Civil Law

The Bachelor of Civil Law programme is the traditional law degree, offering a rich curriculum of core and optional legal subjects. All students are encouraged and assisted in acquiring skills in legal analysis, legal research and written and oral communication. The programme seeks to impart a solid grounding in law and the academic foundation necessary to prepare for entry to the legal professions.

All core law courses are covered as well as a number of complementary optional courses. It is also possible to study a European language – either French, German or Italian. If you have a keen interest in all aspects of the law and you wish to take all the required subjects to study for the legal professions in a single degree, then the BCL is for you. You can focus solely on law subjects or you can combine law and other subjects. You can then proceed to take the entrance examinations to become a solicitor or a barrister.

Year 1

• Constitutional Law
• Contract Law
• Law of Torts
• Irish Legal System
• Intensive Legal Methods and Research
• Legal Procedure
• French/German/Italian or Family Law

Year 2

• Administrative Law
• Company Law
• Criminal Law
• European Union Law
• Plus a number of options (subject to availability) including:
  • Health Law
  • Human Rights
  • Housing Law
  • Media Law
  • Entertainment Law
  • Criminal Justice
  • Intellectual Property
  • Law of the Sea
  • Information Technology Law

Final Year

At the end of second year, interested students may opt to join the BCL International Programme, which involves spending third year at a university in mainland Europe.

• Equity
• Land Law
• Plus a number of options (subject to availability) including:
  • Disability Law
  • Competition Law
  • Criminology
  • Environmental Law
  • Immigration Law
  • English Land Law
  • Family Law
  • Jurisprudence
  • Evidence

Requirements

• Certificate of Secondary Education and an acceptable grade from a recognised Foundation programme.
• or First year of Bachelor degree/Bakalvr
• Minimum HC3 in two subjects and passes in four other subjects at H or O level in the Leaving Certificate including: Irish, English, another language and any three other subjects recognised for entry purposes.
• Minimum GPA 3/Satisfactory
• All applicants, whose first language is not English, must present one of the following qualifications in the English language. IELTS 6.5. TOEFL 88. 
• The completed Non-EU Undergraduate Application Form
• A copy of your Passport
• A Personal Statement (typed) of no more than 800 words outlining your academic interests, sporting and/or cultural interests and your reasons for wanting to study at NUI Galway. You may also include aspects of your academic career that are not necessarily reflected in your application.
• Two sealed Letters of Recommendation, ideally from a teacher and/guidance counsellor or someone who knows you personally.

Scholarships

• Undergraduate Merit Scholarships