My name is Gerda, and I am studying a Masters in International Commercial Law at the University of Limerick. When I was deciding where I wanted to do my Master’s Degree in Law, I compared many different universities, however, the course at UL always stood out for me. When I looked up the course it caught my eye that UL’s School of Law had been crowned ‘AIB Irish Law School of the Year’. Naturally, as everyone would be, I was impressed by that and the more I read about the course the more I wanted to study there.
Why being able to customise my Master’s Degree in Law is so important
The flexibility you have in choosing what modules you want to study is my favourite thing about this course - you only have two compulsory subjects and the rest you have the freedom to choose yourself. This was a very important deciding factor for me. Like many other students, I didn’t know what specific career path I wanted to take before starting the Master’s degree and I didn’t want to be stuck in a course where I had modules already chosen for me, which may not have benefitted my future career choices.
European law and competition law were never subjects that I majorly enjoyed during my undergraduate studies but choosing modules such as ‘International Business Transactions’ and ‘Global Competition Law’ in my Master’s Degree has broadened my knowledge and I’ve become interested in topics I never expected! I’ve enjoyed learning a lot more about company law, especially on an international level, in my ‘International Business Associations’ module. I spent a whole semester researching and learning about how companies are set up and are run in my chosen jurisdiction, as well as learning from classmates who delivered presentations on different jurisdictions so we could then compare them.
How the Master’s Degree in Law gave me skills for life
I’m confident the skills I have developed throughout this course will benefit me greatly in whatever career path I choose to take. From having to prepare many assignments and external readings for classes, my critical thinking and research skills have significantly developed. Time management and independent learning are competencies I’ve improved upon through preparing and delivering assignments on time.
I developed many important transferrable skills this year as a result of partaking in the ‘Professional Development’ module which was all about mastering your employability. This module was invaluable as it provided guidance on what to include in your CV, what your LinkedIn account should look like and how you should approach an interview.
We were given the chance to practice psychometric testing and most importantly, a practice virtual assessment centre was organised for us in which real recruiters were invited to participate. These recruiters gave us feedback on how we did and suggested ways we could improve which will help greatly when we are eventually in the final stages of a recruitment process for a job.
How the faculty supported me through my Master’s Degree in Law
The Faculty of Law at UL were beyond supportive for my classmates and I, especially in these difficult times of remote learning. Lecturers constantly check in and help us with any questions we have, helping us in making remote learning as easy as possible. A lot of our lecturers often give us advice and guidance regarding our future careers, and offer to introduce us to alumni in whatever field we are interested in. What I have found very beneficial is the various opportunities we’re made aware of - from internships and graduate programmes to careers fairs - UL are constantly trying to help their students in any way they can and I feel like they introduce you to future opportunities you never knew existed.
UL has enabled me to grow both personally and professionally. This Master’s degree has helped me develop skills and knowledge I never expected and introduced me to career opportunities in sectors I never thought of prior to starting the course. Working in the Consumer Protection Commission with a career in competition law was never something I considered until I chose to study the Global Competition Law module at University of Limerick and I’m excited to see where my career path will take me.
Start your career in Law with UL
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