Undergraduate Law 2026-2027

This course is a compulsory course on the LLB degree introducing students to Scottish Criminal Law including its sources and current law. It examines various aspects of substantive law including crimes against the person, crimes of dishonesty, crimes against property and criminal defences enabling students to understand and apply the law in these areas. The course also develops students’ written, verbal and analytical skills utilising written coursework and problem-solving exercises in tutorial groups.

This course introduces the fundamental components and characteristics of the Scottish legal system. It includes a study skills programme which covers different facets of the study of law along with a series of practical workshops which introduce key legal information sources (both electronic and paper) and appropriate search strategies. Lectures and tutorials will cover topics such as the Scottish legal tradition, formal sources of Scots law, the legislative process, organisation of the courts, judicial precedent, civil procedure, alternative dispute resolution, the European legal order, legal services and access to justice.

This course presents legal history over several millennia and from many different original cultures. This course carries the student through a legal adventure, exploring a wide range of legal systems around the globe and throughout human history.

The course covers the origins of law from Africa, South Asia, East Asia and beyond. From those beginnings, it traces how legal cultures emerged, evolved, or transformed. The course will explore the interplay of law and religion over the centuries. The goal of the course is to enable students to become aware of the wonderful diversity of legal systems before the Era of Exploration.

The Foundations of Public Law course provides students with an overview of the fundamental principles and institutions shared by constitutional democracies.  It will cover four broad topics: (1) conceptual building blocks; (2) the main institutions of the government; (3) the state and its citizens; and (4) the state in the context of international relations. The course lays down the foundation for both jurisdiction-specific courses and courses on comparative constitutional law. 

Contract is one of the central subjects of private law and is one of the main branches of the law of obligations, the other being Delict and Unjustified Enrichment. Contract Law covers obligations which are voluntary in nature. Every day we make contracts from buying a newspaper to buying a house. Contract Law is an area where Scots law and English law are very similar, and this course will cover Scots contract law but also highlight where English law differs with the aim of giving students a working knowledge of contract in both countries.

This course examines the law of the European Union and its relationship with the legal systems of the United Kingdom. Lecture topics include the composition and function of the EU Institutions, sources and effects of EU Law, state liability and judicial review. Other topics covered include human rights in the EU, the fundamental freedoms, and competition law. Each lecture topic includes consideration of the evolving relationship between the legal systems of the United Kingdom and the European Union.

This course will examine in detail both administrative law and civil liberties under the constitution of the United Kingdom. Major topics include judicial review (scope, standing and grounds), administrative justice, the European Convention on Human Rights, the Human Rights Act 1998, common law rights, and equality law. This area is fast-moving, and an effort is made to address current issues.

This course will introduce students to the main points of Scottish legal history from the fourteenth to the eighteenth centuries. In weeks one to eight, lectures and tutorials will provide a general overview as well as more detailed coverage on particular topics e.g. the legal literature and notable jurists, the development of the courts and procedure, and periods of flux and reform of the law. Workshops held in weeks nine and ten allow students to work on a (non-counting) group project charting the history of a legal rule.

This course is compulsory for LLB students. It consists of various elements split broadly into three parts: (1) the law of agency and the law of partnership; (2) company law; and (3) debt and insolvency law. The lectures will focus on the creation of agency, partnership and companies of different types; the rules that enable these commercial organisations to function; and the law concerning the termination of these commercial organisations, particularly due to insolvency.

Family Law is a compulsory course for LLB students  During this course, students will be introduced to the key facets of the law governing the formation of adult relationships, including the constitution of marriage and civil partnership, legal rights and duties of spouses and civil partners, same sex marriage, the grounds for divorce and the financial aspects of breakdown of marriage and relationships of cohabitation.  This course also focuses on the relationship between children and adults and the legal rights of children, including parental rights and responsibilities, court orders relating to children and the welfare principle.

The course provides students with an introduction to some of the topical issues of legal theory combining theoretical discussion with practical examples. The course aims to give students an accessible introduction to some important theoretical concepts and help them to develop their skills in critical thinking. The modular structure of the course makes sure that students will be exposed to a wide range of theoretical concepts and approaches. Theoretical concepts will be discussed in the context of practical issues helping students to see the relevance of those concepts. The course consists of four modules and each module consists of three lectures and one tutorial. At present, the four modules are as follows: (Judicial decision-making, Feminist legal theory, Law and technology, Truth in law and science.)

Students studying for the Aberdeen LLB are required to take this course if they wish to use their degree to enter the Scottish legal profession. The course will examine both testate and intestate succession, in the context of the general principles of the law of succession, including legal rights. Furthermore, it will introduce the functions of trusts, the rights of beneficiaries and the powers and duties of trustees. The course is available only to LLB students in Programme year 2 or above and graduates on the 2 year degree.

This course is designed to provide non-LLB students with an understanding of the main issues in business law. Topics will cover elements of the Scottish law and legal system concerning Company Law, Partnership, Employment Law, Agency, Contract Law, Delict, Bribery Act and Intellectual Property Law.

This foundational course  introduces students to the basic ideas, themes and insights of comparative law. The first part of the course focuses on the various concepts and methods that legal and other scholars have used to analyse differences and similarities between legal rules across nations and cultures. It also introduces students to various efforts to map and explain legal diversity across the globe (legal families and traditions, including the civil, common, mixed and other traditions). The second half of the course includes a range of case studies to showcase how the comparative method can be used in different areas of the law and across nations and regions. 

This course will introduce students to key criminological theories and perspectives to understand e.g. why some people are more likely to commit or be victims of crime than others and examine the learning and insight to be taken from those theories.

This course deals with the rules of evidence as they apply in the courtroom. The rules in both criminal and civil cases will be analysed. The legal requirements for leading real evidence, documentary evidence and witness testimony are considered. Topics include: relevancy, the corroboration rule, hearsay evidence, expert evidence, confession evidence and search evidence. The subject is highly topical and practically important to all lawyers

This course considers Equity and Trusts. Equity is a key part of English law with its own distinct history and identity, while trusts – which form part of the law of Equity – are an important way of dealing with property. We will consider the history of Equity and its relationship with the common law; the meaning, creation and practical impact of trusts (express, implied, resulting and constructive) with both family disputes and commercial issues having a key role; charitable and non-charitable purpose trusts; rights of beneficiaries; appointment and responsibilities of trustees; fiduciary relationships, and equitable remedies (in particular injunctions, and freezing and search and seize orders).

This course will explore and critically evaluate the concepts of land and property in the law of England and Wales; estates and interests in land (freehold, leasehold, licence, mortgage and easement); freehold covenants; registered and unregistered land and conveyancing of registered land; trusts in land (including co-ownership); adverse possession; landlord and tenant relationships, leasehold covenants, leasehold enfranchisement, and commonhold. 

The energy industry is a particularly important sector of the economy. Fossil fuel sources provide a state with a source of financial revenue and potential to secure energy supplies. This comes at a cost: health and safety risk or environmental degradation.  A regulatory and commercial framework has to be provided to facilitate and control these developments. Alternatives to fossil fuels exist, such as hydropower, wind, solar and nuclear. These are preferable from a climate change perspective but these, too, present legal and regulatory challenges, as does the process of providing a secure and affordable energy supply to end-point consumers.

The course is designed to introduce students to understanding and knowledge and to develop critical awareness across  areas of criminology and policing, and specifically the complex interface between policing and contemporary society.

This course examines the law of sales in both a Scottish and international context. Seminar topics will give students a good working knowledge of issues that occur when a difficulty arises (e.g., non-conformity of goods, passing of risk, damages, exemption, avoidance) and the role of important European law as well as international treaties and conventions. The precise focus of the course varies from year to year and depending on the teaching staff involved there may be a greater or lesser focus on Scots law, and in some instances, the students will be asked to analyse and compare the legal solutions in English law as well.   

This course looks in depth at the main aspects of the Scottish criminal justice process, focussing upon its mainly adversarial nature. Topics addressed include: prosecution systems; the position of the accused; the status of the victim; plea-bargaining; the trial process; and appeals. The emphasis is not so much on ‘black-letter law’ but on the principles and policies, often clashing, which underlie the detailed legal rules and regulations governing the relevant institutions and processes.

The issue of how gender impacts upon and interrelates with law and legal processes is topical and socially important, with questions relating to gender equality and gender-based violence currently attracting a high degree of academic, media and government attention. Through examining topics connected to the themes of criminal justice and family law, this course will introduce students to current legal dilemmas and legal responses in the area of gender and the law, in addition to sociolegal and feminist approaches to law.

The course analyses recent developments in international law. It first considers the sources of international law. The question is then asked whether traditional international law can regulate pressing issues on the international plane. Examples of these problems are international terrorism, nuclear weapons proliferation, ethnic conflicts, and climate change. The course encourages the student to think creatively as an international lawyer to resolve contemporary international challenges. Teaching will be principally delivered through discussion-based seminars.

The course explores patents (right to control an invention) and trade marks (right to control the use of a sign, commonly, but not necessarily, a logo).  We will consider  theoretical arguments for and against them, thresholds which must be met for them to exist and be infringed, the relevant international, regional and UK frameworks and limits on the rights conferred. Particular attention will be paid to contemporary controversies.  We will also consider the various avenues by which these registered rights can be obtained and the relevance of other legal fields to the power conferred.  Assessment is by essay and MCT exam. The course has a strong focus on advanced preparation and enjoyable, supportive and interactive discussion.   

The course is intended to offer insights into the dynamics of the development of international human rights law. It provides advanced instruction in several key aspects of international human rights law (freedom from torture, freedom of religion, social rights, right to self-determination, etc.) in order to develop a critical understanding of the protection of human rights at the global level. It also seeks to shed light on the way the forces of globalisation and global civil society activism shape the conditions under which human rights law can be created and maintained.

This course considers a number of important topics in contemporary Scots family law. An underlying theme is whether the law in these areas is satisfactory or in need of reform, and what shape reform might take. Topics include: adoption, domestic abuse and child protection, divorce law reform, financial consequences of divorce, international family relocation, and surrogacy and legal parenthood. There is a comparative element to some of the seminar topics as relevant Scots law is compared with the position in England and/or other jurisdictions. The effects on Scots family law of the European Convention of Human Rights are also explored.

The United States is currently facing a constitutional crisis. Birthright citizenship is under attack. People are being deported without due process. Universities are threatened with funding cuts if they do not comply with the Trump administration’s policies. Environmental protection regulations are being rolled back, and administrative agencies shuttered. For these reasons, the course will take a different approach in 2025-26 to understand why and how this is happening. Whilst the course will still involve a close examination of the opinions of the US Supreme Court on topics like abortion and freedom of religion, the emphasis will be on the current attack on the rule of law, with a critical examination of the role of law as a tool for resistance. The course will also help students to familiarise themselves with the main approaches to constitutional interpretation.

This course allows you to write a 10,000-word piece on an aspect of law that you choose. You will be assigned a member of staff who is an expert in your chosen subject area and who will provide guidance on your topic, research plan, and writing progress.

The course runs over both half sessions and is available only to final-year Honours students. Once your topic and plan are approved by the Law School, you will work independently and submit your dissertation shortly before the Easter break.

This course seeks to guide students through the core aspects of company law and corporate governance including, inter alia, corporate legal personality, directors’ duties, the protection of minority shareholders, and the basics of corporate finance. The legal study will be combined with commercial and strategic scenarios such as private equity deals, initial public offerings (IPOs), and corporate control battles. Major policy debates will also be engaged. 

This course offers an introduction to study of the civil law tradition and may be taken by students with no prior knowledge of the subject.  The two seminars in the first part of the course examine the sources and literature through which the tradition has taken shape.  The two seminars in the second part examine selected topics from the law of property, and the two seminars in the third part selected topics from the law of obligations.  In each part some attention is paid to the relationship between Scots law and the civil law tradition.

Planning Law in Scotland examines urban and rural land use. Set in the context of history, politics and international developments,  the law is considered in detail with examples of plans such as the National Planning Framework and topical and controversial planning applications used for  illustration. There is a body of case law and intricate legislative provisions and policy sources for all the key areas. This course mixes academic reflection with practical knowledge and application.

The course aims to introduce students to the legal challenges raised by Artificial Intelligence. It aims at offering an overview of the applicable legal framework, critically discussing its potential shortcomings in concrete case scenarios. The course will focus on the UK context, but – given the cross-border nature of the topics involved - it will be open to a comparative perspective.

This course invites students to engage with the law from an economic perspective. Why and when should property be privately, communally, or publicly owned? How can a legal system minimise the social costs of accidents? Why and to what extent do we need to regulate contracts? These are some of the questions that the course will address. Each seminar will focus on a legal topic that will be analysed through an economic lens. No prior knowledge of economics is needed.

This course builds upon the introduction to Delict provided in LS2025 and LS1536 examines a number of aspects of the law of delict in greater detail.  Topics will be discussed in a comparative, historical and/or theoretical context.  The specific topics covered will vary on a year-by-year basis as the course aims to examine issues of topical interest.  Some of the topics covered in previous years include: causation; product liability; liability for breach of privacy; liability for pure economic loss; psychiatric injury; advocates' immunity and the liability of the police for negligently-conducted investigations.

The course examines in detail complex areas of the law of succession and trusts with an emphasis being placed on discursive reasoning. The topics considered will include vesting in an executor and beneficiary, the absence of beneficiaries, the nature and roles of an executor and trustee, survivorship of beneficiaries and common calamities, formal and essential validity of wills (including the issue of execution of wills by adults with incapacity), updating out of date wills by means of the various conditiones applied by Scots law and similar rules in other legal systems, limitations on testamentary freedom, forfeiture and unworthiness of heirs.

The course builds upon the basic understanding of criminal law acquired in LS1020 although it is very important to understand that the topics are approached from a much more theoretical perspective. The course examines in detail selected principles of criminal liability, including the role and limits of the criminal law, the defence of mental disorder, murder, rape, provocation and the limits of excusability. Comparative material from a variety of jurisdictions is included. 

This course examines the way in which the law regulates the treatment of animals in Britain. Topics include: historical development; legal and moral status of animals; the basis and nature of regulation; the legal and political framework, including the impact of the WTO and the EU; the legal meaning of unnecessary suffering; the scientific concept of animal welfare; enforcement; and legislation relating to animals in specific contexts. Consideration is also given to relevant political, scientific, ethical and commercial issues which influence the substantive law. Students are expected to undertake significant personal research under the guidance of the course coordinator.

While self-evident from the Course Description, students should be aware that this course includes consideration of the ill-treatment of animals.

This course offers students the opportunity to engage with the history and nature of international criminal law, to develop their understanding of the core crimes, how these offences have evolved, and the road to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Through traditional seminar discussions, students can discuss their informed views on issues as varied as the role of international cooperation to suppress international crimes, how this has worked (and where it has failed) and to research their ideas on contemporary problems in the area, from a critical perspective.

The ocean provides us with oxygen, freshwater and food and is crucial for sustaining life yet is under increasing pressure from human activities. These include including climate change, overfishing,  pollution, and potentially deep-seabed mineral exploitation. This course focuses on the international legal framework for the ocean, based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other legal instruments.

Banks play a crucial role in the economy through their depository and lending functions, financial intermediation, and payment systems. Yet banking is a highly regulated activity and most of its affairs (including corporate governance, capital adequacy and insolvency) are subject to special rules. For these reasons, banking regulation is an important area in legal practice.

This course examines the principles of banking regulation and explores core regulations banks are subject to. The course will have a strong focus on the UK regulatory framework. However, the approaches adopted elsewhere will be considered where necessary in order to put the UK framework into context.

The following subjects are covered in the course: the history and theories of banking regulation, the institutional design of UK banking regulation, capital adequacy and liquidity rules, bank resolution, and emerging challenges such as Brexit, climate finance, fintech and shadow banking.

This course examines the legal dimensions of sustainable and equitable global commerce. The course introduces students to varying conceptions of development, ranging from economic development to sustainable and human development, while situating development within the legacy of colonialism and the ensuing barriers to development. Students then focus in on the role of trade in promoting development and legal drivers of sustainable and equitable trade, including responsible business conduct, mandatory human rights diligence, model contract clauses, and business and human rights litigation.

This course considers selected key current and emerging issues in energy law, both domestically and internationally. It does so, recognising that the overarching state requirement to achieve energy security must be in the context of the simultaneous requirement to address climate change, energy equity, and social acceptance concerns. Seminars will therefore consider the legal and regulatory challenges raised by the need to transition rapidly away from fossil fuels, and to implement renewable or low greenhouse gas emission alternatives.

Colonisation involves states and other entities taking control of foreign territories and the people within. It has occurred in many places, at many points in time. Law – via treaties, statutes, courts and other legal devices – has often played a crucial role in the process of colonisation. This course will examine the relationship between law and colonisation, seeking to uncover the consequences (or “legal legacy”) of this relationship in jurisdictions that have experienced colonisation.

This is an optional course at honours level for students interested in how companies finance their business activities and would be suitable for those students seeking to specialise in finance or corporate law. The course examines the law concerning the financing of companies of all sizes, from small and medium-sized companies to the largest public limited companies. Various forms of debt and equity finance will be considered, including share capital and raising finance on stock markets, unsecured borrowing, securitisations and secured finance.

The course builds upon the basic understanding of contract law acquired in Contract (LS1520), although it is  important to understand that the topics are approached from a more theoretical perspective, and will critically evaluate at an advanced level, a number of themes introduced in LS1520. The course approaches a selection of current problems in contract law doctrine from the theoretical, comparative and philosophical perspectives. The topics  will vary annually but will include the philosophical basis of contract law, contractual formation, good faith, promise,  contractual remedies, factors vitiating consent, contractual interpretation and risk management through contract (exclusion clauses, penalty clauses etc).

This course considers various aspects of copyright law including subject matter, the term of protection, criteria for protection, infringement and defences, and the moral rights of authors. Copyright is of importance given the value of the digital economy and the significance of the cultural industries. In terms of career opportunities, students may practice in large intellectual property firms or provide advice to large entertainment companies etc.

Many students will be members of clubs and societies, and will go on to become board members for clubs and charities, or community organisation chairpersons and secretaries. This course is for them.

Scottish Charities are regulated by OSCR. Rights of local communities to acquire land are enshrined in statute. Clubs flourish and community empowerment has been the subject of legislation in the Scottish Parliament. However, private clubs can exclude women members, and the law accepts this. The range of business model available to community organisations may seem bewildering. The legal status of unincorporated associations is unclear. These are our topics.

The course provides a clear overview of the successful family law conventions made at the Hague Conference on Private International Law, along with an analysis of the Hague Conference’s working methods in drafting, reviewing, and promoting the uniform interpretation of these Conventions. Students will acquire a solid knowledge of the Hague Conventions on child abduction (1980), intercountry adoption (1993) and child protection (1996); a sound understanding of private international law relating to surrogacy with an international element; and an appreciation of the options for the legal regulation of family agreements at the global level.

Scots Law in the area of criminal evidence and procedure is in many respects unique and distinct from that in neighbouring jurisdictions. It has undergone significant review and change in recent years. This Level 4 Course will engage directly in critically examining and evaluating the impact of those reviews and procedural changes to some of the key conceptual foundations underpinning the admissibility and use of evidence in criminal proof in Scotland.

This course provides a comprehensive examination of the basic provisions of EU and UK competition law, specifically covering anticompetitive agreements, abuses of dominance and merger control. The course aims to provide a legal, economic and market context in which these provisions are applied, especially in relation to business phenomena. Students will gain a thorough understanding of all areas of EU and UK competition law, with a focus on its application in contemporary markets and society though the study and discussion of cases and current issues of competition law and market regulation.

This course will discuss the trajectory of the development of corporate governance over the past three decades, especially in the UK and the US, with a view to understanding the extent to which underlying theoretical assumptions and policy decisions impact legislative, regulatory and self-regulatory arrangements as well as reform options. Students will gain an understanding of why the company as a legal entity has the shape and form that it does; why certain actors are regarded as internal to corporate governance arrangements and others external; and why ongoing (and sometimes apparently futile) reform efforts take the form that they do. 

The course examines topical legal issues, themes and debates relating to children, young people and crime, within a legal, social and political context. This includes the recent incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law. Topics will be chosen annually to reflect contemporary debates but might include: the age of criminal responsibility; children’s participation in the justice system as offenders or witnesses; sexual offences committed by and against children; domestic abuse and children; sentencing; the impact of childhood offending later in life; and case-studies on youth justice issues in other legal systems.

The course addresses international legal issues raised by the increasing need to secure information and communication technology. It gives a comprehensive map of the international cybersecurity governance; explores the modalities of international cyberattacks; discusses data protection in the EU and UK; questions the role of States in international cybersecurity, examines what cyberoperations violate international law and how States could react to them; also studies the role of private companies, including online platforms, in securing cyberspace. Teaching will be principally delivered through discussion-based seminars.

The course aims to introduce students to the core aspects of privacy and data protection law, exploring its international, European, and national dimension.

The course addresses, in particular, the role of data privacy regulation in the digital environment, critically discussing key global challenges, such as: international data transfers; artificial intelligence and its impact on data subject’s rights; the balance between the right to data protection and other fundamental freedoms (e.g. freedom of expression).

The course aims to introduce students to the core aspects of privacy and data protection law, exploring its international, European, and national dimension.

The course addresses, in particular, the role of data privacy regulation in the digital environment, critically discussing key global challenges, such as: international data transfers; artificial intelligence and its impact on data subject’s rights; the balance between the right to data protection and other fundamental freedoms (e.g. freedom of expression).

The course aims to introduce students to the legal aspects of the digital economy. The course will first explore the historical and economical dimension of the ‘platformisation’ of the digital market, to then dig into the relevant areas of law invested by the “disruptive” intervention of online platforms. The course will have a focus on domestic and European Law.

The majority of commercial goods are carried by sea. This course examines the law concerning the carriage of those goods by sea in terms of: a) the operation of ships by charterparty; b) the allocation of liabilities between the shipper, carrier, charterer /shipowner for goods carried under a bill of lading (or similar document); and c) the practical operation of a marine cargo claim under the main international carriage of goods by sea conventions.  

The impact of human activity on the environment is indisputable, prompting governments to adopt measures aimed at halting and reversing environmental degradation. This course explores the causes of environmental degradation and how the law is responding to these problems. It introduces the principles of environmental law and their application and effectiveness in protecting the environment. It also considers some of the legal regimes established to address issues such as biodiversity loss, air pollution, land degradation, chemical and plastic pollution, and climate change.

This course examines some key aspects of the Scots law of property. We shall build on many of the topics covered at pre-honours level. This subject draws upon a diverse range of sources and a long history. Topics will vary from one year to the next but may include original and derivative acquisition, real securities, title conditions, co-ownership and tenements, land reform and human rights issues in the law of property.

This course provides students with a knowledge and understanding of certain key points in Scottish legal history. Seminar topics have been chosen to show students how to evaluate primary material (thus developing a key honours-level skill of critical analysis) as well as to engage with academic debate (thus developing a key honours-level skill of handling complex and conflicting arguments). Students will also in some seminars engage with research projects based at Aberdeen.

This course examines theories that attempt to explain why people act in a deviant or criminal manner. We will consider theories that explain deviance (in whole or in part) as the product of (1) biological features of the deviant; (2) economic forces; (3) environmental conditions; and (4) the 'labels' social groups assign to certain types of conduct. We will also look at the means by which criminal statistics are gathered, and the extent to which they are accurate. The course is taught through six seminars.

Cryptoassets underpinned by blockchain (eg Bitcoin) or another type of distributed ledger technology (DLT) have grown globally in significance and become increasingly important for individuals and businesses in recent years. This course aims to examine some of the key legal and regulatory issues concerning cryptoassets and equip students with the knowledge, understanding and skills needed in this novel area, which is rapidly developing and evolving due to technological innovation.

Criminal law and philosophy are intertwined. The course looks at some of the institutions of the criminal law – with particular focus on common law systems (Scotland, England & Wales), as well as some references to continental/civil law systems (Germany and Spain) – and applying a philosophical lens to them. It will examine the principled underpinnings of the discipline. The course will address theoretically-relevant aspects of the criminal law, such as principles of criminalisation, causation, mental states, and culpability, and examine how these aspects connect to philosophical concepts and principles, such as the theory of action, metaethics, and the philosophy of mind.

This course addresses the international legal rules and principles applicable to activities in outer space, including the UN-based space treaties and international customary (space) law, and also the many specialised regimes such as those applicable to the protection of the outer space environment, the regulation of military activities and the peaceful settlement of international space law disputes. 

Changes in medical technology frequently cause changes in ethical attitudes and in the content of the law. The purpose of this course is to explore the interaction between law, ethics and medicine with an emphasis on the ethical aspects.

Through a series of seminars, this course engages students with a body of ‘media law’ which covers topics such as the freedom of the press, freedom of expression, access to information, open justice principle on the one hand, and on the other hand, the right to fair trial, right to privacy, right of publicity, right against defamation, and the regulation of obscene publications. The focus is on the regulation of media contents. While the course follows the relevant current developments in the law, it also lays the foundation and the broader social and historical contexts within which these developments take place.

This course explores various aspects of corporate insolvency law, which is an important area in practice. Among the topics that will be covered are theories of corporate insolvency law, types of insolvency process (including corporate rescue processes), creditors’ claims and security rights (especially floating charges), challengeable transactions, and liability of directors. While the principal focus will be law in the UK, references will also be made to other jurisdictions, including the USA.

The course aims to develop an in-depth and critical appreciation of current issues in the area of the use of armed force in International Law. The course is of interest to students who want to understand the legal considerations which frame contemporary conflicts.

The course will first analyse the fundamental principle of the prohibition of the use of force between States. It will then examine the current exceptions to this principle (e.g., right to self-defence, authorisation to use force given by the United Nations Security Council); further, what types of arguments States tend to use to justify the resort to force. Consequently, the course will study the most recent military interventions on the international plane (e.g., in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Libya, Palestine, Syria, Ukraine, Gaza and Iran). Teaching will be principally delivered through discussion-based seminars.

This course examines the law of sales in both a Scottish and international context. Seminar topics will give students a good working knowledge of issues that occur when a difficulty arises (e.g., non-conformity of goods, passing of risk, damages, exemption, avoidance) and the role of important European law as well as international treaties and conventions. The precise focus of the course varies from year to year and depending on the teaching staff involved there may be a greater or lesser focus on Scots law, and in some instances, the students will be asked to analyse and compare the legal solutions in English law as well.   

This course looks in depth at the main aspects of the Scottish criminal justice process, focussing upon its mainly adversarial nature. Topics addressed include: prosecution systems; the position of the accused; the status of the victim; plea-bargaining; the trial process; and appeals. The emphasis is not so much on ‘black-letter law’ but on the principles and policies, often clashing, which underlie the detailed legal rules and regulations governing the relevant institutions and processes.

The issue of how gender impacts upon and interrelates with law and legal processes is topical and socially important, with questions relating to gender equality and gender-based violence currently attracting a high degree of academic, media and government attention. Through examining topics connected to the themes of criminal justice and family law, this course will introduce students to current legal dilemmas and legal responses in the area of gender and the law, in addition to sociolegal and feminist approaches to law. 

The course analyses recent developments in international law. It first considers the sources of international law. The question is then asked whether traditional international law can regulate pressing issues on the international plane. Examples of these problems are international terrorism, nuclear weapons proliferation, ethnic conflicts, and climate change. The course encourages the student to think creatively as an international lawyer to resolve contemporary international challenges. Teaching will be principally delivered through discussion-based seminars.

The course explores patents (right to control an invention) and trade marks (right to control the use of a sign, commonly, but not necessarily, a logo).  We will consider  theoretical arguments for and against them, thresholds which must be met for them to exist and be infringed, the relevant international, regional and UK frameworks and limits on the rights conferred. Particular attention will be paid to contemporary controversies.  We will also consider the various avenues by which these registered rights can be obtained and the relevance of other legal fields to the power conferred.  Assessment is by essay and MCT exam. The course has a strong focus on advanced preparation and enjoyable, supportive and interactive discussion.   

The United States is currently facing a constitutional crisis. Birthright citizenship is under attack. People are being deported without due process. Universities are threatened with funding cuts if they do not comply with the Trump administration’s policies. Environmental protection regulations are being rolled back, and administrative agencies shuttered. For these reasons, the course will take a different approach in 2025-26 to understand why and how this is happening. Whilst the course will still involve a close examination of the opinions of the US Supreme Court on topics like abortion and freedom of religion, the emphasis will be on the current attack on the rule of law, with a critical examination of the role of law as a tool for resistance. The course will also help students to familiarise themselves with the main approaches to constitutional interpretation.

This course seeks to guide students through the core aspects of company law and corporate governance including, inter alia, corporate legal personality, directors’ duties, the protection of minority shareholders, and the basics of corporate finance. The legal study will be combined with commercial and strategic scenarios such as private equity deals, initial public offerings (IPOs), and corporate control battles. Major policy debates will also be engaged.

This course offers an introduction to study of the civil law tradition and may be taken by students with no prior knowledge of the subject.  The two seminars in the first part of the course examine the sources and literature through which the tradition has taken shape.  The two seminars in the second part examine selected topics from the law of property, and the two seminars in the third part selected topics from the law of obligations.  In each part some attention is paid to the relationship between Scots law and the civil law tradition.

Planning Law in Scotland examines urban and rural land use. Set in the context of history, politics and international developments, the law is considered in detail with examples of plans such as the National Planning Framework and topical and controversial planning applications used for illustration. There is a body of case law and intricate legislative provisions and policy sources for all the key areas. This course mixes academic reflection with practical knowledge and application.

The course aims to introduce students to the legal challenges raised by Artificial Intelligence. It aims at offering an overview of the applicable legal framework, critically discussing its potential shortcomings in concrete case scenarios. The course will focus on the UK context, but – given the cross-border nature of the topics involved - it will be open to a comparative perspective.

This course invites students to engage with the law from an economic perspective. Why and when should property be privately, communally, or publicly owned? How can a legal system minimise the social costs of accidents? Why and to what extent do we need to regulate contracts? These are some of the questions that the course will address. Each seminar will focus on a legal topic that will be analysed through an economic lens. No prior knowledge of economics is needed.

This course builds upon the introduction to Delict provided in LS2025 and LS1536 examines a number of aspects of the law of delict in greater detail.  Topics will be discussed in a comparative, historical and/or theoretical context.  The specific topics covered will vary on a year-by-year basis as the course aims to examine issues of topical interest.  Some of the topics covered in previous years include: causation; product liability; liability for breach of privacy; liability for pure economic loss; psychiatric injury; advocates' immunity and the liability of the police for negligently-conducted investigations.

The course builds upon the basic understanding of criminal law acquired in LS1020 although it is very important to understand that the topics are approached from a much more theoretical perspective. The course examines in detail selected principles of criminal liability, including the role and limits of the criminal law, the defence of mental disorder, murder, rape, provocation and the limits of excusability. Comparative material from a variety of jurisdictions is included. 

This course offers students the opportunity to engage with the history and nature of international criminal law, to develop their understanding of the core crimes, how these offences have evolved, and the road to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. Through traditional seminar discussions, students can discuss their informed views on issues as varied as the role of international cooperation to suppress international crimes, how this has worked (and where it has failed) and to research their ideas on contemporary problems in the area, from a critical perspective.

The ocean provides us with oxygen, freshwater and food and is crucial for sustaining life yet is under increasing pressure from human activities. These include including climate change, overfishing,  pollution, and potentially deep-seabed mineral exploitation. This course focuses on the international legal framework for the ocean, based on the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other legal instruments.

Banks play a crucial role in the economy through their depository and lending functions, financial intermediation, and payment systems. Yet banking is a highly regulated activity and most of its affairs (including corporate governance, capital adequacy and insolvency) are subject to special rules. For these reasons, banking regulation is an important area in legal practice.

This course examines the principles of banking regulation and explores core regulations banks are subject to. The course will have a strong focus on the UK regulatory framework. However, the approaches adopted elsewhere will be considered where necessary in order to put the UK framework into context.

The following subjects are covered in the course: the history and theories of banking regulation, the institutional design of UK banking regulation, capital adequacy and liquidity rules, bank resolution, and emerging challenges such as Brexit, climate finance, fintech and shadow banking.

This course examines the legal dimensions of sustainable and equitable global commerce. The course introduces students to varying conceptions of development, ranging from economic development to sustainable and human development, while situating development within the legacy of colonialism and the ensuing barriers to development. Students then focus in on the role of trade in promoting development and legal drivers of sustainable and equitable trade, including responsible business conduct, mandatory human rights diligence, model contract clauses, and business and human rights litigation.

This course examines theories that attempt to explain why people act in a deviant or criminal manner. We will consider theories that explain deviance (in whole or in part) as the product of (1) biological features of the deviant; (2) economic forces; (3) environmental conditions; and (4) the 'labels' social groups assign to certain types of conduct. We will also look at the means by which criminal statistics are gathered, and the extent to which they are accurate. The course is taught through six seminars.

Colonisation involves states and other entities taking control of foreign territories and the people within. It has occurred in many places, at many points in time. Law – via treaties, statutes, courts and other legal devices – has often played a crucial role in the process of colonisation. This course will examine the relationship between law and colonisation, seeking to uncover the consequences (or “legal legacy”) of this relationship in jurisdictions that have experienced colonisation.

This is an optional course at honours level for students interested in how companies finance their business activities and would be suitable for those students seeking to specialise in finance or corporate law. The course examines the law concerning the financing of companies of all sizes, from small and medium-sized companies to the largest public limited companies. Various forms of debt and equity finance will be considered, including share capital and raising finance on stock markets, unsecured borrowing, securitisations and secured finance.

Many students will be members of clubs and societies and will go on to become board members for clubs and charities, or community organisation chairpersons and secretaries.

The aim of this course is to ensure that potential future practising lawyers can develop a good grounding in a commercially and socially important field of law. In this respect it worth noting that the Third Sector is a growing area of specialism in law firms.

The course provides a clear overview of the successful family law conventions made at the Hague Conference on Private International Law, along with an analysis of the Hague Conference’s working methods in drafting, reviewing, and promoting the uniform interpretation of these Conventions. Students will acquire a solid knowledge of the Hague Conventions on child abduction (1980), intercountry adoption (1993) and child protection (1996); a sound understanding of private international law relating to surrogacy with an international element; and an appreciation of the options for the legal regulation of family agreements at the global level.

Scots Law in the area of criminal evidence and procedure is in many respects unique and distinct from that in neighbouring jurisdictions. It has undergone significant review and change in recent years. This Level 4 Course will engage directly in critically examining and evaluating the impact of those reviews and procedural changes to some of the key conceptual foundations underpinning the admissibility and use of evidence in criminal proof in Scotland.

This course provides a comprehensive examination of the basic provisions of EU and UK competition law, specifically covering anticompetitive agreements, abuses of dominance and merger control. The course aims to provide a legal, economic and market context in which these provisions are applied, especially in relation to business phenomena. Students will gain a thorough understanding of all areas of EU and UK competition law, with a focus on its application in contemporary markets and society though the study and discussion of cases and current issues of competition law and market regulation.

This course will discuss the trajectory of the development of corporate governance over the past three decades, especially in the UK and the US, with a view to understanding the extent to which underlying theoretical assumptions and policy decisions impact legislative, regulatory and self-regulatory arrangements as well as reform options. Students will gain an understanding of why the company as a legal entity has the shape and form that it does; why certain actors are regarded as internal to corporate governance arrangements and others external; and why ongoing (and sometimes apparently futile) reform efforts take the form that they do. 

The course examines topical legal issues, themes and debates relating to children, young people and crime, within a legal, social and political context. This includes the recent incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law. Topics will be chosen annually to reflect contemporary debates but might include: the age of criminal responsibility; children’s participation in the justice system as offenders or witnesses; sexual offences committed by and against children; domestic abuse and children; sentencing; the impact of childhood offending later in life; and case-studies on youth justice issues in other legal systems.

The course addresses international legal issues raised by the increasing need to secure information and communication technology. It gives a comprehensive map of the international cybersecurity governance; explores the modalities of international cyberattacks; discusses data protection in the EU and UK; questions the role of States in international cybersecurity, examines what cyberoperations violate international law and how States could react to them; also studies the role of private companies, including online platforms, in securing cyberspace. Teaching will be principally delivered through discussion-based seminars.

The course aims to introduce students to the core aspects of privacy and data protection law, exploring its international, European, and national dimension.

The course addresses, in particular, the role of data privacy regulation in the digital environment, critically discussing key global challenges, such as: international data transfers; artificial intelligence and its impact on data subject’s rights; the balance between the right to data protection and other fundamental freedoms (e.g. freedom of expression)

The course aims to introduce students to the legal aspects of the digital economy. The course will first explore the historical and economical dimension of the ‘platformisation’ of the digital market, to then dig into the relevant areas of law invested by the “disruptive” intervention of online platforms. The course will have a focus on domestic and European Law.

The majority of commercial goods are carried by sea. This course examines the law concerning the carriage of those goods by sea in terms of: a) the operation of ships by charterparty; b) the allocation of liabilities between the shipper, carrier, charterer /shipowner for goods carried under a bill of lading (or similar document); and c) the practical operation of a marine cargo claim under the main international carriage of goods by sea conventions.  

The impact of human activity on the environment is indisputable, prompting governments to adopt measures aimed at halting and reversing environmental degradation. This course explores the causes of environmental degradation and how the law is responding to these problems. It introduces the principles of environmental law and their application and effectiveness in protecting the environment. It also considers some of the legal regimes established to address issues such as biodiversity loss, air pollution, land degradation, chemical and plastic pollution, and climate change.

This course examines some key aspects of the Scots law of property. We shall build on many of the topics covered at pre-honours level. This subject draws upon a diverse range of sources and a long history. Topics will vary from one year to the next but may include original and derivative acquisition, real securities, title conditions, co-ownership and tenements, land reform and human rights issues in the law of property.

This course provides students with a knowledge and understanding of certain key points in Scottish legal history. Seminar topics have been chosen to show students how to evaluate primary material (thus developing a key honours-level skill of critical analysis) as well as to engage with academic debate (thus developing a key honours-level skill of handling complex and conflicting arguments). Students will also in some seminars engage with research projects based at Aberdeen.

Cryptoassets underpinned by blockchain (eg Bitcoin) or another type of distributed ledger technology (DLT) have grown globally in significance and become increasingly important for individuals and businesses in recent years. This course aims to examine some of the key legal and regulatory issues concerning cryptoassets and equip students with the knowledge, understanding and skills needed in this novel area, which is rapidly developing and evolving due to technological innovation.

Criminal law and philosophy are intertwined. The course looks at some of the institutions of the criminal law – with particular focus on common law systems (Scotland, England & Wales), as well as some references to continental/civil law systems (Germany and Spain) – and applying a philosophical lens to them. It will examine the principled underpinnings of the discipline. The course will address theoretically-relevant aspects of the criminal law, such as principles of criminalisation, causation, mental states, and culpability, and examine how these aspects connect to philosophical concepts and principles, such as the theory of action, metaethics, and the philosophy of mind.

This course addresses the international legal rules and principles applicable to activities in outer space, including the UN-based space treaties and international customary (space) law, and also the many specialised regimes such as those applicable to the protection of the outer space environment, the regulation of military activities and the peaceful settlement of international space law disputes. 

Changes in medical technology frequently cause changes in ethical attitudes and in the content of the law. The purpose of this course is to explore the interaction between law, ethics and medicine with an emphasis on the ethical aspects.

Through a series of seminars, this course engages students with a body of ‘media law’ which covers topics such as the freedom of the press, freedom of expression, access to information, open justice principle on the one hand, and on the other hand, the right to fair trial, right to privacy, right of publicity, right against defamation, and the regulation of obscene publications. The focus is on the regulation of media contents. While the course follows the relevant current developments in the law, it also lays the foundation and the broader social and historical contexts within which these developments take place.

This course explores various aspects of corporate insolvency law, which is an important area in practice. Among the topics that will be covered are theories of corporate insolvency law, types of insolvency process (including corporate rescue processes), creditors’ claims and security rights (especially floating charges), challengeable transactions, and liability of directors. While the principal focus will be law in the UK, references will also be made to other jurisdictions, including the USA.

The course aims to develop an in-depth and critical appreciation of current issues in the area of the use of armed force in International Law. The course is of interest to students who want to understand the legal considerations which frame contemporary conflicts.

The course will first analyse the fundamental principle of the prohibition on the use of force between States. It will then examine the current exceptions to this principle (e.g., right to self-defence, authorisation to use force given by the United Nations Security Council); further, what types of arguments States tend to use to justify the resort to force. Consequently, the course will study the most recent military interventions on the international plane (e.g., in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, Libya, Palestine, Syria, Ukraine, Gaza and Iran). Teaching will be principally delivered through discussion-based seminars.