MA in Law

On completion of the Postgraduate Diploma in Law, students are eligible to apply to complete a Master of Arts in Law. Supported by academic supervisors, students are required to complete an Advanced Research Skills module and a 15,000-20,000 word thesis on a topic of legal relevance.

Entry Requirements

Applicants must hold the DIT Postgraduate Diploma in Law.

Duration

The programme ordinarily takes eight months full-time, October through May.

Thesis topics 2010-2011: 

Ben Aniekwena “The constitutional provisions of child protection and welfare in Ireland”

Andrew Guy “Mental Health and the Law in Ireland  - A Critical Review”

Clare Egan  "Children as Victims and Perpetrators of Violence: A Legal Analysis of Children in Armed Conflict".

Niamh Dennehy “Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010”

Íde O’ Rourke “The Constitution, and the de facto family: and the Margin of Appreciation?”

David Cleary  “Disregarding Article 24.8.1˚: The implications of excessive Executive power and insufficient Parliamentary oversight”

Aoife Balfry “Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2009- Implications for the Fair Trial of the Accused”

Kirk Donohue  “Protecting our marine environment through law”

Rob Michael “Mediation and the Business of Law in a Recession"

Ewaen Fred Ogieriakhi  "Union Citizenship: Impact, Influences and Challenges to Irish Immigration Laws"

How to apply

The closing date for the receipt of applications is July 1, 2011.  Applications received after that date will be considered if places remain after all timely applications have been considered.

Application forms [click here] should be returned to the Office of Graduate Studies and Research, DIT, 143-149, Rathmines Road, Dublin 6.  Applications should be accompanied by:

• A short written description (no more than 2 pages/500 words) of an area of law in which you are interested.  If you have trouble thinking of an area, please call Bruce Carolan at (01) 402-3016 and he can help you select a topic.  
• If available, a copy of your academic transcripts detailing the results from your PG Diploma in Law/Legal Studies (while these details are available to the DIT, a copy of your transcript will speed up the processing of applications.)

How do we decide between applications?

The following criteria are applied:

• The academic performance of the applicant, particularly on the PG Diploma in Law.  Ordinarily at least a lower merit is required, though preference will be given to students with an upper merit or higher.
• The feasibility, originality, relevance and topicality of the proposed thesis
• The availability of a supervisor with relevant expertise
• The motivation of the applicant