Postgraduate LLB

Student21

I recently graduated from UCD with a BA and im interested in pursuing a career as a solicitor.
I'm currently doing the Post Grad Dip in Law at DIT, and im looking into doing the 2 year LLB in UL or transferring into second year of the LLB in Galway.
My friends think i should just go ahead and do a masters, that getting a basic law degree would be like a step backwards but as the job situation is so bad at the moment i dont think a few more years in college will hurt.
I was wondering if anyone has any opinions?!
On Galway v. Limerick LLB or on my options in general.
Anything appreciated!

labradoodlelady

Hi. I did the LLB. in Galway.

I can see your friends point about going straight to a Masters but the workload at Master's level is WAY higher than that at undergrad. A Masters can be a bit daunting but very interesting. I did a taught Masters and it's really rewarding to study something so much more in depth.

Anyway, I did the LL.B. in Galway. I was able to go straight into the final year because I had a B. Corp Law. To be honest I didn't think the LL.B was great. The lectures were in the evening which in itself was a pain. There is quite a good range of courses on offer. If you're studying over two years you can probably get a better idea of what route you want to take- commercial/criminal/public interest and pick accordingly.

There are some great lecturers at NUIG but overall the quality isn't comparable with some of the other colleges.
I don't know much about Limerick though!

I presume you apply through PAC for the course? Best thing is probably to apply for both and any Master's Degrees you're interested in and just do more research before you make your decision.

Anyway best of luck with whatever you do!

EDIT: I think that there is an FE-1 exam thread and discussion on traineeships in the Legal Discussion section. You might get more opinions/ideas on your options there.
It has been very difficult over the past year for students to secure an apprenticeship. Things will hopefully have picked up somewhat by the time you finish your studies BUT keep in mind that the solicitors profession is pretty top heavy at the minute with newly qualifieds, trainees in Blackhall and those looking for a traineeship. I have heard a no. of people mention the possibility of qualifying in the UK as well.

crystal castle

Totally agree with everything the last poster said. I also did the LLB, and there are some great lectures- Admin Law, Criminal, Evidence.....but some other subjects were just awful. Bitchy Camp lecturers....what kinda learning enviroment is that.

Regards the places, Limerick is a dump, don't care how great the college club and bar is, you may as well be in tipp. NUI is in the middle of the city...which can be good and bad.

I'm no no position to start advising anyone, completed my masters and want to run from the law for a few years of my own accord, and thats not even considering the jobs crisis, but do whatever you want to do, if its for you, you'll make it.

EDIT-

Besides you don't need a law degree to sit the FE1s. What area would you consider doing your MA in? If you did the MA and then one of those crash courses in the private colleges would also work.

english4490

crystal castle wrote: »

Regards the places, Limerick is a dump, don't care how great the college club and bar is, you may as well be in tipp. NUI is in the middle of the city...which can be good and bad.



EDIT-

Besides you don't need a law degree to sit the FE1s. What area would you consider doing your MA in? If you did the MA and then one of those crash courses in the private colleges would also work.

whats wrong with tipp??!! i take it you mean that the campus at UL is so far out from the city?? anyway, i am doing corp law in galway next year and was planning on doing the LLb after... thats the plan!:eek:

but would you really not recommend the llb in nuig???

crystal castle

english4490 wrote: »

whats wrong with tipp??!! i take it you mean that the campus at UL is so far out from the city?? anyway, i am doing corp law in galway next year and was planning on doing the LLb after... thats the plan!:eek:

but would you really not recommend the llb in nuig???

Thats exactly what i meant. The campus is in a little world of its own. If you're doing b-corp, then def do the llb. Its only a year of you're life. Its not that its bad at all but considering the position of the thread starter, and their relevant degrees there are probably better options than becoming an alcoholic in galway and wondering what the **** happened the last 9 months as i regularly do.

Philush

just to throw in my 2 cents dunno if it will be any help to you, i did law course in Griffith College Cork(also offered in dublin and limerick AFAIK) and after 3 years fulltime course i gained my LLB. i went straight from leaving cert into the course without any prior college courses.

EDIT: As regards my future, im looking at doing professional exams in Oz or NZ as i've heard of quite a few people not gettin apprenticeships and/or not being kept on/unable to find work after, but thats just me.

best of luck with whichever path you choose

labradoodlelady

crystal castle wrote: »

I'm no no position to start advising anyone, completed my masters and want to run from the law for a few years of my own accord, and thats not even considering the jobs crisis, but do whatever you want to do, if its for you, you'll make it.

That's exactly what happened to me. I also worked for a solicitor for a year but I got SO put off law. Took a totally different career change and decided to do the CA exams.

English 4490: The LLB is grand for just the one year after the B. Corp Degree. My issue with it is from the POV of the other poster. The course isn't great for going into when you want to do a pgrd a few years after the degree.
The other issue I had was that you can kind of float into it after the B. Corp. Probably lookin at it too much, but generally you don't put the same effort in or really look at the course to see if its for you as you would if you had a gruelling application process.
Anyway you'll have a fair idea by the end of the degree as to what you want to do. Even if you don't, it's no harm doing the LL.B. anyway.

Philush: That's an interesting option. Fair play to you. I think you can do both the NY bar and the California bar exams without being a resident as well.

Mimojo

Hi all, I am considering doing the LLB in Galway (As I hold a B.A. I am eligible for admission to the one year programme), and I am just wondering if you can continue to sign on to Social Welfare while doing the course? When I was studying in Galway before I remember being told that this was possible, however can anyone confirm this? I think it was because it was seen as a part time course, run in the evenings only.

english4490

to any of ye who did the LLB in nuig could you tell me is there many on the course that came out of the b.corp?? is it easy enough to get onto the course from the b.corp??

labradoodlelady

@ Boozelerooze
You can indeed. The course is full time but since the courses are between 6-10 in the evening you are technically available for full time employment. Same rules apply as regard showing evidence of looking for work.
IMO, although the SW is handy, if you could get any part time work in an office particularly a Solicitor's office it will stand to you when you go looking for an apprenticeship. Just my 2 cents anyway!

As regards admission, I think you need a 2:1 BA and Legal Science has to be one of the subjects to get into the 1 year programme.

English 4490 haven't a clue about statistics. It really varies from year to year. Quite a lot of the class will go on to do it, but keep in mind that there are other options out there. Keep in touch with Careers Services for advice. Just as a suggestion from the year I graduated people went into the LL.B., M. Acc, M.A., LL.M., graduate programmes, Kings Inns, St. Pats and various Masters programmes - IT Communications, marketing.
It's not a bad programme if you think you're interested in it. The year I did it I really wasn't aware of other things that I could have done instead, so if I was chances are I wouldn't have done the LL.B. That said, I was only just 20 when I finished my degree so it really wasn't any harm for a year.
I think you're automatically offered a place on the 1 yr LLB if you have a B Corp. Hard to get into? Absolutely not - Firsts, 2.1 and 2.2 are all accepted, not sure about a Pass but it might say it on the website.

english4490

labradoodlelady wrote: »

As regards admission, I think you need a 2:1 BA and Legal Science has to be one of the subjects to get into the 1 year programme.

English 4490 haven't a clue about statistics. It really varies from year to year. Quite a lot of the class will go on to do it, but keep in mind that there are other options out there. Keep in touch with Careers Services for advice. Just as a suggestion from the year I graduated people went into the LL.B., M. Acc, M.A., LL.M., graduate programmes, Kings Inns, St. Pats and various Masters programmes - IT Communications, marketing.
It's not a bad programme if you think you're interested in it. The year I did it I really wasn't aware of other things that I could have done instead, so if I was chances are I wouldn't have done the LL.B. That said, I was only just 20 when I finished my degree so it really wasn't any harm for a year.
I think you're automatically offered a place on the 1 yr LLB if you have a B Corp. Hard to get into? Absolutely not - Firsts, 2.1 and 2.2 are all accepted, not sure about a Pass but it might say it on the website.

thats perfect so, i will be doing corp.law or the BA with legal science!!

patty91

I'm going to be getting a BA in legal science. Only 100 are eligible to continue on to second arts though. The other 150 (on average) have to drop legal science altogether! How hard is it to be in the 100 to continue studying legal science?

labradoodlelady

I think that requirement has only came in in recent years. Prob just to cut down on numbers.

Your best bet is maybe to ask the course administrator/year head what kind of mark was required in recent years.

It depends on how many in the class want to continue with Legal Science even after first year. It depends on the standard in the class You'll have a certain amount of dossers on the course and some who may fail their other subjects or some of these exams.

Personally I think you'd want to be on a high 2.1 level.

patty91

labradoodlelady wrote: »

I think that requirement has only came in in recent years. Prob just to cut down on numbers.

Your best bet is maybe to ask the course administrator/year head what kind of mark was required in recent years.

It depends on how many in the class want to continue with Legal Science even after first year. It depends on the standard in the class You'll have a certain amount of dossers on the course and some who may fail their other subjects or some of these exams.

Personally I think you'd want to be on a high 2.1 level.

What do you mean by a "high 2.1 level?" Do most of the kids really excell or are there a lot of losers? How hard do you think it would be to get into the top 100? Keeping in mind factors such as students not wanting to continue legal science, students who don't pass the class, students that don't pass other classes, etc.

Thank you!

labradoodlelady

patty91 wrote: »

What do you mean by a "high 2.1 level?"

Degree Level marking
First Class Hons 70% +
Second Class Hons Grade 1 (2.1) 60%-70%
Second Class Hons. Grade 2 (2.2) 50%-60%
Pass 40%-50%

So high 2.1 would be basically 65% plus. If there's 250 in First year BA keeping in mind the other factors I mentioned then I presume you'd want to aim for these kind of grades/ You may get in with 60% or you may need 70%. I'm only guessing/

patty91 wrote: »

Do most of the kids really excell or are there a lot of losers?

Okay, I know that there probably is a cultural difference here but that is pretty offensive. Some people are brighter than others, some work harder. It depends on the person. I don't have a clue. You put the work in for you to do well not for anyone else. A big part of student life is having fun, it's not all study. People take it to both extremes, keep a balance and you'll get on grand.
Just as a pointer, try and avoid making these kind of remarks to your classmates when/if you decide to study here, they won't be looked at favourably.

patty91 wrote: »

How hard do you think it would be to get into the top 100?

I don't know. I did do the LL.B. but not a BA and this cut off point came in after I finished my degree. Email the course administrator/Secretary, details should be on the web page and ask them about the pass mark necessary to get into 2nd year Legal Science. Your lecturers should tell you this at the start anyway. I think you only do something like 2 law subjects in first year BA so it should be fine.

patty91 wrote: »

Thank you

You're welcome

patty91

labradoodlelady wrote: »

Okay, I know that there probably is a cultural difference here but that is pretty offensive. Some people are brighter than others, some work harder. It depends on the person. I don't have a clue. You put the work in for you to do well not for anyone else. A big part of student life is having fun, it's not all study. People take it to both extremes, keep a balance and you'll get on grand.
Just as a pointer, try and avoid making these kind of remarks to your classmates when/if you decide to study here, they won't be looked at favourably.

Offensive? Ok.. here in the US there are party schools and then there are non-party schools and then are the in-betweens. I was just asking how much partying goes on and if there are losers at the school. Don't see how that's offensive. I didn't accuse anyone of anything or even make a generalization!!

labradoodlelady

It's referring to people as losers that I found offensive. It's not exactly seen as a compliment.
That's not really a term that is used here for someone who doesn't work at school work. I presume that's the context you meant it in. It just sounds pretty obnoxious from my point of view.

patty91

labradoodlelady wrote: »

It's referring to people as losers that I found offensive. It's not exactly seen as a compliment.
That's not really a term that is used here for someone who doesn't work at school work. I presume that's the context you meant it in. It just sounds pretty obnoxious from my point of view.

Alright then we'll call them "winners" to cover up the truth and give them that warm fuzzy feeling inside.

patty91

Yes, by asking if it was a party school makes me an "insulting, condescending, elitist."

Thanks for the insults by the way. I hope it makes you feel better about yourself.

Have a nice day.

crystal castle

LOL @ THIS!

People excel? Losers? I could be classed in the loser category...I cram before exams and do pretty well for myself. Like 85% of students, as opposed to the 10% who repeat, and the 5% who aims for firsts. The question couldn't have posed without such crassness, even if you tired. I guess that is a 'cultural thing.'

Anywho, most of the legal science class work pretty i'd imagine hard because they have to, but that means sweet f-all really. The role of the requirement is too cull the numbers, but also to determine what aptitude people coming straight out of secondary school have towards the law. Study will help, but as I have already said, it’s more down to youself than swotting all year.

I know one girl who did the ba in legal who worked all year and really wanted to do law, but didn't get it. Sure some people will not want to continue with it, but i know people who have been disappointed, but also people who have got it without much effort at all.

If you want to take the flake's way out do a ba in social policy. I know one girl who did this primarily because she feared the requirement which doesn't say much for her. If can't even back yourself to be the top 100 in your class, law isn't for you.

nievus89

hey, well i doing legal science and as regards getting into the top 100 in first year,it wasn't too hard in my year but i guess it varies from year to year!!.i got in the mid 40's and i got in and i know somebody else who got 42% and got offered a place; a lot of people don't want to continue on with law after the first year!so basically if you cram the night before and pass you will more than likely get in.

english4490

nievus89 wrote: »

hey, well i doing legal science and as regards getting into the top 100 in first year,it wasn't too hard in my year but i guess it varies from year to year!!.i got in the mid 40's and i got in and i know somebody else who got 42% and got offered a place; a lot of people don't want to continue on with law after the first year!so basically if you cram the night before and pass you will more than likely get in.

is there many doing legal science in first year?:rolleyes:

nievus89

english4490 wrote: »

is there many doing legal science in first year?:rolleyes:

yes actually there was.good bit over the 150 mark anyway. its just that most people just decide law is not for them and also a case of general messing around in first year and not going to lectures, studying etc....

english4490

nievus89 wrote: »

yes actually there was.good bit over the 150 mark anyway. its just that most people just decide law is not for them and also a case of general messing around in first year and not going to lectures, studying etc....

me sees! and would you say if you thought you were genuinely interested in law it would be easy to progress to 2nd yr?

nievus89

english4490 wrote: »

me sees! and would you say if you thought you were genuinely interested in law it would be easy to progress to 2nd yr?

yep i would say as long as you did a bit of study and passed the exam you will be sound!

english4490

nievus89 wrote: »

yep i would say as long as you did a bit of study and passed the exam you will be sound!

woo thanks!!! ok since the amount of work i have put in for the leaving i wont be getting my first choice!! so legal science here i come!:rolleyes:

nievus89

english4490 wrote: »

woo thanks!!! ok since the amount of work i have put in for the leaving i wont be getting my first choice!! so legal science here i come!:rolleyes:

no problem. ah there's still a month (isn't there?) and believe me that's plenty of time for study! you ll be grand!

frangreaney07

Does anyone know how much it costs to do the llb? I have a degree in corp law under my belt so I'd be just doing the final year of the llb

Lockstep

patty91 wrote: »

What do you mean by a "high 2.1 level?" Do most of the kids really excell or are there a lot of losers? How hard do you think it would be to get into the top 100? Keeping in mind factors such as students not wanting to continue legal science, students who don't pass the class, students that don't pass other classes, etc.

Thank you!

In my 2nd year of Legal Science, we were told that everyone who passed the course got onto 2nd year. The failure rate is fairly high and a lot of people do contract law and realise that going into law isn't something they want to do.
I got a high 2:1 in LS and came 2nd in the year for legal science so the standard isn't too high compared to the likes of history or economics.

As long as you do the work and have some cop on you'll be fine.


One year of the LLB costs €6100 or thereabouts (this includes the registration fee and all that)