Top 15 UK Law School
We are ranked Top 15 in the UK for Law by the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2025.
Our innovative Masters programme allows students the opportunity to develop the relevant skills and knowledge in managing natural energy resources for future generations. This programme will equip students with the knowledge, and skills, to develop sound governance regimes within areas that raise the most fundamental issues for humanity.
The University of Aberdeen has long held a reputation as a leader in teaching, and research, in the energy resources sector and this programme will give students a competitive advantage in highly relevant and rapidly developing sector. Our growing population has a major impact on the world’s natural resources. Indeed, this issue will only grow as the pressure to meet humanity’s developing demands. Hence, international and domestic law must address the legal implications of ownership, extraction distribution and management of natural resources. This unique programme focuses on the legal and regulatory issues associated with society’s use of and exploitation of the natural world.
Students will gain an in-depth understanding of extracting natural resources, ocean law, food law, and water law. Students must complete the Introduction to Natural Resources Law and Policy and Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship. Students must then choose an additional 4 courses, taking 2 in semester 1 and 2 in semester 3.
Please note: Students staring their LLM programme in January write their Dissertation project during the Summer semester.
Duration: 12 months full-time. 24 months part time.
Fee category | Cost |
---|---|
EU / International students | £23,000 |
Tuition Fees for 2025/26 Academic Year | |
UK | £11,900 |
Tuition Fees for 2024/25 Academic Year |
This course provides students from diverse legal and educational backgrounds with a common understanding of the core research, analytical, and writing skills which will be required for LLM-Taught courses. The course is delivered as a series of five interactive lectures with two individual assessments designed to encourage critical thinking and provide opportunities for early feedback. It also incorporates a library workshop to provide students with hands-on experience with the resources available for course and dissertation work.
This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 5-6 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across a number of weeks.
Topics include orientation overview, equality and diversity, health, safety and cyber security and how to make the most of your time at university in relation to careers and employability.
Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Enhanced Transcript as ‘Achieved’.
30 Credit Points
The course deals with the regulation of international activities regarding energy and the environment. The course will consider the international legal framework regarding energy sources, and it will look at the various legal instruments at the global and regional level as well as the key actors that are involved in regulation. It will also examine environmental issues that correspond to the generation and use of energy in the international context and the responses relating to environmental protection of soil, water, air, atmosphere and species.
30 Credit Points
With only limited exceptions hydrocarbons lie in the ownership or control of states but are frequently explored for and produced by commercial actors. This course considers the means by which the state controls exploitation of its oil and gas reserves. Following a number of introductory online lectures, students will participate in interactive seminars considering topics such as: from energy security to energy trilemma; national oil companies; licensing and production sharing agreements; resource curse and transparency; health, safety and environmental regulation; and decommissioning. This course is available to students registering for the LLM Oil and Gas Law programmes (Dissertation or Professional Skills).
30 Credit Points
The course examines the relationship between development management and utilisation of energy and natural resources, law, ethics, governance, and development at the national and international levels on the one hand and poor/variable developmental outcomes, particularly the resource curse phenomenon, on the other hand. The course then proceeds to apply advanced academic and experiential knowledge to formulate the fundamentals for overarching legal frameworks that will enable the good exploitation and development of energy and natural resources, thereby producing enduring benefits for all key stakeholders. The course is multidisciplinary in approach and with some experiential engagement with industry, governments/regulators, and non-governmental perspectives.
30 Credit Points
The complex interaction between investment protection and the sovereign right of states to regulate has been most acute in the energy sector. On the one hand, investors require strong guarantees that states will respect the “rules of the game” that constitute the basis of their investments. On the other, states can be tempted to interfere with foreign energy investments because of their strategic and social importance. This course aims to analyse if existing investment disciplines and international investment protection framework, are adapted to the specific regulatory risks that investors face in the energy landscape of the 21st Century and how best to avoid disputes and manage them.
60 Credit Points
Between May and mid-August students prepare a 10,000 word dissertation on a topic of their choice related to their specialist LLM programme. Students are instructed through the delivery of a preparatory lecture, two supervisory meetings and a two hour dissertation planning workshop in a small group setting. Students are expected to spend considerable time on independent research throughout the course of the dissertation module, including; preparation of dissertation plan, amendment of plan in accordance with supervisory comments, preparation for the dissertation workshop, and, of course, in the final 10,000 word dissertation itself.
We will endeavour to make all course options available. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.
Self-funded international students enrolling on postgraduate taught (PGT) programmes will receive one of our Aberdeen Global Scholarships, ranging from £3,000 to £8,000, depending on your domicile country. Learn more about the Aberdeen Global Scholarships here.
To see our full range of scholarships, visit our Funding Database.
Teaching is organised on a modular basis. There are two eleven-week semesters. Examinations are held at the end of each semester in December and May. The dissertation is submitted in August. 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. Moreover, students will gain transferrable skills including: enhanced ability to undertake advanced research in the field; an opportunity to undertake group work activities; ability to synthesise ideas and present work in oral and written assignments, plus students will undertake critical analysis.
Assessment is a combination of coursework during the semester and an examination at the end of the relevant semester. In addition, students must complete research skills course and a dissertation on a topic within the specialism. All full time students who begin in January commence work on the dissertation in May with a final submission date in the beginning of August.
The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.
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.
Please enter your country to view country-specific entry requirements.
To study for a Postgraduate Taught degree at the University of Aberdeen it is essential that you can speak, understand, read, and write English fluently. The minimum requirements for this degree are as follows:
IELTS Academic:
OVERALL - 6.5 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
TOEFL iBT:
OVERALL - 90 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
PTE Academic:
OVERALL - 62 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced, C2 Proficiency:
OVERALL - 176 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169
Read more about specific English Language requirements here.
You will be required to supply the following documentation with your application as proof you meet the entry requirements of this degree programme. If you have not yet completed your current programme of study, then you can still apply and you can provide your Degree Certificate at a later date.
Eligible self-funded postgraduate taught (PGT) students will receive the Aberdeen Global Scholarship. Explore our Global Scholarships, including eligibility details, on our dedicated page.
Aberdeen Global ScholarshipsAs the Law has an impact on many parts of public life and, thus, is beneficial should you wish to enter politics, business, international finance or banking. More and more non-legal employers are valuing the eminently transferable skills law graduates can bring to industry and other international business organisations. These skills include but are not limited to:
This programme would equip graduates interested in a career in the following industries and sectors: policy, planning, NGOs, civil service, energy and extraction.
You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. However, these may be subject to change - see our Student Terms and Conditions page.