Peace Operations, Humanitarian Law and Conflict

LLM (Peace Operations, Humanitarian Law and Conflict)

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Course Overview
Key Facts
Course Outline
Why Choose This Course?
Course Fees
Find Out More

Course Overview

The LLM in Peace Operations, Humanitarian Law and Conflict provides students with a comprehensive insight into global frameworks of international humanitarian law and human rights protection with the addition of a peacekeeping specialisation. This interdisciplinary programme focuses on UN peacekeeping and related operations to provide insights into the peace operations and conflict resolution frameworks.

This unique programme offering combines issues relating to peacekeeping, international humanitarian law, human rights and conflict resolution to prepare graduates for work in the field of international peace operations with international organisations, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and as individual advocates.

Course Highlights:

The Irish Centre for Human Rights is one the world’s premier university-based institutions for the study and promotion of human rights.
Defence Force experience is recognised. Those who have participated in peacekeeping activities can obtain credit for a full semester course (15 credits) on submission of a written assignment reviewing field experience and evaluating lessons learned.
Expert lecturers deliver programme modules. Our academics are internationally recognised scholars with world-class expertise and reputations.
Field trips to the military barracks of the Irish Defence Forces and the opportunity to travel to the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Unique qualification on conflict, peacekeeping and human rights through specialised modules such as peace support operations and international human rights.
Seminars, conferences and workshops ensures engagement with world-leading practitioners and scholars in the field of peacekeeping and human rights law.
Career Support with assistance in seeking career opportunities by drawing on the expertise of a global network of alumni and an outstanding network of contacts.
Assessment is primarily through research papers, presentations and minor thesis rather than exams.‌

Applications and Selections

Applications are made online via the University of Galway Postgraduate Applications System.

Who Teaches this Course

Professor Siobhán Mullally

Professor Ray Murphy

Professor Shane Darcy

Dr Ciara Smyth

Professor Emeritus William Schabas

Dr Ekaterina Yahyaoui Krivenko

Dr Anita Ferrara

‌‌Dr Maeve O'Rourke

Dr Edel Hughes

Professor Roja Fazaeli

Professor Anna Arstein-Kerslake

Dr Roisin Mulgrew

Dr Illan Wall

Dr Rory Kelly

Prof. Dr. Siobhan Mullally

BCL, LLM, PhD

Est Professor In Human Rights Law
Irish Centre for Human Rights
University of Galway
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Prof Raymond Murphy

BA, LL.B, BL, M.LITT, Ph.D, Dip Arb Law

Personal Professor
Irish Centre For Human Rights
NUI Galway
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Dr Anita Ferrara

B.Sc. PG Dip., M.Sc., PhD

Lecturer Above the Bar
T: 091492819
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Dr Kathleen Cavanaugh

PhD, LLM

LECTURER BAR/COLLEGE LECTURER
Irish Centre for Human Rights
NUI Galway
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Prof Shane Darcy

B.A, L.L.M.,Ph.D.

Personal Professor
E: shane.darcy@nuigalway.ie
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Dr Ekaterina Yahyaoui

BA, LLM, DES, PhD

Senior Lecturer in Human Rights
E: ekaterina.yahyaoui@universityofgalway.ie
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Prof. Donncha O'Connell

ESTABLISHED PROFESSORSHIP OF LAW (NO 2)
School of Law
TB407
Arts/Science Building
NUI Galway
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Dr Ciara Smyth

PhD, LL.M, LL.B, B.A.

Assistant Professor
Tower 2
Arts/Science Concourse
School of Law
University of Galway
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Requirements and Assessment

Assessment for individual modules includes a combination of essays, presentations, group work, and other methods. Students must also complete a research thesis/dissertation of 15,000 words.

Key Facts

Entry Requirements

Applicants must normally have attained at primary degree level an overall final grade of Second Class Honours Grade 1 (2.1) or equivalent. Those falling short of this standard may be considered where they can demonstrate other appropriate academic accomplishments as well as relevant work experience.
Candidates who have completed a military command and staff course, or equivalent, at an institute recognised by University of Galway and who have relevant professional experience that, in the opinion of the School of Law, qualifies them to read for the LLM may also be considered.
Candidates who have significant experience in the field of peace operations and/or international human rights, for example, with international organisations or international NGOs, are encouraged to apply under this rubric.
International students should refer to the country-specific information section of the International Office website.

Additional Requirements

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Applicants must normally have attained at primary degree level an overall final grade of Second-Class Honours Grade 1 (2.1) or equivalent. Those falling short of this standard may be considered where they can demonstrate other appropriate academic accomplishments as well as relevant work experience. Candidates who have completed a military command and staff course, or equivalent, at an institute recognised by University of Galway and who have relevant professional experience that, in the opinion of the School of Law, qualifies them to read for the LLM may also be considered.

Duration

1 year, full-time; 2 years, part-time

Next start date

September 2025

A Level Grades ()

Average intake

QQI/FET FETAC Entry Routes

Closing Date

Please view the offer rounds website.

NFQ level

Mode of study

ECTS weighting

Award

CAO

Course code

LLM-PHC

Course Outline

The programme draws upon the resources of the LLM in International Human Rights Law, with the addition of specialised courses on peacekeeping. The course work begins with a general introduction to international peacekeeping and peace support operations, and continues with a series of specialized courses in such areas as international relations and international organizations, international humanitarian law, refugee law, conflict and post conflict studies, and international criminal law.

The programme recognizes the experience of candidates who have participated in peacekeeping activities in various parts of the world. Thus the programme provides credit for a full semester course (15 credits) in exchange for submission of a written assignment of appropriate length, reviewing field experience and lessons learned.

The programme may also recognize and credit a peacekeeping course of appropriate duration delivered at a Centre/Institute recognized by the University of Galway. However, in order to allow for consistent evaluation, a written paper of appropriate length must be submitted. The maximum credits permitted in the case of any candidate in recognition of field experience or course work completed elsewhere are 15.

Alternatively, the programme is a two-year programme of part-time study, combining two semesters of course work the first year with a third semester the second year, devoted entirely to the research required for preparation of a final dissertation.

The 90 ECTS programme consists of:

Compulsory modules 20 ECTS + Elective Modules 40 ECTS + Disseration 30 ECTS

Course and module offerings and details are subject to change. Below are the list of modules being offered during the academic year 2024/2025. View descriptions of each module here or click on ‘Year 1 (90 credits)’ below to view module information.

Core modules (20 ECTS)

International Humanitarian Law (10 ECTS)
Peace Support Operations (10 ECTS)

Elective Modules (Students choose 40 ECTS from a wide range of subject choices)

International Human Rights Law (10 ECTS)
Public International Law (10 ECTS)
International Criminal Law (10 ECTS)
Contemporary Issues in International Migration Law (10 ECTS)
European Migration Law (5 ECTS)
Peace Support Operations (10 ECTS)
European Convention on Human Rights: Law and Politics (10 ECTS)
Gender and Human Rights (10 ECTS)
International Humanitarian Law (10 ECTS)
Business and Human Rights 2 (10 ECTS)
International Refugee Law (10 ECTS)
Human Rights Law Clinic (10 ECTS)
Climate Justice (5 ECTS)
The Common European Asylum System (5 ECTS)
Transitional Justice (5 ECTS)
Procedure before International Criminal Courts (5 ECTS)
Counter Terrorism and Human Rights (5 ECTS)
Critical Race Theory and Human Rights (5 ECTS)
Transnational Lawyering (5 ECTS)
International Child Rights (5 ECTS)
Foundational Theoretical Framework in Disability Law and Policy (10 ECTS)
Legal Capacity Law and Policy (10 ECTS)
International Disability Human Rights Clinic (10 ECTS)
Advocacy and Access to Justice (10 ECTS)
Inclusive Education Law and Policy (10 ECTS)
Mental Health Law and Policy (10 ECTS)
Policing, Security and Rights (10 ECTS)
Minors, Minority Groups & the Criminal Justice System (10 ECTS)
Sentencing and Penal Law Policy (10 ECTS)
Imprisonment and Rights (10 ECTS)

As part of the elective 50 ECTS, students may take up to 10 ECTS from the and LLM International and Comparative Business Law.

Dissertation (30 ECTS)

Module details for the full-time course

Module details for the part-time course

Curriculum Information

Curriculum information relates to the current academic year (in most cases).
Course and module offerings and details may be subject to change.

Glossary of Terms

Credits: You must earn a defined number of credits (aka ECTS) to complete each year of your course. You do this by taking all of its required modules as well as the correct number of optional modules to obtain that year's total number of credits.
Module: An examinable portion of a subject or course, for which you attend lectures and/or tutorials and carry out assignments. E.g. Algebra and Calculus could be modules within the subject Mathematics. Each module has a unique module code eg. MA140.
Subject: Some courses allow you to choose subjects, where related modules are grouped together. Subjects have their own required number of credits, so you must take all that subject's required modules and may also need to obtain the remainder of the subject's total credits by choosing from its available optional modules.
Optional: A module you may choose to study.
Required: A module that you must study if you choose this course (or subject).
Required Core Subject: A subject you must study because it's integral to that course.
Semester: Most courses have 2 semesters (aka terms) per year, so a three-year course will have six semesters in total. For clarity, this page will refer to the first semester of year 2 as 'Semester 3'.

Year 1 (90 Credits)

Why Choose This Course?

Career Opportunities

Graduates have gone on to work with the UN, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the EU. Others are working with NGOs in conflict and post-conflict environments, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Liberia, Sudan and Kosovo.

Military and police personnel from Ireland and elsewhere have completed the programme with a view to enhancing their career prospects. The programme will also provide a foundation for those who wish to pursue further studies through a structured PhD.

Who’s Suited to This Course

Learning Outcomes

Transferable Skills Employers Value

Work Placement

Students are advised and encouraged to undertake internships with organisations around the world. There may be some financial support for students undertaking internships abroad.

Study Abroad

Related Student Organisations

Course Fees

Fees: EU

€8,640 full-time; €4,390 part-time (including levy) p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Tuition

€8,500 full-time; €4,250 part-time p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Student levy

€140 full-time; €140 part-time p.a. 2025/26

Fees: Non EU

€20,000 p.a. (€20,140 p.a. including levy) 2025/26

For 25/26 entrants, where the course duration is greater than 1 year, there is an inflationary increase approved of 3.4% per annum for continuing years fees.

Postgraduate students in receipt of a SUSI grant – please note an F4 grant is where SUSI will pay €4,000 towards your tuition (2025/26). You will be liable for the remainder of the total fee. A P1 grant is where SUSI will pay tuition up to a maximum of €6,270. SUSI will not cover the student levy of €140.

Note to non-EU students: learn about the 24-month Stayback Visa here.

Find out More

Professor Ray Murphy
Programme Director
T: +353 91 493 081
E: ray.murphy@universityofgalway.ie

Queries about this and other LLM programmes in the School of Law can also be directed to lawpostgrad@universityofgalway.ie

What Our Students Say

Peter Gallagher | LLM Peace Support Operations

As a postgraduate student you will spend much of your time researching and writing. You get an opportunity to prove that you can research a topic and present your analysis. I chose NUI Galway because of its excellent learning environment, its resources and “postgraduate community”, and its student-friendly atmosphere.

Sinead Coakley | LLM Peace Support Operations, Humanitarian Law and Conflict

Having an undergraduate degree in Law from the UK, I decided to further my education. The Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway has an excellent international reputation in the field of Human Rights, so it was an easy choice to decide to study the LLM in Peace Support Operations, Humanitarian Law and Conflict. I find the course to be challenging, highly interesting and rewarding. I am thoroughly enjoying the academic and cultural experience, having embraced the opportunity to make new friends from all over the world. I would recommend the Masters Programme to anyone.