Final Year BCL - Picking Modules

z6vm1dobfnca3x

Hi,

So I'm entering final year of my BCL degree in university and am hoping that people can give me some recommendations on which modules to choose.

I have already chosen five modules for Semester 1, but I can't decide on a sixth.

My options are:

- Environmental Law
- Consumer Law & Policy
- Labour Law
- Health Law & Policy
- IT Law
- International Protection of Human Rights

Obviously people may have had different experiences with these modules depending on where their personal interest lie etc. But are any of the above generally known for being particularly difficult or boring?

If it helps with your advice, I am interested in real estate, property development and business / commerce.

Thanks,
Hugo

Kings Inns or bust

I sincerly hope you have used the only two possible criteria; is the lecturer a bit of a babe and does the lecture interfere with anything important like being in the pub.

z6vm1dobfnca3x

Kings Inns or bust wrote: »

I sincerly hope you have used the only two possible criteria; is the lecturer a bit of a babe and does the lecture interfere with anything important like being in the pub.

But what if all six of the above modules satisfy those criteria, and I still have to pick just one!?

Jentle Grenade

Personally I'd pick IT law out of that list, is it just IT or is there any IP element to it?

Kings Inns or bust

Javon Some Sausage wrote: »

But what if all six of the above modules satisfy those criteria, and I still have to pick just one!?

On a serious note it really depends on what you want to do post degree, it's also, potentially, completely unimportant at the same time.

IT Law - meh I know one barrister with a background in IT, she does unrelated criminal work exclusively. It seems like a good idea but a module isn't going to make much difference and the intersection between Irish law and IT is going to be miniscule. IP might be useful if it's compartive of international law.

Consumer Law - interesting and gives you a good insight into contract for the FE-1s or KI Entrance Exams.

Labour Law - always a favourite, we all at some point work for someone.

Health Law - seem interesting if you have an interest.

Environmental Law will give you a deeper understanding of EU law. BCL is DCU isn't it? Possibly taught by Roderick O'Gorman? He's a bit of a babe to be fair to him but that aside he's an outstanding lecturer.

If you're wanting to go down the criminal route though or have interest in the human element of law, e.g. do you still have your ideals in tact it's a bit hard to imagine a well rounded degree without studying human rights.

Just saw your interests there - consumer rights would be very useful for in house counsel working for a retailer/corporate as would labour and environmental.

Incidentally what where the other ones you picked?

Manach

As an IT type with some law I might be a bit biased, but I'd say given the importance of that industry as well as how regulation like Data Protection are undergoing large changes, I'd said the IT module.

Kings Inns or bust

Manach wrote: »

As an IT type with some law I might be a bit biased, but I'd say given the importance of that industry as well as how regulation like Data Protection are undergoing large changes, I'd said the IT module.

Would a single module do anything other than reinforce a predilection to specialising in IT or deciding that you never want to see it ever again? Thanks Revenue law for the latter...

I assume you'd want some fairly hefty IT qualifications and for the really skilled a proper IT engineering background with a law degree slapped on it for good measure.

z6vm1dobfnca3x

Jentle Grenade wrote: »

Personally I'd pick IT law out of that list, is it just IT or is there any IP element to it?

Unfortunately we can't see the course outline until we've actually registered for a module which makes no sense, so I'm not quite sure. All I know is that the module is called IT Law...

Kings Inns or bust wrote: »

Environmental Law will give you a deeper understanding of EU law. BCL is DCU isn't it? Possibly taught by Roderick O'Gorman? He's a bit of a babe to be fair to him but that aside he's an outstanding lecturer.

If you're wanting to go down the criminal route though or have interest in the human element of law, e.g. do you still have your ideals in tact it's a bit hard to imagine a well rounded degree without studying human rights.

Incidentally what where the other ones you picked?

I'm in NUI Galway :pac:

I'm leaning towards Environmental Law but its a two part module and I'm already happy with my semester 2 modules, so I'm not sure if there's any point in completing one half without the other?

International Protection of Human Rights sounds interesting at first glance, but a couple of people I know who finished last year told me to avoid it.

I guess I could take 5 modules in semester 1, and take 7 in semester 2 (i.e. add in Housing Law & Policy for semester 2), but I don't know if it's advisable to take on an extra module for a semester?

The other optional modules I've picked for the year are Criminology, Banking, Media, Comparative and Law of the Sea.

Many thanks!
Hugo

Jentle Grenade

I'd approach final year modules with a mindset focused on maximising results over anything else. My own BCL was rammed full of business and commercial related modules and I almost exclusively practice criminal law now (don't we all..).

Kings Inns or bust

Javon Some Sausage wrote: »

Comparative and Law of the Sea.

Many thanks!
Hugo

Interesting. I got invited to a moot in the Ukraine a few years back on Maritime law. I had to politely decline as my usual brand of research through drinking probably wasn't going to get me very far!

Peregrinus

It may or may not be relevant to your situation, but back in the day I took consumer law in my final year, and it proved to be brilliant as a revision and reinforcement of a broad sweep of both contract and tort law, and it was a very useful preparation for both the Contracts and Torts papers in Blackhall Place.

I also took Revenue Law (not on your list, but maybe it's one of the five you have already chosen). It turned out to bore me to tears, but when it came to looking for an apprenticeship the commercial firms seemed interested in the fact that I had taken it. So there's that.

z6vm1dobfnca3x

Peregrinus wrote: »

It may or may not be relevant to your situation, but back in the day I took consumer law in my final year, and it proved to be brilliant as a revision and reinforcement of a broad sweep of both contract and tort law, and it was a very useful preparation for both the Contracts and Torts papers in Blackhall Place.

I also took Revenue Law (not on your list, but maybe it's one of the five you have already chosen). It turned out to bore me to tears, but when it came to looking for an apprenticeship the commercial firms seemed interested in the fact that I had taken it. So there's that.

That's great advice. Thanks for that!

We don't have the option to take Revenue Law, but I can imagine the excitement!

hullaballoo

Fwiw, I have a masters in IT law (called eLaw for some reason) and it's been of some use but it is not an area that has undergone the growth anticipated, at least not in terms of litigation, in this jurisdiction.

I, and the many others who have such a degree, are waiting eagerly for all that to change and suddenly have an influx of actions arising from computer use.

(Nb I am a civil practitioner. The criminal practitioners might have further use for the degree as there have certainly been more cases relating to computer crime over the past few years, so if that is an area of interest, maybe it is worth looking at.)

(Nb 2 It it's also true that a half-year long module in the subject will only be headline stuff and you would still need to do further study in the area to have anything worth calling expertise in it.)

z6vm1dobfnca3x

hullaballoo wrote: »

(Nb I am a civil practitioner. The criminal practitioners might have further use for the degree as there have certainly been more cases relating to computer crime over the past few years, so if that is an area of interest, maybe it is worth looking at.)

(Nb 2 It it's also true that a half-year long module in the subject will only be headline stuff and you would still need to do further study in the area to have anything worth calling expertise in it.)

Cheers for that.

I am actually very interested in the world of IT, but having looked at the past papers, it seems like the bulk of the content will be about data protection. That unfortunately reminds me of leaving cert business studies and I'm not sure I ever want to look at that again

Kings Inns or bust

hullaballoo wrote: »

Fwiw, I have a masters in IT law (called eLaw for some reason) and it's been of some use but it is not an area that has undergone the growth anticipated, at least not in terms of litigation, in this jurisdiction.

I, and the many others who have such a degree, are waiting eagerly for all that to change and suddenly have an influx of actions arising from computer use.

(Nb I am a civil practitioner. The criminal practitioners might have further use for the degree as there have certainly been more cases relating to computer crime over the past few years, so if that is an area of interest, maybe it is worth looking at.)

(Nb 2 It it's also true that a half-year long module in the subject will only be headline stuff and you would still need to do further study in the area to have anything worth calling expertise in it.)

In 1997 I was traipsing around the Poly (an IT for want of a better expression) in Oxford looking at my options. With a A-level in English Lit, done because their was a girl with nice tits in the class, interspersed with Maths, Physics and Chemistry at much lower grades the assembled Universities at this 'higher education faire' were suggesting arts degrees a plenty! I was certain I was going to do Computer Science.

I happened across the the De Montfort stand 'Computer Science and Law for you my Son, we're about the only institution offering it.' Interesting I thought but I'm not going to one of those private yokes, proper University for me! (The irony being only obvious to those, like yourself, who - possibly - remember my initial username here.)

Half a completed CS degree at a Uni 'in' Edinburgh later a career elsewhere beckoned. Ironic then that I find myself on the path I'm on now after having the opportunity to have been qualified at the turn of the Millennium in a subject almost no one else would have been at a time when things were changing so fast.

Sometimes it's not meant to be but I sincerely hope someone gets a bit of a laugh out of the irony, it's given me a few.

Kings Inns or bust

Javon Some Sausage wrote: »

Cheers for that.

I am actually very interested in the world of IT, but having looked at the past papers, it seems like the bulk of the content will be about data protection. That unfortunately reminds me of leaving cert business studies and I'm not sure I ever want to look at that again

Having over the years suffered with some, minor, mental health issues I feel joking about suicide is in poor taste, so I'll refrain from joking about DPA making me want to shoot myself.

I'm sure there's money in it. I'm sure there are some very competent people doing it. I'm sure one or two of them are great craic at parties and I'm sure maybe even one or two are passionate about it, but **** me...

Jentle Grenade

Javon Some Sausage wrote: »

Cheers for that.

I am actually very interested in the world of IT, but having looked at the past papers, it seems like the bulk of the content will be about data protection. That unfortunately reminds me of leaving cert business studies and I'm not sure I ever want to look at that again

Honestly, move towards a subject that will interest you and be more amenable to good marks with an average effort. Final year is a pain even without dodgy electives. As someone with an LLM in the area of maritime law I'd heartily recommend that area for an interesting elective.