how to do phd law

Doctoral Programs

• 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

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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 (except 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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PhD Law / Overview

Year of entry: 2025

• View full page
• Bachelor's (Honours) degree in Law (or a cognate subject) at 2:1 or above (or overseas equivalent), or professional experience/qualifications; and
• Master's degree in Law (or 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), or professional experience/qualifications.

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 2024. 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 2025 entry: 30 June 2025
• For January 2026 entry: 30 September 2025

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.

Fees for entry in 2025 have not yet been set. For reference, the fees for the academic year beginning September 2024 were 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 2024.

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.

You will need to be nominated by your proposed supervisor for a number of our scholarships. Therefore, we highly recommend you discuss these funding opportunities with your supervisor first, so they can advise on your suitability and ensure you meet nomination deadlines.

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
• 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
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (Least Developed Countries and Fragile States)
• President's Doctoral Scholar (PDS) Awards - Competition Closed for 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.

Regulated by the Office for Students

The University of Manchester is regulated by the Office for Students (OfS). The OfS aims to help students succeed in Higher Education by ensuring they receive excellent information and guidance, get high quality education that prepares them for the future and by protecting their interests. More information can be found at the OfS website .

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at The University of Manchester, including our Degree Regulations and Complaints Procedure, on our regulations website .

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• Prospective Students
• Current Students

PhD Programme in Law

The opportunity to undertake advanced legal research at one of the world's best law schools.

The London School of Economics is a world centre for advanced research and teaching with an outstanding reputation, with a campus situated in the heart of London, one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world. Only a short distance from Europe's financial, legal and cultural centres, LSE stands at the crossroads of international debate, a location that is fundamental to our identity as an outward looking institution with an active involvement in UK and world affairs. Each year the School attracts many influential outside speakers. Regular events and seminars involving politicians, regulators, practitioners and academics take place to complement your studies. 

LSE Law School is one of the UK's pre-eminent research institutions for law. Our academics are the authors of influential and often path-breaking scholarship, and many have globally leading reputations.  LSE Law is also one of UK's largest law schools, with over 70 academic members of staff. It is a uniquely cosmopolitan academic community, with staff and students coming from all over the world.  Our academics draw on a wide range of literatures and traditions, and pursue analyses that seek to situate the law within the political, social and economic context within which it is formed and operates. 

PhD Programme

The PhD programme at the London School of Economics and Political Science offers the opportunity to undertake advanced legal research at one of the world's best law schools. Students in our PhD programme receive excellent training and work under the supervision of leading scholars with strong international, comparative and interdisciplinary commitments. Our doctoral students become members of a lively academic community which is at the cutting-edge of legal scholarship and which plays a major role in the education of lawyers and law teachers from around the world.

We hope that the questions you have about our PhD programme will be answered in these web pages. If you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us , or see our Frequently Asked Questions  ...

PhD Funding

PhD Current research

PhD placements What do our PhD students do after leaving LSE?

FAQs Your questions about the PhD programme

PhD completions Browse our completed PhDs

Careers Our careers information and resources

Visiting research students How to apply as a visiting student

PhD Academy A dedicated space for PhD students

LSE Life Academic, personal, professional development

The PhD in Law is an opportunity for you to engage in high-quality independent research as part of an extended research project. 

Program description

The PhD in Law is an opportunity for you to engage in high-quality independent research as part of an extended research project. The PhD degree requires submission of a thesis of not more than 100,000 words that makes a substantial contribution to learning in the field of law. Each candidate has a supervisory panel of academics. Students are encouraged to participate in the activities of the ANU College of Law, and would most often be based on campus and study full-time.

Mode of delivery

The research outcome of a PhD degree is a thesis of not more than 100,000 words. During their study, candidates are assessed against milestones which include: annual plans (completed 3 months after commencement and then annually); annual reports; a thesis proposal review; and an oral presentation.

Research students at ANU must fulfil the minimum residency requirements specified in the Australian Government’s  Research Award Rules 2017  unless approval has been obtained for a reduced period of attendance, or the student is externally based. Applicants should make a detailed case for any reduced period of attendance, preferably at the time of application. ANU also has a  PhD Attendance Requirements Policy  which describes these requirements.

If you are approved to study externally (via distance), the minimum attendance on campus is 4 weeks each year. For further information, please refer to the Guidelines For Externally Based Students on the ANU Law  Apply online  page. Approval to study externally cannot be guaranteed.

ANU Law will provide a suitable work space and computer on the ANU campus in Canberra. All students will have access to Wattle (Web Access to Teaching & Learning Environments), the University’s online learning platform.

One of the world's top 20 law schools Times Higher Education Rankings (2024)

Five-star maximum rating for student demand, teaching quality, student–teacher ratio and staff qualifications Good Universities Guide 2022

Graduating from ANU Law will see you join a prestigious and highly recognised alumni network .

4 years full-time (note that some scholarships are for a maximum of 3.5 years at present with a possible extension). If part-time study is approved, the maximum duration is 8 years.

Make an enquiry

Call and chat to a member of our Future Student Experience team.

Apply for Doctor of Philosophy in Law as a domestic or international student.

Course guide

View the Doctor of Philosophy in Law course guide for more information.

Entry requirements

The minimum entry requirements are: English language proficiency, and at a minimum, a bachelor's degree with first or upper second class honours, usually in law. Admission into this program is highly competitive and we therefore prioritise applicants with a first class honours degree. We favour applicants who also have a masters degree with a high grade point average.

The level of English language required for Law is high, see How to Apply . If you are an international student, you must provide a current IELTS or TOEFL certificate as proof of your competency. The tests can be arranged through the British Council or the Australian Embassy in your country.

ANU has the highest level of graduate employability of any Australian university.

In addition, graduating from ANU Law will see you join a prestigious and highly recognised alumni network of over 20,000 professionals in Australia and around the globe.

Academic experts

Each candidate has a supervisory panel of academics, usually drawn from the ANU College of Law’s experts .

With particular expertise in constitutional and administrative law , international law , environmental law , migration law, governance and national security , our academic staff are frequently called on by parliamentary committees, peak bodies, professional associations and the media for analysis, advice and guidance on the law, and what might be done to improve it.

Many of our expert research staff are also award winning teachers who are are always accessible and work closely with you to ensure you successfully complete your studies. We have created a supportive and nurturing environment in which you can thrive.

Admission to practice

A PhD in Law will not provide a basis for admission to practice.

ANU currently enrols domestic research students under the Research Training Scheme (RTS) which is funded by the Commonwealth Government. RTS funded students are not required to contribute to the cost of their tuition for the duration of their program.

International students are required to pay the cost of their tuition for the duration of their program. The annual fee for international students (2018) is $40,416.00.

Fees for the PhD program are also available on the Programs and Courses website.

Scholarships

ANU funds and administers a range of scholarships for graduate research degree programs, especially for domestic students. See our HDR scholarships page for information on these scholarships and their deadlines.

More information on ANU costs and fees , and scholarships and support is available on the central ANU website.

For more information on the Australian education system please go to the government websites MyUniversity and StudyAssist .

We have prepared detailed information on how to apply to do Higher Degree Research at ANU Law , including information on scholarships, putting your application together, applying online and commencement. Please read through these instructions thoroughly.

Programs and courses

For information on admission requirements, fees, courses, electives, suggested study patterns and more see Programs and Courses.

Useful links

• Study at ANU Law
• Contact ANU Law
• ANU Study with us
• ANU Information for you
• ANU Scholarships
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• Schools & departments

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Law

Introduction to Postgraduate Study at the University of Edinburgh

Join us online on 25 September to learn more about Scotland, the city of Edinburgh and postgraduate study at the University.

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

Programme structure

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses.

We link to the latest information available. Please note that this may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

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:

Ph.D. Admission

Applications will be accepted in the fall for study to commence in the subsequent fall. The application deadline is December 15, but the Admissions Committee will begin to review each application when it is complete. Applications must be submitted via Yale University's Graduate School of Arts and Sciences application website.

• Personal Statement (500-1000 words) The personal statement should describe the applicant’s motivations for pursuing the Ph.D. in Law degree and should describe the applicant’s qualifications to undertake the proposed course of study, especially qualifications that are not evident from the applicant’s CV.
• Research Proposal (1000 words) The research proposal should describe the project that the applicant plans to undertake as a dissertation. The proposal should describe the project’s scope, its scholarly significance and research methodology, including any source materials on which the project will rely or any empirical research that the applicant intends to undertake. The research proposal need not be as fully developed as a dissertation prospectus, and projects are expected to evolve over the course of students’ time in the program. Nonetheless, applicants are expected to have a clear sense of the general research project that they will undertake.
• Writing Sample The writing sample should be a piece of legal scholarship authored solely by the applicant. Ideally, the writing sample should be on a subject related to the applicant’s proposed research project. Submitted writing samples should be no more than the equivalent of 30-published pages in length (15,000 words)—an excerpt from a longer work may be used.
• Letters of Recommendation Applicants will be asked to identify three individuals willing to write letters of recommendation on their behalf. Recommenders will then receive an email with instructions about how to submit letters directly to the Graduate School. Applicants should choose recommenders who are best situated to evaluate an applicant’s past academic work and potential to produce first-rate legal scholarship. The Ph.D. Admissions Committee strongly recommends that at least two recommenders hold academic appointments at a law school.
• Test Scores The applicant will be asked to self-report his or her LSAT score; scores from any administration of the exam will be accepted. Prior to matriculation, those admitted to the Ph.D. in Law program will be required to provide formal confirmation of the self-reported score.
• Transcripts The applicant will need to upload records of academic performance to the online application prior to submission. No transcripts should be mailed. This upload may be in the form of a scanned copy of the applicant's transcript or academic record. If the transcript is in a language other than English, the applicant will also need to provide an English translation of the transcript. The translation must be certified to be an accurate translation of the original and be notarized or otherwise authenticated. The translation and the original transcript can then be uploaded to the application.
• Curriculum Vitae The applicant should submit a curriculum vitae listing all academic honors and awards, publications and presentations, and other professional accomplishments.
• Application Fee Each applicant must pay the application fee in the amount and manner required by the Graduate School.

Previous applicants who were not admitted to the Ph.D. in Law program and who wish to reapply must submit a completely new application and pay the application fee. Applicants who have been denied admission three times may not submit further applications.

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Law MPhil/PhD

London, Bloomsbury

UCL Laws has one of the most selective MPhil/PhD programmes in the UK, and produces graduates of internationally recognised quality. Ranked the top UK Law institution for research quality in the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2021), UCL Laws attracts leading figures in the field to our extensive programme of events, informing debate on critical legal issues.

UK tuition fees (2024/25)

Overseas tuition fees (2024/25), programme starts, applications accepted.

Applications closed

• Entry requirements

A minimum of a good upper second-class UK Bachelor's degree in an appropriate subject, or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard. We have a strong preference for a recognised LLM or equivalent Master's degree and would normally expect a distinction overall, with evidence of first-class ability (or equivalent) in extended written work/dissertation.

The English language level for this programme is: Level 3 Further details are available on the Faculty of Laws website .

UCL Pre-Master's and Pre-sessional English courses are for international students who are aiming to study for a postgraduate degree at UCL. The courses will develop your academic English and academic skills required to succeed at postgraduate level.

Further information can be found on our English language requirements page.

Equivalent qualifications

Country-specific information, including details of when UCL representatives are visiting your part of the world, can be obtained from the International Students website .

International applicants can find out the equivalent qualification for their country by selecting from the list below. Please note that the equivalency will correspond to the broad UK degree classification stated on this page (e.g. upper second-class). Where a specific overall percentage is required in the UK qualification, the international equivalency will be higher than that stated below. Please contact Graduate Admissions should you require further advice.

About this degree

UCL Laws has a strong international and multidisciplinary research environment, focused around all sixteen of our research centres, institutes and groups. Bringing together outstanding researchers from a wide range of disciplinary backgrounds and jurisdictions, our research centres and institutes nurture individual research, but also actively encourage and support collaboration and partnerships that expand cross-disciplinary research.

Who this course is for

This programme provides specialist training on research methods in law. Specialised research centres ensure that the doctoral study experience is collaborative, while UCL Faculty of Laws provides opportunities and support for doctoral students to achieve real impact with their research.

What this course will give you

UCL Laws has been one of the leading centres of legal education in the world for almost 200 years. Rated as being Number 1 for research quality in the UK compared with all other Law Schools in the country by the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), UCL Laws' community of intellectually dynamic scholars responds to today's global challenges. Through our research, we help to shape government policy, national and international law and practice.

Combining a strong theoretical foundation in the law with world-leading expertise in empirical legal studies and interdisciplinary research, UCL Laws offers an outstanding educational experience to our doctoral students, with special work-in-progress workshops, dedicated conferences, and teaching experience.

All students benefit from a year-long research methodology seminar series in their first year and will join a vibrant and active MPhil/PhD student community which, for example, runs its own weekly seminar series in term time.

The foundation of your career

A graduate from the UCL Laws PhD programme will have developed advanced skills in legal research, analysis and writing, public presentations and in almost all cases teaching at university level. Our graduates are well placed to pursue careers in the global academic world, but the research, analytical and writing skills obtained during the PhD also transfer easily to high level work in government, non-governmental organisations and the commercial sector.

Employability

Our PhD graduates have entered a wide range of careers including top academic positions in the UK and overseas, international organisations, private sector, NGOs and government. 'The international reputation and expertise of the Faculty is well known and is what first attracted me to UCL. I found the faculty to be a vibrant academic community in which to undertake research, with invaluable support to develop personal research skills, pursue cross-disciplinary research and to engage in empirical activities. After my doctoral studies I was delighted to join the faculty as a Lecturer. The community of support at UCL Faculty of Laws undoubtedly enhanced my research and enabled me to pursue avenues that may not otherwise have been possible'. Dr Anna Donovan Lecturer, UCL Laws

The Faculty has a longstanding reputation for high-quality legal research with real world impact. We have long-established links with the judiciary, the legal, public and private sector. This is reflected in the outstanding quality of our extensive annual programme of seminars, lectures, debates and conferences on a wide variety of critical legal issues. Through this programme our PhD students have the opportunity to engage personally with leading members of the judiciary, legal profession, commercial and financial sectors, government, NGOs and leading international academics.

Teaching and learning

A PhD from UCL Laws is essentially an independent piece of substantial work, making an addition to current knowledge, but you will receive support in various ways this endeavour.  Firstly, through expert supervision, which will include regular meetings, feedback on your progress and your written work, and advice on your development as a researcher.  You will also undertake research skills training in the Faculty of Laws, through which a supportive environment among the PhD cohort and your fellow research students is fostered.  There will the opportunity to engage with the wider UCL community in training bespoke to your research and career aims too.  Dissemination of your work, and building networks in your field of research, will be actively supported and encouraged by the Facult y . There is financial support available to engage with the wider academic community, to present your work to and receive feedback from scholars and academic events, such as conferences, nationally and internationally.

The PhD programme is examined by a thesis of up to 100,000 words, which should demonstrate your capacity to pursue original research based upon a good understanding of the research techniques and concepts appropriate to the discipline.

Full-time students can expect to meet their PhD supervisors at least once a month for progress meetings throughout their PhD (once every two months for part-time students). In year 1 of the PhD, there will be fortnightly research skills seminars. There will be research skills seminars in years 2 and 3 (for full-time students, years 2-5 for part-time students) too, but these will be less frequent. The majority of the PhD will be spent on independent research.

Research areas and structure

• Antitrust, Regulation and Competition Law
• Comparative and Foreign Law
• Contract, Restitution and Tort
• Corporate, Finance and Insolvency
• Criminal Justice
• Empirical Legal Studies
• Environmental Law
• European Law
• Family Law and Bioethics
• Human Rights, Employment and Equality Law
• Intellectual Property
• International Business, Insurance and Trade
• International Commercial Law
• Judicial Studies
• Jurisprudence and Legal Theory
• Law and Economics
• Law and Ethics
• Law and Religion
• Law of the Sea
• Legal Education
• Legal History and Roman History
• Litigation and Dispute Resolution
• Medical Law
• Property and Trusts
• Public, Admin and Constitutional
• Public International Law

Research environment

UCL Laws is a world-leading community of intellectually dynamic scholars responding to today’s challenges. The Faculty was rated as the leading Law institution in the UK for research quality in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). As a Laws MPhil/PhD student, you will have the opportunity to learn from, and contribute to, this research culture.

The Faculty attracts the leading figures in the field to our extensive programme of events, informing debate on critical legal issues. Events we have held in the past include a series of seminars from the former President of the European Court of Human Rights and Judge of the General Court of the European Union. Our events reflect the diversity of teaching and research at UCL Laws, and our programme of lively seminars, lectures, debates and conferences cover a wide variety of engaging legal topics. Many events are CPD accredited by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, the Bar Standards Board and Intellectual Property regulation board (IP Reg).

A PhD at UCL Laws will allow you to pursue original research and make a distinct and significant contribution to your field. We are committed to the quality and relevance of the research supervision we offer and as an MPhil/PhD candidate; you could work with academics at the cutting edge of legal scholarship. Furthermore as a research student, you will be an integral part of our collaborative and thriving research community. Student-run ‘work in progress’ forums and an end-of-first-year PhD workshop will give you the opportunity to present and discuss your research with peers and academic colleagues. Tailored skills seminars will provide you with a supportive research environment and the critical skills necessary to undertake your research. To foster your academic development we also offer additional faculty funds, which can assist you with the costs of conferences and other research activities.

The length of registration for the research degree programmes is 3 years for full-time students.

You are required to register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an upgrade viva 9- 18 months after initial registration.

In your first year, you will be required to take part in a mandatory Skills Seminar Programme. Within three months of joining the programme, you are expected to agree with your supervisor the basic structure of your research project, an appropriate research method and a realistic plan of work. You will produce and submit a detailed outline of your proposed research to your supervisor for their comments and feedback. We hold a PhD workshop at the end of your first year, which provides you with an opportunity to present your research before an audience of UCL Laws Academic staff and fellow PhD students.

In your second year you will be expected to upgrade from an MPhil to a PhD. To successfully upgrade to a PhD you are required to submit a piece of writing (this is usually based on one chapter from your thesis and a chapter plan for the remainder). You are also required  to present and answer questions about this work to a panel consisting of your subsidiary supervisor and another member of the faculty who acts as an independent assessor.

The PhD programme is expected to be completed within three years for full-time students.. If you are not ready to submit at the end of the third year, you may be permitted a further year to complete the PhD in the 'Completing Research Status' phase of the programme.

The length of registration for the research degree programmes is 5 years for part-time students. You are required to register initially for the MPhil degree with the expectation of transfer to PhD after successful completion of an upgrade viva 15- 30 months after initial registration. In your first two years, you will be required to take part in a mandatory Skills Seminar Programme. Within six months of joining the programme, you are expected to agree with your supervisor the basic structure of your research project, an appropriate research method and a realistic plan of work. You will produce and submit a detailed outline of your proposed research to your supervisor for their comments and feedback. We hold a PhD workshop at the end of your first year, which provides you with an opportunity to present your research before an audience of UCL Laws Academic staff and fellow PhD students. In your second or third year you will be expected to upgrade from an MPhil to a PhD. To successfully upgrade to a PhD you are required to submit a piece of writing (this is usually based on one chapter from your thesis and a chapter plan for the remainder). You are also required  to present and answer questions about this work to a panel consisting of your subsidiary supervisor and another member of the faculty who acts as an independent assessor. The PhD programme is expected to be completed within five years for part-time students. If you are not ready to submit at the end of the fifth year, you may be permitted a further two years to complete the PhD in the 'Completing Research Status' phase of the programme.

Accessibility

Details of the accessibility of UCL buildings can be obtained from AccessAble accessable.co.uk . Further information can also be obtained from the UCL Student Support and Wellbeing team .

Fees and funding

Fees for this course.

The tuition fees shown are for the year indicated above. Fees for subsequent years may increase or otherwise vary. Where the programme is offered on a flexible/modular basis, fees are charged pro-rata to the appropriate full-time Master's fee taken in an academic session. Further information on fee status, fee increases and the fee schedule can be viewed on the UCL Students website: ucl.ac.uk/students/fees .

Additional costs

There are no programme-specific additional costs.

For more information on additional costs for prospective students please go to our estimated cost of essential expenditure at Accommodation and living costs .

Funding your studies

There are a number of different scholarships available to fund your PhD. All are awarded on the basis of academic excellence and are competitive.

Full information about funding may be found on our website - www.ucl.ac.uk/laws/study/mphilphd/applying scholarships page. The Faculty also provides financial support to current students in the form of an annual Research Allowance, and there is a PhD Research Impact and Innovation Fund (PRIF) that students may apply to for funding for exceptional items such as delivering a paper at an international conference.

For a comprehensive list of the funding opportunities available at UCL, including funding relevant to your nationality, please visit the Scholarships and Funding website .

UCL Research Opportunity Scholarship (ROS)

Deadline: 12 January 2024 Value: UK rate fees, a maintenance stipend, conference costs and professional development package (3 years) Criteria Based on both academic merit and financial need Eligibility: UK

Detailed information on the application process may be found on the Faculty of Laws website .

Please note that you may submit applications for a maximum of two graduate programmes (or one application for the Law LLM) in any application cycle.

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DPhil in Law

• Entry requirements
• Funding and Costs

College preference

• How to Apply

About the course

The Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) is the most prestigious of the Law Faculty's research degrees. It entails writing a thesis over a period of three, or at most four years (six to eight years for part-time students). 

All students will be admitted to Probationer Research Student (PRS) status in the first instance, and all students except those who have previously completed the faculty's MPhil in Law programme will undertake a course in legal research methods during the first year as a full-time student or in the first two years as a part-time student. This provides training in legal research methodology, but it will also expose you to the diversity of and intellectual challenges involved in legal scholarship and serves as a forum of peers in which you can discuss the methodological challenges involved in your own research. The course comprises seven compulsory two-hour seminars during Michaelmas term while in Hilary term, students must attend eight hours of seminars from a wider range of options, including seminars offered by other social sciences departments and the faculty’s Centres for Criminology and Socio-Legal Studies. Students must also attend the course conference at the start of Trinity term.

The Faculty can provide supervision for a wide range of different topics and a  list of completed doctorates gives a general sense of the breadth and depth of the research undertaken by its students.

A typical week for a student during their first two terms will involve attendance at a legal research training methodology class and perhaps participating in a discussion group (of which there are over 30) or auditing a BCL seminar that relates to their own research topic; apart from which they will be spending their time engaged in their own research. You will also meet with supervisors to discuss your work as explained in the supervision section below. After the third term (providing you transfer to full DPhil status) you may undertake fieldwork and research trips, depending on the nature of your research topics, and there may be opportunities to undertake paid research assistance or to teach undergraduate students.

If you are a part-time student, you will be required to be physically present in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days per year, normally coinciding with the full terms of the academic year, to be arranged with the agreement of your supervisor. You should expect to meet with your supervisor (either in person or, where available, online) up to nine times throughout the academic year, and in the first two terms, you will be required to undertake the legal research training methodology course (either in person or, where available, online).

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Law Faculty and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Law Faculty.

On admission as a research student, you will be assigned a supervisor with whom you should meet regularly to discuss your work and provide feedback and advice.  Students generally meet their supervisors nine times per year. For the DPhil, there is likely to be a greater concentration of meetings during the first two terms, while you are in the process of defining your research topic, and in the final stages leading up to submission of the completed thesis.

All students will be initially admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student (PRS). Within a maximum of four terms as a full-time PRS student (eight terms as a part-time PRS student), you will be expected to apply for, and achieve, transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status by submitting a research outline and a substantial piece of written work. These are assessed by two members of the Law Faculty, who will also interview you about your work. This application is normally made by the third term for full-time students (sixth term for part-time students). A similar exercise then takes place between your sixth and ninth terms (twelfth and fifteenth terms for the part-time pathway) when you will apply for Confirmation of DPhil status.

After three or at most four years (no later than eight years for the part-time pathway), your thesis will be read by two examiners, who conduct an in-depth oral examination known as a viva voce. The thesis must make a significant and substantial contribution to its field. On the basis of the examiners’ report, you will either be awarded the DPhil (which may be subject to major or minor corrections) or referred back to make revisions to the thesis.

Graduate destinations

DPhil students will pursue a range of career paths after completion of the doctorate. Many will take up academic posts, or pursue postdoctoral research of one sort or another. Some will enter legal practice as solicitors, barristers, advocates, and judges; others will become legal advisors advising government departments, non-governmental organisations and private companies.

The University of Oxford has an excellent careers service with which the department has close ties. The Careers Service organises a number of events of specific interest to students wishing to pursue a career in law, and offers one-to-one advice from members of staff with knowledge and experience specific to the legal sector.

The Law Faculty has an extensive network of relationships within the legal profession and each year offers a number of talks and events run by law firms and barristers’ chambers.

Changes to this course and your supervision

The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made in circumstances of a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.

Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.

For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.

Entry requirements for entry in 2024-25

Proven and potential academic excellence.

The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying. 

Degree-level qualifications

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• a first-class undergraduate degree with honours in law. Exceptionally, students with first-class honours in other subjects may be considered if the subject is relevant to the proposed area of research.

In the absence of an undergraduate degree in law, candidates may be admitted with a postgraduate diploma or master's qualification in law at distinction level.

Most students admitted to the programme have a previous master's qualification but this is not a formal requirement.

For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum GPA sought is 3.7 out of 4.0.

If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.

GRE General Test scores

No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.

Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience

• Part-time applicants will also be expected to show evidence of the ability to commit time to study and, if applicable, an employer's commitment to make time available to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules. Where appropriate, evidence should also be provided of permission to use employers’ data in the proposed research project.
• Publications are not expected. They may, in certain circumstances, advantage an application but it is appreciated that the opportunity to publish may vary considerably depending on factors such as the stage the student has reached in their graduate career and the structure of the course(s) they have studied. Consequently, a lack of publications will not be assessed negatively.

English language proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's  higher level . If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.

*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) † Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)

Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides  further information about the English language test requirement .

Declaring extenuating circumstances

If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.

You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Supporting documents

You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The  How to apply  section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.

Performance at interview

Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process.

How your application is assessed

Your application will be assessed purely on your proven and potential academic excellence and other entry requirements described under that heading.

References  and  supporting documents  submitted as part of your application, and your performance at interview (if interviews are held) will be considered as part of the assessment process. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.

An overview of the shortlisting and selection process is provided below. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide  more information about how applications are assessed . 

Shortlisting and selection

Students are considered for shortlisting and selected for admission without regard to age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), religion or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, as well as other relevant circumstances including parental or caring responsibilities or social background. However, please note the following:

• socio-economic information may be taken into account in the selection of applicants and award of scholarships for courses that are part of  the University’s pilot selection procedure  and for  scholarships aimed at under-represented groups ;
• country of ordinary residence may be taken into account in the awarding of certain scholarships; and
• protected characteristics may be taken into account during shortlisting for interview or the award of scholarships where the University has approved a positive action case under the Equality Act 2010.

Processing your data for shortlisting and selection

Information about  processing special category data for the purposes of positive action  and  using your data to assess your eligibility for funding , can be found in our Postgraduate Applicant Privacy Policy.

Admissions panels and assessors

All recommendations to admit a student involve the judgement of at least two members of the academic staff with relevant experience and expertise, and must also be approved by the Director of Graduate Studies or Admissions Committee (or equivalent within the department).

Admissions panels or committees will always include at least one member of academic staff who has undertaken appropriate training.

Other factors governing whether places can be offered

The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:

• the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the  About  section of this page;
• the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
• minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.

Offer conditions for successful applications

If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our ' After you apply ' pages provide more information about offers and conditions . 

In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:

Financial Declaration

If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a  Financial Declaration  in order to meet your financial condition of admission.

Disclosure of criminal convictions

In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any  relevant, unspent criminal convictions  before you can take up a place at Oxford.

The Law Faculty is fortunate to have outstanding library facilities provided by the Bodleian Law Library. As part of the Bodleian, the Law Library shares in all the advantages of being part of the largest university library in the country, including the receipt, under legal deposit legislation, of legal material published in the UK and Ireland. 

The Law Library offers the vast majority of its holdings - some 550,000 items - on open shelves across four floors. Selected low-use material is housed in a book storage facility and is retrievable within half a day. The library serves a large community of graduate readers and academics in their research requirements. The strength of the collection lies in the depth of its UK holdings, combined with extensive holdings for European and Commonwealth jurisdictions. In addition the library holds materials relating to international law, Roman law, and jurisprudence. To complement the paper collection, the Law Library provides a wide range of online legal resources. The Bodleian’s collection of Official Papers is also housed in the Law Library.

The library has 40 reader workstations, which provide access to the internet, legal databases, Microsoft Office applications and Endnote. There is a Graduate Reading Room, a large seminar room, two IT rooms and three small ‘discussion rooms’ for private study or group work. The wireless network extends throughout the library. The law librarians offer a range of classes and one-to-one sessions to support the specific research needs of graduate students.

Oxford’s Faculty of Law, one of the largest in the UK, offers you the opportunity to study alongside some of the best law graduates of your generation, under the direct supervision of some of the world’s leading legal scholars.

Oxford's reputation for master's-level legal education has few equals. All of the courses on offer involve intensive work to a very high academic standard, and the BCL and MJur are exceptional in their use of tutorials as a principal means of course delivery. Both of these programmes offer an extensive variety of options and the opportunity to specialise in certain fields or to select a diverse combination of courses. For those with more specialist interests, the faculty also offers the MSc in Law and Finance, the MSc in Criminology and Criminal Justice, the MSc in Taxation, and the Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and Practice, the MSc in Intellectual Property, and the MSc in International Human Rights Law (formerly known as the MSt in International Human Rights Law and offered by the Department of Continuing Education).

For its research students, the faculty offers a wider range of legal and interdisciplinary specialisms corresponding to the diverse interests of faculty members. For many research students the ultimate goal will be a DPhil, the Oxford term for a doctoral qualification, but the faculty also offers a one-year MPhil course which can either be taken in its own right or as a route into the DPhil. As a research student, you can expect to work closely with a specialist supervisor who will help you develop your ideas and pursue your thesis to a successful conclusion.

Research students play a central role in the intellectual life of the faculty, collaborating in numerous discussion groups and colloquia and participating in many BCL, MJur and MSc course seminars.

Centre for Criminology Pursuing an innovative programme of criminological research and delivering high quality education.

The Centre for Criminology is an independent unit of the University’s Faculty of Law. The centre is dedicated to pursuing an innovative programme of criminological research and to delivering high-quality graduate education in criminology. It has a vibrant programme of research, aimed principally at fostering and developing clusters of research activity around seven substantive areas:

• security, rights and justice
• penal culture, policy and practice
• politics, legitimacy and criminal justice
• crime and the family
• psychology, criminal justice and law
• victims and victimisation
• criminal justice, citizenship and migration.

Members of the centre are committed to:

• connecting criminological work to the broader concerns of the social sciences;
• thinking comparatively about crime and punishment;
• bringing together sociological and normative approaches to the analysis of crime and justice; and
• working at the intersections between criminology and public policy.

These approaches to the study of crime and criminal justice inform teaching and doctoral supervision in the centre. They create an intellectually stimulating and collaborative environment to pursue your study in criminology.

Centre for Socio-Legal Studies At the forefront of multidisciplinary research into the nature and role of law in society.

The Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) brings together scholars with diverse academic backgrounds and ambitions, who pursue their own research topics and are also encouraged to collaborate widely and develop multifaceted research programmes. Researchers address fundamental questions about the nature of law, its relations with morality, religion, and justice, and its role in regulation, government and community, the nature of rules and legalistic thought, the development of laws, legal systems and legal cultures, and the social character of the rule of law.

The CSLS welcomes students who wish to pursue research in any aspect of socio-legal studies, broadly defined. The centre's staff have a range of expertise in socio-legal research and methodologies and draw on a range of cognate fields, including anthropology, jurisprudence, political science, regulation studies, economics and sociology. Supervision can be offered in most areas of social-legal studies.

The CSLS has a community of around thirteen full-time research staff and thirty-three graduate research students. Links with leading scholars in Oxford’s Faculty of Law and throughout the University enhance the breadth of the centre’s research and the resources made available to students.

Courses offered by the faculty

View all courses   View taught courses View research courses

The University expects to be able to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across the collegiate University in 2024-25. You will be automatically considered for the majority of Oxford scholarships , if you fulfil the eligibility criteria and submit your graduate application by the relevant December or January deadline. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential. 

For further details about searching for funding as a graduate student visit our dedicated Funding pages, which contain information about how to apply for Oxford scholarships requiring an additional application, details of external funding, loan schemes and other funding sources.

Please ensure that you visit individual college websites for details of any college-specific funding opportunities using the links provided on our college pages or below:

Please note that not all the colleges listed above may accept students on this course. For details of those which do, please refer to the College preference section of this page.

Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the faculty's website.

Annual fees for entry in 2024-25

Full-time study.

IMPORTANT : Please note that while most of the content of these pages relates to the course starting in 2024-25, this information about course fees and the additional information section on this page relate to entry in 2025-26 . The remaining content will be updated for 2025-26 entry later in September.

Part-time study

Information about course fees

Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges .

Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.

Continuation charges

Following the period of fee liability , you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.

Where can I find further information about fees?

The Fees and Funding  section of this website provides further information about course fees , including information about fee status and eligibility  and your length of fee liability .

Additional information

There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.

Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel and research expenses. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for grants from the Faculty or your College to help you cover some of these expenses.

Living costs

In addition to your course fees, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.

For the 2024-25 academic year, the range of likely living costs for full-time study is between c. £1,345 and £1,955 for each month spent in Oxford. Full information, including a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs, is available on our living costs page. The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. When planning your finances for any future years of study in Oxford beyond 2024-25, it is suggested that you allow for potential increases in living expenses of around 5% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. UK inflationary increases will be kept under review and this page updated.

If you are studying part-time your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you must still ensure that you will have sufficient funding to meet these costs for the duration of your course.

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs). 

If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief  introduction to the college system at Oxford  and our  advice about expressing a college preference . For some courses, the department may have provided some additional advice below to help you decide.

If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide. 

The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:

• Balliol College
• Blackfriars
• Brasenose College
• Campion Hall
• Christ Church
• Corpus Christi College
• Exeter College
• Green Templeton College
• Harris Manchester College
• Hertford College
• Jesus College
• Keble College
• Lady Margaret Hall
• Linacre College
• Lincoln College
• Magdalen College
• Mansfield College
• Merton College
• New College
• Oriel College
• Pembroke College
• The Queen's College
• Regent's Park College
• St Anne's College
• St Antony's College
• St Catherine's College
• St Cross College
• St Edmund Hall
• St Hilda's College
• St Hugh's College
• St John's College
• St Peter's College
• Somerville College
• Trinity College
• University College
• Wadham College
• Wolfson College
• Worcester College
• Wycliffe Hall

The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:

Before you apply

Our  guide to getting started  provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you  evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive .

If it's important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under a December or January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance . Check the deadlines on this page and the  information about deadlines and when to apply  in our Application Guide.

Application fee waivers

An application fee of £75 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:

• applicants from low-income countries;
• refugees and displaced persons; 
• UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and 
• applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.

You are encouraged to  check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver  before you apply.

Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students

If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission .

Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?

You do not need to make contact with academic staff before you apply. However, it is suggested that you consult the  list of research and subject groups on the Law website  to check that your research interests fall within an area in which the Law Faculty has research expertise.

You may also wish to refer to the  list of academic staff  for details of individual Law Faculty members' research interests.

Completing your application

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents . 

If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.

Proposed field and title of research project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.

You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).

Proposed supervisor

If known, under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic(s) whom you would like to supervise your research. Otherwise, leave this field blank.

Referees: Three overall, academic strongly preferred

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.

Academic references are strongly preferred, but a professional reference will be accepted as long as you also provide two academic references. If you are currently completing a course at Oxford, then at least one reference must be from someone who has taught you on that course.

Your references will support intellectual ability, academic achievement and motivation.

Official transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.

More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.

A CV/résumé is compulsory for this course. Most applicants choose to submit a document of one to two pages highlighting their academic achievements and any relevant professional experience.

Research proposal: A maximum of 600 words

You should submit a detailed outline of your proposed research, written in English. The overall word count may exclude any bibliography or footnotes.

If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.

This will be assessed for:

• the coherence of the proposal
• the originality of the project
• evidence of motivation for and understanding of the proposed area of study
• your ability to present a reasoned case in English
• the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the course.

It will be normal for your ideas subsequently to change in some ways as you investigate the evidence and develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and method at this moment.

Written work: One essay, a maximum of 2,000 words 

An academic essay or other writing sample from your most recent qualification, written in English, is required. This may be an extract from a longer piece - in such cases, the piece should be prefaced by a note which puts the work in context.

The work must be on a legal topic and written in English. The word count does not need to include any bibliography or footnotes.

This will be assessed for comprehensive understanding of the subject area; understanding of problems in the area; ability to construct and defend an argument; powers of analysis; and powers of expression.

Start or continue your application

You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please  refer to the requirements above  and  consult our Application Guide for advice .

Application Guide   Apply - Full time Apply - Part time

ADMISSION STATUS

Closed to applications for entry in 2024-25

Register to be notified via email when the next application cycle opens (for entry in 2025-26)

12:00 midday UK time on:

Wednesday 29 January 2025

Latest deadline for most Oxford scholarships Final application deadline for entry in 2025-26

*Three-year average (applications for entry in 2021-22 to 2023-24)

Further information and enquiries

This course is offered by the Faculty of Law

• Course page  and FAQs on the faculty's website
• Funding information from the faculty
• Academic and research staff
• Faculty research
• Social Sciences Division
• Residence requirements for full-time courses
• Postgraduate applicant privacy policy

Course-related enquiries

Advice about contacting the department can be found in the How to apply section of this page

✉ [email protected] ☎ +44 (0)1865 271496

Application-process enquiries

See the application guide

Visa eligibility for part-time study

We are unable to sponsor student visas for part-time study on this course. Part-time students may be able to attend on a visitor visa for short blocks of time only (and leave after each visit) and will need to remain based outside the UK.

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• Updated on  
• Dec 29, 2022

Regarded as the highest degree in varied academic disciplines, a Doctorate of Philosophy ( PhD ) aims to provide students with a chance to delve deeper into a specific area of study. For a field like Law, a doctoral degree is suitable for those wanted to pursue their career as legal scholars and teachers. A PhD in Law incorporates intense coursework followed by detailed research in the chosen specialization. The program is devised for students who want to gain in-depth knowledge and advanced studies in the domain. If you also want to secure a doctorate degree in Law, you should definitely aim for attaining overseas education for the same. Through this blog, we will elucidate various aspects of PhD in Law, the eligibility criteria you need to fulfil, course structure and specialisations as well as top universities.

This Blog Includes:

Specialisations offered, course structure, top universities abroad offering phd in law, top colleges in india, entrance exams in india, phd in law: distance education, important books, eligibility for phd in law, application process , required documents .

Commonly offered as a 3-year degree, a PhD in Law implements a multidisciplinary approach and aims to impart students with the required theoretical background and research skills in the former part of the program while they are required to prepare their dissertation during the latter part. Often pursued as a full-time course, this degree prepares individuals for several leadership roles in Judiciary, Business, Academics as well as Government.

There are a plethora of concentrations available under PhD in Law from which applicants can choose from. These courses connect the vast discipline of law with its relevant sub-fields, hence students can opt for a unique course and specialize in the same. Selecting a particular specialization also helps to delve deeper into it by pursuing research. Take a look at the following list of PhD in Law specialisations: 

• PhD in Interdisciplinary Law
• PhD in International Law
• PhD in Legal Studies 
• PhD in Cyber Law
• PhD in Civil Law 
• PhD in Jurisprudence 
• PhD in Administrative Law Studies 
• PhD in Environmental Law  
• PhD in National Law Studies 
• PhD in Dispute Resolution  

Check Out: Law Subjects

The curriculum and syllabus of a PhD in Law can vary as per the specialisation as well the academic institution. But in order to provide you with a general overview, the following paragraphs describe the structure of this doctoral degree as followed for a 3-year program.

• In the first year of a PhD in Law, students get to focus on the coursework of their specialisations with their prospective Advisory Committees. Along with this, it also comprises a seminar regarding legal scholarships and methodologies. With all this, the degree also incorporates canonical workshops on legal scholarships in the first semester of the year. In the second semester, students are required to present a report on the same. 
• During the second year, you will get to work with the faculty dissertation committee. Students have to present the dissertation in a manuscript of almost a book’s length or 3 articles that can be published thus constituting the portfolio. Afterwards, the committees will provide their views on one’s dissertation prospectus and give their seal of approval if they liked the topic. Apart from this intense research work of PhD in Law, students ought to compulsorily participate in teaching activities where they can work as teaching assistants, co-teaching with faculty etc.  
• In the third year, students can either continue with their teaching as a professor of Law or they can go on with improvising their dissertation. In many cases, one can devote themselves to their research projects while pursuing teaching and at the conclusion of the third year, they will be required to submit their dissertation. However, the extension of the duration can also happen depending on a case-to-case basis.

Deciding the right university for a course can be a strenuous task and requires professional help. Leading law schools and universities around the globe possess the necessary capabilities to transform the personalities of enrolled students. These extra-edge attributes can help you have a kickstart in your career and convert your career aspirations into success. To grab a taste of global exposure and a plethora of opportunities in this field, here are some top-notch universities offering PhD in Law that you must consider:

Tabulated below are the top colleges in India offering a PhD in law. You can have a look here:

There are various entrance exams in India that you can apply for and attempt in order to be selected for a PhD in Law. They are mentioned below.

Did you know that you can pursue a PhD in law through distance education? A lot of established and good colleges as well as universities offer the course part-time or through correspondence. Tabulate below are some of the important colleges that offer PhD in Law through distance learning.

Tabulated below are the important and informative books you can refer to while pursuing a PhD in Law. You can check it out here: 

PhD Law Admission Process 

There are two ways of getting admission in PhD in Law. You can either get direct admission or merit. 

Direct Admission

• For direct admission, you must get the admission form from the college or university. You can get it both offline and online.
• To get the application form you can go to the official website of the institute or college and fill the form there. You can upload it there and then.
• Once you have completed filling out the application form you must go to the college for counselling and also attend the round of personal interviews.

Merit-Based Admission 

• The important exams conducted to give admission on the basis of merit include JMI Law Entrance Exam, CLAT, AILET – All India Law Entrance Test , NET – National Eligibility Test , and PET – PhD Entrance Test. 
• Students can apply for these exams both offline and online. The forms for the respective exams can be downloaded on their official websites. 
• Admission will be given on the basis of the subsequent marks obtained by students in these exams. 

To get enrolled in any degree, candidates need to meet certain prerequisites specified for the course by the institution. Since there are a lot of specializations available for PhD in Law, the eligibility criteria tend to differ from one university to another. Below listed are some essential requirements that you need to fulfil in order to apply for the program:

• Bachelor’s degree in Law such as LLB or any other related discipline 
• Master’s degree in Law, i.e. LLM although some universities may allow candidates having a postgraduate degree in similar disciplines  
• Students are also required to qualify for the LSAT exam with a good score. 
• Research Proposal (Around 1000 words): Describing the scope of the project along with undertaken dissertation. 
• If you’re applying to foreign universities, you need to give English Language Proficiency Tests such as IELTS , TOEFL , etc.
• It is recommended for the candidates have a well-designed Curriculum Vitae.

This is another important aspect you need to keep in mind if you’re planning to become a lawyer. But the application process might get overwhelming. This is where the professional from Leverage Edu will help you. It’s important to complete the application process without any mistakes. Here are crucial things to consider:

• Call us and we will help you shortlist your favourite law universities . But you need to submit your application to multiple universities to broaden your chances of getting selected. 
• Compile all essential documents. Don’t make mistakes while submitting the documents. 
• Submit the application before the deadlines and start the application process for accommodation, students visa, and scholarships / student loans .
• Accept the offer letter

The documentation process is one of the most essential steps you should consider. But making some common mistakes will jeopardize your application. The documents you need to submit are::

• Educational certificates. As you’re going for a law degree, you need to provide your other mark sheets such as the 12th mark sheet, UG mark sheet, etc.  
• Letter of recommendation
• Letter of intent 
• Financial documents 
• Statement of purpose  

Career Prospects and Salary

After completing your PhD in law from a reputed university, you will be able to boost your chances of getting hired by top companies. Employers will take a look at your university name as it will have a huge impact on your employability. Therefore, make sure you complete your PhD degree from a reputed university to stand apart from the crowd. Here are the jobs you can get after completing your PhD in law:

• Law Professor
• Political Advisor
• Project Manager
• Compliance Manager

The salary of a lawyer who holds a PhD degree will vary from one designation to another as well as the country. Here’s a table:

Also Read: Law Entrance Exams India & Abroad     

Taw law and corporate law are the most effective.

If you want to get into a high-ranked university, you’ll need more than just good grades; you’ll also need flawless application because the competition is fierce. You may enlist the assistance of Leverage Edu specialists to assist you with the application process so that you can realise your goals. Call us immediately at 1800 57 2000 for a free 30-minute counselling session.

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• Faculty & Staff

 Benefit from extensive faculty and library resources with this highly focused and selective PhD program.

Why choose this program?

The Law (PhD) at Dalhousie’s Schulich School of Law offers unparalleled benefits, including a highly focused curriculum, extensive faculty and library resources, and the opportunity to conduct original research in specialized areas such as health Law, Law & Technology, Marine & Environmental Law, International Business Law, Criminal Justice, Legal theory, and Indigenous Law.

Academia, research institutes, governmental bodies, international organizations, law firms, advocacy groups. You may also work in sectors such as health, technology, environment, international business, criminal justice, legal theory, and indigenous rights. 

Possible careers include:

Professor of Law

Legal policy analyst 

Corporate legal advisor

Legal researcher 

Admission requirements

You'll need to meet the  Faculty of Graduate Studies minimum requirements  as well as any program-specific admissions requirements before you can apply.

Financial information

At Dalhousie, we want our students to focus on their studies, rather than worry about their personal finances. We offer competitive tuition rates and funding programs to support graduate students in almost all of our degree programs.

Program options

Thesis : Pursue independent and original research guided by a supervisor to develop and defend your thesis. 

Standard program duration:

5 years or longer

Enrolment options:

Delivery format:.

All graduate programs at Dalhousie are collaboratively delivered by a home Faculty and the  Faculty of Graduate Studies .

Contact an admissions advisor

Questions about admissions or the application process get in touch with the program..

Email:  [email protected]

Phone: 902-494-2776

I'm ready to apply!

While every effort is made to ensure accuracy on this page, in the event of a discrepancy,  Dalhousie's Academic Calendars  are the official reference.

Law and History Program of Study

Students who plan to practice in almost any area of law, as well as those interested in the academic study of legal history have much to gain from courses in Law and History. The Program of Study in Law and History offers students a chance to examine law and its relationship to the larger world of social movements, economic change, politics and government – in the context of studying law in a period of time different from our own. It is designed to reflect the present evolution of interdisciplinary university education in our rapidly changing world. Law and History offers students a chance to contrast our present circumstances with the past, a chance to understand the long path of development that led to the legal problems we grapple with in the present, and the chance to see the deep roots of the social forces that are changing the shape of our own world. The program offers a chance to study lawyers, legal institutions, and the larger society and its interaction with law. The study of law in historical context provides a rich foundation for both practice and scholarship in all fields of law.

The Program of Study in Law and History is designed to be useful to both students who might take one or several of its foundational or advanced courses to round out their law school education, and for those who are interested in more sustained exposure to academic legal history and interdisciplinary study that will connect them to faculty and students from other parts of the university. The program is designed:

• To guide students through foundational and advanced courses and seminars about law and history, and related subjects.
• To facilitate faculty-student interaction and scholarship about legal history—broadly defined—among interested faculty and students.
• To offer support and advising for students who are engaged in the JD/PhD program in history and plan to pursue academic careers.

The law school boasts unmatched expertise in law and history. Students involved in the program have the opportunity to study with renowned faculty who are leaders in the field. Members of the Harvard Law School faculty write and teach about a wide range of law and history subjects, periods, localities, and methods. We have experts in Civil Rights, the Legal Profession, Economic History, Comparative Law, the Ancient World, English Legal History, Legal Thought, Slavery and Emancipation, and all periods of American Constitutional and Legal History.

Interested students are advised to enroll in a range of course offerings. Foundational courses introduce students to the study of law and history, while advanced courses offer in-depth study of particular subjects. Students also are encouraged to attend the law and history workshop; in this context, students can deepen their understanding of the central questions and controversies that animate the field of legal history.

Academic Offerings

For the latest academic year offerings in Law and History, please visit the HLS Course Catalog .

Foundational Courses

These courses offer context, perspective and introductory readings about or relevant to legal history to interested students.

• American Legal History
• Legal History Workshop

Advanced Courses and Seminars

• American Legal History, 1776 – 1865
• American Legal History: Law, Economy, and Society in the Era of the American Revolution
• American Legal History: From Reconstruction to the Present
• Comparative Law: Ancient Law
• Constitutional History I: From the Founding to the Civil War
• Constitional History II: From Reconstruction to the Civil Rights Movement
• Constitutional Law: Money and the Making of American Capitalism
• English Legal History
• Legal History: History of American Economic Regulation
• Legal History: Workshop on the Political Economy of Modern Capitalism
• Legal History Seminar: Continential Legal History
• Legal History Workshop: Race and Policing in Historical Context
• Legal History Workshop: Sex and the Law
• Making Legal History
• Pierson v. Post and the Theory of Property Seminar
• Politics, Social Life and Law in Jeffersonian America
• The Warren Court

Related Courses

• Advanced Legislation: Statutory Interpretation
• American Legal Education
• Civil Liberties and the Second Reconstruction: Problems of Suppression and Covert Disruption
• From Protest to Law: Triumphs and Defeats of the Civil Rights Revolution 1950-1970
• Mind and Criminal Responsibility in the Anglo-American Tradition
• The Legal Architecture of Globalization: Money, Debt, and Development

Academic Careers

Students who wish to pursue academic careers in this area should enroll in a variety of the offerings described above combined with significant research and writing under the direction of relevant faculty. For further information, contact the Law and History Program of Study faculty leaders and advising faculty.

Advising Faculty

William Alford

Nikolas Bowie

Christine Desan

Tomiko Brown-Nagin

Charles Donahue

William Fisher

Annette Gordon-Reed

Elizabeth Papp Kamali

Michael Klarman

Adriaan Lanni

Anna Lvovsky

Kenneth Mack

Intisar Rabb

Kristen A. Stilt

Laura Weinrib

Fellowship Opportunities

• Raoul Berger-MarkDeWolfe Legal History Fellowship
• Reginald F. Lewis Fellowship
• Rappaport Fellowship

Interdisciplinary Study

The Law School offers a  Coordinated JD/PhD Program  with the Harvard  Graduate School of Arts and Sciences  (GSAS). Students in the program earn a JD and a PhD, allowing them to integrate the study of law with their doctoral studies in history. Several  members  of the  Harvard History Department  work in areas related or highly relevant to the law.

To be admitted to the coordinated JD/PHD program, students must apply to and be separately admitted to both the Law School and to GSAS. Students interested in the coordinated program are encouraged to contact  April Pettit , in the Office of Academic Affairs at HLS, or  Shelby Johnson , in the Office of Student Affairs at GSAS, for further information.

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PhD in Law: Fees: Admission, Eligibility, Syllabus, Jobs, Salary

PhD in law is a 3 year doctorate degree that specializes you in the law study. You can complete this course within a maximum time span of 5 years. PhD in law trains you to lead the judiciary, academic, government, business and other alike sectors. The course curriculum is divided into 4 semesters.

To pursue PhD in law you must possess the minimum qualification i.e. either you have to appear for the entrance test or you should have a minimum of 55% in masters degree in law or social science. 

You can also opt for a PhD in law course from distance learning. There are no. of colleges offering PhD in law from correspondence like IGNOU . After the course completion, ample lucrative job opportunities are available to you in both the government and private sector. 

• PhD in Law: Courses Highlights
• What is a PhD in Law Courses?

Why Study PhD in Law?

• PhD in Law Admission Process

4.1   Eligibility Criteria

4.2   Entrance Exams

4.3   How to Prepare for a PhD in Law Entrance Exam?

• Course Comparison

5.1   PhD in Law vs LLD

PhD in Law: Top Colleges

6.1   Comparison of Different PhD in Law Colleges

PhD in Law: Syllabus

Phd in law: distance education, phd in law: career prospects.

• PhD in Law: FAQs

PhD in Law: Course Highlights

What is a PhD in Law Course?

• PhD in Law is a course that focuses on both civil and criminology law. 
• This course helps you to have a strong grip on application of law in different legal situations. 
• This course involves both research and academic approach to the law study.
• If you are interested in learning more about human rights, criminal justice, urban planning and other law related issues, then you should go for a PhD in law course.

A candidate has to come through various research works, coursework, teaching, to attain the PhD in Law degree.

There are several advantages to pursuing the degree of PhD in law.

• Having a PhD degree in law, makes you capable of teaching the subject at university level. Also, you can promote the development of this field. 
• The program of PhD in Law is created to make the students pursue their career in this subject they can either study or teach jurisprudence. 
• PhD is the highest educational qualification one can attain. Also having a degree in law, you can access multiple job options. Merging these two, having a PhD degree in Law will make you an expert in this field, giving a lot of career and job options.
• There are various educational institutes who welcome applications from those aspirants who have a knack in researching interdisciplinary fields. Having this degree in your qualification helps them to attain advanced training in those other fields, promoting well rounded education.
• Having this degree enables you to do a lot of research work as well as attending conferences. This conferences help an individual to make more sources and contacts with professionals of a different field.

PhD in Law: Admission Process

There are some of the common entrance tests for admission in PhD in law courses that are widely accepted by the institutes. To apply for admission application submission in a particular institute you need to follow the below given steps:

• Visit the official page of the institution and go through all the details related to PhD in law admissions.
• Next step is to fill the application form, upload all required documents as per the guidelines and then make the fee payment.
• Submit your research proposal with the application form if asked by that particular institute.

These research proposals are asked for a scrutiny process. After the scrutiny, and the result declaration of entrance exams, they prepare a merit list and then shortlist candidates who then appear for GD and PI sessions (if any). 

PhD in Law: Eligibility Criteria

In order to pursue PhD in law, you should meet the below mentioned eligibility criteria:

• A minimum of 55% marks in master's degree in either law or in social science stream.
• There is a 5% relaxation too for SC/ST and physically disabled categories of the society. 

The qualifying percentage may differ from institute to institute. Apart from this, you also have to appear for common entrance exams conducted at National and University level.

PhD in Law: Entrance Exams

Many of the colleges offering PhD in law have their own entrance examinations. Few of those exams are listed below:

AILET 2021: AILET (All India Law Entrance Test) is the exam conducted by National Law university (NLU) to offer admissions to law aspirants in UG, PG and doctorate courses. Important dates regarding AILET application process are mentioned below:

Some of the colleges/universities accept CLAT scores too.

CLAT 2021: Common Law Admission Test (CLAT) 2021, is the centralised law exam offering admissions in law colleges for UGand PG degrees. Important dates for the same are given below:

Other exams you can appear for admissions in PhD in law course are:

SLET and others

How to Prepare for a PhD in Law Entrance Examination?

Generally, a PhD in law entrance examination consists of 5 sections that are listed below:

• GK and Current Affairs
• Mathematics
• Legal Aptitude

Logical Reasoning

You need to work hard to make these sections as your strong and scoring points. 

As a PhD is the highest degree certification so it needs special preparation for qualifying. Few points you can take care of while preparing for the exams are as follows:

• Start preparing for these entrance exams in advance because these exams are tough in nature. These exams need a proper time span for preparation.
• There are 5 sections in this entrance exam, you need to prepare them section wise by preparing separate notes for each one of them.
• Create a study plan for yourself that can be executed successfully.
• Use fewer books to study, as lots of books create more confusion and panic.
• Don’t waste time on difficult questions, finish those questions first in which you are really good.

PhD in Law Course Comparison

Check out the course comparison of PhD in law courses, with other related courses.

PhD in Law Vs LLD

PhD in Law stands for Doctor of Philosophy in Law and LLD stands for Doctor of Law. Both the courses are based on in-depth research. It depends on your interest which course you would like to pursue. Below are some of the key differences between PhD in law and LLD:

Some of the top universities according to the Outlook Magazine Ranking for pursuing PhD in Law is described in the table below:

Comparison of Different PhD in Law Colleges

The core subjects that the PhD in Law syllabus covers are listed below:

Course 3 involves the seminars and presentations in the area of specialization. This course is optional and provides you with a list of areas of specializations including Cyber law, Environment law, Human Rights, Public International law and alike. Course 4 includes the seminars and presentations in the area of research.

PhD in law is one of those doctorate courses that can be pursued from distance learning. There are no. of good and top ranked colleges that are offering PhD in law courses from correspondence or part time. The most interesting subject about this course is that, in India PhD in law offers a course in cyber law and corporate law. Listed below are few of the top colleges that offer Phd in law course from distance learning:

A PhD in law graduate who has successfully completed the course can get a job in almost all the sectors in India. They can also apply for government jobs. Few of the job prospects are discussed below with their job roles:

PhD in Law FAQs

Ques: What is the duration of PhD in law course?

Ans: The course duration is 3 years. You can complete the course in a maximum time span of 5 years.

Ques: Can an aspirant pursue PhD from distance learning?

Ans: Though Phd can’t be done from distance learning but PhD in law is the exception course that can be pursued from correspondence.

Ques: What courses are similar to PhD in law?

Ans: Courses that are related to or are similar to PhD in law course are LLD (Doctor of Law) and M.Phil in law.

Ques: What are the career prospects after completion of PhD in law course?

Ans: An aspirant can be an author, lawyer, judge or apply for notary position too.

Ques. What is the purpose of a PhD in Law degree?

Ans. The significant purpose of PhD in Law is to administer a thorough and rich foundation in research, legal theory, jurisprudence, methodologies, policy, and dissertation preparation.

Ques. Which is higher in between JD and PhD?

Ans. Comparing the two, a PhD degree is a bit hard. In JD, candidates are able to finish the course with ease, as it takes only 3 years to complete. On the other hand, PhD is a minimum of 5 to 6 years of program, where in the second phase candidates have to work harder and do original research.

Ques. What is the highest degree in Law?

Ans. The highest degree in LAW one can attain is Doctorate of Judicial Science (SJD).

Ques. What is the difference between JD and PhD?

Ans. PhD is research doctorate and JD is professional doctorate. PhD consists of less work, whereas in JD you will find almost every exclusive course.

Ques. Can anyone pursue a PhD in Law, after doing LLB?

Ans. No. One who completed LLB will not be able to do a PhD in Law. Only if a candidate does LLM, he or she is eligible to pursue the course.

Ph.D. (Law)

• Course Overview

M.Phil. (Law)

Doctor of laws [ll.d.].

• Career Options & Jobs

Ph.D. (Legal Studies)

National Law School of India University - [NLSIU]

Bangalore , Karnataka

National Law University - [NLU]

New Delhi , Delhi NCR

The West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences - [NUJS]

Kolkata , West Bengal

Jodhpur , Rajasthan

Symbiosis Law School - [SLS]

Pune , Maharashtra

Faculty of Law Jamia Millia Islamia University

Rajiv Gandhi National University of Law - [RGNUL]

Patiala , Punjab

National Law Institute University - [NLIU]

Bhopal , Madhya Pradesh

Indian Law Institute - [ILI]

Dr Ram Manohar Lohiya National Law University - [RMLNLU]

Lucknow , Uttar Pradesh

Andhra University, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar College of law

Visakhapatnam , Andhra Pradesh

Faculty of Law, University of Delhi

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What can you do with a PhD in law?

UQ people Published 28 Aug, 2020  ·  5-minute read

Ever wondered what it's like to do a PhD in law at UQ? Choosing the right pathway can be hard, especially when there are so many unknowns out there.

What can you do with a PhD in law? How do you  choose the right PhD supervisor ? Are there any PhD scholarships available?

Law PhD candidate Unaisi and her supervisor Professor Jennifer Corrin have teamed up to answer some of your questions to help you decide what’s right for you.

What's your favourite thing about being a law PhD supervisor?

Jennifer: There are lots of good things. I get to share the journey with somebody who is researching an area that they're really enthusiastic about. Often I learn things from that. But it's really nice to see not only the growth of the research, but also the growth of the person doing the research.

Also, there are those little occasions where you see the student have a light bulb moment when they think "oh, I get it" and that's just so nice. I feel like cheering from the sidelines sometimes.

Why did you choose to do a PhD in law?

Una: I've always wanted to do a PhD. It has always been the ultimate goal. As an Indigenous woman, I feel like my research will be so important, and so that was one of the two motivators for me to do a PhD. I want to be able to do research that means something, and I feel with a PhD in law I can accomplish that.

How is your PhD different from your undergraduate studies?

Una: It's very different. It’s a personal journey. I feel like I'm alone, but I'm not alone. So really, in terms of getting the research done, if I'm not meeting my supervisor, I set the goals, the timelines and I need to meet those, as compared to my undergrad where my lecturers set all the deadlines.

Why are you passionate about advanced research?

Jennifer: I like to solve puzzles. One of my hobbies is cryptic crosswords. That's really what you're doing when you're doing a piece of legal research; you can look beyond what the law says, you can dig a little bit deeper to see what's wrong with the law and, of course, what's right with the law, and you can also go on from that to make recommendations.

I also like the fact that we can have positive impact. So, in certain times, you've got that impact where your ideas are actually taken on board by maybe policymakers or even governments or courts.

Unaisi and Jennifer discuss the next stage of Unaisi's law PhD

Why did you choose to do your law PhD at UQ?

Una: UQ was always at the top of my list of universities. I wanted somewhere where I had the right person guiding me throughout the process. I did research and saw UQ's placement in terms of universities in the world and in Australia. And, finally, my initials are UQ . My second name starts with a Q, so I was like, it's only right!

What's the best advice you would give to research students considering doing their PhD at UQ?

Jennifer: First I would tell them that it's a great place to do their PhD, because it’s a really nice collegial atmosphere. But I would also say choose something that you have a passion for, because the PhD journey is a long one . You do not want to be working on something that you're not enthusiastic about – your interest has to sustain you through that long journey.

"Try to find a supervisor who is enthusiastic about your topic, so when you're in those troughs that everybody has with their research, you've got somebody to talk to."

What scholarship have you been awarded and how did you find out about it?

Una: I am currently on the UQ graduate scholarship and I found out about it when I was putting together my application. So I went through the UQ website and looked at all the scholarships that I thought I would be eligible for. And I submitted my proposal and here I am.

Who do you think should do a PhD?

Jennifer: Anybody who's got a passion for research. It's got to sustain you throughout your candidature, so that passion is really important. I think that's much more important than getting rungs on the board for a career. I'd also say age is no barrier. You need to be somebody who is willing to persevere and step up to the challenge, because during the course of your candidature, there will be challenges.

How do you think your PhD in law will benefit you, professionally and personally?

Una: Professionally, it boosts myself as an academic, and as an Indigenous academic, and I would be building on work that you've already done in the Pacific. As an Indigenous researcher, it places me in good stead, and I hope that other Indigenous students would see me and build on that work again.

"Personally, this is an achievement not just for me as an Indigenous person and as a woman. The PhD would be celebrated by not just myself but my clan and my people. This is not just my achievement; this is an achievement for them as well."

What can you do with a PhD in law? Unaisi is proof that you can make a real impact.

What made you decide to be Una's supervisor?

Jennifer: I actually find this quite easy to answer, because here is somebody who is a talented lawyer in their own right. Also, of course, you have a great topic, and that topic is aligned with my research, so I felt that I could actually contribute to your journey and come along with you on your journey. I also liked the fact that you had a topic which you had a personal interest in, so obviously you have that enthusiasm to carry you through. As we're going along this journey together, I’m going to learn as much from you as you will from me.

What is your PhD topic?

Una: The PhD is on the Indigenous identity and how Indigenous people define themselves, how state laws define Indigenous people and how international law defines Indigenous people. Part of the research is looking at the descendants of the new Vanuatu and Solomon islanders who were taken to Fiji during the period of blackbirding.

What was your own PhD topic?

Jennifer: It might sound boring if I give you just the title, but it was about South Pacific jurisprudence. That involves conflict between customary laws and state laws. In particular, looking at those small island countries in South Pacific and looking at ways of reconciling those two very different systems.

How did you pitch your topic?

Una: I didn't have your contact but it was on the website, so I emailed you and we discussed the topic. It was back and forth, because I was in Nauru and you were here. It was fairly simple. I put together a proposal and then you had a look at it and you agreed to be my supervisor should I get it, and then I applied and I got confirmation.

Your research career begins here at UQ.  Explore our scholarships or apply now.

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How to Claim Your Share of Cash App's $15 Million Legal Settlement

If you've used Cash App in the past six years, you could be eligible for up to a $2,500 payout for data breaches.

The Cash App lawsuit and settlement stem from two recent customer data breaches.

Cash App is one of the most popular payment services around, with more than 50 million users -- the service has even expanded into free tax filing and  high-yield savings accounts . Cash App is facing a major legal settlement due to unauthorized data breaches, and impacted customers could claim up to $2,500 if that settlement is approved.

The class-action lawsuit alleges Cash App and its parent company Block were negligent when a former Cash App Investing employee accessed unauthorized account data in 2022 and when another user accessed certain Cash App accounts in 2023, using recycled phone numbers that were linked to the accounts. 

If you've used Cash App in the past six years and experienced a transfer of unauthorized funds, or if your Cash App personal information or account was accessed without your consent, you could be eligible to file a claim. 

Here's what to know about the Cash App settlement, including how to submit a claim and what we know about the expected payout dates. For more, here's  how to secure your Cash App personal and finance information  and everything we know about the National Public Data breach .

Who's eligible to claim part of the Cash App settlement? 

You are eligible to submit a claim if you meet any of the following criteria from Aug. 23, 2018, through Aug. 20, 2024, according to the  settlement site : 

• You are a current or former customer of Cash App or Cash App Investing and your personal information, your Cash App account or your Cash App Investing account was accessed or obtained without your authorization.
• You had unauthorized or fraudulent withdrawals or transfers of funds to or from your account.
• You had a deficiency in the resolution of an error in a Cash App account or any linked financial account.

How much money could I receive in the Cash App settlement? 

You could claim up to $2,500 per person for out-of-pocket losses and $25 per hour for reimbursement of lost time up to 3 hours if you're eligible to take part in the $15 million proposed settlement. Out-of-pocket losses include costs associated with credit monitoring.

You can also submit a claim for documented transaction losses. To claim an out-of-pocket loss or a transaction loss, you need to provide third-party documentation.

How do I submit a Cash App settlement claim? 

If you are eligible for a Cash App payout, you need to submit a claim form by 10:59:59 p.m. PT on Nov. 18, 2024 .

That means submitting your claim online or mailing it  postmarked by that date .

If you have claims relating to multiple Cash App accounts, list all of your information about your claims on a single claim form.

Here's the address if you are submitting by mail:

Cash App Settlement Attn: Claim Form Submissions 1650 Arch Street, Suite 2210 Philadelphia, PA 19103

Note : An older version of the form you could mail listed Oct. 15, 2024, as the submission deadline. The new form shows Nov. 18, 2024. In an email, the settlement administrator told CNET, "To air on the side of caution, please follow the October 15th, 2024 deadline. It is possible that the deadlines were changed recently."

When will the Cash App payout happen? 

A final approval hearing for the Cash App settlement is scheduled for Dec. 16, 2024. If approved, payments would go out after that date.

For more, here's the best identity theft monitoring services and our favorite password manager .