Law with options in German
Law is the system through which societies define rights and obligations, resolve disputes and govern relations between individuals, organisations and the state. Studying it with options in German adds a significant language and cultural dimension to your legal education, opening access to the legal systems, business culture and intellectual traditions of Germany and the German-speaking world. German law, rooted in the civil law tradition, offers a different perspective on how legal problems can be structured and solved, and fluency in German is a genuine professional advantage in international legal and commercial careers.
At the University of Aberdeen Law School you will receive a rigorous legal education that combines Scots law with a broader understanding of English, European and international law, alongside the development of your German language skills to a level that allows you to engage with legal and professional materials in German. The programme runs over four years full time, reflecting the Scottish honours degree structure, and includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to spend time studying or developing your language skills in a German-speaking academic environment.
You will develop expertise in legal reasoning, statutory interpretation, case law analysis and the drafting and construction of legal argument, alongside the linguistic and intercultural competence that studying a major European language brings. Scots law's position within a mixed legal system, drawing on both civil law and common law traditions, makes it particularly apt for study alongside German law.
Graduates pursue the Diploma in Professional Legal Practice before qualifying as solicitors in Scotland, or the Bar qualification route if entering the advocate's profession. The German language element also opens careers in international law firms, European institutions, corporate legal departments operating across German-speaking markets, and roles in international business, finance and diplomacy. Postgraduate study in European law or comparative law is also a natural route.