51cg

Programme Fees

UK

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year

£11,900

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year (51cg Graduates *)

£7,000

51cg graduates are eligible for the Alumni Postgraduate Scholarship, reducing tuition fees to £7,000 - matching the current SAAS tuition loan - See full terms and conditions

EU / International students

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year

£23,000

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year (Self-funded Students *)

£15,000

The above fee includes the £8,000 Aberdeen Global Scholarship provided to self-funded international students. Full terms and conditions apply.

Semester 1

Duration: 12 months full-time or 24 or 36 months part-time.

Information for part-time students: This route will run over three academic years. Candidates normally take 30 credit points in Academic Year 1 120 credit points in Academic Year 2, and 30 credit points in Academic Year 3. LS551T and PD5506 must be taken in Year 1, and LS5904 must be taken in Year 2. Candidates must take the following. It must be taken in Year 2 LS555Q Shipping Law and Marine Insurance (30 credit points) Candidates must take a remaining 60 credit points. At least 60 credit points must be obtained from the courses listed below. The remaining credit points may be obtained from any LLM 30 credit on campus course :

Semester 1: Compulsory Courses

Getting Started at the 51cg (PD5506)

This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across the first 4 weeks of term.

Topics include University orientation overview, equality & diversity, MySkills, health, safety and cyber security, and academic integrity.

Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Transcript as ‘Achieved’.

Detailed course information

Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship (LS551T)

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.

Detailed course information

Shipping Law and Marine Insurance (LS555Q)

30 Credit Points

This course looks at the issues arising from the use of a ship to transport goods from buyer to seller when each is based in a separate legal system and related insurance matters. We examine the contract of affreightment; the relevance of charter parties; the possibilities offered by Bills of Lading and analogous 'documents' (whether electronic or not). We consider the law concerning a cargo claim as it may involve the Hague Rules, the Hague-Visby Rules, the Hamburg Rules. We also look at marine insurance in the context of a cargo claim.

Detailed course information

Semester 1: Optional Courses

In addition to the above candidates must take courses to the value of 60 credit points. At least 30 credit points must be obtained from the courses listed below. The remaining credit points may be obtained from any LLM 30 credit on campus Law course:

Legal Liabilities in Maritime Law (LS505U)

World Trade Organisation: Gatt (LS553V)

30 Credit Points

The course aims to provide a thorough and critical understanding of fundamental concepts, principles and institutions of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), with emphasis on trade in goods (GATT). The main topics covered include relevant historical and institutional developments, WTO dispute resolution, core principles such as the most-favour-nation (MFN), National Treatment and the prohibition of quantitative restrictions on international trade. The security, environment, human rights, subsidies, economic emergencies and free trade areas and customs unions based exceptions and their challenges are also analytically explored. These are studied in light of relevant WTO panel and Appellate Body cases and recommendations.

Detailed course information

Contract Law Aspects of Oil and Gas Exploration (LS554P)

30 Credit Points

A good knowledge and understanding of the commercial purpose and key features of the principal contracts used in the oil and gas industry is essential for an oil and gas lawyer. This course will examine the contracts entered into between involved in the exploration for and production of oil and gas. These include and the investment contracts entered into between the oil companies themselves in the form of Joint Operating Agreements, and those between oil and gas companies operators and the contractors making up the service and supply chain. The course will be taught by means of a mix of lectures, seminars and interactive workshops.

Detailed course information

Climate Law and Sustainability (LS554N)

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 international and national levels, adapting to the current and projected impacts of climate change, and opening international green finance markets to support regional decarbonisation. This course immerses students in the cutting-edge field of climate law and sustainability, where they will critically explore the role of law in mitigating the climate crisis.

Detailed course information

Comparative Contract Law (LS555K)

30 Credit Points

This course is aimed to help commercial lawyers working in transnational settings to understand how different legal traditions offer different viewpoints on key contractual challenges that emerge in all commercial contracts: how agreements are formed, interpreted and enforced; what remedies are available to aggrieved parties; under what circumstances can parties avoid liability. Thus, national contract laws will be seen as variations on a theme. The course will cover the main rules and doctrines of a range of legal systems, as well as transnational contract law mechanisms

Detailed course information

The Law of The Sea (LS555T)

30 Credit Points

The oceans are widely considered to be Earth's final frontier. Oceans are vital for maintaining life on Earth, their natural resources are increasingly important to the global economy and about 90 per cent of all international trade is carried out by sea. In the development of humanity, the oceans and seas have always played a significant role, not only as a means of communication and trade, but also as a most important source for satisfying nutritional needs. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, in view of an ever-increasing world population, a growing necessity has arisen to exploit marine natural resources, whether living (such as fisheries) or non-living (such as hydrocarbons and deep-sea minerals). Creating an effective governance and regulatory regime for the worlds’ oceans and seas continues to be - perhaps now more than even - one of the greatest challenges for states and the international community as a whole.

The current legal framework for the oceans is largely codified in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982 (UNCLOS) as an inseparable part of public international law. This Convention has often been called the ‘Constitution for the Oceans' and is based on the fundamental premise that all the problems of the oceans are inextricably intertwined and need to be considered as a whole. UNCLOS divides the oceans into several jurisdictional zones, namely internal waters, territorial sea, archipelagic waters, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the continental shelf, the high seas and the Area. In all these zones, the legal regime seeks to maintain a careful balance in reconciling the interests between individual states on one hand, and the protection of community interests on the other. Structured around this dual balancing objective, this course is designed to present students with the core elements of modern ocean law with a particular focus on the exploitation of marine natural resources, both living and non-living, marine environmental protection and international dispute settlement in the law of the sea.

Detailed course information

Semester 2

Semester 2: Compulsory Courses

Master of Laws Dissertation (LS5904)

60 Credit Points

Between February 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 three preparatory lectures, three supervisory meetings and two dissertation writing seminars. Students are expected to spend considerable time on independent research throughout the course of the dissertation module, including; preparation of a dissertation plan, amendment of plan in accordance with supervisory comments, and, of course, the final 10,000-word dissertation itself.

Detailed course information

Semester 3

Semester 3: Optional Courses

International Commercial Litigation (LS503M)

30 Credit Points

This course introduces international commercial litigation, the major means of commercial dispute resolution for many sectors of industry and the default means of dispute resolution against which international arbitration is positioned. The course demonstrates the relevance of a venue’s Private International Law (PIL) to its attractiveness for dispute resolution and provides advanced instruction in the relevant post-Brexit aspects of PIL to parties engaged in litigating international commercial disputes.

Detailed course information

International Commercial Arbitration (LS5083)

30 Credit Points

This course provides students with a thorough introduction to the theory and practice of international commercial arbitration, one of the most important mechanisms for resolving cross-border commercial disputes. It equips students with the legal knowledge and practical understanding needed to navigate the international arbitration process, from the arbitration agreement to the enforcement of arbitral awards. Alongside recorded lectures and in-person seminars, the course includes a podcast introducing the fundamentals of international commercial arbitration.

Detailed course information

International Trade and Finance Law (LS508A)

30 Credit Points

This course considers issues relating to international trade and finance law and addresses the legal and commercial aspects of export-import transactions. It covers trade risks and risk assessment, the law and practice relating to international sale of goods, carriage of goods and insurance matters, international trade finance, digitalisation of international trade and international commercial dispute resolution.

Detailed course information

International Energy and Environmental Law (LS501C)

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.

Detailed course information

Legal Liabilities in Maritime Law (LS505U)

30 Credit Points

Around 80% of the global volume of world trade is carried by sea. This course examines the unique legal issues that apply to international shipping in the context of maritime casualties. We consider the duties imposed on ships and their owner, including those relating to navigation, safety, and pollution. We examine how a claimant may enforce their claim against a ship. We consider future challenges facing the shipping industry such as GHG emissions and the introduction of autonomous vessels

Detailed course information

Programme Fees

UK

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year

£11,900

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year (51cg Graduates *)

£7,000

51cg graduates are eligible for the Alumni Postgraduate Scholarship, reducing tuition fees to £7,000 - matching the current SAAS tuition loan - See full terms and conditions

EU / International students

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year

£23,000

Tuition Fees for 2026/27 Academic Year (Self-funded Students *)

£15,000

The above fee includes the £8,000 Aberdeen Global Scholarship provided to self-funded international students. Full terms and conditions apply.

Semester 1

Duration: 12 months full-time or 24 or 36 months part-time.

Information for part-time students: This route will run over two academic years minimum. Candidates can take up to 120 credit points in an academic year. LS501T and PD5006 must be taken in Year 1, and LS5904 must be taken in Year 2. Candidates must take the following. It be taken in either Year 1 or Year 2: LS555Q Shipping Law and Marine Insurance (30 credit points). Candidates must take a remaining 60 credit points. At least 60 credit points must be obtained from the courses listed below. The remaining credit points may be obtained from any LLM 30 credit on campus course:

Semester 1: Compulsory Courses

Critical Legal Thinking and Scholarship (LS501T)

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.

Detailed course information

Getting Started at the 51cg (PD5006)

This course, which is prescribed for all taught postgraduate students, is studied entirely online, takes approximately 2-3 hours to complete and can be taken in one sitting, or spread across the first 4 weeks of term.

Topics include University orientation overview, equality & diversity, MySkills, health, safety and cyber security, and academic integrity.

Successful completion of this course will be recorded on your Transcript as ‘Achieved’.

Detailed course information

Semester 1: Optional Courses

In addition to the above candidates must take courses to the value of 60 credit points. At least 30 credit points must be obtained from the courses listed below. The remaining credit points may be obtained from any LLM 30 credit on campus Law course:

Legal Liabilities in Maritime Law (LS505U)

International Trade and Finance Law (LS508A)

30 Credit Points

This course considers issues relating to international trade and finance law and addresses the legal and commercial aspects of export-import transactions. It covers trade risks and risk assessment, the law and practice relating to international sale of goods, carriage of goods and insurance matters, international trade finance, digitalisation of international trade and international commercial dispute resolution.

Detailed course information

International Commercial Arbitration (LS5083)

30 Credit Points

This course provides students with a thorough introduction to the theory and practice of international commercial arbitration, one of the most important mechanisms for resolving cross-border commercial disputes. It equips students with the legal knowledge and practical understanding needed to navigate the international arbitration process, from the arbitration agreement to the enforcement of arbitral awards. Alongside recorded lectures and in-person seminars, the course includes a podcast introducing the fundamentals of international commercial arbitration.

Detailed course information

International Commercial Litigation (LS503M)

30 Credit Points

This course introduces international commercial litigation, the major means of commercial dispute resolution for many sectors of industry and the default means of dispute resolution against which international arbitration is positioned. The course demonstrates the relevance of a venue’s Private International Law (PIL) to its attractiveness for dispute resolution and provides advanced instruction in the relevant post-Brexit aspects of PIL to parties engaged in litigating international commercial disputes.

Detailed course information

International Energy and Environmental Law (LS501C)

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.

Detailed course information

Legal Liabilities in Maritime Law (LS505U)

30 Credit Points

Around 80% of the global volume of world trade is carried by sea. This course examines the unique legal issues that apply to international shipping in the context of maritime casualties. We consider the duties imposed on ships and their owner, including those relating to navigation, safety, and pollution. We examine how a claimant may enforce their claim against a ship. We consider future challenges facing the shipping industry such as GHG emissions and the introduction of autonomous vessels

Detailed course information

Semester 2

Semester 2: Optional Courses

The Law of the Sea (LS555T)

Comparative Contract Law (LS555K)

30 Credit Points

This course is aimed to help commercial lawyers working in transnational settings to understand how different legal traditions offer different viewpoints on key contractual challenges that emerge in all commercial contracts: how agreements are formed, interpreted and enforced; what remedies are available to aggrieved parties; under what circumstances can parties avoid liability. Thus, national contract laws will be seen as variations on a theme. The course will cover the main rules and doctrines of a range of legal systems, as well as transnational contract law mechanisms

Detailed course information

World Trade Organisation: Gatt (LS553V)

30 Credit Points

The course aims to provide a thorough and critical understanding of fundamental concepts, principles and institutions of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), with emphasis on trade in goods (GATT). The main topics covered include relevant historical and institutional developments, WTO dispute resolution, core principles such as the most-favour-nation (MFN), National Treatment and the prohibition of quantitative restrictions on international trade. The security, environment, human rights, subsidies, economic emergencies and free trade areas and customs unions based exceptions and their challenges are also analytically explored. These are studied in light of relevant WTO panel and Appellate Body cases and recommendations.

Detailed course information

Contract Law Aspects of Oil and Gas Exploration (LS554P)

30 Credit Points

A good knowledge and understanding of the commercial purpose and key features of the principal contracts used in the oil and gas industry is essential for an oil and gas lawyer. This course will examine the contracts entered into between involved in the exploration for and production of oil and gas. These include and the investment contracts entered into between the oil companies themselves in the form of Joint Operating Agreements, and those between oil and gas companies operators and the contractors making up the service and supply chain. The course will be taught by means of a mix of lectures, seminars and interactive workshops.

Detailed course information

Climate Law and Sustainability (LS554N)

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 international and national levels, adapting to the current and projected impacts of climate change, and opening international green finance markets to support regional decarbonisation. This course immerses students in the cutting-edge field of climate law and sustainability, where they will critically explore the role of law in mitigating the climate crisis.

Detailed course information

The Law of The Sea (LS555T)

30 Credit Points

The oceans are widely considered to be Earth's final frontier. Oceans are vital for maintaining life on Earth, their natural resources are increasingly important to the global economy and about 90 per cent of all international trade is carried out by sea. In the development of humanity, the oceans and seas have always played a significant role, not only as a means of communication and trade, but also as a most important source for satisfying nutritional needs. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, in view of an ever-increasing world population, a growing necessity has arisen to exploit marine natural resources, whether living (such as fisheries) or non-living (such as hydrocarbons and deep-sea minerals). Creating an effective governance and regulatory regime for the worlds’ oceans and seas continues to be - perhaps now more than even - one of the greatest challenges for states and the international community as a whole.

The current legal framework for the oceans is largely codified in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982 (UNCLOS) as an inseparable part of public international law. This Convention has often been called the ‘Constitution for the Oceans' and is based on the fundamental premise that all the problems of the oceans are inextricably intertwined and need to be considered as a whole. UNCLOS divides the oceans into several jurisdictional zones, namely internal waters, territorial sea, archipelagic waters, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the continental shelf, the high seas and the Area. In all these zones, the legal regime seeks to maintain a careful balance in reconciling the interests between individual states on one hand, and the protection of community interests on the other. Structured around this dual balancing objective, this course is designed to present students with the core elements of modern ocean law with a particular focus on the exploitation of marine natural resources, both living and non-living, marine environmental protection and international dispute settlement in the law of the sea.

Detailed course information

Semester 3

Semester 3: Compulsory Courses

Master of Laws Dissertation (LS5904)

60 Credit Points

Between February 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 three preparatory lectures, three supervisory meetings and two dissertation writing seminars. Students are expected to spend considerable time on independent research throughout the course of the dissertation module, including; preparation of a dissertation plan, amendment of plan in accordance with supervisory comments, and, of course, the final 10,000-word dissertation itself.

Detailed course information