4th year LLB electives and dissertation

EdgarAllenPoo

Can somone please answer this for me. If you choose to write the dissertation can you then use that same dissertation for an LLM thesis?

xeduCat

TCD's LLM is mixed thesis-taught. You could cover a similar or related topic as your LLB optional dissertation but you'd have to get your proposal approved and if you're trying to get two for the price of one, don't.

TCD's research-only masters similarly requires approval, and also a lot more work than the LLB option. And also, it's a small school, so funny business won't work.

Do the LLB option, though! It's really good experience and also useful if you're applying for any postgrad work, even if 'just' as a writing sample.

ApeXaviour

Balderdash.. I put the PEP option with my LHC when doing the disquisition on tokamaks.

air_vent

ApeXaviour wrote:

Balderdash.. I put the PEP option with my LHC when doing the disquisition on tokamaks.

Que?

xeduCat

Sorry. He asked in jargon so I answered in jargon. Oops!

LLB = undergrad law degree in Trinity and some older colleges. Latin, translates as bachelor of laws.

LLM = masters law degree (usually taught, although some colleges mix and match their terms). Funnily enough, translates as master of laws.

Final year pond vermin/law students in Trinity have an option of doing a dissertation instead of a subject, if they want.

ApeXaviour

Danke Daithí

Reader

No, you can't.

GDM wrote:

Can somone please answer this for me. If you choose to write the dissertation can you then use that same dissertation for an LLM thesis?

It's a basic principle of examinations in universities that you cannot get credit twice for the same work. But there are other better reasons for doing an LLB dissertation, many of which have already been set out here. The best reason is the signal the mere fact of doing the LLB dissertation will send to potential employers or post-gradutate admissions a very important signal, a signal that the student doing the dissertation is a self-starter, capable of independent research.

EdgarAllenPoo

Reader wrote:

No, you can't.



It's a basic principle of examinations in universities that you cannot get credit twice for the same work. But there are other better reasons for doing an LLB dissertation, many of which have already been set out here. The best reason is the signal the mere fact of doing the LLB dissertation will send to potential employers or post-gradutate admissions a very important signal, a signal that the student doing the dissertation is a self-starter, capable of independent research.

Ok obviously I wasn't planning to do the LLB and LLM in the same place.

Reader

GDM wrote:

Ok obviously I wasn't planning to do the LLB and LLM in the same place.

You still can't write an LLB dissertation and then use that same dissertation for an LLM thesis or as part of one.

The basic point is still the same: tou cannot have two bites at the cherry. If you have submitted the work in (part) satisfaction of a degree in one institution, you cannot submit it elsewhere in (part) satisfaction of another. Most institutions have explicit rules against that. Even those that don't would have a practice against it. (And, because it is different institutions, trying to pull this fast one and hoping that they wouldn't find out would be very naughty indeed).

This is not to say that you cannot develop your ideas, deepen or broaden your research, and bring your work in a new direction. But that would all be new work. And it is for that new work that you would get the second degree. But you can't submit the same work twice.