At Robert Gordon University our take on law offers a good balance of the practical and the academic - backed up by professional accreditation and the benefit of our national and international connections. Small class sizes ensure close student-staff contact and we reap the benefits of being integral to one of the largest business schools in the UK. A range of practical honours options offer the chance to specialize later in the undergraduate course. Niche and general subjects are then available at postgraduate level to enable students to pursue their own interests.The chance to take part in ‘mooting' (mock legal debates) and other competitions build valuable practical skills. We also offer exciting opportunities to study abroad, both in Europe and the US.
Postgraduate study
The department of Law is within the Aberdeen Business School - a state-of-the-art building with teaching facilities which include the university's virtual learning environment, Campus moodle.The department has achieved a reputation for being a highly successful and innovative department with high standards in our research, teaching, assessment and administration. Our particular strength is in applied research which is complimented by successful partnerships with commerce and professional practice. Our Law staffs have a breadth of experience in both teaching and research and this expertise is reflected in our courses. The views and requirements of employers, practitioners, professional bodies and students are also been taken account when developing our courses. Most of the Law courses are accredited or recognised by the professional bodies. Graduates from our approved courses can therefore be confident that they hold a nationally and internationally recognised award which will enhance their opportunities in their chosen career.
Research
The Law Department at RGU submitted 10 of its staff members to the 2008 RAE and our research was determined to be either at the level of 'International Excellence' or internationally recognised in terms of its originality, significance and rigour, in over half of its output. This represents a clear improvement on our achievements and is an excellent result for us. We have particular strengths in applied research and have been awarded substantial research grants from the Scottish Executive, the Nuffield Foundation and The European Social Fund, and organisations such as the British Academy. One of the current projects is the Criminal Justice Project, an exciting research experiment being funded by The Clark Foundation for Legal Education, a Scottish research body which aims to promote and advance the legal and business education and training of Scots lawyers and students of Scots Law.
Facilities
Based in a state-of-the-art building with excellent IT services, we bring the legal world alive using innovative facilities such as Moot Court. This is a TV studio fitted with courtroom furniture and recording equipment that enables us to turn moots into documents that we can then use as teaching aids. Our well-stocked law library has a wide range of books, journals and online resources, including legal databases. We also offer students full support to study from home outside of lectures with most course material and books digitized for easy access online.
