What Law and German graduates have to say:
Karen, LG graduate:Looking back, Law and German was a natural course choice for me; specific in its aims and broad in its teaching. The course gave me a firm grounding in the theory and practical workings of the Irish and German legal systems within the context of European and International law, combined with a wider appreciation of German culture and near native fluency in the German language itself. It afforded me a very real opportunity to study at a German university for a year, where integrating into a new environment was as fun and rewarding as the academic work was challenging.
More importantly, the course gave me the transferable skills so highly sought after in the workplace today. I developed the ability to problem solve logically and research thoroughly, write convincingly and communicate effectively, as well as work with discipline and as part of a team. Law and German was undoubtedly as much an academic degree as it was preparation for life far beyond university.
After graduating, I went on to live and work abroad again before returning to Ireland, where I am now employed by a German company in the field of marketing and communications.
David, LG graduate:
The Law and German programme provided me with perspectives on language and on society which I think are unparalleled in any other programme. Taught by some of Ireland's best legal minds, we examined our indigenous legal system in great depth; as well as this, we had the opportunity to take our knowledge of the German language to degree level, with the help of an extremely competent and thorough German Studies Department. However, the real gem of the Law and German programme is the meeting place between the two disciplines; so few law students in the world are privileged to study a foreign legal system to such a level. We were thoroughly versed in the basics of German law in our first two years, before embarking on the Erasmus programme in a colourful variety of German legal faculties - this year was undoubtedly the highlight of the programme. Upon our return to Trinity, we consolidated our experience by studying four final-year law subjects (in preparation for training as barristers and solicitors) and we polished our written, aural and oral German skills, as well as taking a more in-depth look at the German and European legal systems in a class taught by a prominent German lawyer. All in all, the Law and German programme was an excellent first step toward a career in any number of areas - and we have found that, with this degree, we have simply strolled through job interviews!