Research Degrees in Law

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The School of Law offers the following research degree programmes. For all research degrees, a student is attached to a supervisor, with whom he or she meets regularly for critical discussion and guidance, and to a second supervisor, who also provides assistance. The law school places great importance on close personal supervision. Also, all research students are provided with a desk in a shared room, with a computer with access to the internet and legal research databases such as Westlaw and Lexis. All research students participate in the Core Skills for Research Students course in their first year of study.

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The PhD is the highest degree awarded for research by the University. The PhD is awarded on the basis of a thesis on a chosen topic. As a PhD student you will normally spend 36 months in Aberdeen, but it is possible to vary this if you need to spend time away from Aberdeen in order to carry out research for your thesis. A full-time student must, however, spend a minimum of six months in residence in Aberdeen. It is also possible to do a PhD by part-time study, over six years. The thesis should not exceed 100,000 words. A PhD thesis is expected to make a significant original contribution to knowledge.

Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

This degree normally takes 24-36 months, and is awarded on the basis of a thesis which is shorter than that for the PhD, but longer than that for the Master of Laws. The Master's thesis should be a critical survey of a field of knowledge. As with the PhD, full-time students must spend a minimum of six months in residence in Aberdeen. The thesis should not exceed 70,000 words.

Master of Laws (LLM)

Students who wish to obtain an LLM by research write a thesis on a chosen topic. The thesis is shorter than that for the PhD and MPhil and should not exceed 40,000 words. Full-time students usually spend 12-24 months in Aberdeen (subject to a minimum residency requirement of three months). It is also possible to do an LLM by part-time study, over two years. The thesis should be a critical survey of a field of knowledge, although the same standard as that required for a PhD is not expected.