Course summary
Equip yourself with the knowledge and skills to become a leading lawyer, barrister or civil servant to build commercial structures and enterprises and enable sustainable development. This highly popular LLM provides an education combining Business Law with acumen in Sustainable Development, Ecological Protection, and Corporate Social Responsibility, and has been carefully designed by our first-class teaching staff to ensure that you receive high quality training that will enhance your employability. As sustainable policies and their corresponding regulatory and compliance requirements are increasingly adopted at international, EU, and domestic levels of governance, the need for lawyers and policy makers capable of coordinating these two important areas of legal practice is rapidly expanding. Simultaneously, investors and shareholders are calling for enhanced levels of corporate social responsibility from their boards. This programme is designed to provide you with the knowledge required to meet these challenges, and, from a corporate perspective, to adapt to a changing world. It may also appeal to practitioners who wish to acquire or update their legal knowledge to position themselves for employment in this burgeoning field. A challenging and rewarding subject to study, you will be immersed in the grounding concepts of commercial law designed to support the development of business both locally and globally, together with the regulatory requirements to do so sustainably. Our teaching promotes the kind of contextual thinking that enables you to gain a deeper, more forward-thinking understanding about the issues at stake within these areas. The programme will provide you with advanced and specialist knowledge in key areas of Energy Law and Environmental Law, together with a detailed understanding of Commercial Law at an international level. We’ll explore the many different viewpoints and needs of energy and commerce at a global level within an environmental context. Through the preparation of a 10,000 word dissertation, you will develop the skills of critical analysis and independent research in law which are relevant to the needs of the legal profession and other areas of employment such as policy development Upon completion, you will be equipped with the intellectual, critical and practical skills that are fundamental to practising as a trained professional in this developing field.
Modules
Students will be expected to complete two courses drawn from a selection of Business Law and Commercial Law, and at least one course drawn from Environmental Law and Corporate Social Responsibility Law. Students will also need to take Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship, completing their study with the Dissertation.
Assessment method
Courses are assessed through essays, presentations, role play, group work and project work. The variety of assessments in the programme ensures that students apply theory to practical situations in order to become expert at being able to analyse and reason issues thoroughly. Please note: Students staring their LLM programme in January write their Dissertation project during the Summer semester.
How to apply
International applicants
When you are thinking about studying overseas, it is important that you understand all the costs involved and budget accordingly. It is essential to budget for your studies prior to leaving your home country and to arrange all your funding for BOTH your tuition fees and your living costs. In addition, it is important to check all immigration requirements regularly and before travelling, as they can change. Students without the necessary visa will be refused entry to the UK. You should allow plenty of time to organise your visa and ensure you are aware of all your responsibilities under the terms and conditions of your visa. Please note that the advice provided via the University is the Student Visa category of the UK's Points Based Immigration Scheme. For further information, please visit the United Kingdom Visas and Immigration (UKVI) website: www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration.
Entry requirements
Normally, a 2:1 honours degree (or equivalent) in Law will be required to be accepted onto this programme. Relevant practical experience in a related field will also be beneficial.
English language requirements
| Test | Grade | Additional details |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) | 6.5 | Overall - 6.5 with: Listening - 5.5 or above; Reading - 6.0 or above; Speaking - 5.5 or above; Writing - 6.0 or above. IELTS Indicator or IELTS General Training are not accepted. |
| TOEFL (iBT) | 90 | TOEFL iBT and TOEFL iBT Home Edition: Overall - 90 with: Listening - 17 or above; Reading - 21 or above; Speaking - 20 or above; Writing - 21 or above. DI code is 0818 |
| PTE Academic | 62 | Overall - 62 with: Listening - 59 or above; Reading - 59 or above; Speaking - 59 or above; Writing - 59 or above. Online test is not accepted. |
| Institution's Own Test | Academic English Pre-sessional Programme (PSE) - Pass (valid for 1 year). Academic English Preparation Programme undertaken at other UK HEI - accredited by BALEAP and within 1 year of start of course. | |
| Cambridge English Advanced | C | Overall - 176 with: Listening - 162 or above; Reading - 162 or above; Speaking - 162 or above; Writing - 169 or above. |
To study for a postgraduate degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write academic English fluently. These skills will allow you to understand lectures, produce high standards of written work, and perform well in examinations. We can assess your English language proficiency through a variety of means: through your nationality, through the qualifications you gained in high school, through the degree you undertook or are undertaking at university, or through a recognised English language test. Postgraduate Higher requirements are used by the Schools of Business; Divinity, History and Philosophy; Education; Language, Literature, Music and Visual Culture; Law; and Social Sciences. The MSc in Oil and Gas Enterprise Management and the MSc in Integrated Petroleum Geoscience also make use of the Postgraduate Higher requirements. Please note certification must be within the two years prior to commencement of your degree programme, unless otherwise stated.
Please use the checklist at the following webpage to determine how you can meet our English language requirements:
https://www.abdn.ac.uk/study/international/requirements-pg-266.php
Fees and funding
Tuition fees
| Republic of Ireland | £11900 | Year 1 |
| EU | £23800 | Year 1 |
| England | £11900 | Year 1 |
| Northern Ireland | £11900 | Year 1 |
| Scotland | £11900 | Year 1 |
| Wales | £11900 | Year 1 |
| Channel Islands | £11900 | Year 1 |
| International | £23800 | Year 1 |
Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website .
Additional fee information
Tuition fees given are at the full-time rate. The part-time fee rate for taught postgraduate programmes is 50% of the relevant full-time fee rate.
Sponsorship information
Eligible self-funded international Masters students will receive the Aberdeen Global Scholarship. Visit our Funding Database to find out more and see our full range of scholarships: www.abdn.ac.uk/study/funding/. The University of Aberdeen provides an Alumni Discount Scheme: The University of Aberdeen is very pleased to offer a 20% discount on postgraduate tuition fees for all alumni who have graduated with a degree from the University of Aberdeen.
Provider information
University of Aberdeen
Directorate of External Relations
King's College
Aberdeen
AB24 3FX