New DCU Law degree approved by King's Inns
25 March 2009

The School of Law and Government at Dublin City University is delighted to announce that its new law degree, the BCL (Law and Society), has been recognised by the Honorable Society of King’s Inns as an “approved law degree”. The King’s Inns, which is the sole training body for barristers in Ireland, allows entry to its Barrister-at-Law degree (on completion of five entrance examinations) only to persons holding “approved law degrees” or persons who have undertaken the two-year part-time Diploma in Legal Studies at the King’s Inns.

The recognition of the new BCL (Law and Society)as an approved law degree is an acknowledgement of the calibre of the degree in terms of both content and delivery.

The BCL (Law and Society) is an innovation in the teaching of law in Ireland as it aims to go beyond traditional law degrees in order to provide students with a deeper understanding of law and legal issues, grounded in the social realities which both influence the law and are influenced by the law.

This degree will cover the traditional core law modules such as Contract Law, Constitutional Law, Criminal Law and Property Law, but students will also have the opportunity to study more innovative modules such as “Work, Employment and Society”, “Law and Body Politics” and “Healthcare Law and Society”. All modules on this degree, both traditional and innovative, will be taught in a distinctive manner which emphasises the interaction between law and society.

Along with knowledge of the legal system and the interaction between law and society, the School of Law and Government is committed to providing students with valuable practical skills within the BCL (Law and Society). To this end students will take a specific legal theory and research methods module as well as participating in a Moot Court. They will also have the opportunity either to write a dissertation or to undertake work placement in a legal environment so as to experience the reality of the law in action.

Graduates of the BCL (Law and Society) will be equipped for a variety of occupations both within and outside of the legal profession. The recent recognition of the degree by King’s Inns increases the potential for graduates of the degree to go on to further study and practice.

The addition of the BCL (Law and Society) degree to the School of Law and Government builds on the success of the existing undergraduate degree programmes in the School - Economics, Politics and Law and International Relations. The School also offers both taught and research postgraduate programmes.

For further information on the School of Law and Government, the BCL (Law and Society)and the other degrees on offer go to www.dcu.ie/law_and_government.