Postgraduate Programmes | School of Law and Government

The School of Law and Government at DCU offers a world leading LLM (Masters of Laws) designed to develop outward-looking critical thinkers ready to excel in the modern world. To this end, the School offers a range of postgraduate modules that goes beyond black-letter, formulaic legal study embracing a socio-legal methodology with a European and International orientation.

Students have the choice between 5 alternate pathways (see links below): We offer a general LLM, plus four specialisms in European Law; International Human Rights Law; Public Law; and Policing, Crime and Security.

We welcome applicants from Ireland, the EU and the wider world who are interested in deepening their understanding of law in its broader social, political and global contexts.

For more information and how to apply: LLM (Master of Laws) (DC662)

The growth of the digital economy has resulted in personal data processing becoming a global industry of enormous value. The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which came into effect in May 2018, aims to protect EU privacy rights and harmonise data protection law across the EU. The GDPR changes the way in which personal data must be collected, stored and processed. Given that personal data is used so widely, the GDPR impacts upon a vast number of sectors and data privacy has become an important concern for businesses, internet users, lawyers and public bodies.

The MA in Data Protection and Privacy Law is an interdisciplinary degree run jointly by the School of Law and Government and the School of Computing. The aim of the programme is to combine the University’s expertise in law and computing to provide students with advanced expertise in the technological and legal aspects of data protection and privacy law.

For more information and how to apply: MA in Data Protection and Privacy: Law and Computing (DC786)

Programme Title

MA in European Law and Policy

Additional Exit awards titles 

Graduate Certificate in European Law and Policy
Graduate Diploma in European Law and Policy

The EU is an increasingly important policy and legal actor. EU action cuts across virtually every policy field including security, economic policy, human rights and the environment. In response, DCU has established the Masters in European Law and Policy, an innovative programme that will equip graduates with the knowledge and skills to navigate and address those 21st century challenges, from Brexit to climate change and to the post-pandemic economic and social recovery.

A broad curriculum will familiarise students with the legislative and institutional structure of the European Union and the operation of EU law while equipping students with core skills of public policy design and analysis. Core modules include Law & Politics of Brexit, one of the first modules of its kind on the island of Ireland, as well as optional modules that focus on key policy areas such as the environment, EU banking and finance law and EU foreign policy. A special effort is made to integrate legal and public policy skills and to consider law in light of policy requirements and the role of law in shaping and implementing policy.

The Masters in European Law and Policy is designed to integrate legal and policy analysis and to equip students with complementary knowledge and skills across both fields. It is designed to ensure students have a comprehensive grounding in both EU law and policy analysis while allowing for some specialisation in either law or policy through optional modules and the dissertation topic. 

Graduate Certificate in European Law and Policy

Students require 30 ECTS to meet the award. There are no optional modules. The following three modules are mandatory:

• POL1054 Public Policy Analysis (10 ECTS)
• LAW1059 EU Institutional Law (10 ECTS)
• LAW1066 Law and Politics of Brexit (10 ECTS)

Graduate Diploma in European Law and Policy

Students require 60 ECTS to meet the award. In addition to the 30 ECTS gained through completion of the Graduate Certificate in European Law and Policy students must complete a mandatory module:

• LAW1087 Research & Methods in EU Law & Policy (10 ECTS)

Students must also complete two optional modules (20 ECTS) from the following:

• LAW1062 EU Banking & Finance Law (10 ECTS)
• LAW1068 EU Trade Law & Policy (10 ECTS)
• POL1062 Public Policy Evaluation (10 ECTS)
• POL1056 Policy Challenges (10 ECTS)
• POL1068 Counter-Terrorism in Europe (10 ECTS)
• POL1070 The Governance of Migration in Europe (10 ECTS)
• POL1093 Future Generations: Priorities, Policies, Politics (10 ECTS)
• LAW1040 Climate Change Law (10 ECTS)

MA in European Law and Policy

Students require 90 ECTS to meet the award. In addition to the 60 ECTS gained through completion of the Graduate Diploma in European Law and Policy students must complete a mandatory module:

• POL1077 Dissertation (30 ECTS)

DCU’s MA in International Relations, the oldest of its kind in Ireland, is known for its dedicated staff with a wide range of expertise and its diverse student body. We welcome students from around the world, with various career backgrounds and different undergraduate degrees. Our approach is inclusive, considering international relations as a combination of different theories, disciplines, and global perspectives.

In the first semester, you'll have small classes to introduce core subjects, giving you the intellectual skills you'll need for the entire programme and helping you connect with fellow students.

 In the second semester, you can choose from a range of elective courses specifically tailored for the MA in International Relations. You can also select modules from related programmes like international security studies, public policy, and law. 

The optional modules cover topics such as international politics, human rights, the economy, communication, trade, regional studies and environmental protection. In addition, you'll work on a dissertation of up to 15,000 words on the topic of your choice, receiving support from the beginning of the programme, including one-on-one supervision.

Students have two options for completing the MA programme: full-time in 12 months or part-time over two years. 

For more information and how to apply: MA in International Relations (DC608)

The MA in International Security and Conflict Studies aims to provide you with the knowledge and skills to analyse these issues in our highly interconnected world.

Here are some questions you'll explore:

• Why do people feel threatened?
• How do certain groups manage to resolve their differences?
• What impact does peacekeeping have?
• How does online radicalisation play a role?
• What are the effects of international treaties?

This programme helps you make sense of these complex issues and equips you with the tools to understand and address them in our globalised society.

We're delighted to welcome students from all over the world to join us. Many of them have experience in fields related to conflict or security, while others may have studied different subjects but are genuinely interested in this area.

Our professors are actively researching various topics such as the connection between politics and economics, human rights, conflict resolution, rebuilding after wars, justice during transitions, and the study of specific regions.

In the classroom, we encourage vibrant discussions to provide you with opportunities to explore and learn collaboratively with your peers.

For more information and how to apply: MA in International Security and Conflict Studies (DC629) 

Presently, we find ourselves lacking the necessary policies, institutions and societal initiatives to effectively tackle these challenges.

DCU’s new MSc in Climate Change: Policy, Media & Society is unique in Ireland in its focus on the social sciences and humanities, on media, policy, law, governance, regulation and politics.

This unique and interdisciplinary programme is designed to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary to tackle the pressing challenges of climate change from multiple perspectives.

For more information and how to apply: MSc in Climate Change: Policy, Media and Society (DC669)

Recent problems have shown that the way many countries make their policies has some issues. This is especially true in Ireland. These issues are partly because the people in charge of making policies aren't always good at figuring out and carrying out these policies, especially in complicated and changing situations.

The Irish government, the European Union and other international organisations know about this problem. They're trying to get more experts in making policies to work with them.

To address this, DCU is now offering a special online course that covers different subjects and is made to help the new generation of policymakers. It's called the MSc in Public Policy, and it's a unique professional degree that focuses on both deep thinking and careful methods. This fits the needs of a society that is dealing with more complicated and nuanced challenges.

For more information and how to apply: MSc in Public Policy (DC648)

The European Master in Law, Data and Artificial Intelligence (EMILDAI) has been developed as a response to the legal, technical and ethical challenges of digitisation. Businesses and public institutions require experts to legally, ethically and safely process data, in particular in the context of the use of AI systems.

The European Master in Law, Data and Artificial Intelligence (EMILDAI) offers a highly integrated, multilingual and interdisciplinary curriculum, which is articulated into two years (120 ECTS). EMILDAI students will receive a joint master’s degree awarded by the partner universities they attend (joint degree ‘per track’). Students are required to know at least two languages: either English and French or English and Spanish.

For more information and how to apply: European Master in Law, Data and Artificial Intelligence (DC625)

On the International Master in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies you will examine a broad range of contemporary security challenges, such as terrorism, civil war and intra-state conflict, mass migration, energy security, cyber security, and transnational crime.

The programme is structured around four mobility periods across two years. During Year 1 you will undertake a series of core and optional courses reflecting key themes and research design.

In Year 2 you will choose a specialist concentration containing a range of themed courses. Also included is a fourth flexible study period, during which time you will complete your independent study (dissertation) and may have the opportunity to undertake a work-based learning placement with a relevant associate partner.

The International Master in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies (IMSISS) is a 24 month Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree developed by a consortium of four European universities –University of Glasgow (UK), Dublin City University (Ireland), Charles University in Prague (Czech Republic) and University of Trento (Italy).

Students on this degree programme will examine a broad range of contemporary security challenges, such as terrorism, civil war and conflict, mass migration, energy supply security, cyber security and new technologies, and transnational and serious organised crime. Students will also explore the intelligence and strategic approaches used by governmental and non-governmental actors to combat these threats.

The degree adopts a unique approach to the study of security by combining theoretical, applied and empirical knowledge and skill sets. Students will have the opportunity to meet with and work alongside a range of academics and researchers from international partner universities and think tanks from around the world, as well as practitioner experts from governmental and industry security and defence sectors.

For more information and how to apply: International Master in Security, Intelligence and Strategic Studies