The LLM (Children's Rights and Family Law) is a full-time programme running for 12 months or a part-time programme running for 24 months from the date of first registration for the programme. A full-time candidate may not, during the currency of the LLM (Children's Rights and Family Law), simultaneously pursue any other form of education training or employment, without the advance permission of the School of Law.

Full-time
Students take 90 credits.

Part-time:
Students take 90 credits over two years. In Year 2, students take LW6569 and any core modules not already taken in Year 1.

Core Modules
Students take core modules to the value of 80 credits as follows:

LW6507 Comparative Family Property Law (5 credits)
LW6546 Juvenile Justice (10 credits)
LW6549 International Children's Rights (10 credits)
LW6563 Children's Rights Law in Practice (10 credits)
LW6568 The Family and the Law (10 credits)
LW6569 LLM (Children's Rights and Family Law) Dissertation (30 credits)
and either
LW6614 Family Law Clinic (5 credits)
or
LW6615 Child Law Clinic (5 credits)

Note: The other clinic module not chosen here may be taken as an elective.

Elective Modules
Student take modules to the value of 10 credits from the list of elective modules set out below. (The Clinic module chosen as a core module may not be chosen again).
LW6592 Mental Capacity Law (5 credits)
LW6614 Family Law Clinic (5 credits)
LW6615 Child Law Clinic (5 credits)
LW6619 Alternative Dispute Resolution: Processes and Practice (5 credits)
LW6634 Refugee and Forced Displacement Law (10 credits)

It may be that not all modules listed above will be offered in any particular session and/or other options may become available.

Note: In certain cases, with the permission of the Programme Director, students may elect to take 5 credits from the list available for the LLM Degree (see here) (other than those listed above) in substitution for 5 credits of the elective modules listed above.

In order to ensure a reasonable distribution of workload, when choosing modules for all programmes, students should take a balance of credits between Semester 1 and Semester 2. Students who wish to deviate from this rule must seek permission from their Programme Director.

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

Examinations
Full details of regulations governing Examinations for each programme will be contained in the Marks and Standards 2022/2023 Book and for each module in the Book of Modules, 2022/2023.

Submission of LLM Dissertation
The LLM dissertation must be submitted for examination at the Winter Board, on a date in September to be specified by the School of Law at the commencement of the programme.

Exit Award: Postgraduate Certificate in Children's Rights Law (NFQ Level 9 Minor Award)
Upon successful completion of taught modules to the value of 30 credits that meet the requirements of the Postgraduate Certificate in Children's Rights Law (see here), students may opt not to proceed with the programme and exit with a Postgraduate Certificate in Children's Rights Law.

Exit Award: Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Family Law (NFQ Level 9 Minor Award)
Upon successful completion of taught modules to the value of 30 credits that meet the requirements of the Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Family Law (see here) students may opt not to proceed with the programme and exit with a Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Family Law.

Exit Award: Postgraduate Diploma in Law (Children's Rights and Family Law) (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
Upon successful completion of taught modules to the value of 60 credits, registered LLM (Children's Rights and Family Law) students may opt not to proceed with the programme and exit with a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (Children's Rights and Family Law).

Programme Learning Outcomes for LLM (Children's Rights and Family Law) (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of Irish Children's Rights Law and Family Law;
• Demonstrate an awareness of the relevance and significance of International Law for Children's Rights and Family Law;
• Critically evaluate primary and secondary legal materials of relevance to Children's Rights and Family Law including legislation, international instruments, case-law and academic commentary;
• Identify and explore interconnections between legal topics in the area of Children's Rights Law and Family Law;
• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving legal problems in Children's Rights and Family Law;
• Demonstrate original, independent and critical thinking in relation to relevant legal issues;
• Connect changing values and sentiments in society with legal developments in respect of Children's Rights and 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 Children's Rights Law or Family Law and write a masters-level dissertation on that topic;
• Use information technology appropriately for high-level legal research and writing;
• Develop an ability to identify and evaluate relevant social and socio-legal research in the area of Children's Rights 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 Postgraduate Diploma in Law (Children's Rights and Family Law) (NFQ Level 9, Major Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of Irish Children's Rights Law and Family Law;
• Demonstrate an awareness of the relevance and significance of International Law for Children's Rights and Family Law;
• Critically evaluate primary and secondary legal materials of relevance to Children's Rights and Family Law including legislation, international instruments, case-law and academic commentary;
• Identify and explore interconnections between legal topics in the area of Children's Rights Law and Family Law;
• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving legal problems in Children's Rights and Family Law;
• Demonstrate original, independent and critical thinking in relation to relevant legal issues;
• Connect changing values and sentiments in society with legal developments in respect of Children's Rights and Family Law;
• Formulate research questions and develop appropriate research methodologies;
• Undertake scholarly research exploring legal themes;
• Use information technology appropriately for high-level legal research and writing;
• Develop an ability to identify and evaluate relevant social and socio-legal research in the area of Children's Rights 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 Postgraduate Certificate in Children's Rights Law (NFQ Level 9, Minor Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of Irish Children's Rights Law;
• Demonstrate an awareness of the relevance and significance of International Law for Children's Rights Law;
• Critically evaluate primary and secondary legal materials of relevance to Children's Rights Law including legislation, international instruments, case-law and academic commentary;
• Identify and explore interconnections between legal topics in the area of Children's Rights Law;
• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving legal problems in Children's Rights Law;
• Demonstrate original, independent and critical thinking in relation to relevant legal issues;
• Connect changing values and sentiments in society with legal developments in respect of Children's Rights Law.

Programme Learning Outcomes for Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Family Law (NFQ Level 9, Minor Award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate knowledge of Advanced Irish Family Law;
• Demonstrate an awareness of the relevance and significance of International Law for Advanced Family Law;
• Critically evaluate primary and secondary legal materials of relevance to Advanced Family Law including legislation, international instruments, case-law and academic commentary;
• Identify and explore interconnections between legal topics in the area of Advanced Family Law;
• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving legal problems in Advanced Family Law;
• Demonstrate original, independent and critical thinking in relation to relevant legal issues;
• Connect changing values and sentiments in society with legal developments in respect of Advanced Family Law.