This is a three year full-time integrated pathway programme to the LLM (International Family Law) comprised as follows:

• Certificate in English and Legal English
• Diploma in Common Law (Family)
• LLM (International Family Law)

The three-year integrated pathway to the LLM (International Family Law) is a full-time course open to non-EU students, who have achieved an undergraduate degree with a minimum GPA of 3 out of 4, and is aimed at students whose main language is not English. Students must take the programme in its entirety, exemptions are not normally granted. Applicants are admitted through the International Office. Applicants must have achieved an IELTS score of 5.5 with no single skill less than 5.5.

University Examinations for the three year integrated pathway to the LLM (International Family Law) incorporates Year 1, the Certificate in English and Legal English, consisting of compulsory modules to the value of 60 credits; Year 2, the Diploma in Common Law (Family), consisting of compulsory modules to the value of 60 credits; and Year 3, the LLM (International Family Law), consisting of compulsory modules to the value of 90 credits.

In order to be admitted to the University Examination in LLM (International Family Law), a student must have satisfactorily attended and successfully completed to the required standard for progression from both year 1 and year 2, prescribed modules to the value of 120 credits - namely 60 credits in Year 1 in the Certificate in English and Legal English, and 60 credits in Year 2 in the Diploma in Common Law (Family) as follows:

Certificate in English and Legal English:

The programme will consist of 60 credits of compulsory modules as follows:

LC1004 English Grammar (10 credits)
LC1102 English for Academic Studies (10 credits)
LC1602 English as a Foreign Language C1- (10 credits)
LC2010 English for International Students of Law (10 credits)
LC2011 Legal English for International Students (10 credits)
LC2503 General English - Media and Culture (10 credits)

Certificate in English and Legal English (NFQ Level 6, Special Purpose award)
Upon successful completion of the above 60 credits, students will be awarded a Certificate in English and Legal English. Subject to successful completion and attaining the required standard of an aggregate mark of at least 55%, the student may progress to the Diploma in Common Law (Family).

Diploma in Common Law (Family)

The programme will consist of 60 credits of compulsory modules as follows:

LW1104 Foundations of the Legal System (5 credits)
LW1161 Constitutional Law: Fundamental Rights (5 credits)
LW2208 Law of the European Convention on Human Rights (5 credits)
LW2268 Welfare Law: Poverty and the Law (5 credits)
LW2275 Family Law: Child Law (5 credits)
LW2276 Family Law: Family Relationships (5 credits)
AP2104 Developmental Psychology (5 credits)
LC2102 Advanced English (General and Academic) (10 credits)
LC0003 Academic English Writing Skills (10 credits)
SS2208 Child Care Policy (5 credits)

Diploma in Common Law (Family) (NFQ Level 7, Special Purpose award)
Upon successful completion of the above 60 credits, students will be awarded a Diploma in Common Law (Family). Subject to successful completion and attaining the required standard of an aggregate mark of at least 55% in the LW modules and an aggregate mark of at least 55% in the LC modules, the student may progress to the LLM (International Family Law).

LLM (International Family Law)

The LLM (International Family Law) will consist of 90 credits of compulsory modules as follows:

LW2001 Clinical Legal Skills (5 credits)
LW6006 LLM (International Family Law) Dissertation (30 credits)
LW6007 International Perspectives on the Family (10 credits)
LW6008 Legal Research and Writing (5 credits)
LW6549 International Children's Rights (10 credits)
LW6568 The Family and the Law (10 credits)
LC0005 Skills for writing a dissertation in English (10 credits)
LC3102 Advanced English for Work and Study (10 credits)

Exit award: Postgraduate Diploma in Law (International Family Law) (NFQ Level 9, Major award)
Upon successful completion of the prescribed taught modules to the value of 60 credits, registered LLM (International Family Law) students may opt not to proceed with the programme and exit with a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (International Family Law). If a candidate fails (which includes fails to present) the dissertation (LW6006), the candidate may elect to exit the three-year integrated pathway programme and will be eligible for the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Law (International Family Law).

Module Semester Information may be found here Module descriptions may be found here.

Examinations
Full details and regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2016 Book and for each module in the Book of Modules 2015/2016.

Programme Learning Outcomes for the Certificate in English and Legal English (NFQ Level 6, Special Purpose award)
On successful completion of the Certificate, students should be able to:

• Speak, write, read and understand English at C1 level on the CEFR scale;
• Communicate effectively on familiar and unfamiliar topics and initiate and respond appropriately in oral discourse;
• Give short presentations ;
• Write short essays in a range of academic essay types/genres using appropriate paragraphing, syntax, lexis, linking devices, register, punctuation and spelling;
• Be familiar with vocabulary commonly-used in legal English and academic English in general.
• Use accurately the main features of English grammar at upper-intermediate level;
• Follow native speaker spoken English (a range of nationalities) with more confidence, in particular extracts from lectures, tutorials, conversations, interviews and a set movie;
• Demonstrate advanced reading skills with a range of legal texts and strong understanding of extracts from an English novel (with a legal theme).

Certificate in English and Legal English (NFQ Level 6, Special Purpose award)
Upon successful completion of the prescribed 60 credits, students will be awarded a Certificate in English and Legal English. Subject to successful completion and attaining the required standard of an aggregate mark of at least 55%, a student may progress to the Diploma in Common Law (Family).

Programme Learning Outcomes for the Diploma in Common Law (Family) (NFQ Level 7, Special Purpose award)
On successful completion of the Diploma in Common Law (Family), students should be able to:

• Demonstrate original, independent and critical thinking;
• Engage with academic discourse on legal themes;
• Apply their knowledge of legal principles to hypothetical fact scenarios
• Identify the sources of law relevant to particular aspects of family life;
• Interpret the provisions of the Irish Constitution, legislation and case law relevant to family issues;
• Demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between law and policy;
• Evaluate the need for reform in family law in order to meet changing trends in society nationally and internationally;
• Engage with judicial and academic debate on points of family and welfare law from both a domestic and international perspective.

Diploma in Common Law (Family) (NFQ Level 7, Special Purpose award)
Upon successful completion of the prescribed 60 credits, students will be awarded a Diploma in Common Law (Family). Subject to successful completion and attaining the required standard of an aggregate mark of at least 55% in the LW modules and an aggregate mark of at least 55% in the LC modules, the student may progress to the LLM (International Family Law).

Programme Learning Outcomes for the LLM (International Family Law) (NFQ Level 9, Major award)
On successful completion of the LLM (International Family Law), students should be able to:

• Communicate effectively in English on familiar and unfamiliar topics and initiate and respond appropriately in oral discourse;
• Demonstrate knowledge of Irish Child Law and Family Law;
• Demonstrate an awareness of the relevance and significance of International Law for Child and Family Law;
• Critically evaluate primary and secondary legal materials of relevance to Child and Family Law including legislation, international instruments, case-law and academic commentary;
• Identify and explore interconnections between legal topics in the area of Child Law and Family Law;
• Connect changing values and sentiments in domestic and international society with legal developments in respect of Child and Family Law;
• Consider and exercise judgement on ethical issues related to international family law;
• Formulate research questions and develop appropriate research methodologies;
• Undertake scholarly research exploring legal themes;
• Conduct research on a legal topic in the area of Child Law or Family Law and write a masters-level dissertation on that topic;
• Use information technology appropriately for high-level legal research and writing;
• Demonstrate an ability to identify and evaluate relevant national and international social and socio-legal research in the area of Child and Family Law;
• Express complex legal and/or policy analysis in an appropriate legal style, in accordance with legal writing standards.

Programme Learning Outcomes for the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (International Family Law) (NFQ Level 9, Major award)
Upon successful completion of the prescribed taught modules to the value of 60 credits, registered LLM (International law) students may opt not to proceed with the programme and exit with a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (International Family Law).

To secure the award of Postgraduate Diploma in Law (International Family Law), students should be able to:

• Communicate effectively in English on familiar and unfamiliar topics and initiate and respond appropriately in oral discourse;
• Demonstrate knowledge of Irish Child Law and Family Law;
• Demonstrate an awareness of the relevance and significance of International Law for Child and Family Law;
• Critically evaluate primary and secondary legal materials of relevance to Child and Family Law including legislation, international instruments, case-law and academic commentary;
• Identify and explore interconnections between legal topics in the area of Child Law and Family Law;
• Connect changing values and sentiments in domestic and international society with legal developments in respect of Child and Family Law;
• Consider and exercise judgement on ethical issues related to international family law;
• Use information technology appropriately for high-level legal research and writing;
• Demonstrate an ability to identify and evaluate relevant national and international social and socio-legal research in the area of Child and Family Law;
• Express complex legal and/or policy analysis in an appropriate legal style, in accordance with legal writing standards.