Legal Studies and Politics

Legal Studies and Politics is a combination that sits at the heart of how societies govern themselves and how power is constrained, exercised, and contested. Legal studies examines the rules and institutions through which societies regulate behaviour, resolve disputes, and enforce rights, including topical and controversial questions about what the law should be and how it should be applied. Politics examines the distribution and exercise of power, from national government and electoral systems to European institutions and global governance, alongside the ideological debates that shape political choices.

At the University of Aberdeen, this four-year full-time programme combines close examination of the world of law with exploration of national, European, and global politics, taught by experts who regularly engage with unfolding events in the world today. You will develop a grounding in legal reasoning and the major areas of law alongside a political science education that gives you the analytical tools to understand governmental institutions, international relations, and political theory. The programme includes a year abroad, giving you the opportunity to study law and politics in a different national context, which deepens your comparative understanding significantly.

Graduates of this combination go on to careers in politics, government, public administration, journalism, media, business, law, international organisations, and the charitable sector. The combination of legal knowledge and political understanding is particularly valued in roles that sit at the interface of law and policy, whether in government legal services, regulatory bodies, political consultancy, or think tanks. For those wishing to qualify as solicitors or barristers, further professional legal training will be required.

Postgraduate study in law, politics, public administration, or international relations is a well-established route for graduates who wish to develop their expertise or pursue academic careers.