and group projects.
International Study Opportunities
Third year BCL students are offered the widest range of study abroad opportunities at our 50+ partner universities in locations which include:
- Antwerp
- Barcelona
- Berlin
- California
- Canberra
- Connecticut
- Exeter
- Miami
- Milan
- Minnesota
- Prague
- Singapore
- Stockholm
- Toulouse
- Uppsala
- Utrecht
- Vienna.
Testimonial
“Choosing to study law in UCD has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. The vast variety of legal modules that are available means that there is something for everyone who wishes to study a specific area of Law. There is also a great choice of electives to choose from, for example, I chose Psychology as an elective in my first year. As well as this, there are numerous opportunities in UCD for you to discover yourself through different societies, sport clubs and initiatives. Whatever your area of interest, UCD caters for it. As a result of my experience, I am convinced that UCD is the place to grow and discover your potential.”
Grace Oladipo