Sofia De Llano Pedroza Mexico
Energy Transition Law with Professional Skills, LLM
Introduction
This unique Master’s examines legal aspects of the energy transition: from authorising renewable energy projects to regulating energy markets in the era of decarbonisation. During your studies, you’ll gain an invaluable insight into this fast-developing, highly topical industry, and form a solid basis to forge a successful career in this field.
Study Information
Study Options
- Learning Mode
- On Campus Learning
- Degree Qualification
- LLM
- Duration
- 12 months or 24 months
- Study Mode
- Full Time or Part Time
- Start Month
- January or September
- Location of Study
- Aberdeen
Tapping into the growing need for lawyers with interdisciplinary knowledge, this programme will equip you with the necessary knowledge and skills to operate effectively at the energy, environmental, and climate change law areas. Our programme produces lawyers that understand how environmental law affects the energy industry in its physical, technical, economic and political context. As growing energy demand coincides with the need to move away from fossil fuel dependence, law has a central role to play in enabling the shift to low carbon energy whilst maintaining energy security and the transition to environmentally sustainable economic development. With a unique choice of energy and environment courses such as Renewable Energy Law and Principle of Environmental Regulation, you will benefit from an advanced understanding and sharpened critical analysis across many key areas, including the current position of energy, environmental, and climate change laws and how these might change in the future. The programme covers matters of core interest for policy-makers, not only from an energy and environmental perspective but in all fields that provide the foundation for socio-economic functionality and corporate policy. The courses have been carefully designed collaboratively by teaching staff within the university and a range of key external contacts who have a direct role in the industry. This additional input ensures that the Master’s degree is aligned to industry competencies and needs, and you will benefit from the programme’s specific focus on intensive professional skills courses. The main difference with the LLM Energy Transition Law is the replacement of the dissertation with two intensive professional skills exercises.
Available Programmes of Study
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.
- LLM
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Energy Transition Law with Professional Skills
Qualification Duration Learning Mode Study Mode Start Month LocationLLM 12 months or 24 months On Campus Learning Full Time or Part Time September MoreSemester 1
Compulsory Courses
All students must take:
- Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship (LS501T)
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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.
- Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD5006)
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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’.
Optional Courses
Four optional courses must be selected. Two should be selected from semester 1 and two from semester 2
- International Energy and Environmental Law (LS501C)
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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.
- Low Carbon Energy Transition: Renewable Energy Law (LS501H)
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30 Credit Points
A transition from reliance on fossil fuels to low-carbon renewable energy is essential for mitigating climate change and for making energy supplies more sustainable. The course considers the challenges and concerns that this fundamental change in the nature of energy supplies gives rise to, and explores laws role in addressing them. The course examines the legal regimes for promoting renewable energy at international, EU and UK levels, and considers how law can be used to address significant constraints on the growth of renewable energy including difficulties with grid access and public opposition to wind energy development.
- Oil and Mining Resources for Good and Development (LS504J)
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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.
Semester 2
Optional Courses
Four optional courses must be selected. Two should be selected from semester 1 and two from semester 2
- Downstream Energy Law (LS5594)
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30 Credit Points
The transport and supply of hydrocarbons (oil and gas) and electricity is essential for modern civilisation. If energy cannot get to the consumer, then energy security is threatened and economic development may be restricted.
These challenges are important in the context of the liberalisation of these sectors, especially the restructuring of these industries from monopolies to competitive markets. This course explores the law and policy framework governing the movement and distribution of energy, particularly within a liberalised market, in an era of climate change. Topics covered include market liberalisation, energy security, gas sales and transport, and market regulation.
- Regulation of Carbon Management (LS553Z)
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30 Credit Points
Climate change is the biggest environmental challenge of our time and addressing it requires a range of regulatory tools and strategies for mitigating emissions. These include placing limits on greenhouse gas emissions at the international, national, and regional levels; designing and implementing emission trading markets; facilitating the implementation of carbon capture, utilisation & storage and more. This course examines legal framework governing carbon management at the international and national levels, critically analysing the role of law in mitigating the climate crisis.
- Principles of Environmental Regulation (LS551A)
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30 Credit Points
The purpose of this course is to introduce the main principles of environmental law. The course analyses the challenges of environmental protection from the perspective of international, European and national law. Besides the conceptual analysis of the main principles of environmental law and methods of regulation, the course focuses on the delicate interaction between the principles of economic law (e.g. the right to property, the protection of investments, free trade) and environmental protection. Is there a conflict between economic law and environmental law or are these fields of law mutually reinforcing?
- International Investment Law and Energy Arbitration (LS555L)
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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.
Semester 3
Compulsory Courses
Programme Fees
Fee information Fee category Cost EU / International students £27,000 Tuition Fees for 2024/25 Academic Year Home / RUK £13,200 Tuition Fees for 2024/25 Academic Year LLM 12 months or 24 months On Campus Learning Full Time or Part Time January Aberdeen More
We will endeavour to make all course options available; however, these may be subject to timetabling and other constraints. Please see our InfoHub pages for further information.
Fee Information
International Applicants
Further Information about tuition fees and the cost of living in Aberdeen
Additional Fee Information
- Fees for individual programmes can be viewed in the Programmes section above.
- In exceptional circumstances there may be additional fees associated with specialist courses, for example field trips. Any additional fees for a course can be found in our Catalogue of Courses.
- For more information about tuition fees for this programme, including payment plans and our refund policy, please visit our InfoHub Tuition Fees page.
Funding Opportunities
The CB Davidson Fund provides limited financial support for postgraduate students within the Law School. It offers financial support to graduates in law from outside the UK to study in Aberdeen and to students and graduates of the University of Aberdeen who wish to travel outside of the UK for research purposes. Awards will not exceed £2,500 and in most instances will be less.
Scholarships
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.
How You'll Study
Learning Methods
- Individual Projects
- Lectures
- Research
- Tutorials
Assessment Methods
- Assessment is based on a combination of continuous assessment and written examination at the end of the relevant semester.
- The variety of assessment in the programme - through essays, presentations, group and project work ensures that students apply theory to practise and become expert communicators and team players.
Why Study Energy Transition Law with Professional Skills?
Repeatedly ranked as one of the UK’s top Law Schools, we pride ourselves on delivering high quality, engaging and academically challenging programmes. But don't just take our word for it - we let the facts speak for themselves.
- Our Energy LLM is ranked in the top 10 globally by LLM Guide 2023.
- The School of Law is ranked Top 10 in the UK by the Times & Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024.
- There are over 40 nationalities within the School of Law postgraduate community, therefore you will benefit from a programme with a truly international outlook.
A foundation discipline in 1495, our Law School is now considered one of the UK’s elite training grounds for lawyers. At our university, you will:
- Gain interdisciplinary exposure, which is very important to practising lawyers.
- Understand the crucial interaction between energy, environmental and climate change law, particularly in relation to low carbon energy, which is a highly-prized topic today.
- Have the opportunity to study a programme that has been designed by experts in their field. The programme provides the ideal opportunity for professional development in specialist areas of law.
- Gain first-hand experience of aspects of professional practice in the field of your academic specialisation.
- Be part of a programme that has a focus on tangible, marketable employability skills that will enable you to get ahead in your career.
- Take advantage of real-world interactions and assignments that simulate what lawyers do day-to-day.
- Be taught by professionals, researchers and consultants with direct experience of developing energy transition projects.
The programme is set against the background of Aberdeen’s reputation and knowledge as the Energy capital of Europe.
To help align your knowledge with a career path beyond, you’ll be supported by a comprehensive range of bespoke careers services and events, focused on providing you with the tools and additional skills you need to advance and transform your career potential.
What Our Students Say
Entry Requirements
Qualifications
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 in Law (or another related discipline) or equivalent.
Relevant practical experience will also be beneficial.
Please enter your country to view country-specific entry requirements.
English Language 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 - 6.0; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
TOEFL iBT:
OVERALL - 90 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 21; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
PTE Academic:
OVERALL - 62 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency:
OVERALL - 176 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 169; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169
Read more about specific English Language requirements here.
Document Requirements
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.
- Degree Transcript
- a full transcript showing all the subjects you studied and the marks you have achieved in your degree(s) (original & official English translation)
- Personal Statement
- a detailed personal statement explaining your motivation for this particular programme
- Reference
- a reference letter from your university discussing your academic ability. If you have been out of education for a long time you may wish to use your current or most recent employer, or another professional person
International Applicants
Careers
The LLM in Energy Transition Law is more than a qualification - it’s potentially a passport to greater opportunity for both practising and aspiring lawyers and to those who want to pursue a career within national or multi-national energy companies. It provides the skills needed for those who might want to work within governmental or non-governmental organisations. The programme may also serve to engage those seeking a more academic career – perhaps forming part of the journey towards gaining a PhD.
Whatever drives you and on whichever side of the energy and environment debate you stand, it’s clear that both energy and environment have to work together. There’s no plan B. The whole world will have to invest in making this happen. So if you want a sustainable career, like we all want a sustainable world, here’s the place to start.
Professional Links
On our Professional Skills routes we use professionals as adjunct faculty, as well as on-the-ground industry contacts.
Our Experts
This programme is delivered by experts from our Aberdeen University Centre for Energy Law (AUCEL)
- Programme Coordinator
- Daria Shapovalova
Information About Staff Changes
You will be taught by a range of experts including professors, lecturers, teaching fellows and postgraduate tutors. Staff changes will occur from time to time; please see our InfoHub pages for further information.
Facilities
Taylor Library
The School of Law has its own dedicated law library, Taylor Library, which is located within the Law School building, offering access to the Law collection, Official Publications and the European Documentation Centre.
Get in Touch
Contact Details
- Address
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School of Law
University of Aberdeen
Taylor Building
Aberdeen
AB24 3UB