Law And European Studies

blondie07

Hey, im thinking about doing law and european in ul next year but not sure whether to do it or go do straight law in cork or galway. i live in limerick so itd prob be easier to stay here but cud ny1 tell me wat the course is like? thanx!

caesar

My housemate is doing it, he finds it grand (I think ). He says he would have preferred to have done straight Law in Cork though, but he likes languages so that’s why he's doing it.

Anyway I'm doing Insurance and European studies so I can tell you what the European studies side of things are like, although I've only started it. As you probably already know you have a choice of advanced French, German or Spanish (beginners level is also offered in Spanish) and an elective in History, Politics or Sociology. I'm doing Sociology and beginners Spanish. I like Sociology most of the time, not what I had expected but interesting all the same. Spanish is grand so far, just have to be careful I don't fall behind and screw up my degree. I spent an hour in advanced German...it was an experience to say the least .

Now as to whether or not you should do straight Law or not, well that depends on what you want. The Law and European studies offers a bit more diversity imo than straight Law, but you might not be a fan of languages or the electives. It also (in my course anyway) offers me the chance to go on erasmus in 3rd year which is going to be great craic I'm not a lover of languages but beginners Spanish gave me the opportunity to have a fresh start.

Bear in mind though that no matter what law degree you do, you will not get any exemptions from the Irish Law society's exams and courses when you have finished your degree. In other words when myself and my housemate graduate we can both become solicitors by doing the Law society's exams and courses, the only requirement is a degree, of course he will have the advantage of having studied Law. I think there maybe exemptions for the UK but I'm not sure.

Anyway hope this is of some help and if you need to know anything else don't hesitate to ask.

I did that course back in 1996-2000.

I took a beginners language (German). When it moved on to advanced in year three things became really difficult so be careful with the language side.

The Law side is tough too. I had the language, 3 law subjects (modules they call 'em) and History or Sociology or Politics.

One of the law modules will be very difficult, one moderate and the other easy.

I found it a challenging course...but hey you get to say "I've a law degree";)

ninty9er

Why not Law and Accounting in UL. There's a perception it's very Accounting based, but it's just the same as many UL degrees (such as Business which I do) where you major in third year. I know 2 people in 3rd yr Law and Acc and they love it and know most of the people in the course too, unlike Business where it's easy to get lost amongs the 400 odd others as opposed to the 50 or so in Law and Acc.

They're both going to work in two of the largest law firms in the state on Co-Op, so if the Accounting was putting you off, don't let it. You also have the added benefit of Co-Op which I don't think you get in Galway and Cork???

justfortherecor

The 'straight' law courses of cork etc. is more popular with employers I believe upon graduation. A few of my friends had a good few interviews for jobs over the Xmas period and they seemed to come back with that consensus. Although, it seems like getting a job in a law firm after graduation has been hard all round this year.

blondie07

Thanx for the advice! Sent off my CAO yesterday nd put law and european as my 1st choice. Fingers crossed i get it!!!

Shyster

Hey blondie, Congrats on the decision! -Im doing Law and European Studies at the moment, in 2nd year now. Im from Cork so it was a difficult choice between UL and UCC. Part of the reason I picked Law & Euro is because of it's broad options. I was afraid that if I did the 3-year law degree in UCC that I might not like law and have made a really bad choice, whereas in UL, you do three law modules, a language and an elective each semester PLUS the major bonus of Co-op. - There's no difference WHATSOEVER in your degree when you're finished in comparison to law degrees from other universities, other than the fact that you have almost half an arts degree and work experience on top of yours. And maybe Erasmus too. Employers are looking very favourably on graduates of the course in recent years as it offers a more modern and open approach to studying law. The conventional straight law degree is perfectly fine if you know that law is what you want to do, but the added benefits of a language and an elective give you more time to decide and a lot more options at the end. -Employers are taking students on as apprentices before they've even finished their Co-op from UL because they like what they're getting in Law and European Studies and Law and Accounting graduates. Jobs in the legal sector will always be highly competitive and if straight law graduates want to believe that they're more desirable-then let them! -What if you decide ten or fifteen years down the line that you want to move away from law? Then you can continue down the humanities route or go into business in other european countries with your language. - BASICALLY (!) You seem to have made the right choice! Oh and UL is WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY more craic than any other college...in the world...ever!</p>
(I have NO idea how to do paragraphs, it wont let me do spaces so apologies for illegibility!)