Program Overview

Business Management and Legal Studies, MA

Introduction

Business Management and Legal Studies at Aberdeen is a great combination, adding to your solid grounding in business, management and organisations with a deeper focus on the legal framework within which businesses of all sizes operate. You will gain highly developed analytical and academic skills, which will give you a head start in international business and many other career options.

Study Information

At a Glance

• Learning Mode: On Campus Learning
• Degree Qualification: MA
• Duration: 48 months
• Study Mode: Full Time
• Start Month: September
• UCAS Code: MN92

Year 1

Compulsory Courses

• Academic Writing for Business (AW1003)
• Getting Started at the University of Aberdeen (PD1002)
• The Economics of Business and Society (EC1006)
• Managing Organisations (MS1009)
• Legal System (LS1025)
• Foundations of Private Law (LS1022)
• Accounting and Entrepreneurship (AC1517)

Optional Courses

• Plus 15 credit points from courses of choice.
• Plus 30 credit points from the following courses:
  • Criminal Law (LS1020)
  • Contract (LS1520)
  • UK Constitutional Law (LS1537)
  • Delict and Unjustified Enrichment (LS1536)
  • Foundations of Common Law with English Criminal Law (LS1533)
  • A World Full of Law: Legal Cultures Before the Age of Exploration (LS1030)

Year 2

Compulsory Courses

• Operations Management (MS2511)
• Understanding Statistics (PO2508)
• Marketing (MS2006)
• Building Skills and Experience for Career Success (PD2002)

Optional Courses

• Plus 15 credit points from courses of choice.
• Plus 60 credit points from the following courses:
  • Criminal Law (LS1020)
  • Contract (LS1520)
  • A World Full of Law: Legal Cultures Before the Age of Exploration (LS1030)
  • Eu Institutions and Law (LS2026)
  • The Law of Property (LS2031)
  • Public International Law (LS2032)
  • Administrative Law and Civil Liberties (LS2033)
  • Foundations of Common Law with English Criminal Law (LS1533)
  • Delict and Unjustified Enrichment (LS1536)
  • UK Constitutional Law (LS1537)
  • Commercial Organisations and Insolvency (LS2525)
  • Family Law (LS2526)
  • Introduction to Legal Theory (LS2527)
  • Succession and Trusts (LS2528)
  • Private International Law (LS2532)
  • Business Law (LS2533)
  • Introduction to Comparative Law (LS2536)
  • Tort in A Comparative Context (LS2537)

Year 3

Optional Courses

• NOTE: If you intend to take your dissertation in Business Management in level 4 you must take MS 3553 Research Methods for Business in level 3.
• Plus further credit points from level 3 course(s) in Business Management to gain a total of 60 credits in the discipline:
  • Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility (MS3056)
  • New Venture Development (MS3058)
  • Understanding the Consumer (MS3551)
  • Research Methods for Business (MS3553)
  • Human Resource Management (MS3554)
• Plus 60 credit points from Legal Studies LX Honours courses

Year 4

Optional Courses

• EITHER
  • Dissertation (Legal Studies) (LX4025) AND Business Strategy (MS4536)
• OR:
  • Dissertation in Management Studies (MS4540)
• Plus further credit points from Honours course(s) in Business Management and Legal Studies to gain a total of 60 credits in each discipline.

How You'll Study

Learning Methods

• Individual Projects
• Lectures
• Research
• Tutorials

Assessment Methods

• Students are assessed by any combination of three assessment methods:
  • Coursework such as essays and reports completed throughout the course.
  • Practical assessments of the skills and competencies they learn on the course.
  • Written examinations at the end of each course.
• The exact mix of these methods differs between subject areas, years of study and individual courses.
• Honours projects are typically assessed on the basis of a written dissertation.

Why Study Business Management and Legal Studies?

• 1st Scotland in Student Positivity for Business Studies and Management Studies in the National Student Survey 2024
• Business Management at Aberdeen provides an opportunity to study Management on its own or alongside one of a large number of the other disciplines taught at the University.
• Aberdeen is known as being the oil and gas capital of Europe and the industry has a high demand for Business Management graduates. The University's close links to international companies will improve your career prospects.
• Study Law at a top 10 UK Law School (Complete University Guide 2020)
• It has an excellent academic reputation, wide choice of Law options and over 50 Honours options.
• You may get involved in the Student-led Law Clinic, and Student Law Review.

Entry Requirements

Qualifications

• The information below is provided as a guide only and does not guarantee entry to the University of Aberdeen.

General Entry Requirements

• 2024 Entry
  • SQA Highers: Standard - AABB, Minimum - BBB, Adjusted - BB
  • A LEVELS: Standard - BBB, Minimum - BBC, Adjusted - CCC
  • International Baccalaureate: 32 points, including 5, 5, 5 at HL.
  • Irish Leaving Certificate: 5H with 3 at H2 AND 2 at H3.
• 2025 Entry
  • SQA Highers: Standard - BBBB, Minimum - BBC, Adjusted - BB
  • A LEVELS: Standard - BBC, Minimum - BCC, Adjusted - CCC
  • International Baccalaureate: 32 points, including 5, 5, 5 at HL.
  • Irish Leaving Certificate: 5H with 3 at H2 AND 2 at H3.

English Language Requirements

• To study for an Undergraduate 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 - 6.0 with: Listening - 5.5; Reading - 5.5; Speaking - 5.5; Writing - 6.0
  • TOEFL iBT: OVERALL - 78 with: Listening - 17; Reading - 18; Speaking - 20; Writing - 21
  • PTE Academic: OVERALL - 59 with: Listening - 59; Reading - 59; Speaking - 59; Writing - 59
  • Cambridge English B2 First, C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency: OVERALL - 169 with: Listening - 162; Reading - 162; Speaking - 162; Writing - 169

Fees and Funding

• You will be classified as one of the fee categories below.
• Fee information
  • England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Republic of Ireland: £9,535
  • EU / International students: £20,800
  • Self-funded international students commencing eligible undergraduate programmes in 2025/26 will receive a £6,000 tuition waiver for every year of their programme.
  • Home Students: £1,820

Careers

• You can choose from wide ranging careers with Business Management and Legal Studies.
• Some careers may involve knowledge in both areas, especially within business.
• You can go into accountancy, investments, consultancy, research, managing a product or risk, and you can look at related professions such as HR, logistics and manufacturing, marketing, sales and analysis.
• Legal Studies can give you opportunities as a Paralegal, Probation Officer, Social Worker, and a Lawyer with further study.