The Postgraduate Diploma in Law (International Human Rights Law and Public Policy) is a full-time programme running for 9 months or a part-time programme running for 18 months over two academic years from the date of first registration for the programme. A full-time candidate may not, during the currency of the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (International Human Rights Law and Public Policy), simultaneously pursue any other form of education training or employment, without the advance permission of the School of Law.

Full-time:
Students take 60 credits.

Part-time:
Students take 60 credits, completing a total of 30 credits in Year 1 and 30 credits in Year 2.

Core Modules
Students take core modules to the value of 25 credits as follows:

LW6606 International Human Rights Law (10 credits)
LW6633 Public International Law (5 credits)
LW6648 Human Rights Law in Practice (Clinic) (10 credits)

Elective Modules
Students take modules to the value of 35 credits from the list of electives set out below. At least 30 of those credits must be chosen from List A. (Note: The maximum total of 35 credits may be chosen from List A). Students may, if they wish, choose up to 5 credits from List B.

List A: Students must choose at least 30 credits from the following:
LW6544 Criminology (5 credits)
LW6545 Penology (10 credits)
LW6546 Juvenile Justice (10 credits)
LW6549 International Children's Rights (10 credits)
LW6550 International Criminal Law (10 credits)
LW6560 Law of Cybercrime (10 credits)
LW6566 Contemporary Issues in International Law (5 credits)
LW6568 The Family and the Law (10 credits)
LW6592 Mental Capacity Law (5 credits)
LW6618 Climate Change Law and Policy (5 credits)
LW6619 Alternative Dispute Resolution: Processes and Practice (5 credits)
LW6623 Global Maritime Security (5 credits)
LW6627 International Environmental Law (5 credits)
LW6634 Refugee and Forced Displacement Law (10 credits)
PH6012 Human Rights (10 credits)

²List B: Students may choose up to 5 credits from the following:
¹LW2208 Law of the European Convention on Human Rights (5 credits)

It may be that not all modules listed above will be offered each year and/or other options may become available.

Notes:

1. Students may not choose the undergraduate module LW2208 if they have already taken this module or equivalent subject matter at undergraduate level. Where appropriate, the Programme Director will identify, in consultation with the student, whether this module must be taken.
2. In certain cases, with the permission of the Programme Director, students may elect to take 5 credits from the modules available in the LLM (Taught) (other than those in List B above) (see here) 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.

Exit Award - Postgraduate Certificate in International 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 International Law, students may opt not to proceed with the programme and exit with a Postgraduate Certificate in International Law.

LLM (International Human Rights Law and Public Policy)
Candidates who successfully complete the Postgraduate Diploma in Law (International Human Rights Law and Public Policy) may undertake the LLM (International Human Rights Law and Public Policy).

Programme Learning Outcomes for Postgraduate Diploma in Law (International Human Rights Law and Public Policy) (NFQ Level 9, Major award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Critically evaluate and analyse key concepts in International and European human rights law;
• Critically evaluate and analyse the conceptual and practical challenges that arise in the implementation and enforcement of human rights law;
• Analyse and evaluate the impact of International and European human rights law in selected areas of legal practice;
• Critically evaluate primary and secondary legal materials of relevance to International Human Rights Law and Public Policy including legislation, international legal instruments, case-law and academic commentary;
• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving legal problems in International Human 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 Human Rights Law;
• Formulate research questions and develop appropriate research methodologies;
• Undertake scholarly research exploring legal themes of relevance to Human Rights Law and Public Policy;
• Use information technology appropriately for high-level legal research and writing;
• 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 International Law (NFQ Level 9, Minor award)
On successful completion of this programme, students should be able to:

• Critically evaluate and analyse key concepts in International law;
• Critically evaluate and analyse the conceptual and practical challenges that arise in the implementation and enforcement of international law;
• Critically evaluate primary and secondary legal materials of relevance to International Law including legislation, international legal instruments, case-law and academic commentary;
• Demonstrate self-direction and originality in tackling and solving legal problems in International 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 International Law.