Join our online LLM in Dispute Resolution and develop qualifications in negotiation, mediation, and arbitration.
Prepare for a career in the non-court dispute resolution industry.
Dispute resolution is faster, less adversarial, and less public than the traditional litigation process.
Through it, organisations and individuals are increasingly choosing to resolve disputes outside of court.
Join our flexible online LLM in Dispute Resolution to earn the skills, qualifications, and connections to move into a successful career in this area.
Focused on dispute resolution
This LLM is entirely dedicated to dispute resolution methods, rather than combining dispute processes with a substantive subject.
Tailored to you
With a wide range of course options to choose from, you can tailor your qualification and specialise in the methods that interest you.
100% online or combine with in-person learning
You can choose to study for this LLM 100% online, or choose our on-campus Professional Arbitration Skills summer school in place of a dissertation.
You can also study dispute resolution fully on-campus.
Your route to Ciarb membership
We’re proud to be a Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Recognised Course Provider (Ciarb RCP).
Ciarb sets the global professional and ethical standards for dispute resolution professionals. Read about Ciarb.
By successfully completing a recognised course with us, you can apply to join Ciarb at Member level.
In this LLM, you’ll cover all essential dispute resolution techniques and theories
Negotiation
You’ll learn to negotiate disputes on behalf of clients, yourself, and employers.
Mediation
You’ll graduate as a qualified mediator, better able to handle staff disagreements and difficult discussions.
Arbitration
You’ll learn to prepare for arbitration hearings, present cases in an arbitral tribunal, and take a case through to a decision as an arbitrator.
Who can join online LLM Dispute Resolution?
This distance-learning LLM is open to professionals without a law degree.
It’s ideal for any professional keen to enhance their non-court dispute resolution skills and qualifications.
What you’ll study
You can choose to study for an:
- LLM (180 credits)
- Postgraduate Diploma (120 credits)
- Postgraduate Certificate (60 credits), or
- start with one of the short courses that make up this degree (30 credits).
Try our degree scheduler
Choose your courses
See all the courses that are part of this degree and choose what you want to study.
Manage your study schedule
Control the pace and cost of your degree. Decide how much you want to study each term.
Save to your wishlist
Save your schedule to your wishlist so you can view and edit anytime.
How you’ll study
Customise your learning
LLM Dispute Resolution gives you a range of course options to choose from, so you can:
- tailor your qualification to the areas of dispute resolution you’re most interested in
- choose to study either fully online or through a mix of online and on-campus courses, and
- choose how you want to complete your final year – via courses, a dissertation, or a Professional Skills Summer School.
On-campus learning
This online LLM features one optional on-campus course:
- Professional Arbitration Skills – this optional course features on-campus teaching and workshops at the University of Aberdeen in summer.
Do law differently with Professional Skills
Our online LLMs offer a practical alternative to completing a traditional dissertation.
Choose the Professional Skills route to join our on-campus summer school and learn sought-after industry skills.
Online learning
Online teaching is delivered through MyAberdeen, our online Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Take a look around MyAberdeen.
You can access MyAberdeen on computer, smartphone and laptop, 24 hours a day. You’ll find a range of resources available, including:
- lecture podcasts
- online tutorials
- case studies
- reading materials
- discussion boards with your tutors and peers
Law library access
You’ll also have online access to our award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library and the Taylor Library, a dedicated resource for law students. Both have first-class collections of reference works in law and related subjects. Find out more about our libraries.
Your tutors
This course is delivered by our School of Law.
You’ll learn from a team of internationally experienced academics, lawyers, researchers, and dispute resolution specialists.
Your support team
Our friendly team are here to answer any queries you have before, during and after your studies.
Dr Patricia Živković
Patricia is the degree coordinator. She’ll be on hand to answer any questions about degree content before you start and to help you throughout your studies.
Dr Annji Kinoshita-Bashforth
Annji is part of the School’s support team. She’ll be there throughout your studies to answer any of your non-academic queries.
Get in touch
The online education team is here to answer any questions you have right now about this qualification, or about studying online.
Ask us a questionWhat’s it like to study for this online LLM?
Meet King Fung, an online LLM Dispute Resolution student from Hong Kong.
Rather than a traditional dissertation, King’s chosen to round out his LLM with our on-campus Professional Arbitration Skills course.
Where this will take you
Your LLM in Dispute Resolution
You’ll graduate with a respected LLM in Dispute Resolution from the University of Aberdeen, one of the UK’s six ancient universities.
You’ll receive exactly the same LLM qualification online as you would on campus. Your degree title will not mention online or distance learning.
Your LLM qualification will be recognised by employers and educational institutions around the world, opening up international opportunities.
Careers
This degree will prepare you to pursue work in all dispute resolution disciplines.
Mediation careers
You will graduate from the LLM as a qualified mediator. Although some mediators are lawyers, many are not. This degree caters for professionals from all disciplines who want to become mediators.
- As a lawyer representing clients who may use mediation, you’ll be at an advantage understanding the techniques a mediator will use.
- Anyone in a management position will benefit from learning the principles, theories and practical techniques of mediation too.
Arbitration careers
This LLM will also help any professional enhance their career prospects in arbitration.
Arbitrators are drawn from a range of professional groups, including lawyers, engineers, surveyors, construction professionals, the financial and accounting professions and more.
- As a lawyer representing clients in an arbitral process, you need to fully understand how it differs from litigation. This degree will allow you to diversify your practice into this lucrative, growing area, especially internationally.
- Transactional lawyers and professionals need to know what is involved in arbitration too, since many commercial contracts contain a dispute resolution clause; if it is poorly drafted, this can cause considerable problems later.
Lifelong career support
Our career support doesn’t stop when you graduate.
You have access to our free careers service while you study, and beyond.
- 1:1 appointments
- CV checks
- Interview prep
- Job opportunities
Fees and funding
Master of Laws
180 credits
£16,820
This indicative cost is based on 180 credits of study over two years, starting in September 2025.
Postgraduate Diploma
120 credits
£11,120
This indicative cost is based on 120 credits of study over two years, starting in September 2025.
Postgraduate Certificate
60 credits
£5,420
This indicative cost is based on 30 credits of study per term, starting in September 2025.
The fees quoted above are based on you starting your studies with us in the 2025/26 academic year.
Our indicative costs include a 5% fee rise each year.
Pay as you go
This is a pay-as-you-go qualification.
You do not have to pay the full tuition fee upfront.
You can spread the cost and pay as you go, term by term.
How it works
- You decide how many credits to study for each term.
- At the start of term, you pay only for the credits you’re taking that term.
- This gives you control over your costs and workload for each term of your qualification.
Your personalised cost breakdown
Use the degree scheduler to plan your studies and see your cost breakdown, term by term.
Choose the University of Aberdeen for online law courses
Study at a university with one of the largest and most internationally experienced teams of legal experts in any European law school.
Top 5 in Scotland for Law
We’re ranked Top 5 in Scotland for Law in two league tables (Guardian University Guide 2025 and Complete University Guide 2025).
Fits around full-time work
This degree fits around full-time work, with flexible hours and 24/7 study access.
20% alumni discount
University of Aberdeen alumni get 20% off this online course.
Entry requirements
Entry requirements differ slightly depending on the qualification you choose.
LLM, PgDip, and PgCert
- 2:1 UK honours degree (or equivalent) in Law, or
- 2:1 UK honours degree (or equivalent) in another discipline, or
- significant professional experience.
These are our minimum entry requirements. They are given as a guide and do not guarantee entry.
Short course route to online LLM Dispute Resolution
If you do not meet these entry requirements, or are not ready to commit to a full LLM, you may be able to use our online short courses as a route into this degree.
Find out about our short course route to entryApply for this programme
- Start month
- September or January
- INDICATIVE COST
- £16,820
This indicative cost is based on 180 credits of study over two years, starting in September 2025.
Apply via our Applicant Portal
