phd law requirements

Ph.D. Program

The ph.d. in law degree.

The Ph.D. in Law degree program is designed to prepare J.D. graduates for careers as legal scholars and teachers through a doctoral program aimed at the production of a substantial body of academic research and writing under the close supervision of a three-member faculty dissertation committee. Unlike programs designed for students who wish to learn about law from the disciplinary perspectives of the social sciences or the humanities, the Ph.D. in Law is directed at students who wish to pursue advanced studies in law from the perspective of the law. This program offers emerging scholars an opportunity to contribute to the development of law as an academic field, and it provides an alternate pathway into law teaching alongside existing routes such as fellowships, advanced degrees in cognate fields, legal practice, and clerkships.

Because our entering Ph.D. students will have already completed their J.D. degrees, the anticipated course of study toward the Ph.D. in Law degree is three academic years and two summers in residence. In their first two semesters, Ph.D. students will enroll in courses designed to help them acquire the background and research skills needed to complete a dissertation in their field of interest and to prepare them for qualifying examinations that test the depth and breadth of the literacies and skills they have acquired. During their second year, students will prepare a dissertation prospectus and begin work on a dissertation. The dissertation may take the form of either three law review articles or a book-length manuscript and will make up a portfolio of writing that will be essential for success in the job market. Ph.D. students will also gain experience in the classroom, and receive the full support of Yale Law School’s Law Teaching Program , which has had remarkable success in placing graduates in tenure-track positions at leading law schools.

Ph.D. students receive a full-tuition waiver, a health award for health insurance coverage, and a stipend to cover their year-round living expenses, as well as support for participation in national and international conferences.

Applications for admission to the Ph.D. in Law program are available starting on August 15. The deadline for submission of all materials is December 15. Applicants to the Ph.D. in Law program must complete a J.D. degree at a U.S. law school before they matriculate and begin the Ph.D. program. Any questions about the program may be directed to Gordon Silverstein, Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs, at [email protected] .

Watch Gordon Silverstein, Assistant Dean for Graduate Programs, describe the Ph.D. program at Yale Law School.

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• School of Law

Ph.D. in Law PhD in Law

A Ph.D. requires a minimum of three years' study, at least two years of which comprises work done while in residence at the University of Washington. Students enter the Ph.D. program having already identified a dissertation supervisory chair and additional committee members (referred to as the student’s Doctoral Supervisory Committee), who will support and shepherd them through the Ph.D. curriculum and dissertation writing process.

Ph.D. candidates must complete 90 credits, at least 60 of which must be taken at the University of Washington, in order to receive a doctoral degree.

I. Requirements

Overall course requirements.

Ph.D. students must successfully complete a minimum of 90 credits including at least 60 course credits and 27 dissertation credits (LAW 800—minimum two credit hours per quarter). With the approval of the Ph.D. Program Director and Steering Committee, an appropriate master’s degree from an accredited institution may substitute for up to a maximum of 30 of the course credits.   This determination of substituting master’s credits takes place at the time when the presumptive chair agrees that the Ph.D. student’s prospectus is ready to defend at a General Examination.   The 60 course credits also include courses required by the School of Law as described immediately below.

Required Competencies:

The primary requirement is the production of a dissertation that, in the opinion of the Ph.D. Doctoral Supervisory Committee, represents a novel and significant contribution to the discipline of law. In addition, Ph.D. students are required to demonstrate competencies in four areas: 

• Understanding of common law legal systems and differences between major legal systems around the world.
• An understanding of a research methodology area relevant to the topic of their dissertation research.
• Subject matter expertise in the area of their dissertation research.
• The ability to present and discuss the results of their dissertation research.

An understanding of common law legal systems and differences between major legal systems around the world

This requirement will be satisfied by 8 credits of coursework as follows:

• Required course: B550 American Legal Systems and Methods (4 credits) or equivalent
• Additionally, students will have to complete B557 Graduate Writing Seminar (4 credits) or the equivalent to demonstrate understanding of the American legal system.

Research Methodology

Broadly speaking, modern academic legal research is supported by one or more of the following:  jurisprudential approaches, qualitative approaches, quantitative approaches. Competency will be satisfied by at least 3-4 credits of coursework as follows, chosen in consultation with the supervisory chair:

• PPM 502 Research Design (4)
• EDPSY 586 Qualitative Methods of Educational Research I (4 credits)
• ARCH 567 Qualitative Research Methods (3)
• CS&SS 536 Analysis of Categorical and Count Data (3)
• LAWA 595 Jurisprudence and Moral Philosophy (4)

Elective courses: Law A599 Legal Research Methods (3 credits), Law   A 549 Advanced Legal Research   (4 Credits) 

Subject Matter Expertise (10-12 credits of subject discipline required courses)

The remaining courses to fulfill the credit requirement are to be chosen based on the Ph.D. student’s dissertation research topic. For instance, students with a focus on intellectual property must complete that discipline’s required courses. The same is true for sustainable international development, health law, etc.

Presentation/Discussion Competency

The presentation/discussion competency will be satisfied by successful completion of the general and final examination process described below.

Other Requirements

Law 600 tutorial with supervisory chair (1-2 credits per quarter).

In addition to the above requirements, students are expected to take 1-2 Law 600 credits with their supervisory chair per quarter to facilitate regular communication during the time leading up to their general exam. The chair will monitor the student’s academic progress and advise on appropriate courses to be taken (at the law school and in other departments on campus) related to the Ph.D. student’s research.

First- and Second-Year Elective Courses

All Ph.D. students are expected and encouraged to take subject-matter courses relevant to their dissertation research topic as part of their 60 credits of coursework. There is a rich variety of courses available in the School of Law and in other schools and departments across the University of Washington campus. For example, the   Graduate School has a variety of graduate certificate programs   that not only may be pertinent to student’s research interests but may provide an additional credential to enhance a student’s academic portfolio.

II. General Examination

Completion of 60 course credits (up to 30 credits from an accredited LL.M. or other pertinent master's degree may be counted toward the 90-credit total) and a Dissertation Prospectus approved by the Doctoral Supervisory Committee are required prior to this exam.

Students must pass an oral   General Examination   designed around individualized readings determined in consultation with the student’s Doctoral Supervisory Committee, and a Dissertation Prospectus that contains the student’s detailed dissertation study plans, including research questions and the chosen methodology and study plan to answer them.

To be eligible for the General Exam, the student must have completed a minimum of 60 course credits (including credits being taken the quarter of the exam) of which at least 18 credits must be at the 500 level and above. Numerical grades must be received in at least 18 quarter credits of coursework taken at the University of Washington. The Graduate School accepts numerical grades in department approved 400-level courses accepted as part of the major and in 500-level courses (this excludes 499 credits). 

Students are required to write and successfully defend a Dissertation Prospectus that outlines a detailed plan for the Ph.D. dissertation. The General Examination tests the student’s understanding of, and facility with, the scholarly literature that relates to the proposed dissertation topic, along with the strength of the proposed research proposal and its design.

III. Final Examination (Doctoral Defense)

In addition to a successful General Examination, the Ph.D. candidate must complete at least 27 dissertation credits over a period of at least three quarters. Candidates total credit count must reach 90 and they must have completed their doctoral dissertation.

To complete the degree, the candidate must complete a   Dissertation Defense   (also known as the   Final Examination ) administered by the Supervisory Doctoral Committee and devoted to the presentation and defense of the dissertation. It should be noted that the Graduate School requires a cumulative 3.0 GPA to obtain a graduate degree. For the final Dissertation Defense, students must get their committee members’ signatures on the UW Graduate School Doctoral Dissertation Reading Committee Approval form and submit that before the end of the quarter (the form will be provided at or prior to the student’s defense and submission instructions are on the form). More detailed information is on the Ph.D. Program’s Canvas page.

Students must be registered and may not be on leave during the quarter that the General and Final Examinations are taken.

IV. Official Submission

After a successful Final Examination, the dissertation must be submitted in the required format to the University of Washington Graduate School by 11:59 p.m. PST on the  last day of the quarter . The PhD Candidate must be registered and may not be on leave during the quarter that the dissertation is submitted.

For details of degree requirements please see Graduate School Policies-Doctoral Degree .

Ph.D. in Law

• Current Ph.D.s in Law
• PhD Admissions

Graduate Programs, UW School of Law William H. Gates Hall Box 353020 4293 Memorial Way Seattle, WA 98195-3020, USA gradlaw@ uw .edu

Coordinated JD/PhD Program

Harvard Law School and the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

The Coordinated JD/PhD Program is designed for students interested in completing interdisciplinary work at Harvard University and is founded on the belief that students’ legal studies and their arts and sciences graduate studies can be mutually enriched through this pursuit. Students completing the coordinated program receive a JD from Harvard Law School (HLS) and a PhD from the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences  (Harvard Griffin GSAS). It is expected that these students will be strong candidates for teaching posts at law schools and in arts and sciences programs, as well as for other positions in law and academia. Prospective students interested in the coordinated program may reach out to  HLS J.D. Admissions  and the  Harvard Griffin GSAS Office of Admissions  to learn more. Current and admitted students interested in the coordinated program are encouraged to contact  April Pettit , in the Office of Academic Affairs at HLS for questions about the JD program, or  Dan Volchok , Assistant Dean of Student Success at Harvard Griffin GSAS for questions about the PhD programs.

Prospective students must separately apply to and be admitted to both HLS and a Harvard Griffin GSAS PhD program in order to participate in the coordinated JD/PhD program.

• Students enrolled in HLS, but not yet admitted to Harvard Griffin GSAS, must apply to Harvard Griffin GSAS no later than the 2L year, meeting the Harvard Griffin GSAS application deadline for matriculation the following year.
• Students enrolled in Harvard Griffin GSAS, but not yet admitted to HLS, should apply to HLS no later than the G3 year, meeting the HLS application deadline for matriculation the following year.
• Please see below for details about participation in the coordinated program for Harvard Griffin GSAS students who apply and are admitted to HLS after the G3 year.

Once admitted to both schools, students must submit a proposed Plan of Study to the coordinated program no later than October 1 of the academic year following admission to both schools. Students should submit the Plan of Study to April Pettit in the Office of Academic Affairs at HLS.

Please note: Harvard Griffin GSAS students who apply to and are admitted to HLS after the G3 year at Harvard Griffin GSAS must then separately apply to the coordinated program. The application to the coordinated program should include (1) a statement detailing the way in which the student plans to integrate his or her legal studies with his or her graduate studies including how work done at HLS will inform the dissertation work and vice versa; and (2) a letter of support from the primary Harvard Griffin GSAS advisor; and (3) the Plan of Study.

The JD/PhD committee will review the applications to determine admission to the coordinated program.

Students will be registered in only one School during any given semester/term. Pursuant to ABA rules, students must  complete all requirements for the JD degree within seven years of the date they first enroll in HLS ; they may graduate from HLS before completing the PhD. Students must have satisfactorily completed at least 16 half courses in their Harvard Griffin GSAS department to receive the PhD. Students in the coordinated program will have two primary faculty advisors, one at HLS and one at Harvard Griffin GSAS, who will jointly advise students.

Students will be expected to complete the first-year program, three upper-level fall or spring semesters, and two winter terms at HLS, for a total of five fall and spring semesters and three winter terms. In lieu of the sixth HLS semester generally required of JD students, students in the coordinated program may take a semester at Harvard Griffin GSAS, completing courses or dissertation work pre-approved by HLS, and equivalent to at least 10 HLS credits. This Harvard Griffin GSAS semester may be taken only after a student has matriculated at HLS and completed their entire first year of study there. Students and their faculty advisors will determine the most appropriate sequencing for each student’s course of study, keeping in mind the HLS course, credit, and residency requirements for this program.

Course and Credit Requirements

First-year program.

The first year at HLS consists of (1) Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Legislation and Regulation, Property, and Torts; (2) First-year Legal Research and Writing; (3) January Experiential Term; and (4) a spring upper-level elective at HLS of a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 classroom credits.

Upper-Level Years

Credit and residency requirements.

Students must earn no fewer than 52 credits beyond the first year, including 36 HLS classroom credits. Classroom credits include those connected to courses, seminars and reading groups, but not writing or clinical credits. The 36 required classroom credits also include the required minimum of two credits to satisfy the Professional Responsibility Requirement and credits from the required winter terms (provided that the course chosen offers classroom credits). Of the remaining 16 required HLS credits, a maximum of ten are earned through courses or tutorials taken in Harvard Griffin GSAS and/or for dissertation writing (see below). Note that students must have their advisor’s approval before engaging in a semester of Harvard Griffin GSAS dissertation writing that is expected to count toward the HLS credit requirements . The remaining six required HLS credits may be earned in classroom, writing or clinical courses.

While at HLS, students must be enrolled in a minimum of ten total credits each semester in HLS or Harvard Griffin GSAS, with no fewer than eight of these being HLS classroom credits toward the requirement of 36 HLS classroom credits.

Winter Term Requirement

Students also must enroll in the HLS winter term two times during their upper-level years in the program. Each of the winter terms must follow a fall term enrollment or precede a spring term enrollment at HLS. Students may register for a course of two or three credits. JD/PhD students will be permitted to spend one of the winter terms in the HLS Winter Writing Program, provided they are engaged in written work for HLS credit according to the rules of that program.

Written Work Requirement

JD/PhD students must complete the JD Written Work Requirement. Students are permitted to satisfy the requirement with a portion of their dissertation, provided this work meets HLS standards for written work. However, any portion of the dissertation counted toward the JD Written Work Requirement cannot also be used as part of the 10 HLS-equivalent credits earned during a student’s Harvard Griffin GSAS semester. Further information about the J.D. Written Work Requirement and the Winter Term Writing Program is available from the HLS Registrar’s Office .

Pro Bono Requirement

JD/PhD students must complete the  HLS Pro Bono Requirement  of 50 hours of public service.

Residency Requirement

A minimum of two years of full-time study in residence is required for all PhD programs in the Harvard Griffin GSAS. During the period of registration at HLS, coordinated JD/PhD students will have “study-at-another-Harvard-school” status in Harvard Griffin GSAS.

Structure of Academic Work

Students will ordinarily be enrolled for at least four years (8 terms) in Harvard Griffin GSAS. They must complete at least 16 half courses to receive their PhD. Students may cross-register for a limited number of Harvard Griffin GSAS courses during their upper-level terms at HLS. Depending on the Harvard Griffin GSAS department, these courses may count toward the PhD. However, JD/PhD students may count a maximum of 10 credits from Harvard Griffin GSAS coursework or dissertation writing toward the JD. Therefore, students planning to spend a semester enrolled at Harvard Griffin GSAS taking courses or writing the dissertation for which they will earn 10 HLS credits may not also count cross-registered Harvard Griffin GSAS courses toward the JD.

General Examinations

In most departments, once having completed the required coursework, students must pass a general examination or other preliminary or qualifying examinations before undertaking independent research on a dissertation. Normally, when the nature of the field and previous preparation permit, students should pass these examinations by the end of the second year of full-time academic residence.

PhD Dissertation

The student’s dissertation prospectus must be approved by the department. A student who wishes to present as a dissertation a published article, series of articles, book or other document, or a manuscript that has been accepted for publication, must have the approval of the department concerned. In no case, however, may a dissertation be presented that has already been submitted toward another degree, either at Harvard or elsewhere. The Dissertation Acceptance Certificate must be signed by at least three readers approved by the student’s department, two of whom must be members of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS). FAS emeriti (including research professors) and faculty members from other schools at Harvard who hold appointments on GSAS degree committees are authorized to sign the Dissertation Acceptance Certificates as FAS members. GSAS strongly recommends that the chair of the dissertation committee be a member of FAS. The third reader may be a member of the HLS faculty.

Requirement of Satisfactory Status

Continuous registration, a satisfactory grade record, and evidence that satisfactory progress is being made toward the degree are required of all candidates for graduate degrees offered by FAS. All students in Harvard Griffin GSAS must be making satisfactory progress in order to be eligible for any type of financial aid and teaching. The following five provisions are the general definition of satisfactory progress during registration in Harvard Griffin GSAS:

• During the first two years of graduate study any student who has completed expected requirements is considered to be making satisfactory progress.
• In each of the first two years, a student must have achieved the minimum grade-point average required by the faculty, a B average. (see Harvard Griffin GSAS Policies: Grade and Examination Requirements ).
• By the end of the third year, a student must have passed general examinations or the departmental equivalent.
• By the end of the fourth year, a student must have obtained approval of a dissertation prospectus or its departmental equivalent.
• By the end of the fifth year and each subsequent year during which a student is allowed to register, they must have produced at least one acceptable chapter of the dissertation.

For more information about satisfactory progress, please see Harvard Griffin GSAS Policies .

Other Requirements

Ordinarily, programs will have a language requirement and an expectation of teaching. Students should consult with their Harvard Griffin GSAS departments for more information about these requirements.

There are a number of possible academic schedules for students pursuing both degrees. Three sequences are outlined below, but students may propose alternative sequences. In considering their courses of study, students should be aware that their financial aid packages might be affected at the school in which they defer enrollment.

Year 1: HLS Year 2: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 3: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 4: HLS Year 5: 1st term, HLS Year 5: 2nd term, Harvard Griffin GSAS (earning the equivalent of 10 HLS credits in dissertation work) Following year(s): Harvard Griffin GSAS until completion of dissertation

Year 1: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 2: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 3: HLS Year 4: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 5: HLS Year 6: 1st term, HLS Year 6: 2nd term, Harvard Griffin GSAS (earning the equivalent of 10 HLS credits in dissertation work) Following year(s): Harvard Griffin GSAS until completion of dissertation

Year 1: HLS Year 2: HLS Year 3: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 4: Harvard Griffin GSAS Year 5: 1st term, HLS Year 5: 2nd term, Harvard Griffin GSAS (earning the equivalent of 10 HLS credits in dissertation work) Following year(s): Harvard Griffin GSAS until completion of dissertation

Updated Plans of Study

By October 1 each year, current JD/PhD students should submit an updated Plan of Study to April Pettit, in the HLS Office of Academic Affairs.

Other Academic Information

Faculty advising.

Students in the program will have primary faculty advisors at both HLS and at Harvard Griffin GSAS. If possible, HLS faculty advisors should be selected before the completion of the 2L year. The HLS faculty advisor must sign off on any dissertation writing a student expects to use for JD credit. In some Harvard Griffin GSAS departments, the director of graduate studies serves as the faculty advisor during the first two years of study. Faculty advisors will supervise students’ academic work, advise students on their courses of study and on specific classes appropriate for their PhD work, and approve the courses of study for their students on an annual basis. If appropriate, the HLS advisor will be the third reader on the student’s dissertation committee, with at least two readers required to be members of FAS.

Leaving the JD/PhD Program

If a student fails to make adequate progress toward the PhD, the student’s faculty advisors will be permitted to withdraw the student from the program. In such cases, in order to receive the JD degree, a student will still need to meet the graduation and credit requirements for the JD degree.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Harvard law school.

Students must pay five semesters of full tuition. Students will be eligible for HLS financial aid for all semesters during which they pay tuition to HLS. For more information on Financial Aid, visit the Student Financial Services Financial Aid webpage .

Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

The minimum financial requirement for the PhD is at least four terms of full tuition followed by two years of reduced tuition and a facilities fee unless the degree is completed in less than four years. The financial aid awarded upon admission to the PhD program is available during those terms in which the student is enrolled in Harvard Griffin GSAS. Students should refer to their notice of financial support provided by their department upon admission to Harvard Griffin GSAS. Students should consult with their GSAS departments for more information.

Administrative Information

The HLS Registrar’s Office, the FAS Registrar’s Office, the GSAS Assistant Dean of Student Success, the HLS Associate Director of Academic Affairs, and the appropriate financial aid officers, will coordinate on students’ registration status and updated plans of study.

Housing and Student Life

GSAS and HLS will work together to ensure that the student services offered by both Schools are available to JD/PhD students during all their years in the Coordinated Program, including career and counseling offices, financial aid offices, student centers, and alumni offices. Students in the coordinated program will have email accounts at both schools throughout the program. Disability services and visa requirements will be coordinated on a case-by-case basis by the HLS Dean of Students and Registrar and by the Harvard Griffin GSAS Assistant Dean for Student Success. Students may apply for housing through either School for the years in which they are enrolled for at least one semester/term at both Schools. In all other years, students must apply for housing to the School in which they are enrolled.

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Doctoral Programs

• Schools & departments

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Law

Discovery Day

Join us online on 21st August to learn more about postgraduate study at Edinburgh.

Find out more and register

Research profile

The Edinburgh Law School is a vibrant, collegial and enriching community of legal, sociolegal and criminology researchers and offers an excellent setting for doctoral research.

Edinburgh Law School is ranked 3rd in the UK for law for the quality and breadth of our research by Research Professional, based on the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF2021).

Our doctoral researchers are key to the School’s research activities, and we work hard to ensure that they are fully engaged with staff and projects across all of our legal disciplines.

You will find opportunities in the following fields:

• company and commercial law
• comparative law
• constitutional and administrative law
• criminal law
• criminology and criminal justice
• environmental law
• European law, policy and institutions
• European private law
• evidence and procedure
• gender and sexuality
• human rights law
• information technology law
• intellectual property law
• international law
• legal theory
• medical law and ethics
• obligations
• contract delict
• unjustified enrichment
• property, trusts and successions
• Roman law and legal history
• socio-legal studies

Training and support

Doctoral researchers enjoy full access to the University’s research skills training which the Law School complements with a tailored research and wider skills programme.

The training programme in Year One (six seminars) includes workshops on research design, writing and research ethics.

The focus of the training programme in Year Two and Three is on supporting the dissemination of work with opportunities to present work.

Opportunities are also available for research exchanges through the League of European Research (LERU) network, as well as an annual research training exchange programme with KU Leuven.

• Find out more about the training and support available

Doctoral researchers are able to draw upon a fantastic range of resources and facilities to support their research.

The Law School has one of the most significant academic law libraries in the UK which offers outstanding digital resources alongside a world-leading print collection (almost 60,000 items including a unique collection for Scots law research).

You will also have access to the University’s Main Library which has one of the largest and most important collections in Britain, as well as the legal collection of the National Library of Scotland.

Career opportunities

Upon completion of the PhD, the majority of our students progress to postdoctoral research or lecturing and teaching roles.

Recent graduates have also found employment in roles as diverse as prison governor, solicitor and policy adviser for organisations including:

• the International Criminal Court
• Anderson Strathern
• HM Prison Service

Our PhD programme

Edinburgh Law School can offer expert supervision across an exceptional range of subject areas for PhD study.

A PhD at Edinburgh Law School involves undertaking independent research, culminating in the submission of a thesis of up to 100,000 words, which should be an original piece of work that makes a significant contribution to knowledge in the field of study and contains material worthy of publication.

As a doctoral student, you will join a diverse community of around 100 postgraduate researchers and will become an integral part of the intellectual life of the School.

• Find our more about studying for a PhD at Edinburgh Law School

Studying for a PhD video

Entry requirements.

These entry requirements are for the 2024/25 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2025/26 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2024.

• PhD Law: a UK 2:1 honours degree in law, arts or social sciences, and a UK Masters degree with at least 60% in the taught section and 65% or more in the dissertation, or their international equivalents.

The majority of our applicants have studied law, but we are a comprehensive Law School covering a range of approaches to legal topics including social science, historical and philosophical enquiry; applications from non-law students with relevant studies and experience will be considered and if you require further guidance please contact us.

Entry to this programme is competitive. Meeting minimum requirements for consideration does not guarantee an offer of study

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

• Entry requirements by country
• English language requirements

Regardless of your nationality or country of residence, you must demonstrate a level of English language competency at a level that will enable you to succeed in your studies.

English language tests

We accept the following English language qualifications at the grades specified:

• IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 7.0 in writing and 6.5 in all other components. We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
• TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 25 in writing and 23 in all other components.
• C1 Advanced ( CAE ) / C2 Proficiency ( CPE ): total 185 with at least 185 in writing and 176 in all other components.
• Trinity ISE : ISE III with passes in all four components.
• PTE Academic: total 70 with at least 70 in writing and 62 in all other components.

Your English language qualification must be no more than three and a half years old from the start date of the programme you are applying to study, unless you are using IELTS , TOEFL, Trinity ISE or PTE , in which case it must be no more than two years old.

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We also accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration:

• UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English speaking countries (non-MESC).

• Approved universities in non-MESC

If you are not a national of a majority English speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old* at the beginning of your programme of study. (*Revised 05 March 2024 to extend degree validity to five years.)

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Scholarships and funding

Featured funding.

• School of Law funding opportunities
• Research scholarships for international students
• Principal's Career Development PhD Scholarships

UK government postgraduate loans

If you live in the UK, you may be able to apply for a postgraduate loan from one of the UK’s governments.

The type and amount of financial support you are eligible for will depend on:

• your programme
• the duration of your studies
• your tuition fee status

Programmes studied on a part-time intermittent basis are not eligible.

• UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

• Search for funding

Further information

• Postgraduate Research Office
• Phone: +44 (0)131 650 2022
• Contact: [email protected]
• School of Law (Postgraduate Research Office)
• Old College
• South Bridge
• Central Campus
• Programme: Law
• School: Law
• College: Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences

Select your programme and preferred start date to begin your application.

PhD Law - 3 Years (Full-time)

Phd law - 6 years (part-time), application deadlines.

We encourage you to apply at least one month prior to entry so that we have enough time to process your application. If you are also applying for funding or will require a visa then we strongly recommend you apply as early as possible.

• How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

Find out more about the general application process for postgraduate programmes:

Study Postgraduate

Mphil/phd in law (2024 entry).

Course code

30 September 2024

3-4 years full-time; Up to 7 years part-time

Qualification

University of Warwick

Find out more about our Law MPhil/PhD degree.

Study a MPhil/PhD in Law at the University of Warwick's Law School. Gain an understanding of relevant research methods and evolve into a well-rounded socio-legal scholar within a creative community of fellow researchers.

Course overview

In this programme you will be carefully supervised by an individual specialist in your chosen area of study and supported to generate a research question and produce a thesis. For the MPhil you are required to write a thesis of up to 60,000 words and up to 80,000 for the PhD.

Our Research Degrees attempt to achieve a balance between individual study, academic supervision, and a communal, scholarly learning environment. As a research student, you will be a vital part of our research culture and we will encourage you to participate in the life of the Law School.

Teaching and learning

You will attend a research methods and theory course and meet with your supervisor at least once a month throughout your degree.

Each year postgraduate research students get the benefit of, feedback and presentation opportunities, skills workshops as well as a series of ‘masterclass’ events led by world-leading researchers. These workshops and events support a self-critical assessment of research methods and techniques and allow you to learn from others working in your field. In addition, you will be invited to attend research seminars, public lectures and other training opportunities with the Law School and across the University.

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements.

2:1 undergraduate degree and a good Master's degree (or equivalent) in Law or a related subject plus a strong research proposal. Those with a good First Class undergraduate degree may also be considered for entry.

English language requirements

You can find out more about our English language requirements Link opens in a new window . This course requires the following:

• Overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 and component scores.

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

For more information, please visit the international entry requirements page Link opens in a new window .

Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Our research

Eleven research clusters:

• Contract, Business and Commercial Law
• Comparative Law and Culture
• Development and Human Rights
• Gender and the Law
• International and European Law
• Law and Humanities
• Legal Theory
• Governance and Regulation
• Empirical Approaches
• Arts, Culture and Law

The Law School’s research is rooted in the twin themes of law in context and the international character of law.

Explore our research areas on our Law web pages. Link opens in a new window

Find a supervisor

Find your supervisor using the link below and discuss with them the area you'd like to research.

Explore our School of Law Staff Directory where you will be able see the academic interests and expertise of our staff.

You are welcome to contact our staff directly to see if they can provide any advice on your proposed research, but will still need to submit an application and meet the selection criteria set by the University before any offer is made.

You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.

Find your research course fees

Fee Status Guidance

We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.

Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?

If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.

Find out more about how universities assess fee status

Additional course costs

As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of field trips or costs associated with travel abroad.

For departmental specific costs, please see the Modules tab on the course web page for the list of core and optional core modules with hyperlinks to our  Module Catalogue  (please visit the Department’s website if the Module Catalogue hyperlinks are not provided).

Associated costs can be found on the Study tab for each module listed in the Module Catalogue (please note most of the module content applies to 2022/23 year of study). Information about module department specific costs should be considered in conjunction with the more general costs below:

• Core text books
• Printer credits
• Dissertation binding
• Robe hire for your degree ceremony

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.

Living costs

Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.

School of Law

From the first intake of students back in 1968, Warwick Law School has developed a reputation for innovative, quality research and consistently highly rated teaching. Study with us is exciting, challenging and rewarding. Pioneers of the 'Law in Context' approach to legal education, and welcoming students and staff from around the world, we offer a friendly, international and enriching environment in which to study law in its many contexts.

Get to know us better by exploring our departmental website. Link opens in a new window

Our Postgraduate courses

• Advanced Legal Studies (LLM)
• International Commercial Law (LLM)
• International Corporate Governance and Financial Regulation (LLM)
• International Development Law and Human Rights (LLM)
• International Economic Law (LLM)
• LLM by Research
• MPhil/PhD in Law

How to apply

Important dates for law mphil/phd applicants.

Starting for 2024 entry, Warwick Law School now operates two admission rounds for MPhil/PhD applicants. Admission round 1 is for those applicants who wish to be considered for scholarships administered by the School of Law, the University, or national funding bodies such as the ESRC or AHRC. Admission round 2 is for those applicants who plan to either self-fund their studies or those who have (or those who hope to secure) a scholarship from outside the UK.

Admission Round 1

Admissions are open from 2 October 2023. The deadline for applications is 11 December 2023 . This departmental deadline applies to all applicants wishing to be considered for:

• Chancellors International Scholarships
• The Law School Scholarships
• ESRC DTP studentships
• AHRC M4C studentships
• China Scholarship Council
• University of Warwick Scholarships
• Monash-Warwick Alliance Joint PhD Scholarships

Please note: Scholarship applicants must have been made an offer by the department before they can be considered for a scholarship. In most instances, scholarship applicants will need to submit a separate scholarship application to the relevant administering body. Deadlines for this separate application will vary. More information about the administration of relevant scholarships is available here . The departmental deadline of 11 December 2023 is in place to give the department time to process applications before scholarship selections and nominations take place.

Admission Round 2

Admissions are open from 2 October 2023. The deadline for applications is 3 June 2024. In some circumstances, with the support of the proposed supervisor, applications after this deadline might still be considered. If you wish to apply after 3 June 2024, please contact the Law School Director of Postgraduate Research to discuss your application before submitting it. Any applications submitted after 2nd August 2024 will not be considered.

Applicants who are applying for Sanctuary or CARA scholarships may apply at any time of year. If you wish to apply for these schemes outside the two admission rounds outlined above, please contact the Law School Director of Postgraduate Research to discuss the application before submitting.

How to apply for a postgraduate research course  

After you’ve applied

Find out how we process your application.

Applicant Portal

Track your application and update your details.

Admissions statement

See Warwick’s postgraduate admissions policy.

Join a live chat

Ask questions and engage with Warwick.

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Postgraduate fairs.

Throughout the year we attend exhibitions and fairs online and in-person around the UK. These events give you the chance to explore our range of postgraduate courses, and find out what it’s like studying at Warwick. You’ll also be able to speak directly with our student recruitment team, who will be able to help answer your questions.

Join a live chat with our staff and students, who are here to answer your questions and help you learn more about postgraduate life at Warwick. You can join our general drop-in sessions or talk to your prospective department and student services.

Departmental events

Some academic departments hold events for specific postgraduate programmes, these are fantastic opportunities to learn more about Warwick and your chosen department and course.

See our online departmental events

Warwick Talk and Tours

A Warwick talk and tour lasts around two hours and consists of an overview presentation from one of our Recruitment Officers covering the key features, facilities and activities that make Warwick a leading institution. The talk is followed by a campus tour which is the perfect way to view campus, with a current student guiding you around the key areas on campus.

Connect with us

Learn more about Postgraduate study at the University of Warwick.

We may have revised the information on this page since publication. See the edits we have made and content history .

Why Warwick

Discover why Warwick is one of the best universities in the UK and renowned globally.

9th in the UK (The Guardian University Guide 2024) Link opens in a new window

69th in the world Link opens in a new window (QS World University Rankings 2025) Link opens in a new window

6th most targeted university by the UK's top 100 graduate employers Link opens in a new window

(The Graduate Market in 2024, High Fliers Research Ltd. Link opens in a new window )

About the information on this page

This information is applicable for 2024 entry. Given the interval between the publication of courses and enrolment, some of the information may change. It is important to check our website before you apply. Please read our terms and conditions to find out more.

• People/Staff

Enhance your knowledge of a highly specialised area of law by conducting your own research.

The PhD is suitable for students who have an interest in conducting independent and highly specialised academic research which may not be available as postgraduate courses. Our academics have expertise to supervise   in an extensive range of legal topics which would enhance the professional expertise and standing of those who complete this degree.

The PhD is therefore suitable for law graduates and legal professionals who wish to enhance their knowledge of highly specialised areas and for those who wish to become legal academics.

Structure/ Programme

A candidate for a PhD qualification must successfully defend a research proposal within six months of registration (in the case of full-time candidates) or twelve months of registration (in the case of part-time candidates).

A Doctor of Philosophy degree is awarded on the successful submission of a doctoral thesis which should make a substantial contribution to the advancement of knowledge in the field of investigation. The length of the thesis should be between 70 000 and 100 000 words.

The minimum period of registration for the PhD is two years (full-time) and four years (part-time). The maximum period of study is two years in addition to the minimum period of study.

Entry Requirements

• A master’s degree or an equivalent qualification from Wits University or another university.

Your application should include a CV, an academic record (transcript) and a short proposal, also known as an expression of interest.

The short proposal is a document of 7 – 10 pages that outlines the applicant’s proposed research and the research questions to be investigated. It should include a provisional title as well as a provisional bibliography.

Applications are considered on the basis of candidates’ academic record, the strength of their expression of interest and the availability of an appropriate supervisor in the School.

Prospective research students are therefore further encouraged to approach potential supervisors in advance of their application, i.e. to find a member of staff in the School of Law who is willing in principle to supervise their proposed research. Profiles of our staff and their research and/or supervision interests, as well as their contact details are available on the School of Law website. You can also access a list of  staff research and supervision areas .

If you do find a willing potential supervisor, indicate this on your expression of interest. You may however proceed with your application even if you do not find a potential supervisor beforehand. In that case, the Postgraduate Studies Committee will endeavour to allocate a supervisor to you in the event that your application is successful.

University Application Process

• Applications are handled centrally by the Student Enrolment Centre (SEnC) . Once your application is complete in terms of requested documentation, your application will be referred to the relevant School for assessment.  Click here to see an overview of the Wits applications process.
• Please apply online . Upload your supporting documents at the time of application, or via the Self Service Portal .
• Applicants can monitor the progress of their applications via the  Self Service Portal .
• Selections for programmes that have a limited intake but attract a large number of applications may only finalise the application at the end of the application cycle.

Please note that the Entry Requirements are a guide. Meeting these requirements does not guarantee a place. Final selection is made subject to the availability of places, academic results and other entry requirements where applicable.

International students , please check this section .

For more information,  contact the Student Call Centre +27 (0)11 717 1888, or log a query at www.wits.ac.za/askwits .

University Fees and Funding

Click here to see the current average tuition fees. The Fees site also provides information about the payment of fees and closing dates for fees payments. Once you have applied you will be able to access the fees estimator on the student self-service portal.

For information about postgraduate funding opportunities, including the postgraduate merit award, click here . Please also check your School website for bursary opportunities.  NRF bursaries: The National Research Foundation (NRF) offers a wide range of opportunities in terms of bursaries and fellowships to students pursuing postgraduate studies.  External bursaries portal: The Bursaries South Africa website provides a comprehensive list of bursaries in South Africa.

Recommended pages

• Undergraduate open days
• Postgraduate open days
• Accommodation
• Information for teachers
• Maps and directions
• Sport and fitness

Law PhD / PhD by Distance Learning / MPhil / MJur

Annual tuition fee 2024 entry: UK: £4,786 full-time, £2,393 part-time International: £21,840 full-time; £10,920 part-time (distance learning only) More detail .

• Visit an Open Day
• Request a prospectus
• Course details
• Entry Requirements
• Employability

As a postgraduate researcher at Birmingham Law School you will be contributing to more than 85 years of research tradition, working alongside some of the country's most eminent legal scholars.

Our expertise spans a wide range of areas, including commercial law, criminal law, criminal justice, judicial administration, European law, public law, human rights, international law, private law, restitution, conflicts of law, international economic law, comparative law, health and social welfare, socio-legal studies, and legal theory.

ESRC funding for PhD students

The University of Birmingham is part of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) Midlands Graduate School Doctoral Training Partnership, offering ESRC PhD studentships for campus-based programmes. ESRC awards are available for a range of social science disciplines including Applied Linguistics, Area Studies (African Studies), Economic and Social History, and Socio-Legal Studies.

Find out more

Postgraduate scholarships available

The College of Arts and Law is offering a range of scholarships for our postgraduate taught and research programmes to ensure that the very best talent is nurtured and supported.

Learn more about our scholarships

AHRC funding for PhD students

The University of Birmingham is part of the Midlands4Cities Doctoral Training Partnership (M4C), offering Arts and Humanities Research Council PhD studentships for campus-based programmes. These include a number of Collaborative Doctoral Award opportunities. Each studentship includes research fees, a substantial maintenance grant and additional research training support. Applications are open until 12:00 (noon), 13 January 2021.

Scholarships for 2024 entry

The University of Birmingham is proud to offer a range of scholarships for our postgraduate programmes. With a scholarship pot worth over £2 million, we are committed to alleviating financial barriers to support you in taking your next steps.

Each scholarship has its own specific deadlines and eligibility criteria. Please familiarise yourself with the information on individual scholarship webpages prior to submitting an application.

Explore our scholarships

As well as providing expert supervision from experienced members of staff, we offer a friendly and supportive environment for our postgraduate students and consider them an integral part of the School’s  research community .

• With supervision from academic staff, our PhD programme requires you to research and write a thesis of 80,000 words that makes an original contribution to knowledge. Full-time students are expected to complete their work within three years. This programme can also be studied by Distance Learning -  see whether distance learning is an option for you .
• The MPhil programme requires you to research and write a 60,000-word thesis under the supervision of academic staff. Full-time students are expected to complete their work within two years.
• The MJur programme requires you to research and write a 40,000-word thesis under the supervision of academic staff. Full-time students are expected to complete their work within one year.

Our current Law PhD students

To find out more about the range of research currently being undertaken by our PhD students and the academics providing supervision, read our  profiles of current doctoral researchers .

At Birmingham, I have the fantastic opportunity to work with talented people from across a range of different cultural backgrounds which broadens my horizons and helps me get to know the world better. My supervisors provide great support and assistance, while I can always find activities on campus that interest me outside of my research. Yunxiang

Why study this course?

• Academic expertise : You will be supervised by experts, internationally renowned for their research in the legal field. Many of our academics ‘wrote the book’ on their area of expertise, or have been commissioned by governments and other public bodies to carry out important applied legal research. The University of Birmingham is a Top 100 University in the World (QS 2024 Rankings).
• Postgraduate community : The postgraduate community at Birmingham Law School is lively and supportive. You will have the opportunity to organise and participate in a range of research events, as well as get involved in social events. It is not without significance that several members of the School’s academic staff were themselves postgraduate students here. You can also make the most of new, dedicated postgraduate study spaces in the Law School and neighbouring Frankland Building.  Read more about the postgraduate community at Birmingham Law School . 
• Employability : Birmingham is one of the top universities in the UK for graduate employment. Our Centre for Professional Legal Education and Research (CEPLER) offers support, whether you are looking to pursue a career in law, academia or elsewhere. 

The postgraduate experience

The College of Arts and Law offers excellent support to its postgraduates, from libraries and research spaces, to careers support and funding opportunities. Learn more about your postgraduate experience .

We charge an annual tuition fee. Fees for 2024 entry are as follows:

• UK: £4,786 full-time; £2,393 part-time *
• International: £21,840 full-time; £10,920 part-time (distance learning only)

The same fees apply to both campus-based and distance learning study. The distance learning programme also includes one fully-funded visit to campus in the first year of study.

The above fees quoted are for one year only; for those studying over two or more years, tuition fees will also be payable in subsequent years of your programme.

* For UK postgraduate research students the University fee level is set at Research Council rates and as such is subject to change. The final fee will be announced by Research Councils UK in spring 2024.

Eligibility for UK or international fees can be verified with Admissions. Learn more about fees for international students .

Paying your fees

Tuition fees can either be paid in full or by instalments. Learn more about postgraduate tuition fees and funding .

How To Apply

Application deadlines.

Applications are accepted at any time though we strongly encourage students to begin their studies at the start of the UK academic year (September).

Before you make your application

Full details of our requirements can be found on our Applications page . 

As part of the application for admission onto our MJur, MPhil and PhD programmes, you must prepare a research proposal outlining your proposed area of study. For more information, please see our  guidance on how to write a research proposal . 

Please also see our additional guidance for applicants to the PhD Distance Learning study mode . 

Making your application

• How to apply

To apply for a postgraduate research programme, you will need to submit your application and supporting documents online. We have put together some helpful information on the research programme application process and supporting documents on our how to apply page . Please read this information carefully before completing your application.

Our Standard Requirements

Our requirements for postgraduate research are dependent on the type of programme you are applying for:

• For MJur and MPhil programmes, entry usually requires a good (normally a 2:1 or above) Honours degree in law (or a subject related to the proposed area of research) or its international equivalent
• Typically, applicants for a PhD will also need to hold a Masters qualification at Merit level or above in law (or a subject related to the proposed area of research) or its international equivalent

Any academic and professional qualifications or relevant professional experience you may have will also taken into account.

If you are applying to study by distance learning, you will also be required to demonstrate that you have the time, commitment, facilities and experience to study by distance learning.

If your qualifications are non-standard or different from the entry requirements stated here, please email [email protected] .

International students

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries - use our handy guide below to see what qualifications we accept from your country.

English language requirements: standard language requirements apply for this course - IELTS 7.0 with no less than 6.5 in any band. If you are made an offer of a place to study and you do not meet the language requirement, you have the option to enrol on our English for Academic Purposes Presessional Course - if you successfully complete the course, you will be able to fulfil the language requirement without retaking a language qualification.

International Requirements

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 14/20 from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Argentinian university, with a promedio of at least 7.5, may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent

Applicants who hold a Masters degree will be considered for admission to PhD study.

Holders of a good four-year Diplomstudium/Magister or a Masters degree from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5 will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a good 5-year Specialist Diploma or 4-year Bachelor degree from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan, with a minimum GPA of 4/5 or 80% will be considered for entry to postgraduate taught programmes at the University of Birmingham.

For postgraduate research programmes applicants should have a good 5-year Specialist Diploma (completed after 1991), with a minimum grade point average of 4/5 or 80%, from a recognised higher education institution or a Masters or “Magistr Diplomu” or “Kandidat Nauk” from a recognised higher education institution in Azerbaijan.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0-3.3/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold a Masters degree from the University of Botswana with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (70%/B/'very good') will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Please note 4-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a Diploma of Higher Education. 5-year bachelor degrees from the University of Botswana are considered equivalent to a British Bachelor (Ordinary) degree.

Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

A Licenciatura or Bacharelado degree from a recognised Brazilian university:

• A grade of 7.5/10 for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement
• A grade of 6.5/10for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement

Holders of a good Bachelors degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good post-2001 Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a minimum average of 14 out of 20 (or 70%) on a 4-year Licence, Bachelor degree or Diplôme d'Etudes Superieures de Commerce (DESC) or Diplôme d'Ingénieur or a Maîtrise will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Holders of a bachelor degree with honours from a recognised Canadian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A GPA of 3.0/4, 7.0/9 or 75% is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1.

Holders of the Licenciado or equivalent Professional Title from a recognised Chilean university will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD study will preferably hold a Magister degree or equivalent.

Students with a bachelor’s degree (4 years minimum) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. However please note that we will only consider students who meet the entry guidance below.  Please note: for the subject areas below we use the Shanghai Ranking 2022 (full table)  ,  Shanghai Ranking 2023 (full table) , and Shanghai Ranking of Chinese Art Universities 2023 .

需要具备学士学位（4年制）的申请人可申请研究生课程。请根据所申请的课程查看相应的入学要求。 请注意，中国院校名单参考 软科中国大学排名2022（总榜） ，  软科中国大学排名2023（总榜） ，以及 软科中国艺术类高校名单2023 。  

Business School    - MSc programmes (excluding MBA)  

商学院硕士课程（MBA除外）入学要求

School of Computer Science – all MSc programmes 计算机学院硕士课程入学要求

College of Social Sciences – courses listed below 社会科学 学院部分硕士课程入学要求 MA Education  (including all pathways) MSc TESOL Education MSc Public Management MA Global Public Policy MA Social Policy MA Sociology Department of Political Science and International Studies  全部硕士课程 International Development Department  全部硕士课程

  All other programmes (including MBA)   所有其他 硕士课程（包括 MBA）入学要求

Please note:

• Borderline cases: We may consider students with lower average score (within 5%) on a case-by-case basis if you have a relevant degree and very excellent grades in relevant subjects and/or relevant work experience. 如申请人均分低于相应录取要求（5%以内），但具有出色学术背景，优异的专业成绩，以及（或）相关的工作经验，部分课程将有可能单独酌情考虑。
• Please contact the China Recruitment Team for any questions on the above entry requirements. 如果您对录取要求有疑问，请联系伯明翰大学中国办公室   [email protected]

Holders of the Licenciado/Professional Title from a recognised Colombian university will be considered for our Postgraduate Diploma and Masters degrees. Applicants for PhD degrees will normally have a Maestria or equivalent.

Holders of a good bachelor degree with honours (4 to 6 years) from a recognised university with a upper second class grade or higher will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.  Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Bacclaureus (Bachelors) from a recognised Croatian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 4.0 out of 5.0, vrlo dobar ‘very good’, or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelors degree(from the University of the West Indies or the University of Technology) may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. A Class II Upper Division degree is usually equivalent to a UK 2.1. For further details on particular institutions please refer to the list below.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Masters degree or Mphil from the University of the West Indies.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, or a GPA of 3 out of 4, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalár from a recognised Czech Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, velmi dobre ‘very good’ (post-2004) or 2, velmi dobre ‘good’ (pre-2004), or a good post-2002 Magistr (Masters), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum overall grade of 7-10 out of 12 (or 8 out of 13) or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters/ Magisterkonfereus/Magister Artium degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the Licenciado or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Ecuadorian university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 70% or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Magister/Masterado or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Licenciado with excellent grades can be considered.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 75% from a recognised institution. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bakalaurusekraad from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 4/5 or B, or a good one- or two-year Magistrikraad from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with very good grades (grade B, 3.5/4 GPA or 85%) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

Holders of a good Kandidaatti / Kandidat (old system), a professional title such as Ekonomi, Diplomi-insinööri, Arkkitehti, Lisensiaatti (in Medicine, Dentistry and Vetinary Medicine), or a Maisteri / Magister (new system), Lisensiaatti / Licenciat, Oikeustieteen Kandidaatti / Juris Kandidat (new system) or Proviisori / Provisor from a recognised Finnish Higher Education institution, with a minimum overall grade of 2/3 or 4/5, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters/Maîtrise with a minimum overall grade of 13 out of 20, or a Magistère / Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies / Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Specialisées / Mastère Specialis, from a recognised French university or Grande École to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Magister Artium, a Diplom or an Erstes Staatsexamen from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 2.5, or a good two-year Lizentiat / Aufbaustudium / Zweites Staatsexamen or a Masters degree from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good four-year Ptychio (Bachelor degree) with a minimum overall grade of 6.5 out of 10, from a recognised Greek university (AEI), and will usually be required to have completed a good Metaptychiako Diploma Eidikefsis (Masters degree) from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

4-year Licenciado is deemed equivalent to a UK bachelors degree. A score of 75 or higher from Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC) can be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 60 is comparable to a UK 2.2.  Private universities have a higher pass mark, so 80 or higher should be considered comparable to a UK 2.1, 70 is comparable to a UK 2.2

The Hong Kong Bachelor degree is considered comparable to British Bachelor degree standard. Students with bachelor degrees awarded by universities in Hong Kong may be considered for entry to one of our postgraduate degree programmes.

Students with Masters degrees may be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Alapfokozat / Alapképzés or Egyetemi Oklevel from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 3.5, or a good Mesterfokozat (Masters degree) or Egyetemi Doktor (university doctorate), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a 60% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of the 4 year Sarjana (S1) from a recognised Indonesian institution will be considered for postgraduate study. Entry requirements vary with a minimum requirement of a GPA of 2.8.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution, with 100 out of 110 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students who hold the Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies, Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Students with a Bachelor degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for entry to a postgraduate Masters degree provided they achieve a sufficiently high overall score in their first (Bachelor) degree. A GPA of 3.0/4.0 or a B average from a good Japanese university is usually considered equivalent to a UK 2:1.

Students with a Masters degree from a recognised university in Japan will be considered for PhD study. A high overall grade will be necessary to be considered.

Students who have completed their Specialist Diploma Мамаң дипломы/Диплом специалиста) or "Magistr" (Магистр дипломы/Диплом магистра) degree (completed after 1991) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of 2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate Masters degrees and, occasionally, directly for PhD degrees.  Holders of a Bachelor "Bakalavr" degree (Бакалавр дипломы/Диплом бакалавра) from a recognised higher education institution, with a minimum GPA of  2.67/4.00 for courses requiring a UK lower second and 3.00/4.00 for courses requiring a UK upper second class degree, may also be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/50

Holders of a good Postgraduate Diploma (professional programme) from a recognised university or institution of Higher Education, with a minimum overall grade of 7.5 out of 10, or a post-2000 Magistrs, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a score of 16/20 or 80% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in Libya will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of a Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved score of 70% for 2:1 equivalency or 65% for 2:2 equivalency. Alternatively students will require a minimum of 3.0/4.0 or BB to be considered.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magistras from a recognised university with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, or a good post-2001 Magistras, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, or a Diplôme d'Études Supérieures Spécialisées (comparable to a UK PGDip) or Masters degree from a recognised Luxembourgish Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees (70-74% or A or Marginal Distinction from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 60-69% or B or Bare Distinction/Credit is considered comparable to a UK 2.2).

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Malaysian institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum of 3.0) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good Bachelors degree from the University of Malta with a minimum grade of 2:1 (Hons), and/or a Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (Honours) from a recognised institution (including the University of Mauritius) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2:1).

Students who hold the Licenciado/Professional Titulo from a recognised Mexican university with a promedio of at least 8 will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.

Students who have completed a Maestria from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree, licence or Maîtrise and a Masters degree, with a score of 14/20 or 70% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Students with a good four year honours degree from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at the University of Birmingham. PhD applications will be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Doctoraal from a recognised Dutch university with a minimum overall grade of 7 out of 10, and/or a good Masters degree, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree (minimum 4 years and/or level 400) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) with a minimum GPA of at least 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of B/Very Good or 1.6-2.5 for a 2.1 equivalency, and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters, Mastergrad, Magister. Artium, Sivilingeniør, Candidatus realium or Candidatus philologiae degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with a CGPA of 3.0/4 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised university in the Palestinian Territories will be considered for postgraduate study. Holders of Bachelors degree will normally be expected to have achieved a GPA of 3/4 or 80% for 2:1 equivalency or a GPA of 2.5/4 or 70% for 2:2 equivalency.    

Holders of the Título de Licenciado /Título de (4-6 years) or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Paraguayan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Grades of 4/5 or higher can be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent.  The Título Intermedio is a 2-3 year degree and is equivalent to a HNC, it is not suitable for postgraduate entry but holders of this award could be considered for second year undergraduate entry or pre-Masters.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría / Magister or equivalent qualification, but holders of the Título/Grado de Licenciado/a with excellent grades can be considered.

Holders of the Licenciado, with at least 13/20 may be considered as UK 2.1 equivalent. The Grado de Bachiller is equivalent to an ordinary degree, so grades of 15+/20 are required.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Título de Maestría or equivalent qualification.

Holders of a good pre-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4 out of 5, dobry ‘good’, and/or a good Swiadectwo Ukonczenia Studiów Podyplomowych (Certificate of Postgraduate Study) or post-2001 Magister from a recognised Polish university with a minimum overall grade of 4.5/4+ out of 5, dobry plus 'better than good', will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Licenciado from a recognised university, or a Diploma de Estudos Superiores Especializados (DESE) from a recognised Polytechnic Institution, with a minimum overall grade of 16 out of 20, and/or a good Mestrado / Mestre (Masters) from a recognised university, will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree from a recognised Romanian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8 out of 10, and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree/Diploma de Master/Diploma de Studii Academice Postuniversitare (Postgraduate Diploma - Academic Studies) or Diploma de Studii Postuniversitare de Specializare (Postgraduate Diploma - Specialised Studies) to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Диплом Специалиста (Specialist Diploma) or Диплом Магистра (Magistr) degree from recognised universities in Russia (minimum GPA of 4.0) will be considered for entry to taught postgraduate programmes/PhD study.

Students who hold a 4-year Bachelor degree with at least 16/20 or 70% will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a Maitrise, Diplome d'Etude Approfondies,Diplome d'Etude Superieures or Diplome d'Etude Superieures Specialisees will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. A score of 14-15/20 or Bien from a well ranked institution is considered comparable to a UK 2.1, while a score of 12-13/20 or Assez Bien is considered comparable to a UK 2.2

Students who hold a Bachelor (Honours) degree from a recognised institution with a minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or 3.5/5.0 (or a score of 60-69% or B+) from a well ranked institution will be considered for most our Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees with a 2:1 requirement.

Students holding a good Bachelors Honours degree will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a good three-year Bakalár or pre-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 1.5, B, Vel’mi dobrý ‘very good’, and/or a good Inžinier or a post-2002 Magister from a recognised Slovakian Higher Education institution will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Diploma o pridobljeni univerzitetni izobrazbi (Bachelors degree), Diplomant (Professionally oriented first degree), Univerzitetni diplomant (Academically oriented first degree) or Visoko Obrazovanja (until 1999) from a recognised Slovenian Higher Education institution with a minimum overall grade of 8.0 out of 10, and/or a good Diploma specializacija (Postgraduate Diploma) or Magister (Masters) will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students who hold a Bachelor Honours degree (also known as Baccalaureus Honores / Baccalaureus Cum Honoribus) from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (70%) or a distinction (75%).

Holders of a Masters degree will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a Bachelor degree from a recognised South Korean institution (usually with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average 3.0/4.0 or 3.2/4.5) will be considered for Masters programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 7 out of 10 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and will usually be required to have completed a Masters degree, with 60-74% or a CGPA 3.30/4.0 or higher for 2:1 equivalency from a recognised institution to be considered for entry. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Kandidatexamen (Bachelors degree) or Yrkesexamen (Professional Bachelors degree) from a recognised Swedish Higher Education institution with the majority of subjects with a grade of VG (Val godkänd), and/or a good Magisterexamen (Masters degree), International Masters degree or Licentiatexamen (comparable to a UK Mphil), will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good "PostGraduate Certificate" or "PostGraduate Diploma" or a Masters degree from a recognised Swiss higher education institution (with a minimum GPA of 5/6 or 8/10 or 2/5 (gut-bien-bene/good) for a 2.1 equivalence) may be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a Bachelors degree and a Masters degree, with a GPA of 3.0/4.0, 3.5/5 or 75% from a recognised institution to be considered. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

Holders of a good Bachelor degree (from 75% to 85% depending upon the university in Taiwan) from a recognised institution will be considered for postgraduate Masters study. Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.  Most taught Masters programmes require a minimum of an upper second class degree (2.1) Students who have completed a Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of a good Masters degree from a recognised institution will be considered for entry to our postgraduate research programmes.

Holders of a good Masters degree or Mphil from a recognised university will be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes.

Students with a Bachelors degree from the following universities may be considered for entry to postgraduate programmes:

• Ateneo de Manila University - Quezon City
• De La Salle University - Manila
• University of Santo Tomas
• University of the Philippines - Diliman

Students from all other institutions with a Bachelors and a Masters degree or relevant work experience may be considered for postgraduate programmes.

Grading Schemes

1-5 where 1 is the highest 2.1 = 1.75 2.2 = 2.25 

Out of 4.0 where 4 is the highest 2.1 = 3.0 2.2 = 2.5

Letter grades and percentages 2.1 = B / 3.00 / 83% 2.2 = C+ / 2.5 / 77%

Holders of a postdoctoral qualification from a recognised institution will be considered for PhD study.  Students may be considered for PhD study if they have a Masters from one of the above listed universities.

Holders of a Lisans Diplomasi with a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.0/4.0 from a recognised university will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.

Holders of a Yuksek Diplomasi from a recognised university will be considered for PhD study.

Students who hold a Bachelor degree from a recognised institution will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. Most Masters programmes will require a second class upper (2.1) or GPA of 3.5/5.0

Applicants for postgraduate research programmes should hold a good Bachelors degree / Диплом бакалавра (Dyplom Bakalavra), Диплом спеціаліста (Specialist Diploma) or a Dyplom Magistra from a recognised Ukrainian higher education institution with a minimum GPA of 4.0/5.0, 3.5/4, 8/12 or 80% or higher for 2:1 equivalence and will usually be required to have completed a good Masters degree to be considered for entry to postgraduate research programmes. Applicants with lower grades than this may be considered on an individual basis.

The University will consider students who hold an Honours degree from a recognised institution in the USA with a GPA of:

• 2.8 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:2 requirement 
• 3.2 GPA (on a 4.0 scale) for entry to programmes with a 2:1 requirement 

Please note that some subjects which are studied at postgraduate level in the USA, eg. Medicine and Law, are traditionally studied at undergraduate level in the UK.

Holders of the Magistr Diplomi (Master's degree) or Diplomi (Specialist Diploma), awarded by prestigious universities, who have attained high grades in their studies will be considered for postgraduate study.  Holders of the Fanlari Nomzodi (Candidate of Science), where appropriate, will be considered for PhD study.

Holders of the Licenciatura/Título or an equivalent professional title from a recognised Venezuelan university may be considered for entry to a postgraduate degree programme. Scales of 1-5, 1-10 and 1-20 are used, an overall score of 70% or equivalent can be considered equivalent to a UK 2.1.  Applicants for PhD level study will preferably hold a Maestria or equivalent qualification

Holders of a Bachelors degree from a recognised Vietnamese institution (usually achieved with the equivalent of a second class upper or a grade point average minimum GPA of 7.0 and above) will be considered for postgraduate study at Diploma or Masters level.  Holders of a Masters degree (thac si) will be considered for entry to PhD programmes.

Students who hold a Masters degree with a minimum GPA of 3.5/5.0 or a mark of 2.0/2.5 (A) will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees.   

Students who hold a good Bachelor Honours degree will be considered for Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees. 

Members of Birmingham Law School are active in research and publication, and many of their books have become standard works on numerous areas of law. Academics working in the School are well known for carrying out important applied legal research, much of it commissioned by the government and other public bodies.

Birmingham Law School staff research supervision areas

• Commercial and company law (include banking, international commercial law, corporate governance)
• Comparative law (including civil law)
• Constitutional and administrative law (including legal response to terrorism)
• Criminal law and criminal justice (including international criminal law and evidence) 
• Environmental law
• European Union law
• Health and health care law
• Human rights and civil liberties
• International law and global legal studies (to include conflicts,  international economic law, International sale of goods, international trade law, transitional justice, law and development, international economic law, international criminal law)  
• Jurisprudence and legal theory
• Law and society (disability law, law and religion, gender and sexuality) 
• Legal education and the legal profession (legal education, judicial administration)
• Private law (contract, tort, restitution and common law)
• Property law (including intellectual property)

Related research

• Institute of European Law

The University of Birmingham is the top choice for the UK's major employers searching for graduate recruits, according to The Graduate Market 2024 report .

Your degree will provide excellent preparation for your future career, but this can also be enhanced by a range of employability support services offered by the University and the College of Arts and Law.

The University's Careers Network  provides expert guidance and activities especially for postgraduates, which will help you achieve your career goals. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated  careers and employability team  who offer tailored advice and a programme of College-specific careers events.

You will be encouraged to make the most of your postgraduate experience and will have the opportunity to:

• Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique, whether you are looking for a career inside or outside of academia
• Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations
• Attend an annual programme of careers fairs, skills workshops and conferences, including bespoke events for postgraduates in the College of Arts and Law
• Take part in a range of activities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers and enhance your CV

What’s more, you will be able to access our full range of careers support for up to 2 years after graduation. 

Postgraduate employability: Law

Postgraduate research students have the opportunity to benefit from extensive careers advice and employability support from the Law School. If you are interested in a qualifying as a lawyer, you have access to a wide range of events and activities, including regular visits from major law firms and barristers’ chambers. All of our careers and employability activities are organised through the Law School’s  Centre for Professional Legal Education and Research . Over the past 5 years, 83% of our postgraduates were in work and/or further study 6 months after graduation (DLHE 2012 – 2017).

If a career in academia is your goal, we have an annual lecture and exclusive advice sessions for postgraduate researchers, which includes support to develop you career profile and secure a job in higher education. It is not without significance that several members of the Law School’s academic staff were themselves postgraduate students here.

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The PhD programme

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Finance overview    Funding    How to apply

The PhD is awarded after three to four years of full-time research (or five to seven years of part-time study) on the basis of a dissertation of 80,000 words (exclusive of footnotes, appendices and bibliography, but subject to an overall word limit of 100,000 words exclusive of bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter). Examination for the PhD involves an oral examination (viva) by two examiners.

Research students who intend to undertake PhD research are in the first instance automatically registered for a one-year research training programme leading to the Certificate of Postgraduate Study (CPGS) in Legal Studies. They are assigned a supervisory team by the Degree Committee of the Faculty, ordinarily consisting of a supervisor (who is principally responsible for directing and assisting the research) and an advisor (who provides a second point of contact for academic advice). At the end of the first year, the Degree Committee decides whether students should be registered for the PhD. This decision is taken on the basis of the student’s personal progress log, first-year dissertation of 15,000 words, viva conducted by two assessors from within the Faculty, and outline of plans for the full research project. Candidates who successfully complete the requirements of the CPGS and the first-year progress review are retrospectively registered for the PhD.

All full-time PhD students are ordinarily required to be resident in Cambridge for the duration of their research (save where given leave to work away from Cambridge for academic reasons or whilst undertaking fieldwork), and during the first year in particular must attend weekly research training sessions in the Faculty.

This overview of the PhD programme must be read in conjunction with the detailed information available under the 'Courses' section (see, in particular, the Course Directory) of the Postgraduate Admissions website . Further information on postgraduate admission to research courses in the Faculty of Law is available from [email protected] or +44 (0)1223 330039.

The Faculty of Law The David Williams Building 10 West Road Cambridge CB3 9DZ United Kingdom

Telephone: +44 1223 330033 Email: [email protected]

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Course closed:

Law is no longer accepting new applications.

The PhD in Law may be awarded after three to four years of full-time study or five to seven years of part-time study (including a probationary period) of supervised independent research on the basis of a thesis not exceeding 100,000 words exclusive of bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. Students are appointed a principal supervisor by the Faculty's Degree Committee as well as an adviser to act as a source of advice on matters relating to a student's research and research environment.   If the project is interdisciplinary, a second supervisor may be appointed. It is a requirement of the first year of study that students attend, in term-time only, the research training classes provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme.  While individual arrangements may vary considerably, PhD students may normally expect to receive one-to-one supervision once a month during the early stages of their research. Meetings may be less frequent thereafter.

A PhD thesis must take due account of previously published work on the subject and must represent a significant contribution to learning, through, for example, the discovery of new knowledge, the connection of previously unrelated facts, the development of new theory or the revision of older views. A PhD research proposal of between 2,000 and 3,000 words in length should be submitted at the time of application for consideration and approval by the Faculty's Degree Committee.  Candidates are initially registered for the Certificate of Postgraduate Study in Legal Studies and are required to attend the classes provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme, which aims to provide an introduction to advanced research techniques and methods in law and cognate disciplines.

Towards the end of May of their first year (or second year if registered part-time), candidates are required to submit three items for a progress review: a personal progress log, a 15,000-word thesis, and a short explanation of the proposed topic of the PhD. The work is formally assessed (normally by two teaching members of the Faculty) and students must attend an oral examination.   

After this examination, the assessors' reports, along with a recommendation from the supervisor(s), are considered by the Faculty's Degree Committee whose members then decide whether the candidate be upgraded to doctoral status. The PhD registration date is normally backdated so as to include the period spent working on the Certificate.

The Postgraduate Virtual Open Day usually takes place at the end of October. It’s a great opportunity to ask questions to admissions staff and academics, explore the Colleges virtually, and to find out more about courses, the application process and funding opportunities. Visit the  Postgraduate Open Day  page for more details.

See further the  Postgraduate Admissions Events  pages for other events relating to Postgraduate study, including study fairs, visits and international events.

Key Information

3-4 years full-time, 4-7 years part-time, study mode : research, doctor of philosophy, faculty of law, course - related enquiries, application - related enquiries, course on department website, dates and deadlines:, michaelmas 2024 (closed).

Some courses can close early. See the Deadlines page for guidance on when to apply.

Funding Deadlines

These deadlines apply to applications for courses starting in Michaelmas 2024, Lent 2025 and Easter 2025.

Similar Courses

• International Law PGDip
• Legal Studies PGDip
• Corporate Law MCL

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Course Overview

An MPhil/PhD is an advanced postgraduate research degree that requires original research and the submission of a substantial dissertation of 60,000 to 100,000 words. MPhil/PhD researchers in law at Birkbeck benefit from the supervision of internationally renowned experts, classes in legal theory and research and presentation skills, seminars and extensive library facilities. The unifying themes of our research are social and legal theory and interdisciplinary study. Accordingly, we welcome applications both from lawyers and non-lawyers who wish to undertake research within the broad range of substantive areas of national, European and international law. 

We also offer financial assistance for conference attendance, comprehensive independent monitoring of each student's yearly progress, and postgraduate student representation on our board. Ours is a vibrant community of researchers that organises a series of workshops, reading groups and a work-in-progress group, as well as frequent social events. 

Concentrating on a number of clearly defined research areas in which our expertise is internationally recognised, we aim to: 

• specialise in distinctive and innovative research 
• establish and foster critical and multidisciplinary scholarships, by building links with other disciplines and by introducing the scholarly values and methods of the humanities and social sciences into the discipline of law 
• promote a culture of joint research, publications and other forms of collaboration among our staff 
• pursue a programme of national and international links. 

Our key areas of research are:

• Race, gender and culture
• Law and humanities
• Policy, practice and activism
• Regulation, risk and surveillance
• Human rights.

At Birkbeck, you are initially registered on an MPhil and you upgrade to a PhD after satisfactory progress in the first year or two. 

Key information

Law mphil/phd: 7 years part-time, on campus, starting 2024-25.

• October 2024
• January 2025

Law MPhil/PhD: 4 years full-time, on campus, starting 2024-25

Find another course:

• Research students are an important part of our research culture. We have succeeded in recruiting very high-quality research students and the number of UK and overseas PhD students has increased fivefold since 2001. This reflects our growing reputation as a training ground for early-career academics working from critical and socio-legal perspectives.
• Birkbeck's research excellence was  confirmed in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework  with 83% of our research rated world-leading or internationally excellent.
• The PhD programme is recognised by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the UK's leading research council addressing economic and social concerns. The PhD is tailored to students' needs and can include generic modules from our postgraduate master's programmes such as Research Frameworks and Qualitative and Quantitative Research Methods.
• In-house seminars, the Bloomsbury Postgraduate Skills Network and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Interdisciplinary Research Training Network provide additional training. Students have received awards from the AHRC, British Academy, Overseas Research Students Awards, ESRC and Natural Environment Research Council, and internal Birkbeck and law studentships.
• Reading groups are encouraged, focusing on particular writers such as Agamben, Foucault and Deleuze as well as issues such as critical international law, feminist theory, Latin American culture and politics and Continental philosophy. There is an informal doctoral work-in-progress group open to staff and research students, allowing the latter to develop their presentation skills and invite general comment on projects. There are a number of other events designed to support research students. Additionally, an annual postgraduate conference is held to showcase current doctoral research, and our academic staff and research students regularly attend and present papers at the annual Critical Legal Conference . The upgrade viva examination, whereby students progress from MPhil to PhD registration, gives students experience of a more formal arena in which they have to defend their work to academic staff.

Entry Requirements

Good honours degree in law or a related discipline from the humanities or social sciences.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, the requirement for this programme is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 7.0, with not less than 6.0 in each of the sub-tests.

If you don't meet the minimum IELTS requirement,  we offer pre-sessional English courses, foundation programmes and language support services  to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

Visit the International section of our website to find out more about our  English language entry requirements and relevant requirements by country .

Visa and funding requirements

If you are not from the UK and you do not already have residency here, you may need to apply for a visa.

The visa you apply for varies according to the length of your course:

• Courses of more than six months' duration: Student visa
• Courses of less than six months' duration: Standard Visitor visa

International students who require a Student visa should apply for our full-time courses as these qualify for Student visa sponsorship. If you are living in the UK on a Student visa, you will not be eligible to enrol as a student on Birkbeck's part-time courses (with the exception of some modules).

For full information, read our visa information for international students page .

Please also visit the international section of our website to find out more about relevant visa and funding requirements by country .

Please note students receiving US Federal Aid are only able to apply for in-person, on-campus programmes which will have no elements of online study.

Law MPhil/PhD: 7 years part-time or 4 years full-time, on campus, starting in academic year 2024-25

Academic year 2024–25, starting october 2024, january 2025.

Part-time home students: £2,539 per year Full-time home students: £4,786 per year Part-time international students : £7,525 per year Full-time international students: £14,885 per year

Students are charged a tuition fee in each year of their course. Tuition fees for students continuing on their course in following years may be subject to annual inflationary increases. For more information, please see the College Fees Policy .

If you’ve studied at Birkbeck before and successfully completed an award with us, take advantage of our Lifelong Learning Guarantee to gain a discount on the tuition fee of this course.

Fees and finance

PhD students resident in England can apply for government loans of over £26,000 to cover the cost of tuition fees, maintenance and other study-related costs.

Flexible finance: pay your fees in monthly instalments at no extra cost . Enrol early to spread your costs and reduce your monthly payments.

We offer a range of studentships and funding options to support your research.

Discover the financial support available to you to help with your studies at Birkbeck.

International scholarships

We provide a range of scholarships for eligible international students, including our Global Future Scholarship. Discover if you are eligible for a scholarship .

Our research culture

Birkbeck is an internationally recognised centre for critical and interdisciplinary legal research. We provide an exciting and innovative environment for a wide range of research with a strong theoretical and policy focus, and publish Law and Critique: The International Journal of Critical Legal Thought . 

Study resources include an induction programme for all postgraduate students, which offers classes on methodology, and regular research seminars, workshops, reading groups and conferences. We are at the centre of the intellectual hub of Bloomsbury in London, and there are regular conferences at Birkbeck and other universities nearby. We also host an annual  Writer in Residence  whose seminars in June are primarily focused on our postgraduate research students.

Birkbeck Library has an extensive collection of books, journals and electronic resources in law and related disciplines such as economics, politics and sociology. For example, it provides access to over 17,000 electronic journals, which are available online 24 hours a day. You can also take advantage of the rich research collections nearby, including those of the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Senate House Library, the British Library of Political and Economic Science (LSE Library) and the British Library.

Birkbeck is also home to the  Institute for Crime and Justice Policy Research (ICPR)  and the  Centre for Law and the Humanities .

Read more about  our vibrant research culture .

Follow these steps to apply to an MPhil/PhD research degree at Birkbeck: 

1. Check that you meet the entry requirements, including English language requirements, as described on this page. 

2. Find a potential supervisor for your MPhil/PhD research. You can look at the Find a Supervisor area on this page for an overview, or  search our Experts’ Database  or  browse our staff pages  for more in-depth information. 

3. Contact the academic member of staff - or the department they teach in - for an informal discussion about your research interests and to establish if they are willing and able to supervise your research. (Please note: finding a potential supervisor does not guarantee admission to the research degree, as this decision is made using your whole application.)  Find out more about the supervisory relationship and how your supervisor will support your research .

4. Draft a research proposal. This needs to demonstrate your knowledge of the field, the specific research questions you wish to pursue, and how your ideas will lead to the creation of new knowledge and understanding.  Find out more about writing a research proposal .

5. Apply directly to Birkbeck, using the online application link on this page. All research students are initially registered on an MPhil and then upgrade to a PhD after making sufficient progress. 

Find out more about the application process, writing a research proposal and the timeframe . 

Areas of research interest

• Access to law
• Company law
• Constitutional theory and national identity 
• Criminal justice
• Criminology 
• European law 
• Feminist legal theory 
• Human rights 
• Insurance law 
• Intellectual property
• International economic law
• International refugee law
• The law in relation to: 
• children and childhood
• development
• environment
• gender and sexuality 
• literature 
• multinational corporations 
• political economy 
• Legal aesthetics
• Legal history
• Legal theory
• Medical law and ethics 
• Postcolonial theory
• Public law 
• Socio-legal studies

Application deadlines and interviews

You can apply throughout the year and entry is during October and January. For October entry, applications must be submitted by 15 August. For January entry, applications must be submitted by 15 November.

With your application you must send a research proposal of 300-1000 words containing a statement outlining the main themes of your proposed research project, a section addressing questions of methodology, an overview of the literature in the field and a statement relating to the project's intended contribution to legal scholarship.

If you wish to apply for funding, you will need to apply by certain deadlines. Consult the websites of relevant bodies for details.

Recent research topics.

• Real-world dynamics of commercial-contractual relations 
• The orthodox, neoliberal approach to land tenure reforms in sub-Saharan Africa
• The history of copyright law in Latin America 
• A critical defence of the rule of law 
• The quest for legitimate governance and social justice: the emerging trend in postcolonial African political philosophy 
• Pharmaceutical ethics 
• The ephemeral art form of dance and copyright law

Apply for your course

Apply for your course using the apply now button in the key information section .

Finding a supervisor

A critical factor when applying for postgraduate study in law is the correlation between the applicant’s intellectual and research interests and those of one or more potential supervisors.

Read more about the expert supervision we offer in a wide range of legal subjects , from administrative law and bioethics through criminal law and development to legal theory and refugee studies.

Related courses

• Law and Social Change at Birkbeck (MPhil/PhD)

• Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD)
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Canadian Immigration Updates

Applicants to Master’s and Doctoral degrees are not affected by the recently announced cap on study permits. Review more details

Go to programs search

The PhD in Law is designed to provide advanced training for outstanding graduate students who have already obtained a Master of Laws (LLM) degree or its equivalent. The PhD is a research-intensive degree that prepares graduates for opportunities in law teaching, legal research, policy development, public and governmental service, and the practice of law.

The degree requirements include course work, comprehensive exams, a dissertation proposal and defence, a dissertation, and an oral dissertation exam. Working closely with a supervising faculty member, a student in the PhD program is expected to produce a book-length piece of original legal scholarship and of publishable quality.

The PhD provides an opportunity for focused study in a chosen field of law. It does not, of itself, qualify a holder for entry to the legal profession in British Columbia or any other certification for legal practice.

For specific program requirements, please refer to the departmental program website

I first attended UBC for my Master in Laws (LLM) and then decided to stay for my PhD. In my PhD, I wanted the opportunity to work and contribute to the Centre for Feminist Legal Studies (CFLS) at the law school. The Vancouver campus was also a huge draw. Having traveled for school before, I wanted to entrench myself in the city a bit more and continue some of the community work I had started.

Maira Hassan

Quick Facts

Program Enquiries

Admission information & requirements, 1) check eligibility, minimum academic requirements.

The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:

• Canada or the United States
• International countries other than the United States

Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.

English Language Test

Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.

Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:

TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 7.0

Other Test Scores

Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Prior degree requirements.

Completion of either an LLB or JD and a Masters degree.

Document Requirements

Additionally to the required documents please submit: C.V. or resume Dissertation Proposal: PhD degrees in the Allard School of Law at UBC are dissertation-based degrees involving original research. Dissertation (PhD) proposals form an important part of the admissions process and help to guide the assignment of supervisors and supervisory committees. A proposal should outline a research project that could reasonably lead to a dissertation that makes an original scholarly contribution in the chosen field of legal study. The PhD dissertation proposal is approximately 10 pages (2,500 words), excluding bibliography. Clarity of expression is important. Please upload your thesis proposal under "Writing Sample". List of possible thesis supervisors: All applicants must submit a list indicating your first and second choice for a thesis supervisor, this list should be uploaded to your application form. There is no need to secure a thesis supervisor nor is it is necessary to contact potential thesis supervisors prior to submission of an application as many faculty members prefer that applications are referred by the Graduate Committee for their review.

2) Meet Deadlines

3) prepare application, transcripts.

All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.

Letters of Reference

A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.

Statement of Interest

Many programs require a statement of interest , sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.

Supervision

Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their thesis supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.

Instructions regarding thesis supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD)

Citizenship verification.

Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.

4) Apply Online

All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.

Research Information

Research facilities.

Allard Hall, the home of the Peter A. Allard School of Law, was opened in 2011. The latest technology connects the Faculty with campuses, courthouses and offices around the world, and a new, state-of-the-art UBC Law Library serves as a vital academic hub for students and the legal community. Natural light, contemporary classroom designs, expanded student service spaces, a student forum space at the centre of the building, and new research spaces are all part of the new facility. The Law Library has a research collection of approximately 225,000 volumes.

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial Support

Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.

Program Funding Packages

From September 2024 all full-time students in UBC-Vancouver PhD programs will be provided with a funding package of at least $24,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $24,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.

Average Funding

• 1 student received Teaching Assistantships valued at $1,054.
• 2 students received Research Assistantships. Average RA funding based on 2 students was $6,313.
• 10 students received Academic Assistantships. Average AA funding based on 10 students was $4,505.
• 20 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 20 students was $20,705.
• 8 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 8 students was $20,750.

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their supervision. The duties constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is considered a form of fellowship for a period of graduate study and is therefore not covered by a collective agreement. Stipends vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded.

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union .

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

Academic Assistantships are employment opportunities to perform work that is relevant to the university or to an individual faculty member, but not to support the student’s graduate research and thesis. Wages are considered regular earnings and when paid monthly, include vacation pay.

Financial aid (need-based funding)

Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans .

All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.

Foreign government scholarships

Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.

Working while studying

The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.

International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.

A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement .

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.

Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.

Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.

Cost Estimator

Applicants have access to the cost estimator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.

Career Outcomes

24 students graduated between 2005 and 2013: 1 is in a non-salaried situation; for 1 we have no data (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016). For the remaining 22 graduates:

Sample Employers in Higher Education

Sample employers outside higher education, sample job titles outside higher education, phd career outcome survey, alumni on success.

Craig Bateman

Job Title Copy editor, legal researcher, and writing consultant

Employer Self employed

Robert Russo

Job Title Lecturer

Employer Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion Rates & Times

• Research Supervisors

This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.

• Affolder, Natasha (International Environmental Law, Biodiversity Law, Law and Sustainability)
• Ahmad, Hassan (transnational tort law; interaction of domestic jurisdiction and liability principles with international law; business and human rights law; Law and political economy)
• Aloni, Erez (Law and legal practice; Law; Contracts; family law; law and sexuality)
• Arbel, Efrat (Law and legal practice; Law; Constitutional law; Gender and Law; Legal and Critical Theory; Prison Law and Policy; Refugee Law; Tort Law)
• Bakan, Joel Conrad (Constitutional Law, Legal Theory, Socio-Legal Studies)
• Benedet, Janine (Law and legal practice; Penal Law; Labor Standards and Laws; Human Rights and Liberties, Collective Rights; prostitution and pornography; sexual abuse of girls; sexual harassment in employment and education; sexual violence against women)
• Beswick, Samuel Peter (Private law; Common law; Comparative law; Torts, private obligations and product liability law; Legal theory, jurisprudence and legal interpretation; Law; Law and time; Limitations; Remedies; Tort Law; Restitution and unjust enrichment; Public authority liability)
• Bhandar, Brenna (Law and legal practice; property law)
• Biukovic, Ljiljana (Adaptation of international legal norms by national governments, the impact of regionalism on multilateral trade negotiations and the development of European Union Law,European union Law, International Trade Law, International Dispute Resolution, E-commerce, Comparative Law )
• Cheng, Jie (Comparative Constitutional Law; Chinese Law and Governance; Hong Kong and Macau Basic Laws; Land Property Law; Information Law)
• Christie, Gordon (Legal Theory, and trans-cultural tort law, Aboriginal law, Indigenous legal orders, Indigenous legal theory, Legal Theory and trans-cultural tort law)
• Clifford, Robert (Aboriginal and Indigenous law)
• Cui, Wei (Law and legal practice; Taxation; Law; Social Organization and Political Systems; Chinese administrative law; Chinese legislative system; law and development; Law and political economy; tax and development; tax policy)
• Cunliffe, Emma (Women and the law, evidence, experts, courts and media, open justice, pathology and law, criminal law, SIDS, child homicide )
• Dauvergne, Catherine (Immigration, Immigration Law, Refugee Law, Legal Theory, Globalization)
• Duff, David (Tax Law Tax Policy Environmental Taxation Charities, Tax law and policy, environmental taxation, comparative and international taxation, and distributive justice)
• Etxabe, Julen (Law and society; Literature and critical theory; History and philosophy of law and justice; Law and humanities; Legal Theory and Jurisprudence; Human Rights; Political Theory; Law and literature; Cultural Studies)
• Flynn, Alexandra (Law and society; Municipal Law; Local Governance; property law; Administrative Law; Experiential legal education; Socio-Legal Studies; Law & Cities)
• Ford, Cristie (Law and legal practice; Law; Regulation; Social, Economical and Political Impacts of Innovations; Laws, Standards and Regulation Impacts; Administrative Law; Ideological, Political, Economical and Social Environments of Social Transformations; Financial innovation and fintech; financial regulation; Legal innovation and law tech; regulation & governance theory; securities regulation; the legal profession; Innovation and the law)
• Goldbach, Toby Susan (Law and legal practice; Political Culture, Society and Ideology; Procedural Law; Jurisprudence; Comparative Law; Dispute Resolution; Judicial Politics; law and development)
• Goold, Benjamin (Law and legal practice; Law; Border Studies; Criminal Justice; Human Rights; migration; Privacy; security)
• Gordon, Sara (Law and legal practice; Intersection of psychology and mental health with the criminal justice system; Criminal law and criminal justice; Health law and policy; Legal methodology and interdisciplinary approaches)
• Grant, Isabel (Criminal Law, Constitutional Law, Psychiatry and Law)
• Harris, Douglas (Property law (except intellectual property law); Canadian history; property law; condominium law; legal history)
• Hastie, Bethany (Labour & Employment Law, Human Rights, Socio-Legal Studies, Access to Justice)

Doctoral Citations

Sample Thesis Submissions

• Sustainable development : Africa's hidden and not-so-hidden contribution to its law, politics, and history
• Africanization of international investment law : reconciling sustainable development, climate action, and foreign investment in the global south
• Rethinking the Antarctic governance and legal framework through the creation of an international legal framework for mining operations in Antarctica
• Overlapping criminal offences and gendered violence : what is overlap and when is it part of the problem of overcriminalisation?
• Climate discourse polluted : a cumulative effects analysis of the fossil fuel industry’s tactics to influence public discourse
• The financialization of housing in Canada and federally-backed mortgage securitization : public risks, private benefits
• Bishops on the bench : why Constantine legislated Christian bishops into the role of judges

Related Programs

Same specialization.

• Juris Doctor (JD)
• LLM - Master of Laws (Common Law) (LLMCL)
• LLM - Master of Laws (LLM)
• LLM in Taxation (LLMT)

Further Information

Specialization, ubc calendar, program website, faculty overview, academic unit, program identifier, classification, social media channels, supervisor search.

Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update contact details for application inquiries, please use this form .

Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson, KC

I am Indigenous to this Province. I live in Haida Gwaii and on the territory of the Semiahmoo Nation. UBC is ideal for the location, and because it facilitates ongoing connections with my nation and homeland of Haida Gwaii.

Oludolapo Makinde

Haley Hrymak

Many of the academics I admire and look up to are at UBC. UBC is the ideal place for my work given my focus on BC, my supervisors’ skillsets, and my connection to the legal community and anti-violence sector across BC. I am also very thankful for the funding UBC has offered me to complete my...

Melanie McPhail

Growing up in the Vancouver area, I was thrilled at the opportunity of continuing my graduate studies close to home after spending over a decade in Ontario. Additionally, studying at UBC provides me with the opportunity to work with Dr. Cristie Ford, a leading scholar in regulatory governance.

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Doctoral study in Law

Why study with us?

• The University of Auckland and Auckland Law School is the highest-ranking university in New Zealand (QS World University Ranking by subject 2021).
• The Davis Law Library is the largest law library in New Zealand.
• Auckland Law School is home to a number of renound research centres. 
• Stimulating and rewarding, a PhD at the Auckland Law School requires a high level of self-motivation and discipline, providing an exciting opportunity to engage in independent, cutting-edge research.
• The University of Auckland offers a range of scholarships and opportunities for incoming doctoral candidates.

Your PhD is an ideal qualification if you wish to pursue an academic or research career. 

The PhD is an advanced degree awarded for an original contribution to research and academic debate in a student’s chosen legal specialisation, with the findings published in a substantial thesis. 

Your thesis can be completed within three to four years of full-time study or on a part-time basis.

The PhD is a thesis-only research degree programme and your research will be guided by an appointed supervisor (usually a senior academic from Auckland Law School) and co-supervisor.

Research opportunities

Auckland Law School has New Zealand’s largest community of legal academics, with leaders in Corporate and Commercial Law, Public Law and International Law. With these and all other major areas of the law, we attract research students from around the world.

The University of Auckland Law School is an active and vibrant research institution. Its members regularly publish articles and books in New Zealand and around the world, and also serve as editors of a range of publications. The faculty hosts a number of research centres, and maintains close cooperation with the Legal Research Foundation. The faculty’s work is supported by the Davis Law Library’s extensive collection of legal materials.

The faculty welcomes enquiries from prospective research students. The faculty’s core subject areas include: 

• Constitutional, Administrative and Public Law
• Contract, Torts, Equity and Private Law
• Corporate and Commercial Law
• Criminal Law and Justice
• Human Rights Law
• Indigenous Peoples and the Law
• International and Comparative Law
• Land and Environmental Law
• Legal History and Theory
• Litigation, Dispute Resolution, Family and Relationships Law

Our Supervisors

Scholarships.

University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarships

Each year, the Auckland Law School will award one additional scholarship to a student whose application best serves the strategic aims of the School. These strategic aims include:

• Promoting PhD research on consequential practical or theoretical problems in law
• Supporting excellent PhD students and their research aspirations
• Supporting Māori and Pacific PhD students
• Supporting PhD students from equity groups

Students who wish to be considered for this scholarship should complete the appropriate section in the Law School’s Statement of Research Intent. You can find more information about this scholarship .

Professor Brian Coote Memorial Scholarship

The Scholarship was established in 2021 and is funded by a significant bequest left to the Auckland Law School by the late Professor Coote.

There is no formal application for this scholarship. The scholarship is awarded on the recommendation of the Auckland Law School or University of Auckland committee once your application for doctoral studies is accepted. For more information about the awarding process for this scholarship please download a copy of the Professor Brian Coote Memorial Scholarship regulations.

Ngā Ara Whetū PhD Scholarships

The University of Auckland will award three doctoral scholarships for transdisciplinary research on Climate Change and/or Biodiversity and Society starting in 2023. The University seeks applications from scholars with high quality track records in research who wish to pursue doctoral projects combining law and other disciplines. Applications to this scholarship have not closed. 

There are several scholarships you may be eligible for when you decide to pursue your doctoral studies in Law.

University of Auckland Law School’s Dean’s Doctoral Scholarships

If you want to chat further about your studies, either email lawphd@auckland.ac.nz or click below to get in contact.

Apply for doctoral study

Every effort has been made to ensure the information we have supplied is correct and up to date. However, the regulations take precedence over all other material. You are strongly advised to read the relevant scholarship regulations for complete information, to ensure you meet the eligibility criteria for scholarship consideration, and that you understand the implications of any regulations, awarding value and selection criteria.

Doctoral programmes

• Doctor of Philosophy

Related links

• Doctoral applications
• Find a scholarship

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Phd in law: requirements, salary, jobs, & career growth, what is phd in law.

A PhD in law, commonly known as a Doctor of Philosophy in Law or a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD), is a postgraduate academic degree that normally represents the greatest level of education one can obtain in the discipline of law.

It is a research-oriented degree intended for those interested in pursuing advanced studies in legal research, theory, and scholarship.

Individuals who already have a law degree, such as a Juris Doctor (JD) or a Master of Laws (LLM), who are interested in pursuing a career in legal academia or undertaking research in law-related disciplines, typically pursue a PhD in law.

Advanced courses in legal theory, research methodologies, and specialized fields of law are frequently required, as is the completion of a major and unique research effort, usually in the form of a doctoral thesis or dissertation.

How much money do people make with a PhD in Law?

Individuals with a PhD in law’s earning potential might vary substantially based on criteria such as the country or location of work, the type of institution or organization, the amount of experience, and the subject of expertise.

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual income for postsecondary law teachers in the United States was $126,930 in May 2020, with the top 10% making more than $197,230.

However, it is crucial to remember that salaries can vary greatly depending on criteria such as the academic position’s rank, the institution’s location, and the individual’s level of experience and competence.

Earning potential with a PhD in law might also vary substantially in other legal fields, such as government, private practice, or non-profit organizations.

Legal researchers or policy analysts, for example, may earn wages ranging from moderate to high, depending on the organization’s budget and the individual’s level of knowledge.

Individuals with a PhD in law who work in private law firms may earn varied wages depending on their function, amount of experience, and the size, location, and practice area of the firm.

What is expected job growth with PhD in Law?

Job growth for those having a PhD in law might vary depending on factors such as country or location, field of concentration, and demand for legal skills in various sectors. Individuals holding a PhD in law may be able to find work in academia, research institutions, government, non-profit organizations, and private practice.

Individuals holding a PhD in law may be able to find work in academia, research institutions, government, non-profit organizations, and private practice.

For example, in academia, for example, the availability of tenure-track posts, research funding, and enrollment trends in law schools or universities may all influence job growth for law professors or legal scholars. Job growth in academia can be competitive and varies depending on the institution’s location and reputation, as well as the demand for legal instruction and research.

What can you do with a PhD in Law?

Individuals with a PhD in law, also known as a Doctor of Philosophy in Law or a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD), can pursue a wide range of job options. Individuals with a PhD in law may pursue the following careers:

1. Academic careers: Many law PhD holders choose to work as law professors or legal scholars at universities or research institutions. They may teach law courses, do research, write academic papers and books, and contribute to the progress of legal knowledge in their area of specialization. Academic positions in law schools, universities, research institutes, and think tanks may be offered.

2. Legal research and policy analysis: Legal researchers and policy analysts with a PhD can work in government agencies, non-profit organizations, or think tanks. They may perform legal research, study laws and policies, provide legal advice, and help build legal frameworks and policy recommendations in areas such as human rights, international law, environmental law, and social justice.

3. Legal consulting: Law PhD holders can act as legal consultants, providing specific legal advice to private enterprises, corporations, or organizations. They may provide legal counsel, legal research, produce legal documents, and strategic direction on legal concerns and ramifications.

4. Legal advocacy: Some people with a PhD in law act as legal advocates, representing clients in court, litigating, or lobbying for legal reforms. They may work in law firms, non-profit organizations, or advocacy groups, and they may specialize in civil rights, criminal justice, immigration law, or public interest law.

5. Government and public service: People with a PhD in law can serve as legal counsel, policy consultants, or legislative analysts in government agencies. They may help to establish and execute laws and regulations, advise government officials, and conduct legal research and analysis to help guide decision-making.

6. Entrepreneurial initiatives: Some law PhD holders may choose to launch their own legal consulting businesses, research centers, or other law-related entrepreneurial ventures. This could include offering specialized legal services, producing legal software or instruments, or coming up with creative solutions to legal problems.

7. International organizations: Individuals with a PhD in law may work with international organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, or other intergovernmental or non-governmental organizations, where they can contribute to legal research, policy creation, and legal advocacy on global concerns.

What are the requirements for a PhD in Law?

The specific requirements for a Ph.D. in law can vary depending on the program and institution. However, here are some general bullet points that may outline the common requirements for obtaining a Ph.D. in law:

• Completion of a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or equivalent law degree from an accredited law school.
• Strong academic background, typically with high grades and academic achievements.
• Demonstrated research skills, including the ability to conduct independent and original research.
• Proficiency in legal research methods, legal writing, and critical analysis.
• Submission of a research proposal or statement of purpose outlining the intended research topic or area of study.
• Completion of coursework, seminars, and/or workshops related to legal research and methodology.
• Successful completion of comprehensive exams or qualifying exams.

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How long does it take to get a phd in law.

The length of a PhD in law, also known as a Doctor of Philosophy in Law or a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD), varies based on the country, the specific program, and the individual’s progress toward completion. A PhD in law, on the other hand, normally takes 3 to 5 years to finish.

Several factors can influence the length of a PhD in law program, including the complexity of the research topic, the time required to conduct original research, the availability of funding and resources, and the individual’s ability to meet program requirements and milestones on time.

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Do you need a masters in law to get a phd in law.

In most situations, a Master’s degree in law (such as an LL.M.) is not required in order to pursue a Ph.D. in law, also known as a Doctor of Philosophy in Law or a Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD).

The particular prerequisites for admission to a Ph.D. in law program, on the other hand, can vary based on the country, program, and institution awarding the degree.

Some Ph.D. programs in law may require or prefer applicants to have a Master’s degree in law or a related area, but others may admit students directly from a Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent legal degree program.

Applicants without a Master’s degree in law may be required to complete additional courses or meet other requirements throughout the Ph.D. program to compensate for any gaps in their academic background.

They may be required to take basic courses in legal theory, research methodologies, or other relevant areas, for example. This can, however, differ depending on the program’s criteria and the individual’s academic background.

What are the Best PhD in Law Degree programs?

1. harvard law school – doctor of juridical science (sjd) 2. yale law school – doctor of the science of law (jsd) 3. stanford law school – doctor of the science of law (jsd) 4. columbia law school – doctor of the science of law (jsd) 5. new york university (nyu) school of law – doctor of juridical science (sjd) 6. university of cambridge faculty of law – doctor of philosophy in law (phd) 7. university of oxford faculty of law – doctor of philosophy in law (dphil) 8. london school of economics and political science (lse) – phd in law 9. georgetown university law center – doctor of juridical science (sjd) 10. university of michigan law school – doctor of the science of law (jsd), leave a comment cancel reply.

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Before applying to the Ph.D. Program at Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, review our full list of prerequisite information and complete admission requirements. The admissions committee reviews all completed applications through a holistic review process to select candidates for interviews.

Prerequisites

Candidates for the Ph.D. Program must meet the following eligibility requirements:

• Completion of a bachelor's degree, preferably in the biological or physical sciences, from an accredited institution. 
• A minimum cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. GPAs from graduate degrees may also be considered for competitive candidates if improvement of academic record is evident.
• Degree conferral before the program begins (program begins in July).

Suggested undergraduate coursework:

• Applicants to our Ph.D. program are encouraged to have completed coursework with demonstrated proficiency (B average or above) in their math and science courses. Additionally, advanced courses in biology, chemistry, and physiology are encouraged.
• Applicants interested in applying to the Biomedical Engineering and Physiology Track are advised to take courses in quantitative science and engineering, such as signal processing, computer science, and instrumentation.

Holistic review

Our Ph.D. program prepares students to translate scientific discoveries into applications that improve patient care. This requires a wide range of skills, aptitudes, and characteristics. Along with the basic set of prerequisites, the track admissions committees take a holistic approach to admissions; meaning, they take into consideration the many factors that make up an applicant. These acceptance factors include:

• Academic performance
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal statement
• Research experience

Transfer student policy

The only pathway to matriculation at Mayo Clinic Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences is through application during the annual application window, September 1 - December 4.

The Ph.D. program does not accept transfer students; however, transfer credits for graduate courses taken at another institution may be considered if appointed to our Ph.D. program.

Application window

Apply between Sept. 1 and Dec. 4 for the following academic year.

To get in touch with the Ph.D. Program, fill out the form on the Contact Us page .

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

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Discover more about Law at Manchester

Year of entry: 2024

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• Bachelor's (Honours) degree in a cognate subject at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent); and
• Master's degree in a relevant subject - with an overall average of 65% or above, a minimum mark of 65% in your dissertation and no mark below 55% (or overseas equivalent)

Full entry requirements

Apply online

Please ensure you include all required supporting documents at the time of submission, as incomplete applications may not be considered.

Application Deadlines

For consideration in internal funding competitions, you must submit your completed application by 1 December 2023. If you are applying for or have secured external funding (for example, from an employer or government) or are self-funding, you must submit your application before the below deadlines to be considered. You will not be able to apply after these dates have passed.

• For September 2024 entry: 30 June 2024
• For January 2025 entry: 30 September 2024

Programme options

Programme overview

• Immerse yourself in sustained, in-depth study into a specific topic.
• Stimulate real change while you work across our core fields in terms of both legal and policy issues.
• Join a community of established researchers and contribute to a diverse intellectual environment.
• Receive research training in law and social sciences.

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To find out what studying on a postgraduate research programme at Manchester is like, visit our Open days and study fairs page and explore our virtual open week or future on-campus and international events.

We will be conducting our PGR virtual open week in October 2024. Find out more about future events and postgraduate research sessions by signing up for our email alerts.

For entry in the academic year beginning September 2024, the tuition fees are as follows:

• PhD (full-time) UK students (per annum): £4,786 International, including EU, students (per annum): £21,500
• PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): £2,393 International, including EU, students (per annum): £10,750

Further information for EU students can be found on our dedicated EU page.

Scholarships/sponsorships

There are a range of scholarships, studentships and awards available to support both UK and overseas postgraduate researchers, details of which can be found via the links below.

To apply University of Manchester funding, you must indicate in your application the competitions for which you wish to be considered. The deadline for most internal competitions, including School of Social Sciences studentships is 1 December 2023.

All external funding competitions have a specified deadline for submitting your funding application and a separate (earlier) deadline for submitting the online programme application form, both of which will be stated in the funding competition details below.

For more information about funding, visit our funding page to browse for scholarships, studentships and awards you may be eligible for.

• ESRC North West Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership (NWSSDTP) PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• School of Social Sciences PhD Studentships 2024 Entry
• AHRC North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership (NWCDTP) PhD Studentships - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• China Scholarship Council - The University of Manchester (CSC-UoM) Joint Scholarship Programme - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (Least Developed Countries and Fragile States)
• President's Doctoral Scholar (PDS) Awards - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• Trudeau Doctoral Scholarships 2024 Entry
• PhD Studentship with the Stuart Hall Foundation (Social Sciences) - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (High Income Countries)
• Humanities Doctoral Academy Humanitarian Scholarship 2024 Entry

Contact details

See: School Subjects

Programmes in related subject areas

Use the links below to view lists of programmes in related subject areas.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview, english language.

• IELTS test minimum score - 7.0 overall, 7.0 in writing, 6.5 in other sections.
• TOEFL (internet based) test minimum score - 100 overall, 25 all sections.
• Pearson Test of English (PTE) UKVI/SELT or PTE Academic minimum score - 76 overall, 76 in writing, 70 in other sections.
• To demonstrate that you have taken an undergraduate or postgraduate degree in a majority English speaking nation within the last 5 years.
• Other tests may be considered.

English language test validity

Other international entry requirements.

We accept a range of qualifications from different countries. For these and general requirements including English language see entry requirements from your country.

The University requires you to reside within a commutable distance from Manchester during your time as a registered student, unless you are on approved fieldwork/a formal placement or are on a period of Submission pending. This is to ensure that you are able to meet attendance expectations and participate in wider research activities within your discipline area and/or School.

Application and selection

How to apply, advice to applicants.

Before you start your application, you should:

• Develop your own research proposal and project title.
• Find a supervisor by browsing our academics' profiles, and reach out directly to discuss if they are interested in supporting your research.
• Consider how you plan on funding your research and discuss this with your supervisor.

When you submit your application, you must include each of the below required documents:

• A 1,500 word PhD research proposal;
• Copies of the academic transcript and certificate from both your Bachelor's and Master's degrees. If your Master's degree is pending, please provide an interim transcript;
• An up to date academic CV, detailing your education and qualifications; employment history; publications; and any other relevant information.
• You must nominate two academic referees (including one from your most recent institution). Your referees will be contacted directly via the Referee Portal following submission of your application form. You may wish to contact your referees to request they submit your reference in a reasonable timeframe as this forms part of the review process;
• International applicants must additionally provide English Language evidence (e.g IELTS).

Interview requirements

As part of the offer making process, applicants will be required to undertake an interview assessment. This may be in the form of an in-person interview or video call.

The interview is designed to assess your knowledge and understanding of the broad topic area, the viability of your proposed research and its intellectual contribution, alongside the fit of your project with the supervisory team. You also may be asked to identify and address any potential ethical considerations in relation to your proposed research, and discuss how best to progress your ideas in line with University of Manchester ethics guidance.

The interview panel will consist at minimum of your proposed primary supervisor and an independent interviewer.

Re-applications

In your new application you should demonstrate how your application has improved. We may draw upon all information from your previous applications or any previous registrations at the University as a student when assessing your suitability for your chosen programme.

Programme details

Programme description.

Research is central to the work of the Law department. 

Our diverse, intellectual community brings together legal and socio-legal scholars, criminologists, ethicists, economists and sociologists who undertake doctrinal and empirical research, resulting in the production of a wide range of scholarly and policy-oriented publications. 

Our research  shapes law, policy and social change through active engagement with policy-makers, legislators, NGOs and activists working in a broad range of disciplines and sectors. We invite you to explore our  research themes , through which we encourage collaboration and debate within the department and beyond.  

Our research degrees involve sustained, in-depth study into a specific topic, which is then written up as a thesis for examination.

Special features

Our core research is supported by research centres , providing direction and guidance for staff and PGRs with common interests.

By joining the School of Social Sciences you will receive specialist training on research methods in law and social sciences.

Having specialised research centres allows us to ensure our research is focused and makes a real impact, both within the University and the wider community.

• The Manchester Centre for Regulation, Governance and Public Law (ManReg) works to address regulatory issues in areas such as the environment, policing and intellectual property and biotechnology.
• Our international law expertise at the Manchester International Law Centre (MILC) covers a range of areas including international trade, armed conflicts and cyber security.
• Experts at the Centre for Social Ethics and Policy (CSEP) are leading the ethical research of today's healthcare and legal debates in areas such as assisted suicide and euthanasia, mental health and capacity issues and reproduction.

Additional programme information

Humanities Doctoral Academy

Our Humanities Doctoral Academy combines the strengths of our four schools to bring expertise, knowledge, support and high-quality services for postgraduate researchers.

We are a community of academic leaders and postgraduate researchers across all levels in the Faculty of Humanities. The Doctoral Academy Hub houses our specialist professional service teams who support postgraduate researchers throughout the programme journey. This includes admissions, registration, student experience, progression, examination, and graduation. We collaborate closely with other University directorates including Manchester Doctoral College, Researcher Development team, and the corresponding Doctoral Academies in the Faculty of Science and Engineering and the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health. Together we provide the best experience and support for your studies and research.

Equality, diversity and inclusion is fundamental to the success of The University of Manchester, and is at the heart of all of our activities.

We know that diversity strengthens our research community, leading to enhanced research creativity, productivity and quality, and societal and economic impact.

We actively encourage applicants from diverse career paths and backgrounds and from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender expression, sexual orientation and transgender status.

All appointments are made on merit.

The University of Manchester and our external partners are fully committed to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Teaching and learning

Undertaking a PhD is challenging, but you will receive expert supervision during your time with us. This supervision includes regular meetings with your supervisors and an annual review session for you to present details of your progress to other academic staff.  

Supervisors will normally be within the department, but collaborating with scholars from other areas of the University is also possible. Our dedicated researcher development team provides individual tailored training to support the progression of your research skills, as well as guidance for your career in academia or further afield. To test your ideas and disseminate your scholarship, we’ll actively support and encourage you to engage with the wider academic community to present your work to and receive feedback from scholars outside of Manchester.

Coursework and assessment

For a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), you must successfully complete a period of supervised research and training, the results of which show convincing evidence of your capacity to pursue research and scholarship, and to make an original contribution and substantial addition to knowledge.   

Research training in legal methods: full-time PGRs are expected to attend at least 50% of the research training seminars over the course of the first year.

Part-time PGRs are required to attend a 25% minimum of seminars in their first year and another 25% in their second year. Second and third-year PGRs may return to take seminars they missed the previous year on an optional basis.  

You must prepare a substantial thesis of up to 80,000 words, and also satisfy the examiners in an oral examination on the subject of the thesis. The subject is chosen by you, but must be approved by the School's Research Committee.   

You may commence your studies in September or January (with September being the main admissions date).

Related research

In the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF2021) 82% of our Law research was judged to be in the highest two categories (4*) 'world-leading' or (3*) 'internationally excellent'. 

Our research impact was also judged to be strong, with 100% judged to be (4*) 'world-leading' or (3*) 'internationally excellent'. 

Read more about our Law research at Manchester.

What our students say

The University of Manchester Library

Manchester is home to one of the UK's five National Research Libraries - one of the best-resourced academic libraries in the UK and widely recognised as one of the world's greatest research libraries.

Find out more about libraries and study spaces for postgraduate research students at Manchester.

Disability support

Career opportunities.

Successful graduates can progress within a wide variety of roles in the legal professions and associated fields. 

The University has its own dedicated Careers Service that you would have full access to as a PGR and for two years after you graduate.  

At Manchester you will have access to a number of opportunities to help support you with your goals for the future.

Ph.D. Degree Requirements

1. introduction, 2.1 ph.d. advising, 2.2 grad review, 2.3 pre-candidacy requirements.

• 2.4 Preliminary Examination and Advancement to Candidacy

2.5 Candidacy and Dissertation Defense

2.6 graduation requirements for ph.d. students.

• 3. Travel Grants for Ph.D. Students

4. Internships

This document is tailored for graduate students in the Computer Science Department, providing essential details on degree requirements and other important aspects of graduate study. Graduate education in the department is managed by the Associate Chair, who is also the Graduate Program Director, along with the Assistant Director and Graduate Coordinator, collectively referred to as the “Graduate Office.” 

For information regarding campus-wide graduate study requirements, policies, and deadlines, please refer to the resources provided by the UMCP Graduate School and in the Graduate Catalog. Specific information about registration and coursework requirements for our programs can be found here .

2. Ph.D. Degree Requirements

In the Ph.D. program, every student is either assigned a faculty advisor or has mutually agreed upon an advisory relationship with a faculty member upon entering the program. The initial advisor assignment is typically based on the student's stated research interests at the time of admission. However, it's recognized that research interests may evolve, or changes in faculty capacity or interests may occur, necessitating a change in advisors. Generally, the faculty member with whom you are actively conducting your Ph.D. research should serve as your advisor. You should ideally identify your advisor by the end of your first year, but no later than the end of your second year. 

You are expected to meet with your initially assigned advisor at least once during the first semester. Following this initial meeting, you should plan for more frequent consultations to discuss your academic and research progress. 

In cases where you accept a research assistantship with a professor who is not your current advisor, that professor may become your new advisor. It's important to officially notify the Computer Science Graduate Office whenever there is a change in your advisor.

Before the commencement of any advising relationship, both you and the supervising faculty member are expected to meet to review and confirm the expectations for this relationship. This includes a summary of the nature of the required duties. To facilitate these discussions, a Statement of Mutual Expectations template can be found on the Graduate School's Forms webpage .

Every April, the Grad Review Committee reviews the progress of graduate students in the program. The findings from this review are then discussed in a faculty meeting. 

Key Focus Areas:

• Coursework Performance: Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all courses taken at the University. Low grades are closely monitored.
• Qualifying Coursework Completion: Completion of qualifying coursework is expected by the end of the fifth semester. Concerns arise for students who have not met this requirement within this timeframe.
• Advancement to Candidacy: Advancement to candidacy is generally expected by the third or fourth year, with the latest acceptable timeline being the end of the fourth year. Any delays in achieving this milestone necessitate a departmental petition (refer to section 2.4 ). Failing to advance to candidacy by the fifth year requires a petition to the graduate school and is considered a significant concern.
• Dissertation Defense Timeline: Defense of the dissertation is expected within two years of advancing to candidacy. A delay beyond the third year is a red flag.The Graduate School requires 12 credits of 899 doctoral dissertation research credits. In most cases, this requirement is satisfied by two semesters (fall/spring) of post-candidacy registration, in which the candidate is automatically registered for six credits of Doctoral Dissertation Research (899) per semester.
• Petitions for Extensions: Petitions for extended time to advance to candidacy or for delayed dissertation defense must be strongly supported by the advisor. The student must provide a detailed explanation for the delay.

Students identified as not making satisfactory progress will receive direct communication from their advisor and the Graduate Office.

Students who encounter specific challenges or delays have the option to request an extension from the Graduate School. These requests should include a detailed timeline and plan of action. Support from the student’s advisor is needed before submitting your form to the Graduate Office via the submission form.

The Computer Science graduate program is structured as a two-stage program, with an expected total duration of five to six years which is a smaller duration than the time limitations set by the Graduate School's policies . In the initial "pre-candidacy" stage, students develop foundational knowledge in Computer Science ("breadth") and specialized knowledge in their research subarea ("depth"), under the mentorship of a graduate faculty advisor.

Minimum Requirements for Advancement to Candidacy

To advance to candidacy in the Computer Science graduate program, students must meet the following requirements:

• Complete at least six MS/Ph.D. Qualifying Courses at the 600–800 level
• Achieve a minimum of four A's (includes A- and A+) and two B's (includes B-) or above in Qualifying Courses to demonstrate mastery
• Ensure that the Qualifying Courses cover at least four different areas. Courses that are eligible for two areas will have only one count towards degree requirements. Whichever area the student has not yet taken as part of a breadth requirement will be used by default.

In addition, students must:

• Enroll in the Ph.D. seminar course “How to Conduct Great Research” (CMSC800) 
• Complete two additional “Elective” graduate courses (600-800 level), which can be outside the department and do not necessarily need to be qualifying courses, but must be completed with a grade of B- or higher

Qualifying Course Designation is provided by the graduate office. For a course to be considered as qualifying, its grading must be primarily based (at least 75%) on a combination of homework, programming assignments, research projects, and exams. Among these, written exams must constitute at least 30% of the overall grade. 

* Professional master's courses do not count towards the qualifying or elective course requirements for a Ph.D. degree.

Students with previous graduate-level preparation can waive up to three courses. However, the mastery requirement of achieving 4 A’s in qualifying courses cannot be waived.

For detailed information on coursework requirements, waivers, and a list of available courses, students should refer to the program's webpage . 

2.4 Preliminary Examination and Advancing to Candidacy

The Ph.D. Preliminary Examination, required after completing coursework and before the end of the fourth year of your admission to the program, assesses your readiness for dissertation research. You and your advisor decide when you are ready to take this step. It's expected that there will be at least a one-year gap between your proposal defense and the final dissertation defense. 

The proposal defense is an oral examination to review your preparation to conduct your proposed dissertation research and your plan of research. These are described in a proposal document. Your mastery over both fundamental concepts and the research literature in three areas related to your research are also examined. This is done via a “reading list” with about 10 publications (fundamental texts or research papers) in each of these areas. The reading list must be formatted according to the bibliographic standards in your field.

The goal of the examination is for the committee to discover whether or not you understand the subject matter sufficiently well to carry out the proposed research. The proposal document must be deemed satisfactory by your advisor before release to the rest of the committee. At a minimum, it should describe your proposed research, survey relevant literature, and propose a timeline for your research. The examination covers both the proposal document and the reading list.

Composition of the Preliminary Examination Committee

The preliminary examination committee must include a minimum of two faculty members whose primary appointment is within the Computer Science department.

• Your dissertation advisor, serving as the committee chair
• A departmental representative from outside your research area and may be suggested by your advisor. This representative must be a tenure-track faculty member in Computer Science, within a different field committee than the committee chair (Refer to Field Committee membership details here )
• At least one additional graduate faculty member, chosen by you and your advisor. This person could be outside the department or could be a co-advisor
• The committee must include at least 50% CS TTK faculty representation (Refer to the FAQ page for a detailed explanation)

Inclusion of External Committee Members

For inclusion of external committee members (those not affiliated with UMD or not part of the graduate faculty), submit a request at least six weeks prior to the exam date. Your request must include a concise justification, a list of existing committee members, and a CV of the proposed external committee member. To submit this request, please complete this Google form.  External members or non-CS faculty are permitted, as long as these CS representation percentages are upheld.

Candidacy Advancement Documents

• Oral Exam Scheduling Form
• Action of Ph.D. Preliminary Examination Committee (to be sent to your committee directly prior to your examination)
• Application for Admission to Candidacy

At least two weeks before the day you intend to take the exam, submit the oral exam scheduling form and share your proposal and reading list with each examination committee member. After this, a draft announcement will be prepared and sent to you and your advisor for review before it is circulated to the department. Once your proposal is received, our office will send the Action of Ph.D. Preliminary Examination Committee to your committee members. Note that your preliminary exam cannot be conducted without a submitted written proposal.

Written Proposal Document and Reading List Requirements

Your dissertation proposal document must describe your proposed dissertation research and outline the steps necessary for its completion. The proposal, which requires your advisor’s approval, should include:

• A description of the work completed so far
• A plan for your proposed research
• A survey of relevant literature 
• A proposed timeline for completing your research, along with a discussion of potential risks or assumptions
• Reading lists that encompass basic and applied knowledge in three areas related to the proposal, with approximately 10 references each
• Ensure all references in your proposal adhere to the formatting and style guidelines outlined in the University of Maryland Thesis and Dissertation Style Guide
• While not mandatory, it is highly recommended that your proposal follows the Dissertation style guide. Templates are available here

Conduct of the Preliminary Examination

At least one week before the exam, the department distributes a notice of the examination, inviting all members of the department to attend as non-voting participants. The examination committee chair may invite additional non-voting participants. Unless otherwise specified in this section or exempted with approval from the Graduate Office, the protocol for attending the examination and provisions for remote participation adhere to the Graduate School's policy .

Examination Structure

The oral examination typically spans two hours and encompasses the following segments:

• Your presentation of the dissertation proposal (about 30-45 minutes)
• Questions and discussion of the proposal in an open forum
• Questions and discussion of the proposal in a closed setting with the committee
• An examination based on the reading list

During this examination, you will be expected to demonstrate a level of competence that is necessary to complete the research plan.

Subsequent to the examination, candidates will be asked to step out while the committee deliberates. The committee's determination may be a pass, fail, or a deferred decision. Your committee chair reports the outcome to the department via Adobe Sign. Should the committee defer its decision, the dissertation advisor will detail the intended measures to resolve the decision to the department. 

The committee member designated as the department representative is responsible for ensuring adherence to these procedural guidelines.

Upon passing the preliminary examination, you may proceed to "advance to candidacy." Please submit the Application for Admission to Candidacy, signed by your advisor, through the CS Graduate Form Submissions . For effective advancement from the first day of the following month, submit this form to the Graduate Office before the 24th of the current month. Following the approval from the Registrar's office, you will also be promoted to Stipend Level III.

If you are unable to propose before the end of the 4th year, please request an extension through the CS Graduate Form Submissions , providing justifications for the extension. This request must include a letter from your advisor supporting the extension and describing the circumstances that have prevented you from proposing. Additionally, the extension request must outline a plan for when you plan to propose and complete your research. 

Conducting Research as a Candidate

Upon passing the Ph.D. Preliminary Exam and advancing to candidacy, candidates will be registered by the Graduate School for CMSC 899: Doctoral Dissertation Research for six credits each fall and spring semester until the degree is awarded. Waivers of Registration may be granted only under the University's policy for Leave of Absence for Graduate Students for Childbearing, Adoption, Illness, or Dependent Care (see Graduate School’s Registration Policies ).

Candidates are expected to contribute original research to the field of computer science, articulating their findings in a dissertation. Guidance on dissertation structure is provided by the advisor, adhering to the format prescribed by the UMCP Graduate School .

*Tuition for CMSC899 is a flat rate of $1,350.00 (in-state) or $2,626.00 (out-of-state) for 6 credits. But if any 898 or below graduate level courses are taken simultaneously, those credits will be charged at the standard Graduate level Tuition and Fees scale ($828.00 per credit for residents and $1,805.00 for non-residents). For detailed information, refer to this link .

Composition of the Dissertation Committee

The dissertation committee must consist of a minimum of five members, including your advisor. All members must hold appointments as regular, adjunct, or special members of the UMCP Graduate Faculty. Essential composition requirements are:

• A minimum of three Full Members from the Graduate Faculty
• A minimum of two Full Members from the CS faculty (excluding affiliates)
• One Dean's Representative who is a tenured member of the Graduate Faculty must have a tenure home different from the student’s program and that of the chair and any co-chair(s)

Note: Regardless of the affiliation of the dissertation committee's chair, the Dean's Representative cannot be from the CS department. All Regular professors (tenure-track and above) in the Computer Science Department are Full Members of the Graduate Faculty ( Graduate Faculty Categories can be found here).

Scholars from other institutions or those appointed as research faculty on this campus may be requested as committee members. Your request must include a concise justification, a list of existing committee members, and a CV of the proposed external committee member. To submit this request, please complete this Google form. Requests should be submitted at least six weeks in advance of the exam. For further information about nominating faculty for dissertation committees and due dates for the nomination form, see the Graduate Faculty Policy.

Approval of the Dissertation Committee

For the formation of the dissertation committee, submit a signed Nomination of Dissertation Committee form to the Graduate Office by the deadline stated for that semester. This action is generally required by the third week of the semester of anticipated degree completion. Any subsequent changes in the committee composition necessitate filing a revised nomination form. Once approved, committee appointments remain valid even if the approval occurs in a different semester from the defense.

Dissertation Defense Protocol

Scheduling the defense.

After your dissertation has been finalized to the satisfaction of your advisor, you are to arrange your dissertation defense. This entails submitting an oral examination scheduling form to the Computer Science Graduate Office at least two weeks prior to your intended defense date. Additionally, distribute a copy of your dissertation to every member of your dissertation committee with at least two weeks advance notice. Upon finalizing the defense details, send a Google Calendar invitation to both your committee members and the Graduate Coordinator.

Announcement

The department will issue an announcement of the defense examination to all graduate faculty members by sending an invitation to dept [-at-] cs [dot] umd [dot] edu . This invitation encourages graduate faculty to attend as non-voting participants. Additionally, the chair of the examination committee has the discretion to invite further non-voting attendees. The announcement will also be posted on talks.cs.umd.edu.

Conducting the Defense

The defense is an oral examination capped at two hours, structured as follows:

• Public Presentation: The candidate presents the main aspects of their research, typically not exceeding 45 minutes. The audience may ask questions, but the Chair of the Dissertation Examining Committee has discretion over the relevance of questions and the time allocated for responses.
• Formal Examination: Conducted by the Dissertation Examination Committee, this session is open to members of the Graduate Faculty and graduate students from the candidate’s program. Only the Dissertation Examining Committee may pose questions during this part. Departments may restrict attendance to only the Dissertation Examining Committee and Graduate Faculty members.
• Final Discussion and Voting: After the formal examination, only the Dissertation Examining Committee members are permitted to attend the final discussion and vote to reach a decision on the acceptability of the defense.

For further information about procedures for oral disserataion examination, see the  Doctor of Philosophy Degree Policies.

Remote Defense

Current Graduate School policy allows for a committee member to request permission to participate in a dissertation defense remotely. Only in exceptional cases would remote participation be permitted for the student, a committee chair, and/or the Dean’s Representative. The procedure for remote participation in a PhD defense is managed by the Graduate School. To ensure timely processing, requests should be submitted at least 10 business days prior to the defense date. Further details are available on the Graduate School's website . To submit a request, the committee chair should use this link .

Post-Defense Requirements

To fulfill your degree requirements, you must:

• Pass the oral defense
• Implement all modifications to the dissertation as required by your committee
• Submit the revised dissertation electronically to the Graduate School.

Be mindful that the Graduate Office will provide you with a reminder and the necessary deadline for the electronic submission of your dissertation. For detailed information regarding the dissertation defense process, refer to the UMCP Graduate Catalog .

Ph.D. candidates intending to graduate should follow this checklist for Ph.D. Students to ensure all steps and requirements are met.

Pre-Graduation Steps

During the semester you plan to graduate, ensure to complete and submit the following by the Graduate School's specified deadlines :

• Application for Graduation : File this application through Testudo by the early semester deadline.
• Dissertation Committee Nomination Form : This form must be submitted to the Computer Science Graduate Office using the CS Graduate Form Submissions portal

Post-Defense Documentation

After successfully defending your dissertation, promptly attend to the following:

• All members of the committee (except the Chair of the committee) will be sent a notification 3 business days prior to the defense date indicated on the Nomination form.
• The Chair will receive the REC form after all the members of the committee have signed off on the form.
• Dissertation Filing: Submit your dissertation to the Graduate School, adhering to the guidelines provided here

Dissertation Embargo Option

If you wish to place an embargo on the publication of your dissertation:

• Thesis and Dissertation Embargo Request: If desired, students have the option to place an embargo of up to two years on electronic access to their document via ProQuest's Digital Dissertations and DRUM without the need for approval from the Graduate School. You may submit a Dissertation Embargo Request via CS Graduate Form Submissions if you’d like to place an embargo that’s more than 2 years

Note that all forms are subject to strict deadlines. To avoid any delays in your graduation process, submit all documentation as per the schedules provided by the Graduate School.

Post-Dissertation Submission 

Upon the completion of your dissertation submission, ensure to follow these critical steps:

• Surveys: Complete the Graduate School Surveys as well as the departmental survey
• CMNS Commencement Registration: Make sure to register for the CMNS Commencement (Mid-Semester, Fall & Spring). For more information on commencement, refer to the CMNS website . 

3. Travel Grants for PhD Students

The Computer Science Department offers travel grants for Ph.D. students with expenses related to attending conferences at which their papers have been accepted. The allocation of these grants is competitive, and the Graduate Director is responsible for making the award decisions. Students may apply anytime by submitting their applications to the Graduate Office.

The grant amounts are capped at $500 for domestic and $1000 for international travel. The conference attended should be reputable, and the student's request should be supported by their advisor. Please note that during their time in the degree program, students may only receive up to $1000 in grant funding, and this is contingent on the availability of departmental funds.

To submit your application, please fill out this form , detailing your request, and upload a combined PDF. This PDF should include a copy of your accepted paper and a statement of support from your faculty advisor (this can be in the form of an email).

Additionally, students are also encouraged to apply for funds for conference registration fees and matching travel funds through the Graduate School’s travel grants.

To process applications for these Graduate School grants, the required forms must be signed by the CS Business Office. Forms for these grants should be forwarded to reimbursements [-at-] cs [dot] umd [dot] edu for review and signature by the CS Business Office.

Graduate students may undertake paid internships during the summer months. International students should check with International Education Services (IES) for the procedures to be followed.

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Environmental Law and Sustainability - CGS

• Major: Environmental Law and Sustainability
• Degree: Certificate of Graduate Study
• School/College:  Law

Program Website

See the program curriculum and learn about admission. 

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Ready to apply? Take note of any deadlines and documents required for this degree program.

Fall:  applications are accepted throughout the year

Spring:   applications are accepted throughout the year

Required Documents

• Official Transcripts
• Curriculum Vitae or Resume
• Personal Statement/Letter of Intent
• 2 Letters of Recommendation

Applications Accepted for These Semesters...

• Fall Semester
• Spring Semester

A Note from the Program

This 18-hour, post-bachelor’s certificate is designed for environmental managers, corporate executives and business leaders seeking to distinguish their career through knowledge of state-of-the-art strategies to reduce the environmental impacts of their organization while enhancing economic sustainability.  These professionals seek to advance their career through mitigation of economic and environmental risk to employers and communities and navigate the complex and evolving world of environmental compliance and advanced energy generation and storage.  

Courses are designed to apply innovative approaches and move beyond aspirational theories to operational strategies to meet the great environmental strategies that confront societies across the globe. Students will gain an advanced understanding of environmental and energy systems, applicable laws and regulations in the United States, and legal risks inherent to the field in order to meet the great opportunities that are transforming major economic sectors and populations around the world. The certificate in Environmental Law and Sustainability acknowledges the inherent interdisciplinary nature of meaningful solutions to complex environmental, energy and climate issues and weaves together cutting-edge curriculum to provide the student with skills and knowledge to reduce environmental footprints while obtaining economic efficiencies.  

Taught by accomplished energy and environmental professionals and attorneys practicing in the field, this 100% online and on-demand graduate degree has no LSAT, GRE, or GMAT requirement.

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Jun 27, 2024

California to add financial literacy as a requirement to graduate high school

What you need to know: California is ensuring that all high school students are taught personal financial literacy before graduating after an agreement between state leadership and NGPF Mission 2030, an affiliate of Next Gen Personal Finance was reached.

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom, Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast), Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas), and a national financial literacy non-profit — NGPF Mission 2030, an affiliate of Next Gen Personal Finance — today announced an agreement to make financial literacy required content to graduate high school.

“We need to help Californians prepare for their financial futures as early as possible. Saving for the future, making investments, and spending wisely are lifelong skills that young adults need to learn before they start their careers, not after.” Governor Gavin Newsom

Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast) : “Financial literacy is a critical tool that pays dividends for a lifetime. There’s a wealth of data about the benefits of learning these valuable lessons in high school, from improving credit scores and reducing default rates to increasing the likelihood that our future generations will maintain three months of savings for emergencies and have at least one kind of retirement account.”

Assembly Speaker Robert Rivas (D-Salinas) : “Ensuring our students have the skills and knowledge to thrive is paramount to California’s continued success, and financial literacy is a key part of that educational mission. Our agreement is the culmination of many robust and productive conversations with stakeholders across the state on how best to implement financial literacy into every student’s high school curriculum.”

Tim Ranzetta, co-founder of NGPF and lead proponent of the Californians for Financial Education initiative campaign:  “We commend Governor Newsom, Senate President pro Tem McGuire, Speaker Rivas, and the bill’s authors and supporters for their leadership and commitment to guaranteeing access to one semester personal finance education for every California student. We look forward to supporting the implementation of this essential course.”

This agreement is reflected in AB 2927, sponsored by NGPF Mission 2030, which the Governor will sign. The legislation will require a semester-long personal finance education course available for all California high school students by the 2027-28 school year and make personal finance a graduation requirement starting with the 2030-31 graduating class. 

Once the Legislature passes this legislation, proponents of the California Personal Finance Education Act initiative eligible for the November 2024 ballot have agreed to withdraw their measure.

College savings accounts

The financial literacy bill aligns with state efforts to prepare students early on for a healthier financial future. California’s  CalKIDS program  invests $1.9 billion into accounts for low-income school-age children in grades 1-12 and for newborn children born on or after July 1, 2022 – indicating the need for early financial literacy. All families of low-income public school students – 3.4 million across the state – are able to access college savings accounts created in their children’s names.

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Law Clerkship 2024-25 at office of Advocate General of Karnataka at Bengaluru

The Office of the Advocate General for Karnataka invites applications from recent Law Graduates for the position of Law Clerk-cum-Research Assistant.

Qualification: Law graduates of the year 2023 and 2024 batches (0 to 2 years of experience).

Duration: 1 year with effect from the date of joining or termination of the service from this office, whichever is earlier. 

Location: Advocate General’s Office, High Court of Karnataka Building, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India (physical presence required).

Job Description

The selected Law Clerk-cum-Research Assistant will get a unique opportunity to work at the Office of the Advocate General on a wide variety of cases, with a particular focus on research for matters impacting public policy. 

They will be mentored by senior litigators and experience lawyering from a public institutional perspective. 

They will directly assist the learned Advocate General/ Additional Advocates General/ State Public Prosecutors/ Government Advocates/ High Court Government Pleaders or Public Prosecutors, as required. 

The role will also include regular interactions with government officials and other public servants. 

Eligibility

Applicants must:

Have graduated in the year 2023 or be due to graduate as part of the 2024 batch from universities/ colleges recognized by the Bar Council of India.

Show a demonstrable interest in litigation and public policy.

Have a strong academic record from a leading educational institution.

Possess well developed research, communication, drafting and writing skills.

Preference shall be given to applicants fluent in reading and writing Kannada.

Students having studied in Kannada medium until SSLC are encouraged to apply.

Application Process

1.     Send an email with the subject as “ Application for Law Clerk-cum-Research Assistant”  to the email address:  [email protected]

NOTE:  No physical applications will be entertained. 

2.     The above email must include, and comply with, the following:

A cover letter of not more than 500 words describing your interest in this position (statement of purpose).

A recent sample of academic writing of not more than 2000 words.

A consolidated duly attested transcript of all semesters (if not available, please include transcripts of all semesters till date).

Provisional/ Final Degree, if available (if a copy is not currently available, it must be submitted prior to joining).

Application deadline: July 15, 2024  at 11.59 PM IST

Expected Date of Joining: September 1, 2024

Remuneration:  The honorarium payable shall be a sum of ₹25,000/- per month subject to statutory deductions.

Shortlisted candidates will be contacted for a virtual interview.

Any false/ incomplete information provided by an applicant will lead to immediate rejection from the recruitment process or termination from employment.

Once selected, applicants shall be expected to commit themselves to the work and schedule.

Irregularity or a lack of diligence shall not be tolerated and may lead to termination of the clerkship.   

The Law Clerks will be governed by the provisions of the extant criminal laws in force and the Official Secrets Act of 2023, as applicable to any public servant.

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