Curious about studying Law - LLB (Hons)at Abertay University? We've gathered all the key details—entry requirements, modules, fees, and more. Hear from real students by checking out reviews, or take the next step by booking an open day to explore it for yourself.
Bachelor of Law (with Honours) - LLB (Hons)
Abertay University
Full Time
Sep 2026
4 Year
(Complete University Guide 2027). You'll explore the
Scottish legal system and the building blocks of Scots law, complemented by subjects from other disciplines. Your very first module is 'Legal Systems and Methods'. This gives you an overview of what Scots Law is all about - we want you to have a clear understanding of what you'll be studying from the very start. You'll
learn to present legal arguments during debates in mock court appearancesand other exercises where you'll present legal arguments. We actively encourage you to
enhance your CVwith extracurricular legal activities like pro bono work.
What are the benefits of this law degree*
It enables you to become a Scottish solicitor, assuming you successfully complete a Diploma in Professional Legal Practice and a traineeship. *
It is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland and the Faculty of Advocates.*
Offers CV-enhancing extracurricularactivities
such as work placements, Moot clubs and pro bono work. *
Delivers excellent employment prospects.Many of our graduates become solicitors\* or advocates\*, barristers\*, paralegals or legal academics\*. \*after further study.
Work placements and study abroad optionsYou can follow solicitors at law firms on a work placement. This is where
you discover what it really means be part of the legal work environment,and get your degree at the same time.
Work placements and overseas study options all help to broaden your knowledgeof the law and how legal systems operate.
Abertay is Scotland’s TOP Modern University(Guardian University Guide 2027).
Starting university is a big step, and every student arrives with different strengths and challenges. This module helps you reflect on your skills, identify areas for development and plan how to succeed academically and personally. Using the Abertay Discovery Tool, you'll review key areas such as study skills, careers and employability, digital confidence and wellbeing. You'll then create a personal action plan and choose further MySuccess modules to support your growth throughout your time at Abertay. Indicative Content - What Does a Successful Student Look Like? Reflect on your motivations, values and passions. Explore what makes a successful student, learn from different examples of success, and consider how stepping outside your comfort zone can help you grow. - Abertay Discovery Tool: Complete the Abertay Discovery Tool to identify your strengths and areas for development across five themes: studying at university, academic skills, digital skills, careers and employability, and wellbeing. - Fundamentals of University: Learn how university study works - from understanding modules and assessments to interpreting assignment briefs and using feedback to improve. - Expectations of University and You: Explore what's expected of you as a student, including the code of conduct, academic integrity, and independent learning. Understand blended learning and how the Abertay Attributes link to your development. - Successful Student Behaviours: Develop habits that support success: managing time, avoiding procrastination, preparing effectively for classes, taking good notes and building a growth mindset. Discover opportunities to get involved at Abertay and beyond.
This module introduces you to the nature and sources of law in Scotland to enable you to begin to find, explain and apply basic principles of Scots law. Indicative content - The Origin and Nature of Law : Theories on the origin and nature of law. Law and other systems of rules. Distinguishing the Civil and Common Law systems. The emergence of Scots Law. - Fundamental Legal Concepts: The nature of obligations, legal rights and legal duties. The nature and concepts of Constitutions, separation of powers and the rule of law. Jurisdiction. - Sources of Law: Institutional writers, legal treatises and authoritative writings. Custom. Influence of Roman Law. Legislation. Case law. Investigating paper and electronic sources. - The System for Making and Amending Law: The legislative process in Scotland, the UK and the EU. - The System for Interpreting and Applying the Law: The role of lawyers and the nature of legal services. The role of Judges and Courts. The Civil and Criminal Court system of Scotland. The Court system in the UK and EU. Hierarchy and precedent. Role of Tribunals. - Legislative Interpretation: The approaches to interpreting legislation in the UK, Scotland and the EU. Rules of statutory interpretation. - Case Law Interpretation: How and why cases are reported. Locating sources. The doctrine of Precedent. Ratio decidendi and obiter dicta. Distinguishing cases. Comparing Scottish, English and EU cases. - Construction and Communication of Legal Argument: The nature of legal research. How to research a legal issue. Developing a legal opinion or argument. Presentation technique. The conventions of legal writing. Citation, abbreviations, terminology. - Introduction to Library-based Information services and research skills: Library resources; Virtual library and the online catalogue; Virtual library information services; OSCOLA referencing. - Choosing and Using Specialist Sources of Information: Specialist sources of information for professional practice (Westlaw, LexisNexis); Information services outwith the library (electronic journals, internet); The status of materials found outwith the library in terms of appropriate secondary authority and validity.
This module introduces you to the core principles and doctrines of UK constitutional law, with a particular focus on Scotland. You’ll explore the structure of the UK, key constitutional theories, and the roles of major institutions, while also examining Scotland’s constitutional framework and the impact of devolution. Indicative Content - UK Constitution: What is a constitution? Structure of the UK. Sources of UK constitutional law. Prerogative powers. Constitutional conventions. The Human Rights Act 1998. Scottish Independence – constitutional issues. - Doctrines of the UK Constitution: The rule of law, the separation of powers, parliamentary sovereignty, parliamentary sovereignty post European Communities Act 1972 and post Scotland Act 1998. - UK Parliament and the UK Executive: House of Commons, House of Lords, parliamentary supremacy, the UK Government, the Monarch, Prime Minister, Cabinet, Ministers, UK Government departments, civil service. - Scotland’s Government, Scottish Parliament: Scotland Acts 1998 etc, Scottish Ministers and Government, Scottish Parliament, legislative competence, First Minister, Advocate General for Scotland, reserved powers, protected enactments, devolution issues.
This module covers the law of delict within Scotland. It examines a broad scope of this area of law, but will primarily focus on the law of Negligence. The module further introduces you to the law of evidence relating to civil matters (including digital evidence and technological developments). Indicative content The Nature of Delictual Liability in Scots Law: You'll explore the history, purpose and key principles of the law of delict in Scotland, including how it differs from contract, crime and unjust enrichment. You'll examine different forms of liability, types of claims and the circumstances in which reparation may be available. Delictual Liability for Unintentional Harm: You'll examine how liability for unintentional harm is established, covering duty and standards of care, foreseeability, breach of duty, causation and remoteness. You'll also explore areas including nervous shock, economic loss and professional liability. Delicts in Relation to Property: You'll explore how the law of delict applies to property, including occupiers' liability, nuisance, interference with water, the escape of dangerous things, in aemulationem vicini and moveable property. Other Delictual Liability under Statute and Common Law: You'll examine a range of liabilities arising under legislation and common law, including breach of statutory duty, assault, trespass, fraud, passing off, conspiracy, wrongful interference and intimidation. You'll also explore consumer protection and defamation, including relevant principles and defences. Vicarious Liability and Employers' Liability: You'll investigate when employers, principals and others can be held responsible for the actions of employees, independent contractors and agents. You'll also examine employers' liability under common law and legislation. Extinction of Delictual Obligations: You'll explore the circumstances in which delictual obligations can come to an end, including relevant defences, prescription and limitation. The Law of Evidence in Civil Matters: You'll develop your understanding of how evidence is used in civil cases, including relevance, admissibility, weight and sufficiency. You'll also explore burdens and standards of proof, different types of evidence, privilege and immunity, witnesses, the hearsay rule and its exceptions, and the Civil Evidence (Scotland) Act 1988.
This module examines the Scots Law principles of criminal responsibility as well as the elements which must be proved in relation to the commission of particular crimes. The module further examines the rules of the law of evidence relating to criminal matters (including digital evidence and technological developments). Indicative content General Principles and Procedures: You'll explore the foundations of Scots criminal law, including sources of law, mens rea and actus reus , causation, strict liability and different forms of criminal responsibility. You'll also examine criminal defences, court procedures and appeals, alongside current proposals for law reform from the Scottish Law Commission. Crimes Against the Person: Recognised Defences: You'll examine crimes against the person and the recognised defences that may apply, including assault, aggravated assault, reckless injury, extortion and homicide. You'll also study selected offences under the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009. Crimes of Dishonesty: Recognised Defences: You'll explore crimes of dishonesty and their recognised defences, including theft and aggravated theft, embezzlement, robbery, reset, fraud and uttering as genuine. Crimes Relating to Public Order and Morality: Recognised Defences: You'll examine offences relating to public order, morality and the justice system, including breach of the peace, public indecency, perjury and selected offences against the course of justice, alongside the recognised defences that may apply. Crimes Against Property: Recognised Defences: You'll explore crimes against property, including malicious mischief, vandalism and fire-raising, as well as the recognised defences that may apply. Specific Statutory Offences: Statute-specific Defences: You'll examine offences created by specific legislation and the defences that apply to them, including examples relating to road traffic, misuse of drugs and the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018. Law of Evidence in Criminal Matters: You'll develop your understanding of how evidence works in criminal cases, including corroboration, self-incrimination, the competence and compellability of witnesses, hearsay and its exceptions, and opinion and expert evidence.
Please note: ABE111: Numbers for Everyday Life will only be assigned as a core module if you do not have a minimum of a National 5 Maths qualification at grade C or an acceptable equivalent. This module helps you strengthen core numeracy skills, including percentages, decimals, fractions, appreciation, depreciation and rounding. Through problem-solving and reasoning, you’ll learn to analyse everyday situations and make logical, well-informed decisions. You’ll also gain a foundation in statistics—covering mean, median, mode and standard deviation—and develop financial skills such as budgeting, managing income and expenses, understanding interest rates, and making choices about saving and borrowing. By applying these skills to real-life contexts, you’ll build confidence in using numbers to solve problems, manage your finances, and support decision-making in both study and work. Indicative Content - Numerical Skills: Develop your confidence with key number skills, including percentages, decimals, fractions, appreciation, depreciation and rounding. - Problem Solving and Reasoning: Practice using maths to tackle everyday situations. Learn how to spot problems, rearrange equations, make logical connections and reach effective decisions. - Fundamentals of Statistics: Get to grips with the basics of statistics. Learn how to calculate and use mean, median, mode and standard deviation to interpret and compare data. - Financial Skills: Build practical financial know-how. Explore budgeting, managing income and expenses, understanding interest rates, and making smart decisions about saving and borrowing. Apply these skills directly to real-life situations.
This module introduces you to the foundations of Scots contract law and the principles of unjustified enrichment. You’ll explore how contracts are formed, the factors that can affect their validity, and the remedies available when obligations are not justified. Alongside building subject knowledge, you’ll develop the ability to analyse legal problems, apply legislation and case law, and evaluate how these areas of law operate in practice. By the end of the module, you’ll have a clear understanding of the key doctrines that underpin contractual and voluntary obligations in Scotland, and the skills to apply them with confidence in both academic and professional contexts Indicative Content - Nature & Formation of Contract & other voluntary obligations: Explore the foundations of contract law, including offer and acceptance, willingness to negotiate, and gratuitous obligations contrasted with promises. Examine special types of contract formation, with reference to the Requirements of Writing (Scotland) Act 1995. - Matters Affecting Validity of Contracts: Study the factors that can affect whether a contract is valid, such as capacity, facility and circumvention, undue influence, force and fear, extortion, error and misrepresentation. Analyse express and implied terms, the Contract (Scotland) Act 1997, unfair contract terms, illegality, and restrictive covenants. - Principles of Unjust Enrichment: Develop an understanding of key principles including repetition, recompense, set-off, quantum meruit, quantum lucratus, the condictiones, and negotiorum gestio.
This module introduces the legal principles governing family law in Scotland, with a focus on parent–child relationships, marriage, civil partnerships and their breakdown. You will explore parental responsibilities and rights, adoption, and the role of local authorities, alongside the regulation of marriage and civil partnerships, including issues of validity, impediments and gender recognition. The module also examines rights arising from family relationships, such as aliment and property, as well as family homes and protective measures. Finally, you will study the legal processes surrounding divorce and dissolution, including financial provision and property division, equipping you with a comprehensive understanding of how family law balances the interests of adults, children and the state. Indicative Content - Parent and Child: Examine parental responsibilities and rights, adoption processes, local authority intervention, and the human rights of family members. - Marriage and Civil Partnership: Study regular and irregular marriage, same'sex marriage, the validity of civil and religious marriages, prohibitions and legal impediments, void and voidable marriages, civil partnerships and gender recognition. - Rights Arising out of Marriage and Civil Partnership: Explore rights relating to aliment and separate property. - Family Homes and Family Protection: Analyse occupancy rights of spouses, civil partners and cohabitants, and the use of exclusion orders. - Relationship Breakdown: Consider the grounds for divorce and dissolution, and the division of property on relationship breakdown, including financial provision, property transfer orders and decrees regulating occupancy rights.
The principles of Scots commercial law, consumer law and finance as they relate to business and consumer transactions. Indicative content - Sale and supply of goods and services to businesses: Contract of sale and related contracts to businesses: implied terms, transfer of property and risk, breach and remedies, operation of the Sale of Goods Act 1979,Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 and the Unfair Contract Terms Act 1977 - Sale and supply of goods and services to consumers: Consumer Rights Act 2015, Consumer Protection Act 1987, Consumer contracts regulations - Rights in Security: Rights in security over moveables, lien, pledge, hypothec, standard securities, floating charges, guarantees and cautionary obligations. - Debt recovery and personal insolvency: Diligence: attachment inhibition, arrestment, adjudication and money attachment. Personal insolvency and the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 2016. - Insurance: The common law of insurance: operation of the Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 2010, the Consumer Insurance (Disclosures and Representations) Act 2010, the Insurance Act 2015 - Consumer credit and consumer finance: Consumer Credit Act 1974, hire purchase, loans, banking practice, mortgages, personal savings and investments, pensions, stocks and shares, basic rules of taxation and money laundering - Arbitration and ADR: ADR forms such as negotiation, mediation and arbitration. Arbitration in Scotland: Arbitration (Scotland) Act 2010.
This module examines the constitutional and legal framework of the European Union, with particular focus on its key institutions and the law governing the single market. You will study the principles of free movement and EU citizenship, and consider how these shape the rights of individuals and the operation of the internal market. The module also explores the constitutional implications and legal procedures of Brexit, providing a critical understanding of how withdrawal has reshaped the relationship between the UK and the EU. Indicative Content - Brexit: Examine the EU'UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, the concept of ‘retained’ EU law, and the extraterritorial effect of EU law post'Brexit. - Institutions: Study the principal institutions of the EU, including the European Commission, European Council, Council of the European Union, Court of Justice of the EU, Parliament, European Central Bank and Court of Auditors, alongside other key bodies such as the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. - Judicial Role: Analyse the role of the Court of Justice, including references, review, principles of supremacy, direct and indirect effect, state liability, general principles and procedural rules. - Law of the EU Internal Market: Explore the principles of the free movement of goods, services, persons and capital, as well as the right of establishment in another EU Member State.
This module provides an introduction to the key doctrines and legal principles of administrative law in the United Kingdom, with particular reference to Scotland. You will examine the foundations of administrative law, the scope and grounds of judicial review, and the role of ombudsmen in addressing grievances. The module also explores the liability of the Crown and public authorities, the relationship between citizens and the state, and the impact of human rights and civil liberties on administrative processes. By engaging with both UK'wide and Scottish perspectives, you will develop the knowledge and critical skills needed to analyse how administrative law shapes the balance between state power and individual rights. Indicative Content - Administrative Law: Examine the basic concepts of administrative law, including ultra vires, standing in administrative proceedings, and mechanisms for redressing grievances in the public sector. - Judicial Review: Analyse the tripartite relationship between courts, government and citizens, exploring excess and abuse of power, the ultra vires doctrine, Wednesbury reasonableness, natural justice and other grounds for judicial review. - Ombudsmen: Study the role and functions of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsmen and the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman. - Liability of the Crown and Public Authorities: Explore the Crown Proceedings Act 1947, liability in delict and contract, available remedies, Crown privilege and public interest immunity. - Citizen and the State: Consider issues of citizenship, nationality, immigration, asylum, deportation, extradition, European Arrest Warrants and freedom of information. - Human Rights and Civil Liberties: Examine the European Convention on Human Rights, the Human Rights Act 1998, the role of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights, and issues relating to police powers, public order, state security, official secrets, anti'terrorism measures, privacy and data protection.
This module examines the law and practice of succession and trusts in Scotland, providing both theoretical understanding and practical application. You will study the key legal principles governing succession and the creation and administration of trusts, while also developing essential professional skills in legal drafting. Through guided exercises, you will learn to draft wills, wills with trust provisions, and professional client correspondence, equipping you with the knowledge and practical expertise required for legal practice in this area. Indicative Content - Intestate Succession: Study succession in moveables and heritage, including prior rights, legal rights, collation, and the order of succession for spouses, children, cohabitants and civil partners. - Testate Succession: Examine capacity and diminished capacity, execution and amendment of wills, revocation, uncertainty, subsequent births, transfer of heritage, classification of legacies, accretion, election, residue, division per capita and per stirpes, destinations'over, the unworthy heir, missing persons, common calamity, public policy considerations and forfeiture. - Will Substitutes: Explore nominations, special destinations, liferent and fee, and survivorship. - Trusts: Analyse the constitution of trusts, distinctions between public, private and charitable trusts, issues of uncertainty, revocability, liferents, vesting, variation, termination and law reform. - Trustees: Consider the appointment, assumption and resignation of trustees, their duties, powers, administration, liability to creditors, breach of trust and remedies, investment powers, discharge and law reform. - Drafting and Interpretation of Wills: Develop skills in drafting and interpreting wills, including words of severance and conjunction, terms, public policy considerations, prohibitions on accumulations and successive liferents, and conditional institution and substitution. - Inheritance Tax: Gain an overview of the structure and charging of inheritance tax. - Adults with Incapacity: Examine issues relating to elderly and other adults incapable of managing their affairs, including the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, financial and welfare attorneys, guardianship, intervention orders, powers to intromit with accounts, the role of the Office of the Public Guardian in Scotland, human rights concerns and law reform
In this module, you will examine the theories and concepts that underpin law, with a particular focus on Human Rights Law. You will explore the development of the Western legal tradition, engage with different schools of legal thought, and critically analyse the principles of Human Rights law. Through research, debate and applied tasks, you will strengthen your ability to construct reasoned arguments, refine your legal writing skills, and evaluate contested philosophical perspectives within both practical and theoretical contexts. Indicative Content - Fundamental Legal Concepts: Law, the State and the individual; law and other disciplines; the rule of law; concepts of rights and justice. - Development of the Western Legal Tradition: The Western Legal Tradition, natural law theories, the Utilitarians, Kant and Marx. - Legal Theories of the 20th Century: American realism, legal positivism, liberalism, legal sociology, critical legal theory, feminism, critical race theory and post'modernism. - Human Rights: UN Human Rights instruments; the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; the Scotland Act 1998; the Human Rights Act 1998; the impact of human rights law in Scotland and the UK; selected Articles of the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.
In this module, you will study the principal concepts of property law in Scotland, with a particular focus on rights and duties relating to land. You will gain a deep understanding of how property rights are created, transferred and discharged, and explore the distinctive features of the Scottish system of landownership. Alongside this, you will examine real burdens, servitudes, leases, missives and dispositions, as well as the law of the tenement. You will also critically assess the system of land registration in Scotland and consider the future development of land information systems. Through applied problem'solving, you will strengthen your higher'level legal reasoning and analytical skills. Indicative Content - The Nature of Property and Ownership: Classifications of property; the nature of property and ownership; real and personal rights; corporeal and incorporeal rights including intellectual property; acquisition of title; rights in security; the nature of rights in Scotland; the feudal system of land ownership and its abolition; real rights in land; separate tenements in land; regalia; water rights; mineral rights; fixtures and fittings. - Real Burdens and Title Conditions: Real burdens and servitudes; title and interest to enforce; the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003; variation, discharge and extinction. - Law of the Tenement: Common law principles and the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004. - Registration of Title: Processes and effects of land registration; e'conveyancing; the form of the registers and the purposes and processes of searching; inhibitions and land attachment. - Contracts for Sale and Purchase of Heritage: Common law requirements and typical clauses in modern missives; the Scottish Standard Clauses and their effects. - Dispositions, Missives and Standard Securities: The form and content of dispositions and standard securities; the significance and effect of clauses including implied clauses; introduction to negotiation, missives and the Scottish Standard Clauses. - Leases: Real rights in leases; constitution of leases; obligations of parties; rent; termination including irritancy, removing, ejection and recovery of possession; commercial leases; statutory tenancies.
In this module, you will examine the legal rules governing the relevance, admissibility and sufficiency of evidence in both civil and criminal proceedings in the courts of Scotland. You will critically engage with the principles that underpin the evidential framework, exploring how these rules operate in practice and shape the outcome of litigation. By analysing key concepts such as corroboration, privilege, competence and the compellability of witnesses, you will develop a deeper understanding of Scots Law and its distinctive approach to evidence. Alongside this, you will refine your higher'level legal writing and oral skills, applying legal reasoning in both practical and theoretical contexts. Indicative Content - Basic Concepts: Purpose, relevance, admissibility, weight and sufficiency of evidence; burdens and standards of proof; human rights issues. - Types of Evidence: Oral, documentary and real evidence; direct and circumstantial evidence; primary and secondary evidence; the best evidence rule. - Corroboration: Common law in civil and criminal proceedings; the Moorov doctrine; admissions and confessions; corroboration by distress; dock and other identification; the Civil Evidence (Scotland) Act 1988; recent changes following the Lord Advocate’s Reference (No 1 of 2023) [2023] HCJAC 40. - Privilege and Immunity: Self'incrimination; professional privilege; public interest immunity; confidentiality; without prejudice letters; witnesses and communications. - Competence and Compellability of Witnesses, Character: Parties, accused, spouses, co'accused, children, vulnerable witnesses and persons of diminished capacity; accused persons as witnesses; similar fact evidence; previous convictions, prior history and character. - Recovery and Preservation of Evidence: Improperly obtained evidence; warrants; urgency; searches; covert operations; police powers under ss 13–20A of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995. - The Hearsay Rule and Exceptions: Civil and criminal rules; the Civil Evidence (Scotland) Act 1988; ss 259–262 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995; res gestae and de recenti statements. - Opinion and Expert Evidence / Evidence at Trial or Proof: Expert and opinion evidence; conduct of inquiry including examination'in'chief, cross'examination and re'examination; children and vulnerable witnesses.
The legal framework business organisations operate within and the principles of Scots commercial and corporate law. Indicative content: - T he Law of Partnership: Definition, relationship between partners and between partners and third parties, limited partners, limited liability partnerships. - Incorporation: Organisation of business in the UK, registration, promoters, separate legal personality, piercing the veil, minority protection. - Company Officers: Directors, role, and duties; auditors, role and duties; company secretary, role and duties. - Shares and share capital: Allotment and transfer of shares; maintenance of capital; repurchase and reduction of shares, dividends. - Unfair prejudice and derivative proceedings: Shareholders’ rights in the face of unfairly prejudicial conduct; shareholders’ rights against directors. - Insider dealing, meetings: Insider dealing and its prevention; market abuse. Shareholder democracy and decision-making. - Corporate insolvency: Receiverships, administration orders, liquidation and company voluntary arrangements.
This module requires each honours student to undertake a major piece of independent research on a topic of their own choosing, subject to approval and the availability of appropriate supervision. The dissertation, comprising 10,000 words, provides an opportunity to demonstrate advanced research skills in law, together with the ability to present, analyse and synthesise complex ideas in a sustained piece of academic writing. The project allows students to engage critically with legal sources, develop original arguments, and reflect on the broader theoretical and practical significance of their chosen topic. Indicative Content - Research'Led Study: Undertake a major piece of independent research using prior legal learning, supplemented with project'related study, to analyse an appropriate legal problem and produce a dissertation of approximately 10,000 words. - Knowledge and Skills: Demonstrate existing legal knowledge and research skills in the preparation and development of the dissertation. - Critical Thinking and Evaluation: Apply higher'order skills of analysis, evaluation and critical judgement, with particular emphasis on locating, interpreting and synthesising sources of law.
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