Law (Professional)Dlí (Gairmiúil)

The Master of Arts in Law Professional is a post-graduate law degree primarily intended for graduates whose undergraduate degree is not in law. All subjects examined by the Law Society Final Examination Part 1 are offered and the MA (Professional) is an approved degree for the purposes of admission to the BL Degree at King's Inns.

The Master of Arts in Law (Professional) is a comprehensive, yet flexible, post-graduate law degree designed to fast-track graduates to a successful career in the legal professions and other careers requiring comprehensive legal knowledge and analytic skills.

The programme provides students with a thorough, comprehensive understanding of Irish law, the institutional framework of the Irish legal system and the context for Ireland’s position in the global legal system. It equips students with high-level reasoning and analytical skills enabling them to solve legal problems in a range of social, commercial and regulatory contexts, and to critically evaluate legal rules and processes.

The Master of Arts in Law (Professional) offers small-class sizes to facilitate interactive learning and provides students with access to a team of expert law lecturers, many of whom have extensive experience of legal practice.

The programme is designed to afford students maximum flexibility in tailoring a law degree to meet their own educational and professional needs. Students take Legal Skills and eleven additional modules chosen from a full range of legal topic ranging from core legal topics to those at the cutting edge of law and legal systems. 

The programme is an accredited law degree for the purposes of King’s Inns admission, providing a QQI approved route to qualification as a barrister. 

Classes are held, in the main, between 9am and 6pm Monday-Friday with some modules offered in the evening. Timetables allow students to attend classes covering all 8 FE1 subjects from Monday-Wednesday. A sample timetable is available from law@tudublin.ie. It is possible to earn the degree by attending on campus one day per week over the course of four years.

Examinations are held once a year in May. Coursework is set throughout the academic year.

This programme is also available on a full-time basis. Information about the full-time programme can be found here.

Admission to the Master of Arts in Law (Professional) requires at least a second class honours level 8 primary degree (2.2 or higher).

If English is not your first language you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency as detailed on our website. Applicants for this course should have a minimum IELTS (Academic Version) English Proficiency of 7.5 overall (or equivalent) with nothing less than 7.5 in each component.

Due to competition for places, satisfying the minimum entry requirements is not a guarantee of a place.

Students who obtained the TU Dublin Post-Graduate Diploma in Law in 2014 or later may apply for entry into year two of the course. However, these students should note that the Master of Arts in Law (Professional) is accredited by King's Inns only for those who commence year one in 2017/8 or later.

Graduates of the Master of Arts in Law (Professional) are highly sought after by the “Big Six” law firms as well as other law firms throughout Ireland. Graduates have also gone on to pursue successful careers at the Bar, the Courts Service and other justice agencies.

The programme also has a consistent track record of producing graduates who are well-placed to succeed in competitions for public service employment and to obtain positions in highly regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, Information Technology, Banking and Finance, Insurance and Energy. It is also suitable for professionals looking to upskill in law.

All students take a Legal Skills module in their first year of registration. This module emphasises practical skills such as research, writing and advocacy. Students also participate in moot courts, prepare and deliver presentations and work together in completing group projects.

Students take two additional modules in first year and three modules of their choice in each of years two, three and four. There are no required modules beyond Legal Skills and for 2024/25 the modules offered are

• Company Law
• Constitutional Law
• Contract Law
• Criminal Law
• Equity
• European Union Law
• Property Law
• Law of Torts
• Refugee and Asylum Law
• Evidence
• Jurisprudence
• Administrative Law
• European Human Rights Law
• Criminology
• Media and Intellectual Property Law
• Family Law
• Law & Society Research Clinic

When taken part-time, students will have class contact time of approximately 6.5 hours per week with a total time commitment of 20 hours per week. Whilst some modules are offered in the evening, part-time student’s take the bulk of their classes with full-time students. Therefore although a part-time option is available, this is not an evening course and attendance during the day should be expected. A sample timetable is available from the law office: law@tudublin.ie.

Applications will open in February 2025.

Non-EU Students

Non-EU students, not resident in Ireland, are not eligible to apply for part time programs that are delivered on-campus. Applications for part time courses that require on-campus attendance will not be processed and the application fee will not be refunded. 

This programme offers a range of engaging and in-depth modules, taught by excellent lecturers who are experts in their fields. It provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to go on and sit the FE1 and King’s Inns exams.

The small class sizes, as well as the individualised support offered to each student, help to foster an excellent sense of community among students and staff alike, and I never felt nervous to ask for clarification or assistance. I cannot recommend this programme enough for anyone who is considering pursuing a legal career, or who wishes to develop a comprehensive knowledge of a fascinating, important subject.

The Master of Arts in Law (Professional) at TU Dublin is a fantastic, immersive course. Prior knowledge of Irish law isn’t a necessity and they provide students with the resources to develop their career within law. 

The small classes are ideal and lecturers and the careers department provide individualised supported throughout. The condensed timetable is ideal to balance studies with other commitments and the campus at Grangegorman is modern and accessible. 

Each module you decide to take is taught from the ground level up. For those looking to pursue a legal career, these programmes will equip you with the necessary tools and skills and I highly recommend it.

At what level is this programme offered?

This programme is offered at level 9 on the QQI National Framework of Qualifications. It attracts 120 ECTS credits.

Where do I find information on becoming a lawyer?

For information on how to become a solicitor see www.lawsociety.ie. For information on how to become a barrister, see kingsinns.ie.

Will this course prepare me for the FE-1 Law Society entrance examinations?

The Master of Arts in Law (Professional) includes tuition in all eight of the law examinations required for entry to the Law Society of Ireland.

Will this course help me to become a barrister?

The Master of Arts in Law (Professional) is an accredited law degree for the purposes of admission to King Inns (awards after 2018 only).

How much will the books required for this course cost?

Law texts are expensive and students aiming to complete the FE-1 examinations should budget approximately 700 Euro for law texts.

Is there financial assistance for students on this course?

Applicants should consider applying to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) for advice on financial support for completion of this course. Fees paid may be deductible from taxable income (revenue.ie).

What are the criteria for admitting students?

Admission to this course is based solely on merit. The Programme Committee will consider first, the academic profile of the student; second, his or her motivation for studying law; third, whether he or she has any prior experience of law. We discourage canvassing by or on behalf of students

When will I found out if my application is successful?

Offers will be made on a rolling basis until places are full or until 1st July 2024, whichever is the later. Any places remaining after 1st July 2024 will be allocated in mid-August 2024. It may be necessary to close applications before 1st July if applications exceed available places. If final year undergraduate results are pending at time of application, a conditional offer will be made. This offer cannot be formally accepted until your results are submitted via the online application system. To secure a place, results should be forwarded as promptly as possible. Existing students of the Postgraduate Diploma in Law must apply before 20 April 2024.

What happens if I apply late?

Late applications will be considered if space remains after all timely applications have been dealt with.