Course detail

Start Date

September

Duration

4 years (full-time)

Award Title

LLB (Hons)

UCAS Code

MM19

Why study Law with Criminology?

Study crime and law from every angle. You’ll learn how to apply criminology to legal issues on Scotland’s only Law with Criminology undergraduate degree.  Combing law studies with criminology makes you hugely employable. 

Learn how to apply criminology to the analysis of legal issues and combine your legal studies with subjects such as criminal justice and criminal behaviour. Your unique employability skills will thoroughly prepare you for the workplace, as you go beyond the crime dramas and work in the legal world. You’ll gain: 

  • A critical understanding of the theories and concepts behind Law and Criminology. 

  • The history of these fascinating disciplines and how they’ve developed. 

  • A detailed knowledge of how the two subjects complement each other. 

  • An essential range of legal skills and research methods. 

You’ll use the university’s moot room for debates and mock court appearances, presenting 'pretend' legal arguments. 

Work placements in legal practices will broaden your knowledge of the law and criminal justice systems. Expert guest speakers and study abroad options all help to prepare you for the workplace. 

Many Abertay graduates go on to become solicitors* and advocates*. But with criminology in the mix, you could also work in the police, other agencies like the probation service, the Scottish Government, legal journalism or the third sector. 

‘I consider my Abertay experience the most important...of my life.’ 

Beata Kozlowska, Maguire Mcclafferty Solicitors 

*After further study. 

Study crime and law from every angle

You’ll start with an introduction to Scots law (a module called 'Legal systems and methods'). This gives you an overview of Scots Law from the very start, so you’ll get a very clear idea of the building blocks of the Scottish legal system. 

Criminology focuses on the study of crimes and their causes, effects, and social impact. You’ll study key criminal issues and learn about the relationship between crime, the law, society, politics, the media and criminal justice policy. 

Industry links and networking

Real-world work placements give you work experience and great networking opportunities. Some of our graduates have gone on to get jobs where they did their placement or through the contacts they made there. 

External speakers are incorporated into the curriculum. They come from the media, private business, the criminal justice system, the voluntary sector and local community groups. 

All of which gives you a great start to your career. 

Building key skills

Advocacy skills are central to being a good lawyer. This involves critical thinking, problem-solving and the ability to explain complex concepts in a simple way. Being part of a Moot Club helps to build your confidence, enhance your public speaking skills and learn about court etiquette. 

  • The Oxford University Press & Inns of Court College of Advocacy National Mooting Competition is the most prestigious UK Moot competition. Abertay was one of only two Scottish universities to make it to Round 2 last year. 

  • Abertay came second in The Lord Jones National Moot Competition last year, and in 2023 we made it into the semi-finals. 

  • We regularly participate in internal mooting competitions and friendly moots with other institutions. 

Doing pro bono work builds on your degree and is a great addition to your CV. We encourage you to get involved with organisations like The Tayside & Perthshire Law Project (Tayper). Our students help run Tayper, giving the local community greater access to legal help. 

Potential careers

You’ll graduate with excellent employment prospects. Potential career paths include:

  • Solicitor

  • Barrister

  • Prison Service

  • Social Work and Probation

  • Journalism(court reporting)

  • Police work

  • Probation service

  • Sheriff clerks' offices

  • The High Court of Justiciary

  • The legal branches of the military

  • The Scottish Government legal service

  • Academia

  • Legal publishing

The transferable skills gained during your degree will make you highly sought-after by employers. 

How the Course Works

Learning and Assessment 

A blend of exams, class tests, coursework, presentations, mooting and a range of practical oral and written assessments combine together to develop your ability to present sophisticated arguments and complex information. 

We recognise that our students have different learning styles and different skills when they start their studies. Our aim is to ensure that we nurture and reinforce understanding of the subjects studied, together with the research and employability skills required in a constantly changing world. 

Accreditations

Law Society of Scotland Logo White

Faculty Of Advocates Logo

Entry Requirements

Please note: All applicants must have passes in English and Maths - National 5 English grade C or GCSE grade C/4 or equivalent.  National 5 ESOL is accepted in lieu of National 5 English. National 4 Maths or National 5 Maths/Lifeskill Maths grade C. You may be eligible to take ABE111: Numbers for Everyday Life in lieu of a National 5 Maths qualification at grade C or GCSE grade C/4 or an acceptable equivalent.

Higher Application of Maths at grade C accepted.

Below are the literate subjects we accept for entry on this course:

One of the following: Business Management; Classical Studies; Economics; English; ESOL; Geography; History; Media Studies; Modern Studies; Philosophy; Politics; Psychology; Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies; Sociology

If there is a subject that does not appear, please contact our Admissions Office (admissions@abertay.ac.uk) who will be able to confirm whether or not it would be considered for entry.

Please visit our College Qualifications pages for suitable College courses.

Republic of Ireland applicants, click on the UK tabs and scroll down to find your Entry Requirements.

See information about studying and applying to Abertay for International students.

Qualification Type Grade Requirements Essential Subjects
Higher (standard entry) BBBB Literate subject
Higher (minimum entry) We may make you an offer at the minimum entry grades if you meet the criteria. Find out if you're eligible for minimum entry (see below). ABB or BBBB Literate subject
A-Level CCC Literate subject
T Level C or higher in Core Component in one of the following:- Legal Services or Management & Administration
Irish Highers H3H3H3H3 Literate subject
International Baccalaureate Diploma Based Programme (IBDP) 28 Points Literate subject at S5 or H4
International Baccalaureate Career-related Programme (IBCP) We encourage applications with the IBCP but understand that your combination of qualifications may differ depending on where you are studying. We accept the International Baccalaureate Careers-related Programme (IBCP). Any subject requirements must be met as per our published IB Diploma requirements.
BTEC Extended Diploma MMM Business (Law)
HNC/HND B/BB Our College Qualifications pages list approved HNC/HND courses
SWAP Access ABB  
AHEAD   Successful completion of the relevant stream of our AHEAD programme

We accept a wide range of qualifications from applicants from across the world. Please select your country from the searchable list below to view different qualification entry requirements. If you have different qualifications to those listed, please contact us using the form below.

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Academic Requirements

Applicants will typically be required to achieve CCC at A-Level, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma with an overall score of 28 points, to include any essential subject(s) at S5 or H4.

English language: English B at S5 or H4 is accepted. For English A, no grade is specified. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

We accept and encourage applications with the International Baccalaureate Careers-related Programme (IBCP) but understand that your combination of qualifications may differ depending on where you are studying.

Any subject requirements must be met as per our published IB Diploma requirements.

We recognise the Aptitude Scholastic Tests (ASTs) for entry to all our undergraduate programmes. The AST grades are equivalent to the below A Level grades: 

A Level Grade   AST Score

A                        210+

B                       170 - 209

C                       140 - 169

D                       100 - 139

Specific entry requirements for each course (year 1 and year 2 if applicable) can be found on each course page. 

Applicants should also meet our minimum requirements for English language and any portfolio or interview requirement (see course page for details).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) with 6 units as follows: 4 units at III, 2 units at IV, to include any essential subject(s) at III.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the European Baccalaureate with an overall grade of 70%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

English language: English Language 1 at grade 6 or English Language 2 at grade 7 are accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diplomë e Maturës Shtetëore with an overall grade of 7.5, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat Technique / Commercial with an overall grade of 14, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat de l'Enseignement Secondaire with an overall grade of 14, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants with national school qualilfications will typically be required to pass the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 12/20, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Trayecto Técnico Profesional with an overall grade of 6.5, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Título de Técnico Superior/Universitario with an overall grade of 6.5, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Araratian Baccalaureate at Extended Level with grades CCC, to include any essential subjects.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Secondary General Education wih an average of 13 and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 64%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Year 12 Certificate plus ATAR rank of 77 or Overall Position of 11, to include any essential subject(s) at Year 12 with grade B, grade 3 or Sound Achievement.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Reifeprüfung/Maturazeugnis with an overall grade of 2.8, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 2.

English language: English at grade 2 in the Reifeprüfung/Maturazeugnis is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Tam Orta Tahsil Hazzinda Aggestat with an average of 4, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 62%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Shahadat Al-Thanawaya Al-Aama/General Secondary Education Certificate with an average of 60%, and the first year of a university degree or post-secondary diploma in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65% or 2.25 (on the 4 point scale), to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Intermediate/Higher Secondary School Certificate at an average of 2.5, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 50% or C+, to include any essential subject(s) at 60% or grade B.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of General Secondary Education at an average of 6, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 6.0, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate d'Enseignement Secondaire Supérieur with an overall average of 60%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma van secundair onderwijs with an overall average of 60%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Abschlusszeugnis der Oberstufe des Sekundarunterrichts with an overall average of 60%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma de Bachiller at 64%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 63%, to include any essential subject(s) at 70%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the General Certificate of Secondary Education at an average of 4.5, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificado de Conculsão de Segundo Grau with an average score of 8.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8.0.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificado de Conclusão de Ensino Médio with an average score of 8.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8.0.

Applicants will typically be required to pass Brunei A Levels in 3 subjects at grades CCC, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma za Sredno Obrazonvanie with an average score of 4.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma of Upper Secondary Education at average of C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalaureat or Baccalaureat Technique at an overall grade of 12, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 12.

Applicants will typically be required to complete the Secondary School Diploma or Diplôme d'Études Collégiales with five grade 12 subjects at an average of 65%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Licencia de Education with a GPA of 4.5 (7-point scale) overall. Applicants will also need to have completed the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average of 4.5 (7-point scale) GPA, with the essential subject at a minimum of 5.0 (7-point scale) GPA.

Applicants will typically be required to complete Senior Middle/High School Certificate/Diploma at an average of 75%, to include any essential subject(s) at 77%; and pass GAOKAO with 500 points (based on the 750 points scheme).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Bachiller Academico at an average of 3.25, and the first year of a university degree or Tecnico Universitario in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.3, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Svjedodžba o Maturi with an overall grade of 3.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Apolytírio Lykeíou with an overall grade of 17.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 17.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Vysvědčení o maturitní zkoušce with an overall grade of 2.4, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 2.

Applicants will typically be required to complete the Studentereksamen (STX), including 3 Level A subjects an overall grade of 7, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

English language: Studentereksamen English Level A or B at grade 7 is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Título de Bachiller at an average of 7.0, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 13 / 60%, to include any essential subject(s) at 60%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Gumaasiumi lõputunnistus with an average score of 3.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4; and pass 3 state examinations at a minimum of 55% (or 2 states examinations plus C1 Advanced English CAE or IELTS).

English language: 75% in the English state examination is accepted, or C1 Advanced English CAE or IELTS (overall score 6.0 with no band lower than 5.5). For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants who have achieved a Diploma from a Technical/Commercial/Industrial/Health Institute may be granted entry to Year 2 of our degrees if they pass with a minimum of 71%, to include any essential subject at 70%. 

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of General Secondary Education with a minimum of 71%, in include any essential subject at 70%. 

Applicants will typically be required to complete the Studentsprogv at an overall grade of 7, to include any essential subject(s) at Level A grade 7.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Ylioppilastutkinto/Studentexamen at an overall grade 4, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

English language: Advanced English at grade 5 within the Ylioppilastutkinto/Studentexamen is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat Général/Professionnel/Technologique at an overall grade 12, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 13.

English language. English at grade 14 in the Baccalauréat Général/Professionnel/Technologique is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat at an overall grade 11, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 13.

English language. English at grade 13 in the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the NECO in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 54%/2.00, to include any essential subject(s) at 60%/2.70.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the NECO is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the WAEC in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 54%/2.00, to include any essential subject(s) at 60%/2.70.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the WAEC is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Sashualo Skolis Atestati (Secondary School Certificate) at an average grade of 7, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Shualo Specialuri Sastsavleblis Diplomi (Special School Leaving Diploma) at an average grade of 7, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Abitur with an overall grade of 2.4, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 11.

English language: Abitur English at grade 10 is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the NECO in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of C/50%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade B/55%.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the NECO is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the WAEC in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of C/50%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade B/55%.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the WAEC is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Greek Apolytirion of Geniko Lykeio at grade 17 and 3 Pan-Hellenic exams at an average of 16, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 17.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Hong Kong HKDSE at 3333 in 4 core subjects, with elective subjects at 333 (for 3 electives) or 43 (for 2 electives), to include any essential subject(s) at 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Érettségi Bizonyítvány at an overall grade 4.0, with 2 higher subjects at grade 4, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Stúdentspróf at an overall grade 6, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 6.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Indian Senior School (Year 12) exam at an average of 60%, to include any essential subject(s) at 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Sekolah Menengah Kejuruan/Madrasah Aliyah (SMK / MA) at 71%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Post School Qualification Diploma 1 at 2.2, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants from Ireland should check the UK Year 1 Entry tab for entry requirements with Irish Highers.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Te'udat Bagrut or Bagrut with at least 2 subjects at level 5 and 1 subject at level 4 at an average of 60%, to include any essential subject(s) at Level 5 with 65%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma di Esame di Stato at 70%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8 (on the 10 point scale) or grade 16 (on the 20 point scale).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Upper Secondary School Leaving Certificate at grade 3.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Completed Secondary Education at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 70% / 2.33, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) at an average of B, to include any essential subject(s) at B.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Complete General Secondary Education at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.4, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Atestas par vispārējo vidējo izglītību with an average score of 7, to include 3 state exams at a minimum of 70%, to include any essential subject(s) at 70%.

English language: 80% in the English state exam is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat Libanais or Baccalauréat II with 12, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 12.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Brandos Atestatas with an average score of 7 with a minimum of 70% in 3 state exams, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8.

English language: 80% in the English state exam is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diplôme de Fin d'Études Secondaires at an overall grade of 42, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 44.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Higher Secondary Education with 70%, to include any essential subject(s) at 73%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Ensino Secundário Complementar with grade 2.6, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Cambridge Overseas Higher School Certificate (COHSC) with grades CCC, to include any essential subject(s) at grade C.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Malawian School Certificate of Education at grade 5, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average of 60%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) with a minimum of 3 subjects at BCC or 2.30 GPA, to include any essential subject(s) at grade B/3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) with 4 subjects at 70% / B5 B5 B5 B5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 75%/B5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Matriculation Certificate Examination with grades BC at Advanced level and CCCC at Intermediate level, to include any essential subject(s) at Advanced level grade C.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diplomă de Bacalaureat with an overall grade of 6.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Secondary Education at 70%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average of 70%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Higher Secondary Education Certificate with a minimum of 65%, with essential subjects at 65%. On the 4-point GPA scale, applicants will need to pass with 2.6 GPA, with the essential subject at 2.8 GPA. 

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Voorbereidend Wetenschappelijk Onderwijs (VWO) with an overall score of 6.6, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

English language: English at grade 8 in HAVO is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the NECO in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 2.5 or 50%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.0 or 55%.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the NECO is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the WAEC in at least five subjects at an average of B/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 2.5/50%, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.0/55%.

English language: English at C6 or higher in the WAEC is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Secondary School Leaving Diploma/Matura with an overall grade of 3.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Vitnemål for Vidergaende Opplaering with an overall average of 3.6, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4.

English language: English at grade 4 in the Vitnemål for Vidergaende Opplaering is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination at 65% minimum.

In addition, applicants will also need to have completed a Foundation Programme or the 1st year at University in a relevant subject, with an average grade of 3.0 GPA (on a 4 point scale), to include any essential subject at 3.0 (on a 4 point scale). 

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Higher Secondary School Certificate at an average of 60%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 60%/2.5, to include any essential subject(s) at 68%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Senior High School with a minimum average of 80% in the relevant subject. 

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Matura with an average score of 60%, to include 3 Advanced subjects at a minimum of 50%, to include any essential subject(s) at Advanced level with a score of 70%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma/Certificado Nível Secundário de Educação with an overall grade of 14, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 16.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Qatar Senior School Certificate (Shahadat Al-Thanawaya Al-Aama) at an average of 60%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 2.0/70%, to include any essential subject(s) at 2.5/75%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diplomă de Bacalaureat with an overall grade of 7, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 8.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Attestat o Srednem Obrzovanii (Certificate of Secondary Education) at an average of 4, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.5, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the General Secondary Education Certificate (Tawjihiyah) with an average of 60%, and either the post-secondary diploma or first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.0/70%, to include any essential subject(s) at 75%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass Singapore GCE A-Levels with grades CCC, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške at grade 2.4, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 2.

English language: English at B2 level at grade 2 in the Vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Maturitetno spričevalo at grade 3.5, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 4.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the National Senior Certificate (with Matriculation Endorsement) with 4 subjects at 5555, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Título de Bachiller with an average score of 6.8, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 7.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Sudan School Certificate with an average of 60%/C, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65%/B, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Avgangsbetyg/Slutbetyg fran Gymnasieskola with an average score of 15.5, to include any essential subject(s) at level 5 grade B.

English language: English Level 5 at grade B or English Level 6 at grade C in the Avgangsbetyg/Slutbetyg fran Gymnasieskola is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificat de Maturité with an overall grade of 4.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass Maturitätszeugnis with an overall grade of 4.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Attestato Di Maturità with an overall grade of 4.2, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Complete General Secondary Education at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.4, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to complete the Certificate of Secondary Education/Maw 6 with an average of 70%/3.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 3; or complete the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average of 2.0, to include any essential subject(s) at 2.5.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the High School Diploma at an average of 80%, to include any essential subject(s) at 75%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the High School Diploma at an average of 75%, to include any essential subject(s) at 70%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Secondary Education at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 3.5, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Certificate of Complete General Secondary Education, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 65% / 2.2 (on the 4 point scale) / 4.0 (on the 5 point scale), to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the General Secondary Education Certificate Examination at 65%, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 2.0, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 2.3.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the High School Diploma with a GPA of 3.0 (on a 4-point scale) plus ONE of:  

  • SAT (I) score of 1100 (minimum 550 on each section)
  • 3 AP Tests at grades 3 or above
  • ACT Composite score of 25

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Diploma of Academic Lyceum at an average of 3, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 60%, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Título de Técnico Superior Universitario, and the first year of a university degree in a relevant subject with an average grade of 50% / 6.1 (on the 10 point scale) / 12 (on the 20 point scale), to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Zimbabwe General Certificate of Education at Advanced Level with grades CCC, to include any essential subject(s).

Applicants will typically be required to pass the High School Diploma at an average of 80% / B / WU, to include any essential subject(s) at 75%.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalaureat or Baccalureat Technique with an average of 12/20 to include any essential subject(s) at 12.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalauréat Général/Professionnel/Technologique at an overall grade 12, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 13.

English language. English at grade 14 in the Baccalauréat Général/Professionnel/Technologique is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat at an overall grade 11, to include any essential subject(s) at grade 13.

English language. English at grade 13 in the Option Internationale du Baccalauréat is accepted. For alternative English language qualifications, please see below.

Applicants will typically be required to pass the Baccalaureate/Baccalaureate Technique at grade 13 or higher and have 1 year of a University degree with an average grade of 50% or 2.5GPA (on the 5 point scale) in a relevant subject. The essential subject will need to be achieved at 55% or a 3.0GPA (on the 5 point scale). 


All courses at Abertay University are taught in English. If your first language is not English, you will need to demonstrate that you meet our English language requirements.

Please see English Language Requirements for the full list of accepted qualifications and further details.

For more information on the application process, tuition fees and scholarships, studying in Scotland, and to contact our International Team, please visit our International Students page.

 

About your modules

All modules shown are indicative and reflect course content for the current academic year. Modules are reviewed annually and may be subject to change. If you receive an offer to study with us we will send you a Programme document that sets out exactly which modules you can expect to take as part of your Abertay University degree programme. Please see Terms and Conditions for more information.

Modules

Year 1 Core Modules

You must study and pass all six core modules

Brief description

Introduction to the nature and sources of law in Scotland.

Module 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. Roman Law. Legislation. Case law. Investigating and comparing 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 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 researching. 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: Layout of the library; library resources; Virtual library and catalogue; Virtual library information service; recording and citing sources; using IT applications.
  • Choosing and using specialist sources of information: Specialist sources of information for professional practice (Westlaw, LexisNexis, Pebble+); abstracting and indexing services; press reports; information services outwith the library (electronic journals, internet). Referencing; the conventions of legal writing, citation, abbreviations, terminology.

Brief description

Introduction to Scots law of contract and unjust enrichment.

Module content:

  • Nature and formation of contract and other voluntary obligations: Contract: offer & acceptance, willingness to negotiate, gratuitous obligations (contrasted with promises). Special Types of Contract (formation): Requirements of Writing (S) Act 1995.
  • Matters affecting validity of contracts: Capacity, facility and circumvention. Undue influence, force & fear, extortion; error & misrepresentation, express & implied terms, Contract (S) Act 1997, unfair contract terms, illegality, and restrictive covenants.
  • Breach of contract and remedies: Termination of Contract Breach: anticipatory breach, materiality of breach, rescission, retention and lien, specific implement, interdict, damages. Termination: performance, acceptilation, novation, delegation, confusion, compensation, prescription, frustration, impossibility.
  • Principles of unjust enrichment: Repetition, Recompense, Set-off, Quantum meruit, Quantum lucratus, the Condictiones, Negotiorum gestio.
  • EU contract law: Addressing the interaction between Scots contract law and the influence of EU initiatives such as Draft Common Frame of Reference and the Scottish Law Commission review of contract law.

Brief description

Introduction to the key doctrines and legal principles of constitutional law in the United Kingdom with particular reference to Scotland.

Module 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 & 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 & Government, Scottish Parliament, legislative competence, First Minister, Advocate General for Scotland, reserved powers, protected enactments, devolution issues.

Brief description

Introduction to the Scots Law of Delict.

Module content:

  • The nature of delictual liability in Scots law: Historical introduction; nature and purpose of the law of delict; contrast: delict/contract, delict/ crime, delict/unjust enrichment; damnum injuria datum; culpa; reparation and types of claim recovery; forms of liability: negligence, strict liability, quasi- delict; forms of injuria.
  • Delictual liability for unintentional harm: Duty of care: scope of duty, restrictions, forseeability, presumptions of liability, standard of care, breach of duty, causation, remoteness. Specific areas of unintentional harm: nervous shock, economic loss, professional liability.
  • Delicts in relation to property: Occupiers’ liability; nuisance; interference with water; escape of dangerous things; in aemulationem vicini; moveable property.
  • Delictual liability under statute; Defamation, etc: Breach of statutory duty: criteria applied by courts, forms of liability; assault, trespass, fraud, passing off, conspiracy, wrongful interference, intimidation, breach of EU law. Consumer Protection Act 1987. Defamation: principles, defences, convicium, malicious falsehood.
  • Vicarious liability and employers’ liability: Vicarious Liability: employers for employees and independent contractors; principal for agent. Employers’ liability at common law and under statute.
  • Extinction of delictual obligations: Defences; prescription and limitation.

Brief description

The Scots Law principles of criminal responsibility as well as the elements which must be proved in relation to the commission of particular crimes.

Module content:

  • General principles and procedures: Sources of criminal law; mens rea and actus reus; causation; strict liability; selected statutory offences; corporate criminal liability; art and part liability; inchoate crimes; common law and statutory defences; summary and solemn procedure; appeals.
  • Crimes against the person: Recognised defences: Assault; aggravations to an assault charge; causing reckless injury etc.; extortion; homicide; selected sexual offences per the Sexual Offences (Scotland) Act 2009.
  • Crimes of dishonesty: Recognised defences: Theft and aggravated theft; embezzlement; robbery; reset; fraud; uttering as genuine.
  • Crimes relating to public order and morality: Recognised defences: Breach of the peace; Public Indecency; Perjury and other selected offences against the course of justice.
  • Crimes against property: Recognised defences: Malicious mischief; vandalism; fire-raising.
  • Specific statutory offences: Statute-specific defences: e.g. Road traffic offences; Misuse of drugs.

Year 1 MySuccess Modules - Term 2

You must study and pass three MySuccess modules of your choosing

Brief description 

Learn to understand the fundamentals of writing at university, including how to find the specific language for your subject and how to “sound academic” when you write. 

Indicative content

  • Finding the right words: Why having a big vocabulary is vital if you want to be a good writer. Introduction to the Academic Word List. How to build your subject vocabulary
  • Learning the style: What lecturers mean by “academic style”. How to learn the rules of academic writing. Why these vary in different subjects and different assignments
  • The connection between the right language and avoiding plagiarism: What we mean by “the right language” in writing. Some fundamental rules you need to remember. How this helps you to paraphrase (and why that’s vital). 
  • Being a guide for your reader: Why a clear structure is key to a good grade. How to lead your reader through your writing. How to make your writing “flow”.
  • Persuading your reader you’re right: Why all academic writing is persuasive writing. The importance of evidence. How to present your arguments and back them up

Brief description 

An introduction to the key digital capabilities you need for your studies. 

Indicative content

  • Map current skills: Identify current strengths against a range of digital skills students will need at university and are also sought by employers.  Create a plan to develop your digital skills journey using an online platform.
  • Digital Learning Environment: Identify tools including assistive technologies which will help you organise your learning and ensure your devices are efficient and secure.
  • Institutional Systems: Understand how to engage with institutional tools such as MyLearningSpace, MS Teams, OASIS, MyAbertay Dashboard and Calendar
  • Digital Communication and Collaboration: Use different types of online communication to communicate with other students and your lecturers.  Understand how learning networks are used professionally.
  • Digital Learning and Development: Understand how to develop skills in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Forms and OneDrive skills to an advanced level by gaining software provider accreditation.
  • Digital Creativity and Problem solving: Use appropriate tools to create and edit digital content, including multimedia while respecting copyright. 
  • Digital Identity: Identify effective use of social media to present a positive digital identify. 

Brief description 

Take a guided tour of our location, heritage, culture, industry and innovations, find out how you can get involved, and what’s on our horizon.

Indicative content

  • Location: We will explore the geography that makes Dundee’s setting “probably more extraordinary than any other city in the UK. It is about as ideal – ludicrously ideal – as any setting could be.” – Stephen Fry. Did you know there is an extinct volcano in the city centre? and why our city is known as #SunnyDundee (one of the sunniest cities in Scotland)… It’s all down to geography…
  • Heritage:  The 3 ‘J’s – Jute, jam and journalism… the industrial foundations of modern Dundee – our link with the world through international trade (e.g. Dundee does not grow oranges – so how did we get to be famous for our Dundee marmalade?). Dennis the menace and his Beano pals will have a tale to tell you … and the McManus galleries hold many a local secret for you to uncover (find the Tay Whale).
  • Industry and innovation: A city of innovation and reinvention… with lots of innovation over the centuries in Dundee, we will explore the Recent: Biomed, computer games… And the Future: MSIP, Eden project, E-Games arena. One of the first places in the UK to have Green health prescriptions (and we have lots of parks!)
  • Culture: Take a ‘virtual’ trip to Antarctica on RRS Discovery, explore the history of industry at Verdant works, marvel at the displays in the V&A, dance at the Dundee rep, soak in culture at Dundee Contemporary Arts, and marvel at developments in medicine, engineering, environment and more at Dundee science centre…
  • Take part: Dundee is a friendly city, we say hello we help each other, we have lots of communities large and small. Discover how Abertay fits into the city and how you can too.

Brief description 

Take the first step on your journey towards becoming an independent, confident and accomplished information literate student in your chosen subject area, gaining an understanding of the fundamental skills you will need for research both at University and in lifelong learning.

Indicative content

  • Getting started: Identifying the ‘knowledge gap’ and the information needed to fill it: why information literacy matters. 
  • Understanding Information sources: How scholarly information is generated and disseminated; key characteristics of different information types (e.g. print/electronic, primary/ secondary, bibliographic/full-text, open access/paywall).
  • Searching for information: Planning, using and refining appropriate search strategies; online search tools (Google vs specialist services); using a range of web and database search functionality (e.g. truncation, phrasing, filters)
  • Evaluating information: Using appropriate quality criteria to critically evaluate information from any source to determine authority and bias.
  • Referencing: Understanding what is meant by academic integrity, plagiarism and the need for appropriate referencing; creating reference lists and in-text citations; use of referencing tools to manage information.

Brief description 

Learn how to present and persuade a targeted audience that an idea is beneficial – presenting a clear and well-supported message or point of view to influence a decision.

Indicative content

  • What is visual communication and why is it important? Overview of forms of visual communication as a tool to convey an idea, concept, design thinking or project and why it is important to present in a simple and inspirational way to deliver impact to a chosen target audience.
  • Let’s go mood boarding! How to gather, distil and present focused visual information for an idea, concept, design thinking or project on a mood board in a simple and engaging format to a chosen target audience.
  • What is persuasive writing and why is it important? Overview of structuring written communication to persuasively present a clear and well supported idea or point of view (evidence) including counter views to influence a decision by a target audience.

Brief description 

Gain an early opportunity to start planning your personal and career development for your life beyond University. 

Indicative content

  • The new challenge of knowing the future now: What will the future look like for me and what can I do to prepare? Videos, presentations and interactive activities sessions on a range of topics and concepts to help provide a wider context for self-development.
  • Who am I? Use of a range online interactive online self-assessment tools and activities used to create your own personal profile and benchmark your own career readiness.
  • My current personal profile and my future-(professional) self:  Using results and data from self-assessment tools to create personal profile. You're Introduced to the Career Management Cycle model as an approach to personal development, interactive self-reflection and for planning suitable personal goals. 
  • Mind the Gap: Use of positive case studies from previous students/graduates. (Where are they now?) To help inspire and raise your career aspirations. 
  • Growth and moving forward: Set out your next steps based on a range of opportunities available to do so. 
  • Decoding the jargon: Decode the jargon terms used in education/employment/work /careers. 
  • Action planning: Use of SMART technique in setting personal goals.

Brief description 

Experience first-hand what Abertay has to offer and further embed yourself as a member of the Abertay community.

Indicative content

  • Student Representation: The student voice is important to both us and the University. We value your opinions, and our reps allow us to hear it. Learn all about our Class reps, Division reps and Community reps. The University also delivers the Lead Voices, which recruits students to advocate the voices of students belonging to protected characteristics.
  • Societies: Societies are student led and student organised. Find out more about societies: what they do, the committee structure, society council and the skills you can gain from being part of a society. If you don'tt see something you like, then you can learn how to create a society of your own.
  • Sports: Whether you're interested in competitive level or looking for a social activity, there are a variety of sports clubs to join. Learn about our different sports clubs, the Sports Union, their committees and physical activities the University has to offer. There are several links between physical activity and wellbeing including mental health which will also be discussed.
  • Peer Mentoring: The Abertay Peer Mentoring programme connects students to other students. Abertay Mentors are experienced students who are keen to support the academic and personal success of others.
  • Enterprise: Bell Street Ventures is the University’s centre for enterprise who offer workshops, resources and consultation. Open to students and graduates whether you want to start a business, change the world or choose who you want to work with as a freelancer.

Brief description 

Gain the knowledge and awareness of techniques and behaviours that are known to positively influence ongoing wellbeing.

Indicative content

  • Course overview: Introduction to the course and to the underpinning theory.
  • Connecting: Consideration of the value of building strong social relationships and Identifying ways of becoming more connected at Abertay and within local communities.
  • Being active: Highlighting the benefits of becoming physically active and providing examples of how this might be achieved from different starting points and circumstances.
  • Taking notice: Introducing useful techniques such as mindfulness and grounding.
  • Learning: Explaining the link between learning and wellbeing and showcasing a range of opportunities open to Abertay students.
  • Giving: Exploring the value of giving in different contexts and flagging options as an Abertay student, including peer mentoring, Student Association involvement and volunteering opportunities.
  • Course summary and next steps: Creating an action plan to adopt the behaviours above.
  • Summative assessment: An online quiz structured around the five elements above.

 

Year 2 Core Modules

You must study and pass all five core modules

Brief description

The law and practice of succession and trusts.

Module content: 

  • Intestate succession: Succession in moveables and heritage; prior rights; legal rights; collation; order of succession re spouses, children, cohabitants, civil partners law reform.
  • Testate succession: Capacity and diminished capacity; execution and amendment of wills; uncertainty; revocation; 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: Nominations; special destinations; liferent and fee; and survivorship.
  • Trusts: Constitution; public and private; charitable trusts; uncertainty; revocability; liferents; vesting; variation; termination of trust; law reform.
  • Trustees: Appointment; assumption and resignation; administration; duties; powers; breach of trust and remedies; investment powers; liability to creditors; discharge; law reform.
  • Drafting and interpretation of wills: Words of severance and conjunction; terms; public policy considerations; prohibitions of accumulations and successive liferents; conditional institution and substitution.
  • Inheritance tax: An overview of the structure and charging of inheritance tax.
  • Adults with incapacity: Recognition of the issues relating to elderly and other adults who are incapable of managing their affairs; Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000; continuing financial and welfare attorneys; financial and welfare guardianship; intervention orders; power to intromit with accounts; The Office of the Public Guardian in Scotland; human rights concerns; and law reform.

Brief description

Introduction to the legal principles governing family relationships and their breakdown, children and parenthood in Scotland.

Module content: 

  • Parent and child: Parental responsibilities and rights; adoption; local authority intervention; human rights of family members.
  • Marriage and civil partnership: Regular and irregular marriage; Same sex marriage; validity of civil and religious marriages; prohibitions and legal impediments to marriage; void and voidable marriages. Civil Partnerships and Gender Recognition.
  • Rights arising out of marriage and civil partnership: Aliment, separate property rights.
  • Family homes and family protection: Occupancy rights of spouses, civil partners and cohabitants, exclusion orders.
  • Relationship breakdown: Grounds in divorce and dissolution actions. Division of property on relationship breakdown including financial provision, property transfer orders and decrees regulating occupancy rights.

Brief description

The constitutional and legal framework of the European Union and its key institutions. The law relating to the single market within the EU and the principles of free movement and EU citizenship. The constitutional implications and procedures of Brexit.

Module content: 

  • History: History, objective and evolution of the treaties and legislation.
  • Institutions: Principal institutions of the EU, including Commission, Council, Courts, Parliament, ECB, Court of Auditors; other important bodies such as the Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.
  • Judicial role: References, review, principles of supremacy, direct and indirect effects, state liability, general principles. The procedures of the Court of Justice.
  • Law of the EU internal market: Free movement of Goods, Services, Persons and Capital; Right of Establishment in another member state.
  • EU equality law: Sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, religious or other belief.
  • Brexit: The UK and the EU, Article 50, withdrawal agreement.

Brief description

The principles of Scots commercial law, consumer law and finance as they relate to business and consumer transactions.

Module 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.

Brief description

Introduction to the key doctrines and legal principles of administrative law in the United Kingdom with particular reference to Scotland.

Module content: 

  • Administrative Law: Basic concepts, ultra vires, standing in administrative proceedings. Redressing grievances in the public sector.
  • Judicial Review: Tripartite relationships, excess and abuse of power, the ultra vires doctrine, Wednesbury reasonableness, natural justice and other grounds of judicial review.
  • Ombudsmen: Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsmen, Scottish Public Services Ombudsman.
  • Liability of the Crown and Public Authorities: Crown Proceedings Act 1947, Liability in Delict and Contract, Remedies, Crown Privilege and Public Interest Immunity.
  • Citizen and the State: Citizenship, Nationality, Immigration, Asylum, Deportation, Extradition, European Arrest Warrants, freedom of information.
  • Human Rights and Civil Liberties: ECHR, Human Rights Act 1998, Commission for Equality and Human Rights, Police powers, Public order, State security and Official Secrets, Anti-terrorism measures. Privacy and data protection.

Brief description

This module introduces students to key issues and debates in the history and development of contemporary policing in the UK.

Indicative content

  • History of the Police: 'Policing before the police'; from 'Peelers' to 'crime fighters' to 'risk managers' to 'knowledge workers'; models of policing.
  • Policing structures and systems: What do policing structures look like? How is the service organised? Hierarchies; police powers, police cultures; policing and the media, myth and reality.
  • Police operations: Introducing, analysing and investigating crime; policing styles revisited; crime reduction and/or community safety; responding to terrorism; organised crime.
  • Key debates in contemporary policing: Governance; accountability; ethics; performance management; policing 'futures'; surveillance.

Year 2 Microcredentials

If you are a Direct Entrant (new student) to this year of study and have not previously taken module ABE101, then you MUST take ABE201 as part of your Microcredential selection. If you have previously taken ABE101 then you are NOT permitted to take ABE201.

Please choose a total of TWENTY credits of microcredential (ABE) modules.

Brief description

Throughout the microcredential you will become familiar with university systems (including the virtual learning environment), consider what attributes make a successful student and develop key successful student habits.

Indicative content

  • Navigating Abertay Systems: Be introduced to and understand how to engage with Abertay systems and tools such as MyLearningSpace, MS Teams, OASIS, MyAbertay etc.
  • Expectations of University and You: Explore your own and the universities expectations of you and of the university; Consider the code of conduct; independent learning; blended learning; how university is structured; health and safety; and the Abertay attributes.
  • Understanding and Searching Information: How scholarly information is generated and disseminated, key characteristics of different information types. Planning, using, and refining appropriate search strategies; online search tools; using a range of web and database search functionality. 
  • Successful Student Behaviours: Develop strategies to key successful student behaviours including Defeating Procrastination, Time Management, Notetaking and preparing for classes, Growth Mindset, Accessing student support and opportunities.
  • Referencing: Understand what is meant by academic integrity, plagiarism, and the need for appropriate referencing; creating reference lists and in-text citations; use of referencing tools to manage information.
  • Sounding Academic: Explore what lecturers mean by “academic style” and “the right language”; Understand what is meant by and how to learn the rules of academic writing characteristics. Consider how this differs between college and university; Learn how to paraphrase. Explore how assessments, marking and feedback works at university.
  • Evaluating Information: Using appropriate quality criteria to critically evaluate information from any source to determine authority and bias.

Brief description

This microcredential provides you with the space and time to develop your skills in designing, planning, delivering, and showcasing an artefact responding to the societal issue. The microcredential is flexible and you will have a choice of what and how you create your response.

Indicative content

  • The Big Issue: You will be introduced to the big society issue that will be the focus of your artefact response. Learning materials available will help you consider your response to the challenge.
  • Developing Ideas: You will think creatively as to how you will respond to the big issue. You will consider your intended artefact aims, outcomes and target audience. 
  • Responding to the Challenge: Resources and guidance will be available as you respond to the challenge and create your artefact.
  • Preparing for the Showcase: Guidance will be available on how best to showcase your artefact for the assessment. You will develop your presentation skills to support you in showcasing the artefact. 
  • Showcase Event: You will attend a showcase event and present your artefact.

Brief description

You will discuss a range of anti-racist approaches and how they apply within the context of professional communications. You will examine case studies and scenarios to identify the nature of bias in society explore ways to be anti-racist especially in professional communications.

Indicative content

  • Racial Bias in Society: Using case studies and scenarios to discuss various forms of racism in society, you will explore the need for anti-racist practice in professional communications. 
  • Classification of Anti-Racist Practice: This section compares different anti-racists approaches applied across several contexts. You will discuss the challenges and benefits of each approach. You will identify barriers to implementation of anti-racist practice.
  • Discuss Anti-Racist Approaches for Successful Professional Communications: You will be introduced to various communications frameworks (e.g. the humanity-centric framework) and will explore scenarios for the application of these frameworks in a range of professional contexts.
  • Embedding Anti-Racism in Digital and Social Media Communications: How can you discuss matters of race and anti-racism on digital and social media while maintaining a professional persona. We will examine cases for best practices and explore ways to avoid bigoted language in digital communications.

Brief description

In this module you will study two ways of analysing language: (i) a basic introduction to conversation analysis and discourse analysis as applied to ordinary talk/texting, and (ii) and introduction text mining, based on identifying patterns and developing insights from text-based data available on the Internet (e.g., social media data, online texts, online reviews etc).

Indicative content

  • Conversation Analysis and Talk and Text as Action: A brief overview of the CA focus on language as action; an examination of how people talk in terms of questions, answers, invitations, excuses, justifications etc.; an examination of texting, emojis, misunderstandings.
  • Text Mining: Introduction to text mining and its uses in a social sciences and business context; Online data sources; The text mining process: data collection, pre-processing and analysis; effectively communicating and visualising insights from textual data.

Brief description

By the end of this microcredential, you will be able to evaluate and select machine learning algorithms and AWS services to be appropriately applied to different business problems.

Indicative content

  • Introduction to Machine Learning: What is ML? ML process, business problem solved with ML, ML tools, Amazon SageMaker, ML challenges, supervised learning (regression, classification), unsupervised learning (clustering, dimensionality reduction), reinforcement learning, etc.
  • Implementing a ML pipeline using Amazon Sage Maker: Formulating ML problems, collecting and securing data, extracting, transferring and loading data, evaluating your data, finding corelation, feature engineering, data cleaning, dealing with outliers, training, deployment, performance evaluation, hyperparameters and model tuning.
  • Forecasting: Time series analysis, Amazon Forecast, Implementing a forecast model, Stock Predictions.
  • Computer Vision: Facial Recognition, Image and Video Analysis, Dataset Preparation.
  • Natural Language Processing: Amazon Comprehend, Polly, Translate, and Lex, Creating a chatbot, Alexa, etc.

Brief description

This online module will support you to get familiar with sustainability and introduce you to tools that can help you to understand and reduce your climate impact. By increasing your sustainability self-awareness, you will be able to make a positive difference in your own life, and in the organisations and communities around you.

Indicative content

  • What is sustainability and how is it linked to Climate Change?: We define sustainability, enhancing understanding of the links between society, economy, and environment. Climate change is explained and linked to sustainability. We provide clear accessible information about the reliable science of climate change. We describe the need efforts towards limiting human-induced global warming (limiting cumulative CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions). 
  • Global Sustainability: We introduce the United Nations Sustainability Goals (SDGs). The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. 
  • Personal Sustainability: The WWF environmental footprint tool is a great way to start your personal sustainability journey. The planet is in crisis - from climate change to the pollution in our oceans and devastation of our forests. It's up to all of us to fix it. Take your first step with our environmental footprint calculator. 
  • Community Sustainability and Climate Resilience: Community climate resilience comes in many forms. In this topic we introduce ideas which can provide multiple benefits of people, planet, and prosperity. We showcase inspiring examples whereby working with natural processes (Biophilic design, blue and green infrastructure) we can connect people with nature to improve their well-being and quality of life, whilst simultaneously tackling climate change and storing carbon.
  • Global Solutions: What is the world doing about it? What impact do Global Climate and Biodiversity agreements (COP26 etc) really have? What’s happening here? Where are the challenges and the good news stories? We showcase positive initiatives focussed on progress.

Brief description

By the end of the module, you will know more about key aspects of nutrition and health and be better equipped to identify and tackle the barriers that prevent you from eating well.

Indicative content

  • Healthy eating on a budget: This topic will show you that healthy eating doesn’t have to be expensive! You will be given basic nutritional knowledge, as well as skills and practical tips to be able to eat a healthy diet on a budget. You will then be able to develop your own menu and share it with your peers, so you learn from us as well as from each other.
  • Prebiotics, probiotics and health: You will learn about the importance of our microbiota on health, and how what we eat can modulate it. You will be provided with cooking tips and will be able to develop your own fermented foods for better gut health.
  • Fat or sugar, which is worse?: You may have heard that fats are bad for our health, or perhaps you have heard it is all about the sugars? You will learn about the role of both sugars and fats in our diet; what makes them good or bad for health and the science behind it. You will be given the tools to assess your own sugar and fat intake as well as tips to implement the changes you need to eat better. 
  • The British diet vs Mediterranean diet: What is a Mediterranean diet and what are its real benefits? Is it just a diet or a pattern? Can we get the same benefits as those living in Mediterranean countries? In this topic, you will explore how feasible it is for us to adopt the Mediterranean diet and lifestyle, considering the seasonality of ingredients as well as sustainability. 
  • What drives our food choices?: How healthy do you think your diet is? Do you find it easy to eat well? With this topic you will become more aware of our obesogenic environment, of how the food industry talks to us, and how the media report nutritional claims. You will learn to look more closely and more critically at your environment, so you can make healthier decisions.

Brief description

This microcredential will help you to refine your current writing skills through the analysis and discussion of a range of texts and exercises, enabling you to then apply these techniques to assignments for your other modules.

Indicative content

  • Speaking the language: How to develop your academic and professional vocabulary: understanding the genre; understanding your reader’s expectations.
  • Meeting expectations: Why different assignments have different requirements: decoding instructions; selecting appropriate writing techniques.
  • Tightening up the nuts and bolts: How to improve your writing accuracy: reviewing key grammar and punctuation issues; improving your editing and proofreading.
  • Standing on the shoulders of giants: How to borrow from the greats: reviewing the principles of citing sources; using writing techniques to incorporate research into writing.

Brief description

This module will help you develop a better understanding of the difference between media reporting and scientific evaluation. It will equip you with the skills to look beyond sensational stories related to human behaviour and dig deeper into a topic area to validate the evidence.

Indicative content

  • Paranormal Beliefs and Experiences: Is Extrasensory Perception Real? Is there really evidence that we can predict the future?
  • Myths about the Brain: Can repressed memories be recovered in therapy? How easily are false memories created? What are the implications for the justice system? 
  • Myths about our Mind and Body: Is the key to success in everyday life simply a case of posing like a powerful superhero? 
  • Myths about Language: Does being bilingual make you smarter and keep your brain younger? Are bilingual people less likely to get dementia as a result of this lifelong brain training?

Brief description

Through this microcredential you will gain an insight into what the world of work may look like in the (near) future. This includes developing a knowledge of how the economy and labour market evolves and why individual skills-sets and employability are so important and intrinsically linked to this process.

Indicative content

  • The future of work: What will the future of work look like? What is used to predict how the world or work will change? Can the future of the economy and of work be accurately predicted? 
  • Key factors that influence change: Identifying some of the key factors that influence how the world of work and our economy evolves and changes.
  • The key role of skills and personal employability: The emergence and decline of skills: skills are fundamental to the economy (and graduate employers). What skills will be most in demand and/or be most valuable to our economy in future and why? Understand the importance of skills to the economy (and to graduate employers) at both the macro and micro level. Know what specific new skills are emerging and becoming more valuable and sought after, (as others are in decline) for our modern economy and graduate labour market. 
  • Labour market information - what is it for?: Labour market Information is hugely important to our understanding of our economy at any given time: and also, in looking at the present and past to help predict future growth, opportunities, shortages and skills gaps. Recognise the importance of key Labour Market Information (LMI). Have the ability to source and use key Labour Market Information (LMI). Understand how to use accurate Labour Market Information as a tool to help their own personal development and future career planning. 
  • What now?: Some help and steer – suggestions to you may wish to use your new knowledge and insight to help with your own career aspirations, planning and personal/professional development while at university.

Brief description

Some businesses have the sole focus of making money whereas others exist to also make a difference. Social enterprises are becoming more popular, and recognisable, and are making an impact across the world. From supporting the homeless, to giving waste products a second life, social enterprises are fighting for various causes. 

Indicative content

  • What is a social enterprise and how does it function?: What the definition of a social enterprise is with examples from different sectors.
  • How do social enterprises identify problems to tackle?: How social enterprises decide on what they will tackle and how they will do it. 
  • How do you gather evidence that there is a problem requiring a solution?: Way in which you can gather evidence and data to validate the idea for a social enterprise. Determining needs and wants within a category. 
  • How to identify skills and knowledge gaps: Understanding the skillsets within a founding team to fulfil the tasks required to start a social enterprise. 
  • How to understand the problem you are trying to solve: Knowing the problem, you are trying to solve and how this effects the target customers the social enterprise is aimed at. Looking at the issues in a customer-focussed way. 
  • How to develop a social impact plan: What is involved in a social impact plan and how to put one together. 

Brief description

This module will introduce you to the study of AI and Society. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a set of technologies and concepts and can be understood as using computers and software to denote problem-solving capacities and knowledge acquisition (intelligence) which otherwise we believe only belongs to natural beings such as humans.

Indicative content

  • Introduction to the core concepts: A brief introduction to the concepts of “artificial”, “intelligence” and “society”. 
  • Introduction to the problem of AI and Society: A discussion of where the problem of the impact of AI on Society comes from, presentation of some of the original debates and examples.
  • Contemporary debates: A discussion of the contemporary debates about the impact of AI on Society, with examples.

Brief description

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how has it shaped our past and present? These are questions we will explore on a guided tour of AI from the past to the present and the future. You will develop a better understanding of what AI is and isn’t.

Indicative content

  • Historical AI: Tracing the historical development of “traditional” AI systems including aircraft autopilots, expert systems, and accounting/financial software.
  • Current AI: Covering the contemporary generation of AI technologies in areas such as speech recognition (e.g., Alexa, Siri) and recommendation systems (e.g., Amazon, YouTube). Examples will be drawn from Health, Sport, Games, Engineering, Business, Law and Computing. 
  • Future AI: Exploring the limitations of today’s AI when it comes to general intelligence and contextual adaptation. Examples will be drawn from Health, Sport, Games, Engineering, Business, Law and Computing.
  • My AI: How AI will impact your future, and how you can use AI to help you achieve your career goals.  Reflection on how AI may inform your subject area going forward.

Brief description

This microcredential is aimed at you, if you have an interest in technology but are not experts. The microcredential will develop your digital safety and how to stay safe online.

Indicative content

  • Threat Landscape: Cyberattacks and online threats. System vulnerabilities. Social Engineering. Rights and computer laws.
  • Authentication: Password security. Biometrics. MFA and Password managers. Good practices for authentication.
  • Secure Communication: Web browser security. Certificates and trust. Effective encryption. Secure communication methods.
  • Personal Information Privacy: Information leakage. Personal information privacy and open-source intelligence. Device encryption and security. Security mindfulness.
  • Malware: Types of malware. Identifying malicious software. Malware propagation techniques. Malware removal and preventative measures.

Brief description

This microcredential will help you to develop and build your own confidence in applying numeracy skills in real world situations.

Indicative content

  • What is my GPA and how likely am I to get a First? (BASIC NUMERACY): Calculation and manipulation of data using Percentages, Indices (Powers), Roots, Probability, and simple equations. 
  • The power of prediction (GRAPHS): Straight line graphs, Gradients, Equations of a straight line, Intercepts. Drawing graphs - Linear equations, Distances between points. Simultaneous linear equations.  
  • Love a good puzzle (ALGEBRA): Changing subject of formulae. Factorisation - common factors, Difference of two squares, Trinomials. Solving simultaneous equations by Substitution and Elimination.
  • Advanced power of prediction (FUNCTIONS): Introduction to functions – Linear and Quadratic and solving quadratic equations. Factorising Quadratic equations.
  • Love a good triangle (TRIGONOMETRY): Trignometric functions - Sine, cosine and tangent. Trignometric formulae.

Brief description

In this microcredential, you will learn more about how digital media production professionals in the UK and China are working together to reduce barriers and identify new opportunities for collaboration and growth.

Indicative content

  • History and future of videogames in China: Focussing on the videogame sector as a case study of Chinese digital creative industries, how has the videogames market and industry developed in China, how is the Chinese videogames economy currently constituted, and what does the future hold?
  • Consumer trends and audience preferences: What is popular with audiences in China? What can we note about preferences in terms of narrative content, aesthetics, play styles etc. when compared with other markets?
  • Policy and regulation: What unique regulations or limitations are imposed on digital media within China, and what similarities are there with other national and transnational regulations? How is creative content development and publishing shaped by policy in China? What social and ethical challenges are presented by regulation, in China as well as in the UK?
  • Transnational working and co-production: How is digital creative content conceived, developed, and released by professionals working across borders? What are the challenges for small and independent creative studios, compared with multi-nationals with studios based in and outside China?
  • Publishing in China: How do digital media content like videogames make it to market in China? What processes and requirements must creative businesses be aware of, and how do developers find, connect to, and work with Chinese publishers? How to consumers in China access content, including on grey markets?
  • Challenges and success: Hear from UK and Chinese professionals on the China market, co-operation, the hurdles they cleared, and how they found success.

Brief description

Increasingly, the role of creativity in supporting and maintaining wellbeing is being researched and celebrated. This module will introduce you to the current theory in this area, as well as a range of creative resources shown to be helpful for both self-care and the support of others.

Indicative content

  • Why does creativity matter?: An introduction to why creativity matters when it comes to mental health.
  • Your brain on words: The place of stories in their various forms as a resource for wellbeing.
  • Engaging the senses: The potential of tools such as music and art for self-care.

Year 3 Core Modules

You must study and pass all four core modules

Brief description

The theories and concepts which underpin law, with further detailed consideration of human rights law.

Indicative content

  • Fundamental Legal Concepts: Law, the State and the individual; law and other disciplines; the role of lawyers, rule of law, the interests of justice arguments v consumerism; concepts of rights and justice.
  • Development of the Western Legal Tradition: Global legal systems; the Western Legal Tradition; natural law theories the Utilitarians; Kant; Marx.
  • Legal Theories of the 20th Century: Legal theories of the 20th century: American realism; legal positivism; liberalism; neo-Marxism; legal sociology; critical legal theory, feminism and race; 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.

Brief description

The principal concepts of property, particularly in relation to rights and duties to land, in Scots law.

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, such as intellectual property. Acquisition of title; rights in security. Hohfeld and the nature of rights. The feudal system of land ownership and its abolition; real rights in land. Separate tenements in the land; Regalia; water rights; mineral rights. Fixtures.
  • Real burdens and title conditions: Real burdens and servitudes, title and interest to enforce. The Title Conditions (S) Act 2003. Variation, discharge and extinction.
  • Law of the Tenement: Common law; Tenements (S) Act.
  • Registration of Title: The 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 found in modern missives and their effects. The Scottish Standard Clauses.
  • Dispositions and standard securities: The form and content of the disposition and the standard security and the significance and effect of the clauses therein, including implied clauses.
  • Leases: Real rights in a lease; constitution of lease, obligations of parties; rent; Termination: irritancy, removing, ejection, recovery of possession. Commercial leases. Statutory tenancies.

Brief description

The legal rules governing the relevance, admissibility and sufficiency of evidence in civil and criminal proceedings in the courts of law in Scotland.

Indicative content

  • Basic concepts: Purpose, Relevance, admissibility, weight and sufficiency of evidence. Burdens and standards of proof, human rights issues.
  • Requirements for proof: Presumptions, judicial knowledge, judicial admissions.
  • Types of evidence: Oral, documentary, real evidence, direct and circumstantial, primary and secondary evidence, the best evidence rule.
  • Corroboration: The 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.
  • 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; persons of diminished physical/mental capacity. Accused persons, witnesses; similar fact evidence; Previous convictions, prior history and character.
  • Recovery and Preservation of Evidence: Improperly obtained evidence, warrants, urgency, searches, covert operations. Ss 13-20A Criminal Procedure (S) Act 1995 - police powers.
  • 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 + Expert Evidence/Evidence at the Trial or Proof: Expert and Opinion evidence Conduct of inquiry (examination in chief, cross-examination and re- examination), children and vulnerable witnesses.

Brief description

The legal framework business organisations operate within and the principles of Scots commercial and corporate law.

Indicative content

  • The 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.

Brief description

The prison system, the experience of imprisonment and penal policy and practice in the UK. Learn about developments in penal policy and practice, the lived experience of imprisonment and consider alternatives to imprisonment.

Indicative content

  • Contemporary developments in penal theory, policy and practice: Penal institutions in contemporary society. The crises of legitimacy in penal institutions. Reorganisation and reform. Privatisation of the prison system.
  • Prison life the reality: ‘Doing time’ the actuality of prison life, the ‘total institution’? Strategies for survival, regime activities, ‘banged up’ prisoners, prison staff and civilian staff. Dealing with social exclusion. The diversity of the prison population. Stratification and power within prisons.
  • Alternatives to imprisonment the way forward?: Reducing risk or protecting the public? Reducing fear of crime? Human or humane containment and warehousing. Therapeutic prisons. Electronic tagging, community service orders, mediation/reparation.
  • Attitudes to imprisonment: Why do we have prisons? Why are they at the centre of penal policy? Are they culturally ‘acceptable’? Abolitionism.
  • Foreign nationals: Detention centres; foreign national prisoners and race relations in prisons; are immigration detention centres new types of penal establishments; critical issues surrounding foreign national prisoners in the UK.

Brief description

This module addresses the emergence and development of key criminological perspectives of continuing relevance for the understanding of crime and processes of criminalization.

Indicative content

  • Modernity and socio-cultural formation: Functionalism and strain, the Chicago School and subcultural theory, theories of social disorganization.
  • Interaction and structure: Labelling and interactionism, Marxist and radical perspectives, left realism.
  • Criminological pessimism and pragmatism: Right realism, rational actor perspectives and situational crime prevention.
  • Late modernity and reflexivity: Cultural criminology and green criminology.

Year 3 Option Modules

Please choose TWO option modules in term 1, with a MAXIMUM of ONE NON-LAW OPTION.

Brief description

Undertake a piece of independent legal research into an appropriate area, chosen by you and approved by your supervisors. Develop your skills in communication, problem solving, research, ICT, planning and professionalism that helps prepare you for your honours dissertation in fourth year.

Indicative content

  • Research led study: This module enables students to develop research skills and to acquire a deep understanding of an area of law chosen in conjunction with the module tutor.
  • Method of support and guidance: Students will build on previous research skills developed as part of coursework writing in the first and second year of study. Supervision of the project will take place through regular face-to-face meetings.
  • Critical thinking and evaluation: Students will be expected to form a thorough understanding of the area of research and to demonstrate further progress in higher level skills of analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

Brief description

Public International Law is the body of rules and principles which are binding upon states (and certain other entities) in their relations with one another. Public International Law is sometimes called the "law of nations" or just simply International Law.

Indicative content

  • Introduction: Public international law as a discipline in the context of the relationship between states and other entities. The underpinnings of public international law as a discipline distinct from municipal (national) law and private international law.
  • Substantive Issues: Issues that are included are the historical development and theory of international law; the relationship between municipal law and international law; sources of pubic international law; states as subjects of international law; territory; the use of force in international law; state responsibility; self-contained legal regimes; the settlement of international disputes.

Brief description

The individual contract of employment at common law and under statute and the regulation which applies to that contract.

Indicative content

  • Formation of the contract of employment: Definition; form; jurisdiction and choice of law, continuous employment; fixed-term, retiring age.
  • Administration of employment law: The Tribunals system; the Department for Business Innovation and Skills and other agencies active in this field e.g. ACAS, Equality and Human Rights Commission.
  • Terms of the contract: Minimum statutory requirements; express, implied, custom, collective agreements. Terms imposed by the common law and modified by statute. Employment protection provided by statute: e.g. suspension from work; family friendly working rights; pay; insolvency of employer.
  • Discrimination in employment: General; Equality Act 2010 and protected characteristics of gender reassignment, race, disability, age, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, and marriage and civil partnership; equal pay.
  • Discipline and grievance: Works’ rules and procedures; ACAS recommended practice.
  • Transfer of a business: UK implementation of EU Directives; rights of transferred employees.
  • Termination of the contract of employment: Notice; dismissal: wrongful, unfair; redundancy; remedies.

Brief description

The societal and political pressures organisations face to rapidly reach achieve zero carbon emissions. Develop the skills needed to evaluate an organisation's current environmental impact and create and implement a new strategy to reduce this impact. 

Indicative content

  • Environmental stewardship: Examine why environmental stewardship is important for any business to pursue, and why that importance will likely grow stronger in the future.
  • Evaluating impact: Methods for evaluating an organisations current environmental impact
  • Implementing your vision: Defining initiatives that fill gaps between the current state and the future vision and constructing a roadmap for achieving the vision.
  • Managing change: To introduce and explain business process transformation methodologies, with supporting technology and tools, that focus on increasing operational efficiency and reducing waste. E.g. IBM’s Green Sigma methodology.
  • Frameworks for going green: Frameworks for developing and implementing a green strategy, and illustrate the benefits many organisations have realised in each strategic area.

Brief description

This module will examine the history of race and racism in 19th, 20th and 21st century Britain, from the 'Scramble for Africa' through the postwar/post-colonial period to the present. It will examine the various forces, processes and discourses through which race, ethnicity and the racialised subject have been constructed, shaped and changed. It will also examine theoretical approaches to and debates about race and ethnicity, racism, race relations and anti-racism, and how these have developed in response to both historical developments and social-political activism.

Indicative content

  • The Concept and Construction of Race and Ethnicity: This section will look at the concept and construction of race and ethnicity, and the production of racial knowledge from the colonial period to the present.
  • Race, Ethnicity and Nation: This section will examine the (re)construction and relationship between race, ethnicity and nation in Britain in light of postwar/ post-colonial immigration and the end of empire.
  • Race, Ethnicity and Identity: This section will examine the the politics, construction and expression of racial and ethnic identities in post-colonial Britain in response to colonialism, migration, discrimination and racism.
  • Race and Class: This section will examine the relationship between race and class as sites of social-political identification, power, inequality, political struggle and analysis, as well as debates over which is the most effective framework for analysis and activism.
  • Race and Gender: This section will examine the relationship between race and gender as sites of social-political identification, power, inequality, political struggle and analysis, as well as debates over which is the most effective framework for analysis and activism.
  • Race, Crime, Civil Unrest and Political Protest: This section will examine the relationship (within analysis and representation) between race, the law, crime, civil unrest and political protest against socioeconomic conditions, policing and state policy.
  • Anti-Racism, Race Relations and Multiculturalism: This section will examine the history and development of anti-racist and race relations discourses, activism, strategies and legislation, how they have attempted to combat forms of racism, discrimination and inequality, and debates surrounding them.
  • Race, Ethnicity and the Politics of Popular Culture: This section will examine popular culture (e.g. music, film or television) in terms of postcolonial cultural politics, multiculturalism, representation, identity and political activism.

Year 4 Core Modules

Brief description

Undertake a substantial written piece of in-depth legal research (10,000 words). Demonstrate good research skills in law and presentation skills, analysis and synthesis of ideas.

Indicative content

  • Research led study: The project is a major piece of research in which you use their prior learning in law, supplemented with project-related studies, to analyse an appropriate legal problem and produce a written dissertation. The final dissertation is approximately 10,000 words in length.
  • Knowledge and skills: The preparation of the dissertation involves in the first instance, the demonstration of existing knowledge and skills.
  • Critical thinking and evaluation: It also requires the higher order skills of analysis, evaluation and critical judgement. An important part of the project is the requirement for you to demonstrate your ability to locate and interpret sources of law.

Year 4 Option Modules

Please choose TWO option modules in term 1 and TWO option modules in term 2.

Brief description

This module examines the principles of Intellectual Property law, looking at key substantive domains such as copyright, patents and trademarks in a critical way.

Indicative content

  • Introduction: The origin and rationales of IP law in the UK.
  • Copyright: Origins. The statutory framework of Copyright in the UK. The legislative and judicial rationales. The impact of the EU and International Treaties. Copyright in the context of IT applications. Competing paradigms of regulation of copyright. Potential futures. The critical commentaries.
  • Patents: Origins. The statutory framework in the UK. Patents in the context of IT applications. The judicial experience. The EU patent. The European Patent Convention. Challenges to the current patent regime.
  • Trade Marks: Origins. The statutory framework in the UK and the impact of EU law. Trade marks in the context of IT applications. The relationship between trade marks and the law of passing off.
  • Design Law: Origins, rationale in the UK and EU. The statutory framework. The relationship between design law and copyright.
  • Misuse of Private Information;Confidential Information: Origins, rationale in the UK .The impact of the Humans Rights Act 1998 and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Development of the common law protection in the UK. Proposal for a Directive on trade secrets and confidential business information 2013/0402 (COD).

Brief description

This module looks at the EU policy areas of Security & Justice and Home Affairs, as it affects EU states and its external relations with third states. Assessment is by way of a coursework and an exam.

Indicative content

  • Introduction: The Treaty on European Union, The Lisbon Treaty, relevant EU Programmes, EU security & JHA institutional structure and legal tools.
  • The EU's ability to act externally: The EU's bi-lateral and multi-lateral policy legal framework.
  • EU Security Policy: Case law, European Security and Defence Identity, NATO, Petersburg Tasks.
  • EU JHA networks and agencies: Europol, Eurojust, Schengen.
  • Analysis of JHA policy areas: Drug trafficking & manufacture, trafficking in human beings, counter terrorism.

Brief description

Key issues and debates in policing and criminal justice matters for the 21st century. Emerging police issues, contemporary research in tackling gangs and violence, both in US and UK, eco-crime, policing borders and immigration and state crime.

Module content:

  • Gang research: What are the issues regarding contemporary research into gangs and violence both in US and UK?
  • Policing gangs: What are the key and emerging tactics that have been developed to deal with gangs and violence over time?
  • Eco crime: Emerging trends in criminology, including eco-crime or environmental crime.
  • Policing borders: How do we deal with cross border issues in policing in a modern and cultural world?
  • Policing immigration: How do we deal with immigration? Is it a crime or a humanitarian problem?
  • State crime: How do we tackle state and corporate crime?

Brief description

This module provides you with a vehicle for understanding the language of crime through conversation analysis, discourse analysis and Wittgensteinian arguments about the public nature of language use, for example, with respect to the understanding of insults and bullying. The module therefore considers, philosophical issues, contemporary studies, debates and critiques in relation to crime and other issues.

Indicative content

  • Conversation Analysis: This aspect of the module considers the roots of conversation analysis in ethnomethodology and the study of social order at the local level. The nature of the conversation analytic approach is examined alongside in terms of classic and contemporary studies. Studies examined include topics such as police interrogations, counsel and witness courtroom interaction, sexual consent and refusals.
  • Discourse Analysis: This aspect of the module considers the different approaches to discourse analysis: from conversation analytic to critical approaches. The nature of these are explored through contemporary studies including topics such as: criminal speech acts such as conspiracy, threats, solicitation, swearing and offensive language; police talk about trauma; youth crime in the media; constructing the legitimacy of whistleblowers; phishing emails; the reporting of intimate partner violence.
  • Wittgenstein and Ordinary Language Philosophy: This aspect of the module considers the resurgence of interest in Wittgenstein's approach to language use. The focus here is on the his reference to language games and includes consideration of topics such as the law and vagueness; the problem of abusive language, the conceptual instability of consent.

Brief description

This module provides you with a critical analysis of the socio-ideological discourses contained in popular cultural narratives that deal with crime, justice, punishment and morality.

Indicative content

  • Morbid Fascination: The social world, crime and culture.
  • Popular Culture and Ideologies of Crime: The criminal body to the social body in accounts of crime.
  • The emergence of the detective: Modernity and the rise of the detective, from the science of deduction to the hard-boiled tradition and beyond.
  • Crime and the City: The construction of the city as criminogenic; surveillance and danger.
  • Punishment, Order and Justice: Law versus order, retribution and justice.
  • Moral Orders: The criminal as an ambivalent figure, serial killers and modernity.

Brief description

You will examine the main concepts, approaches and tools of strategic management in the contemporary business environment.

Indicative content

  • Introduction to strategic management: What is strategy; strategic analysis; classical and emergent schools; strategic thinking; levels of strategy.
  • Strategy context - Competitive advantage of a firm: Defining the business environment. Industry analysis: turbulences and dynamics. Porter's five forces; new dynamics in the 21st century.
  • Business level strategy: Sources of competitive advantage: Competitive stance, business level strategy, corporate level strategy; generic strategies; hybrid strategy; value chains.
  • Beyond competition: The nature of competition; co-operation; co-opetition; strategic alliances and joint ventures; mergers and acquisitions.
  • Strategy in the public sector: Public-private partnership as strategic tool of public sector management.

Brief description

You will gain practical experience of work in a legal or quasi-legal environment. Students who undertook a work placement in stage 3 (LAW340) are not eligible to take this module.

Indicative content

  • Preparation for Placement: You will meet the placement tutors to be briefed on the requirements of and arrangements for placement, including expectations, university and placement provider; discussion of key professional conduct issues for example, Confidentiality and Data Protection. Personal Development Planning. You will require to prepare a CV and attend an interview to secure a placement. You will complete a SWOT analysis before attending the placement as part of your personal development planning.
  • Placement Learning: You will undertake a supervised work placement on one day each week for 10 weeks in implementation of an agreed work plan.
  • Monitoring of Placement: One scheduled visit or virtual meeting between the parties will take place during the placement to ensure satisfactory progress is being made. Non-scheduled contact will also be maintained with you by email, drop in sessions. Formative feedback will be given by the tutor on three draft workbook submissions.
  • Placement Debriefing: A structured debriefing session will be attended to share, reflect on and discuss your xperience during the work placement. You will update your CV and SWOT analysis as part of your reflection.
  • Mock Competence Based Interview: You will evidence skills, competences and behaviours gained by undertaking a placement via a mock competence based interview.

Not sure if you're eligible for entry?

If you have the potential and motivation to study at university, regardless of your background or personal circumstances, we welcome your application.  

We understand some people have faced extra challenges before applying to university, which is why we consider the background in which your academic grades have been achieved when making an offer.  

If you expect to receive passes in three Scottish Highers (grades A-C) and have...  

  • been in care, or are a young carer yourself

  • attended a school or lived in an area where not many people go to university

  • are eligible for free school meals

  • are a young person estranged from your family

  • are a government-recognised refugee or have asylum seeker status

  • are a registered pupil with sustained engagement in a targeted aspiration-raising programme such as LIFT OFF, LEAPS, FOCUS West or Aspire North  

... we encourage you to submit an application.

Ukrainian flag

Support for Ukrainian students

We're keen to offer help to Ukrainian students who may wish to transfer from their existing institution in Ukraine or to register with us as new students for intake in September. There will be no tuition fees charged for the duration of the degree programme, as those with refugee status are treated as ‘Home/Scottish’ students and will also have access to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland bursary and student loans. Our Recruitment Team can help guide applicants.

FIND OUT MORE

Fees and funding

The course fees you'll pay and the funding available to you depends on factors such as your nationality, location, personal circumstances and the course you are studying.   

More information  

Find out about grants, bursaries, tuition fee loans, maintenance loans and living costs in our undergraduate fees and funding section.  

 

Scholarships

We offer a range of scholarships to help support your studies with us.  

As well as Abertay scholarships for English, Welsh, Northern Irish and international students, there are a range of corporate and philanthropic scholarships available. Some are course specific, many are not. There are some listed below or you can visit the Undergraduate scholarship pages.  

Scholarships

Abertay RUK Scholarship: Business

A scholarship for prospective undergraduate Business students applying from England, Wales or Northern Ireland.

Abertay International Scholarship

This is an award of up to £12,000 for prospective international undergraduate students.

The Robert Reid Bursary

Two £1,000 awards for students who have overcome challenges to attend university.

Thorntons Law Scholarship

A £1,400 award for Year 3 or Year 4 LLB (Hons) students.

Lawscot Foundation

Lawscot Foundation is committed to supporting talented young people, who have the potential to benefit from and contribute to the legal profession.

Get inspired

Meet some of our graduates and find out what they've gone on to do. 

Constantin Bedrule

Constantin is a Paralegal within Digby Brown’s Dundee General Personal Injury Litigation Department.

Find out more

Zoe Dingwall

Zoe is a Political Adviser on Brexit and Economic Affairs Committee at the European Parliament.

Find out more

Beata Kozłowska

Beata is a Legal Executive at Maguire McClafferty Solicitors in Dublin.

Find out more

The Discover Uni dataset

The Discover Uni dataset (formerly Unistats) is an official source of information about higher education. It collates comparable information in areas students have identified as important in making decisions about what and where to study.

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