DCU Law, your experience? :)

jenifa

Accepted Law in DCU this year, and am really looking forward to commencing!
It Law through 'Economic, Politics and Law'

I've been looking through the Law modules to make up the credits over the three years, and am slightly concerned.
Will I have covered enough law to be prepared for Kings Inn?
For example, I was wishing to study Land law, and assumed the 'Property Law' was the same as 'Land Law' (the latter not offered in DCU) but after going to the library yesterday I think they differ and I won't actually study the land law course.

Land law is a standard first/second year module in TCD and UCC etc.
There are also others modules I would wish to focus on also such a European Laws, EU, Agriculture and food laws. These are specific so it's fair enough that there might not offered in DCU. I could do a Masters in one of there specific areas perhaps after.

If I move further into law after the three years and IF I get accepted into Kings Inn, would I realistically be prepared to pass the Inn's demanding exams?

Been leaving voice mails with department deans, and no response, which is fair enough since they are still on their holidays.. I'd be the same!

So if you've read this far, thanks if so!, is there any DCU Student perspective?

phantom_lord

If you're planning on going to the Kings Inn you should go for the BCL course or a law degree in a different university. The EPL course isn't a recognised law degree, you'll have to do an extra diploma in legal studies before the entrance exam. Also the entrance exam will be far tougher than in your law modules in college.

jenifa

phantom_lord wrote: »

If you're planning on going to the Kings Inn you should go for the BCL course or a law degree in a different university. The EPL course isn't a recognised law degree, you'll have to do an extra diploma in legal studies before the entrance exam. Also the entrance exam will be far tougher than in your law modules in college.

That's what I was thinking when looking at the modules compared with other uni's law courses.

Would the diploma be different to a law masters, as I was planning on doing one of those anyhow, like regarding food laws in the EU. Or would it be necessary probably to to the diplo separate also? What is the diploma title btw?

Thank you for your response !

ldxo15wus6fpgm

I'm going into final year of the BCL Law degree in DCU. Property Law in DCU is exactly the same as Land Law in other colleges just a different name. As far as I am aware the module is going to be changed to 'Land' instead of 'Property' to avoid any more confusion during the coming year.

The EPL degree is not accepted by King's Inns as a qualifying degree as you will not study the topics required for entry to King's Inns in enough depth (or at all) in that degree. There is a list of accepted degrees on the Inns' website.

You will study EU Law in the EPL degree (an excruciating subject, god help you if you take advanced EU law, which you won't after taking the basic module - there were 3 EPLs in our advanced EU class, I think there are 50 odd EPLs in a year, we were only there because it's compulsory for us) and I assume that you mean you want to look at the laws of other European countries when you say European law, which is done in comparative law which I think EPLs can take in 3rd year or thereabouts (The general consensus for that module is that it's pretty boring though, some parts were interesting enough but only to a certain extent. It's fairly tiresome researching laws you will more than likely never actually need to know about.) Agricultural and food productions laws are almost certainly not offered in an EPL degree and to be honest I'm not sure they are in the BCL either (there's books on it in the library though.)

As for King's Inns entrance exams, most of the people I've asked who are actually qualified to comment have told me it takes almost 6 months of studying to be close to certain you'll pass. The list of examinable topics is enormous and you need to be able to go into a good amount of detail in your answers. I myself want to go to KI and I'm seriously considering a gap year after I finish my degree so I have the time to focus on that studying without also working on my degree.

The degree title for EPL is a BA as far as I'm aware, BCL is a BCL (Bachelor of civil law).

Best of luck!

cliff grebouwski

Just did the exams. They are tough beyond words- it's not actually the breadth of knowledge that's the tricky part. It's trying to stay sane doing 5 exams in 5 days- it's something you just have to experience!!

My advice would be this- no matter what law course you do, you will need to do a prep course beforehand in order to pass, trying to make any sense of the questions without help is pretty much impossible.

I finished my degree 2 years ago, which means I studied the majority of the entrance subjects 5 years ago. Took a prep course at independent (which is about 10 weeks) and studied full time for 3 weeks prior to the exams.

Law lecturers have the lucky position of being able to leave stuff out of their course, give you hints and generally make life easy for themselves when you're studying for your degree. Although that's great when you're in college, when you start studying for the entrance exams and realise you only covered 50% of a subject, it ain't so great.

The condensed manuals for the Inns exams are around 1000 pages of relevant information in total. Tort and Constitutional are by far the broadest, and therefore trickiest subjects, so pay attention to them in class the first time around, cos I know i didn't!!

Oh yeah- DO NOT DO ADVANCED EU LAW!!! Be thankful you get through the basic module and then forget about it for the rest of your life!

jenifa

Lads, thank you for replying in detail to my concerns exactly.

Everything that was niggling at me regarding EPL has be recognised.

My friend who took law as a mature in UCC this year and took a mentor since commencing, as the lectures (as commented on ) only cover the necessary basic info rather what you need to require to pass successfully.

My father etc thinks I'm overacting regarding the info (like 'Trinity fever' if you will) and that the course is competent.

I really appreciate all the reply here, which were ignored in voicemail. I would take on the extra necessary study on my own in EPL if it was relevant realistically.. but studying law on my own without lecturers kinda defeats a undergrad course to begin with...! But I would commit to this path if it would likely bring me to Kings Inn.

Do ye guys from yer experience think I could be prepared for Kings with this course, even if I took a mentor for the three years on my own? Keeping in mind I only achieve 400 with the guidance of teachers this year.

5th Sept is registration, so I rather find out now than in November through error. Again guys, thanks so much for replying

jenifa

Nolan Fat Popcorn wrote: »

The EPL degree is not accepted by King's Inns as a qualifying degree as you will not study the topics required for entry to King's Inns in enough depth (or at all) in that degree.

Best of luck!

Tsk! I literally ask that question on my open day at the end of June, (after the Plath prediction failure!)
and was told by a lecturer guy that I would qualify after the three years for Kings Inn. Pfft! What was that about?!?

I did compare and contrast first year between UCC TCD with EPL in DCU and thats what raised my concerns to begin with..

Why did they tell me otherwise?!
Whatever :P