University of Aberdeen
Founded in 1495, the University of Aberdeen is the fifth oldest University in the UK and has a proud history of global research and teaching excellence.
Currently home to over 14,000 students from more than 130 different countries, The University of Aberdeen is ranked 13th in the UK in the Guardian University Guide 2023, and 4th in the UK for overall student satisfaction in the National Student Survey 2022.
Why Study at Aberdeen?
The University of Aberdeen has been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize on two occasions, and is associated with five Nobel Prizes across chemistry, physics, medicine and nutrition.
We offer a huge variety of postgraduate taught and research programmes across Arts and Social Sciences, Business, Physical Sciences, and Life Sciences and Medicine. We also offer a wide range of online degree programmes and short courses, allowing you to study and build a degree at your own pace.
Our beautiful King’s College campus is the historic heart of the university, and plays host to outstanding facilities including the stunning, multi award-winning Sir Duncan Rice Library and our state-of-the-art Science Teaching Hub. Our Foresterhill Medical campus is one of the biggest health campuses in Europe, and boasts world-class research and teaching facilities in medicine, medical sciences, and nutrition.
Students can take advantage of the exceptional facilities at Aberdeen Sports Village, including the Olympic standard swimming and diving pools, an indoor 3G football pitch, a fitness suite, squash courts, and lots more.
Careers and Employability
Our Careers and Employability Service is on hand to provide students and graduates with the information and advice they need to support their career planning. The Service helps provide opportunities for students and graduates to develop essential skills and connect with employers through volunteering, internships, graduate jobs, careers fairs and workshops.
Student Life
Aberdeen University Students’ Union (AUSA) is open to all students at the university. There are over 150 clubs and societies covering all manner of interests, and students have access to a wide range of services, as well as a variety of events hosted by AUSA throughout the year.
The City of Aberdeen has something for everyone, from the bustling city centre with its many cafes, shops, restaurants and bars, to its host of impressive parks, galleries, theatres and museums. Venture into beautiful Aberdeenshire to explore miles of golden beaches, mountains, castles, rivers, and incredible wildlife, all right on our doorstep.
The University offers a wide range of accommodation, including catered or self-catered rooms, en-suite rooms, and self-catered flats, with accommodation options at the heart of the Old Aberdeen Campus and at nearby Hillhead Student Village.
Scholarships and Funding
The University of Aberdeen has been welcoming students from around the world for over 500 years, and we are proud to offer a wide range of postgraduate scholarships and bursaries to help with the cost of learning. Find out more about the funding opportunities currently available by searching our funding database.
Open Days
The University of Aberdeen is holding a Postgraduate Virtual Open Day on Thursday 12 October 2023. This online event is the perfect opportunity to speak with current students, watch live presentations, and ask questions to academic staff.
The event will be held across two sessions, 10am to midday, and 5pm to 7pm, and you only need to attend one session. You can register for the event and find out more here.

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Department / School information and available programmes:
The University of Aberdeen Business School is located in a vibrant city at the heart of Scotland’s thriving global energy industry and close to some of Scotland’s most spectacular landscapes. The School itself is located in Kings College, which has been a centre of academic excellence, tradition and history for over 500 years. The School offers a range of challenging and rewarding taught Masters programmes covering the disciplines of Accountancy, Economics, Finance, Management, Marketing and Real Estate.
One Year Full Time MBA Programmes with September and January starting dates
MBA/MBA HRM
MBA Energy Management
MBA (Global) - online part-time
MBA (Aberdeen) - campus MBA
MSc International Business Management
One Year Full Time MSc Programmes with a September start date
MSc Accounting and Finance (with option to take IFRS certificate from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales)
MSc Finance and Investment Management (with an option to take CFA Level 1)
MSc Finance and Real Estate (accredited by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) with or without CFA Level 1 exam)
MSc Marketing Management
MSc Management Consultancy
MSc Petroleum, Energy Economics and Finance
MSc Applied Economics
MSc Real Estate (RICS-accredited), with the options to follow the Commercial Real Estate pathway or International Real Estate pathway
Why Aberdeen?
Programmes built on a long and successful record of teaching and business-related research
Programmes delivered by a credible and experienced international faculty
Programmes blending latest thinking, research and practice
Programmes incorporating links to industry and commerce
Programmes supported by a dedicated Careers Service
Structure of our Masters Programmes
Students on MSc programmes will typically study four courses in each of the first and second semesters
In the third semester students will work on a more substantive written piece of work, either in the form of a dissertation or a consultancy based project
A variety of teaching and learning methods are utilised by faculty, including lectures, tutorials, workshops, computer simulations
Different assessment methodologies are used across programmes, including essays, reports, role-play exercises and written examinations
Alumni Destinations
Recent graduates of the School have been employed by an impressive list of companies, including:
Bureau Veritas UK & Ireland
Ernst and Young
KPMG
Royal Bank of Scotland
Stork Technical Services
Talisman Energy Inc
YesBank
Google
Taqa
BP
Npower
Citibank
Programme List:
- Accounting and Finance MSc Econ
- Corporate Finance and Law
- Energy Management MBA
- Executive MBA (Shanghai, China)
- Finance and Investment Management (with CFA Level 1 Examination) MScEcon
- Finance and Investment Management MScEcon
- Finance and Real Estate (with CFA Level 1) and (without CFA exam) MSc
- Finance MSc
- International Business and Finance MSc
- International Business Management MSc
- International Human Resource Management MSc
- International Tourism Management
- Marketing Management Msc
- Master of Business Administration MBA Global (Online)
- MBA - Master of Business Administration Aberdeen (Campus based)
- MBA Business Analytics
- MSc Business Consulting and Psychology
- Online Study in Energy Economics and Finance PgCert
- Petroleum, Energy Economics and Finance MScEcon
- Real Estate (Commercial Option) MSc (RICS accredited)
- Real Estate (International Option) MSc (RICS accredited)
Programme List:
- Autism and Learning MEd, PgDip, or PgCert (Blended Learning)
- Early Years MEd, PgDip or PgCert
- Inclusive Practice - MEd, PgDip, PgCert
- Masters in Education - MEd, PgDip or PgCert
- Mindfulness Professional Recognition
- Pastoral Care, Guidance and Pupil Support (MEd)
- Person-Centred Counselling MSc, PgCert, PgDip
- PGDE Primary Education
- PGDE Secondary Education
- Studies in Mindfulness MSc
- Teaching Qualification in Further Education PgCert (FE)
Programme List:
- Creative Writing (MLitt)
- Cultural and Creative Communication MSc
- English Language and Literature (MLitt)
- Ethnology & Folklore (MLitt)
- Film, Visual Culture and Arts Management MLitt
- Medieval and Early Modern Studies MLitt
- MLitt French
- MLitt, MPhil English
- MLitt, MPhil German
- MPhil Music
- Music (MMus)
- Professional Communication MSc
- TESOL - Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages - MSc
- Translation Studies MSc
The Graduate school offers an excellent environment for undertaking both taught and research qualifications and provides postgraduate students with a culture of excellence in teaching and research.
All students who register for a higher degree or qualification are members of the Graduate School of the College of Life Sciences and Medicine. In coming to Aberdeen you will be joining a large and diverse postgraduate community and a University that recognises the important contribution that postgraduate students bring to University life.
Postgraduate opportunities are available across the four Schools in the College in which many research themes achieved the highest rating of 5 in the last Research Assessment Exercise. There are currently 150 taught postgraduates and 320 research postgraduate students in the College who make a vital contribution to the research activities of the College.
Programme List:
- Advanced Clinical Practice MSc, PgDip, PgCert
- Advanced Restorative Dental Practice MSc
- Biotechnology and Bioinformatics MSc
- Cardiovascular Science and Diabetes MSc
- Clinical Education MSc, PgDip, PgCert
- Clinical Nutrition MSc, PgDip or PgCert
- Clinical Pharmacology MSc
- Dentistry MRes
- Drug Discovery and Development MSc
- Global Health and Management MSc
- Health Economics for Health Professionals MSc, PgDip, PgCert
- Human Nutrition MSc
- Immunology & Immunotherapy MSc
- Master of Public Health (Campus) MPH
- Master of Public Health (Online) MPH
- Master of Science in Medical Sciences
- Medical Imaging MSc
- Medical Physics MSc
- Microbiology MSc
- Molecular Medicine MSc
- Physician Associate Studies MSc
- Precision Medicine MSc
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology MSc
- Research Methods for Health PgCert (Online)
- Special Care Dentistry MSc, PgDip, PgCert
The College of Arts and Social Sciences delivers excellence in graduate education through effective engagement with a highly productive academic research environment. The bedrock of this community lies with a solid foundation of prestigious eminent scholars recognised across the world for their path-breaking research and intellectual reasoning.
There are six schools in the College: Business; Divinity, History and Philosophy; Education; Language and Literature; Law and Social Science. Additionally there are several Research Centres, including: the Centre for Modern Thought, the Elphinstone Institute and the Research Institute of Irish and Scottish Studies.
Within the College, there are more than 320 academic members of staff, 200 postgraduate degrees and approximately 1500 graduate students. Postgraduate students are a vital part of our academic community, and every attempt is made to involve you in the intellectual life of the College.
Scholarships, Studentships and Bursaries are available now at www.abdn.ac.uk/cass/graduate
Business School
The University of Aberdeen has a long and successful record of teaching and researching business-related disciplines. The Business School covers a range of discipline groups, such as, Economics, Management, Accountancy, Finance, Marketing, Property and Law. In all these areas we have staff with internationally recognised reputations and extensive experience of teaching graduate business programmes.
School of Divinity, History and Philosophy
The School of Divinity, History and Philosophy comprises Divinity, Religious Studies, History, History of Art and Philosophy. There is an active postgraduate research culture with about 80 students undertaking PhD study across the School.
The School has a vibrant research community and has fostered the development of the Centre for the Study of Spirituality and Health and the Centre for the Study of Scottish Philosophy. The School is also a major contributor to the Research Institute of Irish and Scottish Studies and the Centre for Early Modern Studies.
In the 2008 RAE, History was recognised as the leading research department in History in Scotland, and fourteenth in the UK, according to the rankings of the Guardian and Times Higher Education.
School of Education
With a history of teacher education which can be traced back to 1873 the School of Education has an impressive pedigree in the initial professional training of teachers and long standing, wide ranging partnerships with local authorities and schools to provide continuing professional development for teachers.
The facilities on campus are state of the art as a result of a recent £9m refurbishment of the MacRobert Building and the portfolio of programmes and research activity within the School is enhanced substantially through the provision of postgraduate degrees at MEd, MPhil and PhD levels, degrees in Music and through other extremely active research centres which focus on music, human traditions, the well-being and development of children, and the development of integrated provision of children, young people and their families.
School of Language and Literature
The School of Language & Literature comprises the Departments of English and Film Studies (including Literature, Language and Linguistics), Celtic, French, German and Hispanic Studies, as well as the Language Centre.
The School offers a range of taught Masters and research degrees, including several interdisciplinary programmes in conjunction with other Schools. At MPhil and PhD level, the School provides research supervision with experienced staff who will give expert guidance and support throughout your studies.
Law School
A Masters degree at the University of Aberdeen offers you the opportunity to study at one of the oldest universities in Europe. Law has been taught in Aberdeen for over 500 years: the University of Aberdeen was founded in 1495 with law as one of its foundation disciplines.
The Law School has a thriving community of over well over 100 LLM students from all over the world: recent students have come from countries such as Angola, Canada, China, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Korea, Libya, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, South Africa, Sudan, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, and Zimbabwe. The Law School also has a flourishing population of over 40 research students and around 100 students taking the professional Diploma in Legal Practice.
School of Social Science
The School comprises Politics and International Relations, Sociology, Anthropology and Gender Studies.
The Department of Politics and International Relations has a long-established reputation in teaching and research. The Department now focuses its research into a number of clusters: Security Studies, Religion in Politics and IR, Scottish Politics, Nordic Policy, European Union (and wider Europe), Public Policy, Globalisation and Democratic Theory, Parties and Interest Groups, and Green Politics, Comparative Public Opinion.
Sociology is an exciting, diverse and expanding department. The Department is among the best teaching and research units in the United Kingdom and recognised internationally for the quality of its work and was awarded a '5A', the second highest rating and one that places us in the top third of British university outlets.
The Department of Anthropology has established Aberdeen as the principal focus, nationally and internationally, for research in the Anthropology of the North. Today, the Department has the largest concentration of anthropologists working in the North within the UK and one of the largest internationally.
Programme List:
The College of Physical Sciences is based on the King's College campus in Old Aberdeen, one of the most historical parts of the City of Aberdeen. The College has a clear vision to provide academically challenging programmes of study for undergraduate and postgraduate students and to lead the field in cutting edge research activities.
There is a long history of interdisciplinary co-operation on research with colleagues in other parts of the University and with partners in a wide range of prestigious Institutions, both in the UK and overseas.
The College has an enviable record in attracting funding from Research Councils, private organisations and the European Union. The recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) highlighted the strengths of the researchers in the College with high ratings achieved in all areas. We have created a vibrant, dynamic environment for research staff and students who have access to the latest technology to help with their ground-breaking investigations.
As a member of the Aberdeen Research Consortium, we have formed links with several local research Institutions to share knowledge and expertise and ensure Aberdeen maintains its high profile in the international research arena.
New postgraduate students attend a formal induction programme as part of their training in research skills and personal transferable skills, which are developed throughout your stay with us. You will be encouraged to share the knowledge you acquire during your studies at seminars held within the University and at national and international conferences. This helps to develop your confidence and presentation skills. There are often opportunities to contribute to the teaching of undergraduate students in the College and this provides a useful way to supplement your income!
Studentship funding is also available from several sources such as the Research Councils and commercial organisations as well as from the College.
Throughout your stay with us, your supervisors will provide support and guidance for your studies and/or research and there is a range of support services available to all our students.
Programme List:
- Advanced Chemical Engineering MSc
- Advanced Mechanical Engineering MSc
- Advanced Structural Engineering MSc (Campus)
- Biomedical Engineering
- Decommissioning MSc (Campus)
- Decommissioning MSc (Online)
- Energy Transition Systems and Technologies MSc
- Industrial Robotics MSc
- Offshore Engineering Msc (On Campus or Online)
- Oil & Gas Engineering MSc (Campus)
- Oil and Gas Engineering MSc or ISS (Online)
- Petroleum Engineering MSc (Campus)
- Petroleum Engineering MSc (Online)
- Process Safety MSc (Engineering)
- Project Management MSc or ISS (Online)
- Renewable Energy Engineering ISS, MSc (Online)
- Renewable Energy Engineering MSc (Campus)
- Safety and Reliability Engineering ISS, MSc (Online)
- Safety and Reliability Engineering MSc (Campus)
- Subsea Engineering ISS, MSc (On Campus or Online)
- Transport and Intelligent Mobility, MSc
Programme List:
- Archaeology MSc
- Archaeology of the North, MSc, ISS (Campus)
- Bioarchaeological Science
- Biomolecular Archaeology
- Cultural Heritage
- Geographical Information Systems MSc (Campus)
- Geographical Information Systems MSc (Online)
- Geophysics MSc
- Integrated Petroleum Geoscience MSc
- Master of Land Economy (Rural Surveying), ISS or MLE, PgDip
- MRes, MSc Geography and Environment (Research)
- MSc Geology and Petroleum Geology (Research)
- Osteoarchaeology MSc
- Petroleum Data Management Msc (Campus or Online)
- Planetary Sciences
- Sustainability Transitions, MSc
- Sustainable Energy Geoscience, MSc
- Sustainable Water Management
Programme List:
- Business Law and Sustainable Development
- Criminal Justice and Human Rights LLM
- Criminal Justice LLM
- Dispute Resolution (Distance Learning) LLM, PgDip, PgCert
- DPLP - Professional Legal Practice PgDip
- Energy and Environmental Law with Dissertation LLM
- Energy and Environmental Law with Professional Skills LLM
- Energy Law with Dissertation LLM
- Energy Law with Professional Skills LLM
- Human Rights & Criminal Justice LLM
- International Commercial Law with Dissertation LLM
- International Commercial Law with Professional Skills LLM
- International Dispute Resolution with Dissertation LLM
- International Dispute Resolution with Professional Skills LLM
- International Human Rights LLM
- International Intellectual Property and Information Law with Dissertation LLM
- International Intellectual Property and Information Law with Professional Skills LLM
- International Law and International Relations LLM
- International Law LLM
- International Law, Security and Strategic Studies LLM
- International Trade Law and Treaty Negotiation with Professional Skills LLM (Campus)
- International Trade Law and Treaty Negotiations with Professional Skills LLM (Blended Learning)
- International Trade Law LLM (Campus)
- International Trade Law LLM (Online)
- Law General LLM
- LLM Energy Economics and Law
- Natural Resources Law
- Oil & Gas Law LLM with Professional Skills LLM (Campus)
- Oil and Gas Law LLM with Dissertation (Online)
- Oil and Gas Law with Dissertation LLM (Campus)
- Oil and Gas Law with Professional Skills LLM (Blended Learning)
- Public International Law LLM
Programme List:
- Energy Politics and Law MSc
- International Political Economy MSc
- International Relations (MSc)
- International Relations and International Law MSc
- MPhil Anthropology
- MPhil, MRes Sociology
- MSc Criminology and Society
- Museum Studies MLltt
- Post-Conflict Justice and Peacebuilding MSc
- Social Anthropology (MRes)
- Social Science (MRes)
- Sociology MSc, ISS
- Strategic Studies (MSc)
- Strategic Studies and Energy Security MSc
- Strategic Studies and International Law (MSc)
- Strategic Studies and Management MSc