School of Law

There are over 1,000 undergraduate students enrolled in the School, 320 postgraduates, 30 PhD students and almost 50 members of academic staff. At undergraduate level there are courses in law with languages, and law with politics, as well as the LLB degree. At postgraduate level specialised courses on criminology, governance and human rights are available. The School is developing joint programmes with other universities in Ireland and the US. Many of our graduates have gone on to prominent careers in the legal profession in Northern Ireland and elsewhere. Information on pursuing professional study in law at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at Queens is also provided.

Law has been studied and taught at Queens since 1845. The years since have seen many changes and challenges for lawyers in Belfast. Legal and political developments have drawn a great deal of interest to law throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, as well as to the distinctive aspects of the Northern Irish legal system. In more recent years the impact of globalisation has led Queens, in common with law schools throughout Europe, to a growing interest in European, international and comparative law.

These pages also provide an insight into the extensive range of legal research undertaken at Queens. This includes research conducted through our research centres in Criminology and Criminal Justice and Human Rights, as well as work specifically on the legal system of Northern Ireland, much of which is published through Servicing the Legal System (SLS).

The School of Law at Queens seeks to interact with the wide community of people who have an interest in the study of law, whether it be locally, nationally, regionally or globally. We hope that you find what your are looking for in these pages and very much welcome any further queries you may have about any aspect of our work.