University of Aberdeen School of Law
Encyclopedia
The School of Law at the University of Aberdeen
dates back to the University's foundation in 1495. Today, it is one of the largest law schools in Scotland, admitting some two hundred and fifty students each year, as well as over forty international exchange students. The School offers both undergraduate
and taught and research postgraduate
degrees, as well as the Diploma in Legal Practice
and Professional Competence Course.
The Head of the School of Law is Mrs. Margaret Ross.
, the original university in Aberdeen, by William Elphinstone
, then Bishop of Aberdeen
and himself a former lawyer. In 1860, King's merged with Aberdeen's other university, Marischal College
, to form the current University.
' Good University Guide 2010, although it placed nineteenth in the UK and second in Scotland in The Guardian
s table the same year. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise
(RAE), the School submitted 35.7 FTE
staff, the third-highest number of legal research staff in Scotland, after Glasgow
(37.95) and Edinburgh
(48.74). Five of the School's research submissions were rated the highest 4*, the same number as Dundee
and Stirling, but behind Glasgow
's fifteen, Strathclyde
's twenty and Edinburgh
's thirty. The School achieved thirty 3*, forty-five 2* and twenty 1* submissions.
Postgraduate
Taught degrees
Research degrees
Aberdeen Summer Program
In addition, the School of Law plays host to the annual Aberdeen Summer Program in co-operation with the University of Baltimore School of Law
and University of Maryland School of Law
. The course examines comparison of U.S.
and U.K.
law, and is taught by Scottish and American tutors. Twenty American law students participated in the 2008 program, and thirty-two American law students are enrolled in the 2009 program.
and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
in Belgium
, Aarhus Universitet in Denmark
, the University of Helsinki
in Finland
, the University of Auvergne
, Pierre Mendès-France University
and Lumière University Lyon 2
in France
, the Universities of Freiburg
, Marburg and Regensburg in Germany
, Maastricht University in the Netherlands
, the University of Bergen
in Norway
,
Universidad de Deusto and Universidad de Sevilla in Spain
, and the Universities of Stellenbosch
and Cape Town
in South Africa
.
University of Aberdeen
The University of Aberdeen, an ancient university founded in 1495, in Aberdeen, Scotland, is a British university. It is the third oldest university in Scotland, and the fifth oldest in the United Kingdom and wider English-speaking world...
dates back to the University's foundation in 1495. Today, it is one of the largest law schools in Scotland, admitting some two hundred and fifty students each year, as well as over forty international exchange students. The School offers both undergraduate
Undergraduate education
Undergraduate education is an education level taken prior to gaining a first degree . Hence, in many subjects in many educational systems, undergraduate education is post-secondary education up to the level of a bachelor's degree, such as in the United States, where a university entry level is...
and taught and research postgraduate
Postgraduate education
Postgraduate education involves learning and studying for degrees or other qualifications for which a first or Bachelor's degree generally is required, and is normally considered to be part of higher education...
degrees, as well as the Diploma in Legal Practice
Diploma in Legal Practice
The Diploma in Legal Practice is a Scottish postgraduate qualification required in order to practise law in Scotland, as either a solicitor or an advocate...
and Professional Competence Course.
The Head of the School of Law is Mrs. Margaret Ross.
History
The history of the School of Law began with the establishment in 1495 of King's College, AberdeenKing's College, Aberdeen
King's College in Old Aberdeen, Scotland is a formerly independent university founded in 1495 and an integral part of the University of Aberdeen...
, the original university in Aberdeen, by William Elphinstone
William Elphinstone
William Elphinstone was a Scottish statesman, Bishop of Aberdeen and founder of the University of Aberdeen.He was born in Glasgow, and educated at the University of Glasgow, taking the degree of M.A. in 1452. After practising for a short time as a lawyer in the church courts, he was ordained a...
, then Bishop of Aberdeen
Bishop of Aberdeen
The Bishop of Aberdeen was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Aberdeen, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics, whose first recorded bishop is an early 12th century cleric named Nechtan...
and himself a former lawyer. In 1860, King's merged with Aberdeen's other university, Marischal College
Marischal College
Marischal College is a building and former university in the centre of the city of Aberdeen in north-east Scotland. The building is owned by the University of Aberdeen and used for ceremonial events...
, to form the current University.
Today
Today, the School of Law has around one thousand students studying undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and houses two research centres: the Centre for Property Law and the Civil Law Centre. The School was rated the eighth best department in the UK, and first in Scotland, in The TimesThe Times
The Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
' Good University Guide 2010, although it placed nineteenth in the UK and second in Scotland in The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
s table the same year. In the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise
Research Assessment Exercise
The Research Assessment Exercise is an exercise undertaken approximately every 5 years on behalf of the four UK higher education funding councils to evaluate the quality of research undertaken by British higher education institutions...
(RAE), the School submitted 35.7 FTE
Full-time equivalent
Full-time equivalent , is a unit to measure employed persons or students in a way that makes them comparable although they may work or study a different number of hours per week. FTE is often used to measure a worker's involvement in a project, or to track cost reductions in an organization...
staff, the third-highest number of legal research staff in Scotland, after Glasgow
University of Glasgow School of Law
The School of Law at the University of Glasgow provides undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Law, and awards the degrees of Bachelor of Laws , Master of Laws , Master of Science , Master of Research and Doctor of Philosophy , the degree of Doctor of Laws...
(37.95) and Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh School of Law
The University of Edinburgh School of Law, founded in 1707, is a school within the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, dedicated to research and teaching in law. Known today as Edinburgh Law School, it is located in the historic Old College, the original site of the University...
(48.74). Five of the School's research submissions were rated the highest 4*, the same number as Dundee
University of Dundee School of Law
The School of Law at the University of Dundee in Dundee, Scotland provides undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in Scottish and English Law. It is the only institution in the United Kingdom to permit students to qualify into all three UK legal jurisdictions...
and Stirling, but behind Glasgow
University of Glasgow School of Law
The School of Law at the University of Glasgow provides undergraduate and postgraduate courses in Law, and awards the degrees of Bachelor of Laws , Master of Laws , Master of Science , Master of Research and Doctor of Philosophy , the degree of Doctor of Laws...
's fifteen, Strathclyde
Strathclyde Law School
Strathclyde Law School was established in 1964 and operates within the Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences at the University of Strathclyde, in Glasgow, Scotland....
's twenty and Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh School of Law
The University of Edinburgh School of Law, founded in 1707, is a school within the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, dedicated to research and teaching in law. Known today as Edinburgh Law School, it is located in the historic Old College, the original site of the University...
's thirty. The School achieved thirty 3*, forty-five 2* and twenty 1* submissions.
Courses
Undergraduate- Bachelor of LawsBachelor of LawsThe Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
(LL.B.): available as a two-year accelerated degree for graduates in other disciplines, and as an honours degree, including options for joint honours with FrenchFrench languageFrench is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, GermanGerman languageGerman is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, SpanishSpanish languageSpanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
or Gaelic language, AccountancyAccountancyAccountancy is the process of communicating financial information about a business entity to users such as shareholders and managers. The communication is generally in the form of financial statements that show in money terms the economic resources under the control of management; the art lies in...
, EconomicsEconomicsEconomics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
, ManagementManagementManagement in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
or MusicMusicMusic is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
.
Postgraduate
Taught degrees
- Master of LawsMaster of LawsThe Master of Laws is an advanced academic degree, pursued by those holding a professional law degree, and is commonly abbreviated LL.M. from its Latin name, Legum Magister. The University of Oxford names its taught masters of laws B.C.L...
(LL.M.) in Commercial Law - LL.M. in European Law
- LL.M. in European and International Law
- LL.M. in Criminal Justice
- LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law
- LL.M. in International Commercial Law
- LL.M. by Distance Learning in International Business Law
- LL.M. in Sustainable Development and Law
- LL.M. in International Law
- LL.M. in Criminal Justice and Human Rights
- LL.M. in Human Rights and Criminal Justice
- LL.M. in Human Rights
- LL.M. in Oil & Gas Law
- LL.M. in Private International Law
- LL.M. in International Law and Globalisation
Research degrees
- LL.M. by research
- Master of PhilosophyMaster of PhilosophyThe Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
(M.Phil.) - Doctor of PhilosophyDoctor of PhilosophyDoctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
(Ph.D.)
Aberdeen Summer Program
In addition, the School of Law plays host to the annual Aberdeen Summer Program in co-operation with the University of Baltimore School of Law
University of Baltimore School of Law
University of Baltimore School of Law, or UB Law, is one of the three colleges that make up the University of Baltimore, which is part of the University System of Maryland. UB Law is one of only two law schools in the state of Maryland, the other law school being the University of Maryland School...
and University of Maryland School of Law
University of Maryland School of Law
The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law is the second-oldest law school in the United States by date of establishment and third-oldest by date of first classes. The school is located on the campus of the University of Maryland, Baltimore in Downtown Baltimore's West Side...
. The course examines comparison of U.S.
Law of the United States
The law of the United States consists of many levels of codified and uncodified forms of law, of which the most important is the United States Constitution, the foundation of the federal government of the United States...
and U.K.
Law of the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has three legal systems. English law, which applies in England and Wales, and Northern Ireland law, which applies in Northern Ireland, are based on common-law principles. Scots law, which applies in Scotland, is a pluralistic system based on civil-law principles, with common law...
law, and is taught by Scottish and American tutors. Twenty American law students participated in the 2008 program, and thirty-two American law students are enrolled in the 2009 program.
International Exchange
In the final year of the LLB course, students are given the opportunity to spend time studying in another country, learning its respective legal system and possibly its language. Current options open to students include the Université Libre de BruxellesUniversité Libre de Bruxelles
The Université libre de Bruxelles is a French-speaking university in Brussels, Belgium. It has 21,000 students, 29% of whom come from abroad, and an equally cosmopolitan staff.-Name:...
and Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven is a Dutch-speaking university in Flanders, Belgium.It is located at the centre of the historic town of Leuven, and is a prominent part of the city, home to the university since 1425...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Aarhus Universitet in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, the University of Helsinki
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is a university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but was founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as The Royal Academy of Turku, at that time part of the Swedish Empire. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, the University of Auvergne
University of Auvergne
The University of Auvergne , also known as “Universite d'Auvergne Clermont-Ferrand I” or Clermont-Ferrand I, is a French public university, based in Clermont-Ferrand, in the region of Auvergne. It is under the Academy of Clermont-Ferrand. It is the head of PRES Clermont Université consortium; PRES...
, Pierre Mendès-France University
Pierre Mendès-France University
Pierre Mendès-France University is a French university, based in Grenoble, focusing on social sciences. It is named after the late French politician Pierre Mendès-France. It is under the Academy of Grenoble....
and Lumière University Lyon 2
Lumière University Lyon 2
Lumière University Lyon 2 is one of the three universities that comprise the current University of Lyon, having splintered from an older university of the same name, and is primarily based on two campuses in Lyon itself...
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, the Universities of Freiburg
University of Freiburg
The University of Freiburg , sometimes referred to in English as the Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg, is a public research university located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Baden-Württemberg, Germany.The university was founded in 1457 by the Habsburg dynasty as the...
, Marburg and Regensburg in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Maastricht University in the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, the University of Bergen
University of Bergen
The University of Bergen is located in Bergen, Norway. Although founded as late as 1946, academic activity had taken place at Bergen Museum as far back as 1825. The university today serves more than 14,500 students...
in Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
,
Universidad de Deusto and Universidad de Sevilla in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, and the Universities of Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch University
Stellenbosch University is a public research university situated in the town of Stellenbosch, South Africa. Other nearby universities are the University of Cape Town and University of the Western Cape....
and Cape Town
University of Cape Town
The University of Cape Town is a public research university located in Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa. UCT was founded in 1829 as the South African College, and is the oldest university in South Africa and the second oldest extant university in Africa.-History:The roots of...
in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Notable alumni
- Alistair CarmichaelAlistair CarmichaelAlexander Morrison "Alistair" Carmichael is a Liberal Democrat politician. He has been the Member of Parliament for the Scottish seat of Orkney and Shetland since the 2001 general election.-Early life:...
: Liberal DemocratLiberal DemocratsThe Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
Spokesman on Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland OfficeThe Northern Ireland Office is a United Kingdom government department responsible for Northern Ireland affairs. The NIO is led by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and is based in Northern Ireland at Stormont House.-Role:...
and ScotlandScotland OfficeThe Scotland Office is a United Kingdom government department headed by the Secretary of State for Scotland and responsible for Scottish affairs...
(2007-), and Member of Parliament for Orkney and ShetlandOrkney and Shetland (UK Parliament constituency)Orkney and Shetland is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
(2001-) - Alistair DarlingAlistair DarlingAlistair Maclean Darling is a Scottish Labour Party politician who has been a Member of Parliament since 1987, currently for Edinburgh South West. He served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2007 to 2010...
:Chancellor of the ExchequerChancellor of the ExchequerThe Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
until 2010 - The Hon. Lady Dorian: Senator of the College of JusticeSenator of the College of JusticeThe Senators of the College of Justice are judges of the College of Justice, a set of legal institutions involved in the administration of justice in Scotland. There are three types of Senator: Lords of Session ; Lords Commissioner of Justiciary ; and the Chairman of the Scottish Land Court...
(2005-) - Murdo FraserMurdo FraserMurdo Fraser is a Scottish politician and the current Deputy leader of the Scottish Conservative Party in the Scottish Parliament. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Mid Scotland and Fife region since 2001....
: Deputy Leader of the Scottish Conservatives in the Scottish ParliamentScottish ParliamentThe Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
and MSPMember of the Scottish ParliamentMember of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
for Mid Scotland and FifeMid Scotland and Fife (Scottish Parliament electoral region)Mid Scotland and Fife is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament...
(2003-) - George GrubGeorge GrubGeorge Grub was a Scottish church historian.He was born in Old Aberdeen, and educated at King's College there. He studied law, and was admitted in 1836 to the Society of Advocates, Aberdeen, of which he was librarian from 1841 until his death. He was appointed Lecturer on Scots Law in Marischal...
: Professor of Law at the University (1881–91) - The Rt Hon. Lord Marnoch: Senator of the College of Justice (1990–2005)
- Frank Mulholland QCFrank MulhollandFrank Mulholland QC is a Scottish lawyer and has been Lord Advocate, one of the Great Officers of State of Scotland and the country's chief Law Officer, since 19 May 2011, having previously been Solicitor General, the junior Law Officer...
: Lord AdvocateLord AdvocateHer Majesty's Advocate , known as the Lord Advocate , is the chief legal officer of the Scottish Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters that fall within the devolved powers of the Scottish Parliament...
(2011-), Solicitor GeneralSolicitor General for ScotlandHer Majesty's Solicitor General for Scotland is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Lord Advocate, whose duty is to advise the Crown and the Scottish Government on Scots Law...
(2007-2011) - Nicol StephenNicol StephenNicol Ross Stephen, Baron Stephen of Lower Deeside in the City of Aberdeen is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician. He was the Member of the Scottish Parliament for Aberdeen South, and was leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats from 2005 to 2008...
: Former leader of the Scottish Liberal DemocratsScottish Liberal DemocratsThe Scottish Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties within the federal Liberal Democrats; the others being the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England... - John WestJohn West (politician)John West was Depute Provost of the City of Aberdeen from May 2007 until July 2009. He became the youngest person elected as a Local Authority councillor in Scotland on the 3rd of May, 2007 at the age of eighteen with the Scottish National Party...
: Depute ProvostLord ProvostA Lord Provost is the figurative and ceremonial head of one of the principal cities of Scotland. Four cities, Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, have the right to appoint a Lord Provost instead of a provost...
of Aberdeen (2007-) - The Hon. Lord WoolmanStephen Woolman, Lord WoolmanStephen Errol Woolman, Lord Woolman is a Scottish legal academic, and a Senator of the College of Justice, a judge of the country's Supreme Courts.-Early life:...
: Senator of the College of Justice (2008-)