Course Title: Postgraduate Diploma in Law
Admission to the Post-Graduate Diploma in Law requires at least a second class honours level 8 primary degree (2.2 or higher).
If English is not your first language you will need to provide evidence of your English language proficiency as detailed on our website. Applicants for this course should have a minimum IELTS (Academic Version) English Proficiency of 7.5 overall (or equivalent) with nothing less than 6 in each component.
Due to competition for places, satisfying the minimum entry requirements is not a guarantee of a place.
The Post-Graduate Diploma in Law offers an excellent grounding in law for those looking to prepare for the Law Society’s FE-1 entrance examinations to qualify as a solicitor, or to pursue other careers in the public service, regulation, other professional services and sectors requiring comprehensive legal knowledge and analytic skills.
The programme provides students with a deep understanding of the principles and institutional framework of Irish Law. It equips students with high-level reasoning and analytical skills enabling them to solve legal problems in a range of social, commercial and regulatory contexts, and to critically evaluate legal rules and processes.
The Post-Graduate Diploma in Law offers small-class sizes to facilitate interactive learning and provides students with access to a team of expert law lecturers, many of whom have extensive experience of legal practice.
The programme is designed to afford students maximum flexibility in tailoring a law degree to meet their own educational and professional needs. Students take Legal Skills and five additional modules chosen from covering both FE1 subjects and topics at the cutting edge of law and legal systems.
Classes are held, in the main, between 9am and 6pm Monday-Friday with some modules offered in the evening. Timetables allow students to attend classes covering all 8 FE1 subjects from Monday-Wednesday. A sample timetable is available from law@tudublin.ie.
Examinations are held once a year in May. Coursework is set throughout the academic year.
Upon successful completion of the Post-Graduate Diploma in Law, students have the option to move on to complete a further six modules to obtain a Master of Arts in Law (Professional) degree (either through the full-time programme or the part-time programme) or complete a dissertation part-time over one academic year to earn an MA in Law.
This Post-Graduate Diploma in Law is also available on a part-time basis over two academic years. Information about the part-time programme can be found here.
Graduates of the Post-Graduate Diploma in Law are highly sought after by the “Big Six” law firms as well as other law firms throughout Ireland. Graduates have also gone on to pursue successful careers at the Bar, the Courts Service and other state and semi-state agencies.
The programme also has a consistent track record of producing graduates who succeed in competitions for public service employment and obtain positions in highly regulated industries such as pharmaceuticals, Information Technology, Banking and Finance, Insurance and Energy. The programme is also suitable for those at work looking to upskill in law.
All students attend a Legal Skills module in their first year of registration. This module emphasises practical skills such as legal research and writing. Students also participate in moot courts, prepare and deliver presentations and work together in completing group projects.
Students take 5 additional modules to complete the programme. There are no required modules beyond Legal Skills. For 2024/25 the modules offered are:
- Company Law
- Constitutional Law
- Contract Law
- Criminal Law
- Equity
- European Union Law
- Property Law
- Law of Torts
- Refugee and Asylum Law
- Evidence
- Jurisprudence
- Administrative Law
- European Human Rights Law
- Criminology
- Media and Intellectual Property Law
- Family Law
Instruction is provided through a combination of lectures and coursework. Students are expected to complement timetabled hours with private study and self-learning. There are approximately 13 timetabled hours per week, depending on the modules selected by the student. A commitment of approximately 40 hours per week is normally required of students on the course.
Classes run between 9am and 6pm Monday to Friday, and 6-9pm Monday to Thursday where evening options are selected.
When taken part-time, students will have class contact time of approximately 6.5 hours per week with a total time commitment of 20 hours per week. Whilst some modules are offered in the evening, part-time student’s take the bulk of their classes with full-time students. Therefore although a part-time option is available, this is not an evening course and attendance during the day should be expected. A sample timetable is available from the law office: law@tudublin.ie.
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The Post-Graduate Diploma in Law has been incredibly helpful in preparing me for a career in law. The programme, which can build towards completing the Master of Arts in Law (Professional) programme, offers a range of engaging and in-depth modules, taught by excellent lecturers who are experts in their fields. It provides students with the knowledge and skills necessary to go on and sit the FE1 and King’s Inns exams.
The small class sizes, as well as the individualised support offered to each student, help to foster an excellent sense of community among students and staff alike, and I never felt nervous to ask for clarification or assistance. I cannot recommend this programme enough for anyone who is considering pursuing a legal career, or who wishes to develop a comprehensive knowledge of a fascinating, important subject.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Law and Master of Arts in Law (Professional) at TU Dublin are fantastic, immersive courses. Prior knowledge of Irish law isn’t a necessity and they provide students with the resources to develop their career within law.
The small classes are ideal and lecturers and the careers department provide individualised supported throughout. The condensed timetable is ideal to balance studies with other commitments and the campus at Grangegorman is modern and accessible.
Each module you decide to take is taught from the ground level up. For those looking to pursue a legal career, these programmes will equip you with the necessary tools and skills and I highly recommend it.
At what level is this programme offered?
This programme is offered at level 9 on the QQI National Framework of Qualifications. It attracts 60 ECTS credits.
Where do I find information on becoming a lawyer?
For information on how to become a solicitor see www.lawsociety.ie. For information on how to become a barrister, see www.kingsinns.ie.
Will this course prepare me for the FE-1 Law Society entrance examinations?
The Post Graduate Diploma in Law includes tuition in all eight of the law examinations required for entry to the Law Society of Ireland, only five can be taken for credit over the course of the programme.
Will this course help me to become a barrister?
Although the tuition offered may be of some assistance to those seeking to become a barrister, completion of the Postgraduate Diploma in Law will not act as a substitute for completion of the King`s Inns` Diploma in Legal Studies programme. However students entering the PGDIP in 2017 and subsequent years have the option of applying (within 5 years of graduation) into year two of the Master of Arts in Law (Professional) at TU Dublin which is an accredited law degree for the purposes of admission to King’s Inns.
How much will the books required for this course cost?
Law texts are expensive and students aiming to complete the FE-1 examinations should budget approximately 700 Euro for law texts.
Is there financial assistance for students on this course?
Applicants should consider applying to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) for advice on financial support for completion of this course. Fees paid may be deductible from taxable income (revenue.ie).
What are the criteria for admitting students?
Admission to this course is based solely on merit. The Programme Committee will consider first, the academic profile of the student; second, his or her motivation for studying law; third, whether he or she has any prior experience of law. We discourage canvassing by or on behalf of students
When will I found out if my application is successful?
Offers will be made on a rolling basis until places are full or until 1st July 2024, whichever is the later. Any places remaining after 1st July 2024 will be allocated in mid-August 2024. It may be necessary to close applications before 1st July if applications exceed available places. If final year undergraduate results are pending at time of application, a conditional offer will be made. This offer cannot be formally accepted until your results are submitted via the online application system. To secure a place, results should be forwarded as promptly as possible.
What happens if I apply late?
Late applications will be considered if space remains after all timely applications have been dealt with.