Bachelor of Arts in Law and Accounting

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

University of Limerick

Program Overview

This degree is ideal for students who want to understand how law and accounting work together in the real world — especially in business, finance, and regulation. You’ll study core legal subjects alongside accounting, taxation, and economics, graduating with a skill set that’s both analytical and highly practical.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1
You start by building strong foundations in both disciplines, studying introductory law modules alongside Financial Accounting, economics, and quantitative skills. The focus is on understanding legal rules and financial principles from the ground up.

Year 2
In second year, learning becomes more applied as you move into subjects like advanced accounting, taxation-related law, and more detailed legal analysis. You’ll begin connecting legal reasoning directly with financial decision-making.

Year 3
The highlight of the programme is the eight-month Cooperative Education placement, where you work full-time in a legal, accounting, or business environment. This real-world experience allows you to apply your learning, build confidence, and strengthen your CV before final year.

Year 4
In your final year, you return to campus for advanced law and accounting modules and complete a Final Year Project, allowing you to explore an area of interest in depth. This year brings everything together and prepares you for professional life or postgraduate study.

Focus Areas

Law and accounting integration, taxation and finance, legal analysis, financial reporting, regulatory frameworks.

Learning Outcomes

Strong legal and numerical reasoning, commercial awareness, professional communication skills, ability to analyse legal and financial problems together.

Professional Alignment

The programme provides a solid academic foundation for careers in law, accounting, taxation, compliance, finance, and business, and supports progression towards professional legal and accounting qualifications.

Reputation

The University of Limerick is well known for its employability-focused education, particularly through its long-established Cooperative Education programme, with graduates highly regarded by employers in Ireland and internationally.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

At University of Limerick, the Bachelor of Arts in Law and Accounting is built around learning by doing. From early on, you’re encouraged to apply legal and accounting knowledge in practical ways, supported by strong careers guidance, modern learning spaces, and one of Ireland’s most respected work-placement systems. The programme is designed to help you graduate not just qualified, but confident and workplace-ready:

Cooperative Education (Co-op) Placement: A key feature of the degree is a six- to eight-month paid work placement, where you gain real professional experience in law firms, accounting practices, corporate finance teams, or regulatory and business environments before returning for final year.
Careers & Employability Support: You’ll receive structured support from UL’s Careers Service, including one-to-one career guidance, CV and interview preparation, placement coaching, and access to job and internship opportunities throughout the degree.
Research & Digital Resources: Students regularly use the Glucksman Library along with specialist legal and accounting databases, digital research tools, and quiet and collaborative study spaces to support coursework and projects.
Group Projects & Applied Learning: Many modules include group work, case studies, and problem-based assignments that mirror how legal and financial decisions are made in real organisations.
Professional Exposure & Networking: Through placements, careers events, and interactions with industry professionals, students build networks that often lead to graduate roles after completion.

Together, these experiences mean you graduate with academic knowledge, professional experience, and a clear sense of direction — a powerful combination for careers in law, accounting, finance, and business.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the Bachelor of Arts in Law and Accounting leave with a rare mix of legal understanding and financial expertise, making them highly employable across multiple sectors. Typical graduate roles include legal or compliance officer, accounting or audit associate, financial or risk analyst, and corporate advisory roles — with many graduates progressing quickly into positions of responsibility. This strong employability is supported by the practical nature of the degree and UL’s close ties to industry:

Careers Support That Follows You Throughout: At University of Limerick, students benefit from a dedicated Careers Service offering one-to-one guidance, CV and interview preparation, careers fairs, and structured support before and after work placement.
Excellent Graduate Outcomes: UL graduates consistently achieve high employment or further-study outcomes shortly after graduation, reflecting the university’s strong reputation with employers.
Industry-Embedded Learning: The programme’s extended Cooperative Education placement connects students with employers in law firms, accounting practices, finance departments, and corporate organisations — and many students secure graduate roles through their placement experience.
Long-Term Degree Value: The combination of law and accounting provides a solid academic foundation that remains relevant across changing industries and supports progression into regulated professions and senior commercial roles.
Where Graduates Go: Alumni work in legal practice, accounting and audit, taxation, compliance, financial services, consultancy, public sector roles, and multinational companies in Ireland and internationally.

Further Academic Progression:
After completing this degree, many students choose to continue their studies with a Master’s in Accounting, Finance, or Business, or pursue a Master of Laws (LLM) to specialise further in legal fields. The programme also provides a strong academic base for professional legal or accounting training pathways, as well as doctoral research for students interested in academia or policy-focused careers.