york university uk phd law

Postgraduate taught

Get to grips with key legal principles

Year of entry: 2024 (September)

1 year full-time, 2 years part-time

York Law School

September 2024 ( semester dates )

Apply for this course

Online Open Day

Join us on Wednesday 5 June 2024 to find out what postgraduate study at York is all about. 

Graduates of law in the 21st century need more than a thorough knowledge of legal rules.

Study theoretical and economic contexts of law and gain the solid foundation you need to further your career. Our LLM Law gives you the flexibility to delve into a range of specialisms, meaning you'll be able to study the things that really interest you. 

Legal practitioners are involved in the design and delivery of key aspects of all our programmes. You'll benefit from our international outlook, interdisciplinary approach and research and learn from academics whose research is making a real impact in their field.

Research excellence

Ranked a top 25 law school in the UK according to the Times Higher Education's ranking of the latest REF results (2021)

1st for 'Learning opportunities'

among the Russell Group universities included for law in the 2023 National Student Survey (NSS).

Problem-based learning

A modern, dynamic learning method that ensures you experience and understand law in its practical, social and theoretical contexts

Course content

Through our combination of core and option modules, you'll develop a solid knowledge base in legal theory and practice while also tailoring the course to focus on what interests you most.

All of our modules are informed by research, including areas such as corporate and commercial law and international human rights law.

Dissertation

Core modules.

• Legal Systems and Research Methods

Option modules

You will also study five option modules. In previous years, options have covered topics such as:

• International Business Negotiation
• Financial Crime
• Issues in the Philosophy of Criminal Law
• Art: Commodity or Valuable
• Law and Society
• Law & Circular Economy
• Comparative Constitutional Law & Theory
• Intellectual Property
• International Trade Law & Regulation
• International Commercial Arbitration
• Practice of Corporate Transactions
• Private International Law
• Practice of Commercial Transactions
• International Criminal Justice
• International Business Management and Emerging Markets
• Ethics and Sustainability Reporting
• Law & Commercial Transactions
• International Corporate Governance
• Foundational Issues in Legal Theory
• Art and Law: Parallel Perspectives
• Art: A problematic lifecycle
• Applying International Human Rights Law

Our modules may change to reflect the latest academic thinking and expertise of our staff, and in line with Department/School academic planning.

• LLM Dissertation

You'll complete a 12,000-word dissertation  on a topic of your choice, under the supervision of a member of staff from the York Law School. You'll prepare your dissertation proposal during the Research Skills for Dissertation Writing   module.

There is wide flexibility in choosing your topic.

The York approach

Every course at York is built on a distinctive set of learning outcomes. These will give you a clear understanding of what you will be able to accomplish at the end of the course and help you explain what you can offer employers. Our academics identify the knowledge, skills, and experiences you'll need upon graduation and then design the course to get you there.

Students who complete this course will be able to:

• Discuss and critically evaluate the fundamental principles and theories of common, civil and international law systems and apply a comprehensive understanding of the operation of such principles to the analysis of legal and commercial problems.
• Apply and adapt problem-solving skills working efficiently and effectively to develop effective solutions to diverse, complex and integrated legal, practical or societal problem scenarios.
• Influence debate in chosen areas of specialisation and interest by developing well-reasoned, critical and creative arguments, theories and solutions to broader legal issues within society, supported by researched evidence, with the capacity to draw on these to produce original responses.
• Reflexively draw upon and apply a broad awareness of perspectives and interests in their work, capable of taking into account ethical, social, political, professional, commercial, financial, business, international, policy, human rights, ethnic, gender and client interest considerations when evaluating propositions and solving problems.
• Record, reflect on, and evaluate the strengths, weaknesses and progress in their own personal learning and professional development.
• Develop legal research skills including: the use of computer databases and search strategies; critical evaluation of normative research questions, determine research methodologies which can be used to successfully address such questions, apply the skills and knowledge developed on the programme to a selected problem, and plan, project manage and implement a substantial project with minimal guidance.

The staff are the best part of studying at the University of York, their expertise and style elegantly guided me through each subject area. The student body is actively invited to work alongside staff for the betterment of the students, courses and university as a whole. Kristian, LLM Law

Fees and funding

Annual tuition fees for 2024/25.

Students on a Student Visa are not currently permitted to study part-time at York.

For courses which are longer than one year , the tuition fees quoted are for the first year of study.

• UK (home) fees may increase in subsequent years (up to a maximum of 2%).
• International fees may increase in subsequent years in line with the prevailing Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation rate (up to a maximum of 10%).

Fees information

UK (home) or international fees?  The level of fee that you will be asked to pay depends on whether you're classed as a UK (home) or international student.  Check your fee status .

Find out more information about tuition fees and how to pay them.

• Postgraduate taught fees and expenses

Funding information

Discover your funding options to help with tuition fees and living costs.

We'll confirm more funding opportunities for students joining us in 2024/25 throughout the year.

If you've successfully completed an undergraduate degree at York you could be eligible for a  10% Masters fee discount .

Funding opportunities

• UK government Masters loans
• Funding for UK students
• Funding for international students

Living costs

You can use our  living costs guide  to help plan your budget. It covers additional costs that are not included in your tuition fee such as expenses for accommodation and study materials.

Teaching and assessment

You’ll work with world‐leading academics who’ll challenge you to think independently and excel in all that you do. Our approach to teaching will provide you with the knowledge, opportunities, and support you need to grow and succeed in a global workplace.

Teaching format

You'll receive innovative, practical and relevant teaching. Dependent on your option module choices, teaching methods will include problem-based learning, simulations and student law firms. You'll also attend masterclasses from legal practitioners and academics.

Problem-Based Learning (PBL)

A core teaching method employed in some of our modules is problem-based learning (PBL) . This will involve you working in a “student law firm” in which you will work on simulated, real-life corporate and commercial law problems brought to you by virtual clients. You will learn to identify the relevant legal principles, and unravel the legal and contextual issues that lie at the heart of the problem. As in real life, the problems are messy, and typically involve several legal topics interacting and overlapping.

Additional learning resources

You will also learn through a range of other resources including seminars, written subject guides, and a variety of relevant material in our virtual learning environment.

Teaching location

York Law School  is located on Campus East. Nearly all of your teaching will take place within the Law building or nearby on Campus East.

About our campus

Our beautiful green campus offers a student-friendly setting in which to live and study, within easy reach of the action in the city centre. It's  easy to get around campus  - everything is within walking or pedalling distance, or you can always use the fast and frequent bus service.

Assessment and feedback

We use a variety of assessment methods to help you develop different transferable skills. These include presentations, posters, participation in seminars, client advice, coursework and your dissertation. For certain modules, you will be assessed through a reflective portfolio.

• Postgraduate enquiries
• [email protected]
• +44 (0)1904 325737

Related courses

• LLM International Corporate and Commercial Law
• LLM Legal and Political Theory
• LLM International Human Rights Law and Practice

Discover York

Accommodation

We offer a range of campus accommodation to suit you and your budget, from economy to premium.

Student life

Explore campus and city life and hear what our current students have to say about living here.

Lively, full of culture and beautiful, York is regularly voted one of the best places to live and visit in the UK.

Find out more about York. Chat to staff and students and take the tour, on campus or online.

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PhD Law University of York

Course options

Qualification.

PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy

University of York

JUL-24, SEP-24, JAN-25

• TUITION FEES
• ENTRY REQUIREMENT
• UNIVERSITY INFO

Course summary

York Law School has a wide range of research expertise, spanning a diverse array of topics. We apply a variety of research methods, from doctrinal to philosophical, empirical, historical and critical.

Your research

The PhD is an opportunity to pursue a significant independent research project, making an original contribution to your chosen field of legal knowledge. Your research will lead to a thesis of up to 100,000 words. You will be a part of the thriving research community, with access to training in research and transferable skills to support your career ambitions. The programme is available in all fields of expertise at York Law School, subject to supervisory availability.

Careers and skills

Our dedicated careers team offer specific support, including a programme of professional researcher development and careers workshops, and 1:1 career support sessions. They will help you to build up your employability portfolio and to engage in activities that will build up your skills and experience within and outside of your research work.

Career opportunities

• University lecturer
• Legal policy
• NGO-related work
• Specialist practitioner

Tuition fees

• Afghanistan
• Antigua & Barbuda
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Burkina Faso
• Central African Republic
• Congo (Democratic Republic)
• Czech Republic
• Dominican Republic
• El Salvador
• Equatorial Guinea
• Guinea-Bissau
• Ivory Coast
• Korea DPR (North Korea)
• Liechtenstein
• Marshall Islands
• Netherlands
• New Zealand
• Northern Ireland
• Palestinian Authority
• Papua New Guinea
• Philippines
• Puerto Rico
• Republic of Ireland
• Sao Tome and Principe
• Saudi Arabia
• Sierra Leone
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• South Korea
• South Sudan
• St. Kitts & Nevis
• Switzerland
• Trinidad & Tobago
• Turkmenistan
• United Kingdom
• Vatican City
• Western Samoa

£ 22,200 per year

Tuition fees shown are for indicative purposes and may vary. Please check with the institution for most up to date details.

University information

University League Table

Campus address.

University of York, Heslington, York, York, YO10 5DD, England

Subject rankings

Subject ranking.

15th out of 109 3

Entry standards

Graduate prospects

Student satisfaction

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• Help & FAQ
• University of York
• Faculty of Social Sciences
• Phone +44 (0) 1904 325802, +44 (0) 1904 325805
• Website http://www.york.ac.uk/law

United Kingdom

Organisation profile

The staff at York Law School study law from a wide range of disciplinary perspectives, including doctrinal analysis, philosophy, sociology, history and political science.

One of the strengths of our research culture is our active engagement with other Schools in the University.

In addition to our hosting the Centre for Applied Human Rights with the Department of Politics, individual staff members have collaborative research links with the Morrell Centre for Tolerance in the Department of Politics, the multi-disciplinary York Environmental Sustainability Institute and the Centre for Housing Policy in the Department of Social Policy and Social Work.

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Dive into details.

Select a country/territory to view shared publications and projects

Joanna Al-Qaddoumi

• Law - Research Associate

Person: Research

• Law - Head of Department

Person: Academic

Stuart James Bell

• Law - Professor

Research output

• 563 Article
• 255 Chapter
• 49 Other contribution
• 49 Book/Film/Article review
• 32 Comment/debate
• 31 Commissioned report
• 31 Chapter (peer-reviewed)
• 18 Other report
• 18 Conference contribution
• 17 Working paper
• 11 Review article
• 8 Entry for encyclopedia/dictionary
• 7 Anthology
• 6 Doctoral Thesis
• 5 Editorial
• 5 Special issue
• 2 Featured article
• 1 Other chapter contribution
• 1 Discussion paper

Research output per year

Mental Health Law: Inpatient Care

Research output : Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter (peer-reviewed) › peer-review

A bloody mess? UK regulation of menopause discrimination and the need for reform

Research output : Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Academic Knowledge and Uncivil Disobedience

Research output : Working paper

• 11 Not started
• 87 Finished

Projects per year

Regulatory guidelines informing the societal and ethical factors shaping medical AI adoption

Townsend, B. & Calinescu, R.

1/05/24 → 31/10/25

Project : Research project (funded) › Research

[BA SRG 23-24] Justifying Protest in the Courts: Voice, Democracy, and the Law

Gilmore, J.

THE BRITISH ACADEMY

16/04/24 → 30/06/25

ESRC IAA 23-28: The Future of Statehood in International Law

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL (ESRC)

1/03/24 → 31/07/24

Project : Other project (funded) › Restricted grant

• 206 Conference participation
• 149 Invited talk
• 128 Seminar/workshop/course
• 98 Publication peer review
• 60 Conference
• 32 Oral presentation
• 28 Workshop
• 21 Public engagement and outreach (social community and cultural engagement)
• 20 Editorial board
• 17 Public lecture
• 16 Media (Other online)
• 13 Academic
• 13 Peer review of research grants
• 8 Symposium
• 6 Committee
• 6 Public engagement and outreach (general)
• 5 Journal or guest editorship
• 5 Appointment
• 5 Media (Press)
• 4 Fellowship
• 3 Consultancy (in kind)
• 3 Membership of peer review panel or committee
• 3 Government
• 3 Association
• 3 Media (Radio)
• 2 Outreach (e.g. schools, community groups)
• 2 Consultancy (paid)
• 2 Advisory Group
• 2 Peer Review College
• 2 Working group
• 2 Media (TV)
• 1 Industrial
• 1 Learned society
• 1 Professional body
• 1 Research Group
• 1 Types of Award - Prize (including medals and awards)
• 1 Types of External academic engagement - Research and Teaching at External Organisation
• 1 Public engagement and outreach (schools)

Activities per year

"Creating supportive environments for early career researchers"

Magdalena Furgalska (Keynote/plenary speaker)

Activity : Talk or presentation › Invited talk

Public Health and Soft Law

Himani Bhakuni (Invited speaker)

The Miners' Strike at 40 - The role of the state then and now

Joanna Gilmore (Invited speaker)

The law of asylum in the Middle East and Asia: Developing legal engagement at the frontiers of the international refugee regime

Jones, M. D. (Creator) & Nah, A. M. (Creator), University of York, 5 Jun 2021

DOI : 10.15124/12f46bc3-1d24-449f-87c0-80fb840c83ea , https://frontierofasylum.net/

Asynchronous Saturation of the Carbon Sink in African and Amazonian tropical forests

Hubau, W. (Creator), Lewis, S. (Creator), Phillips, O. (Creator), Kofi Affum-Baffoe, K. (Creator), Hans Beeckman, H. (Creator), Cuni Sanchez, A. (Creator), Ewango, C. (Creator), Fauset, S. (Creator), Sheil, D. (Creator), Sonké, B. (Creator), Sullivan, M. (Creator), Sunderland, T. (Creator), Thomas, S. (Creator), Abernethy, K. (Creator), Adu-Bredu, S. (Creator), Amani, C. (Creator), Baker, T. (Creator), Banin, L. (Creator), Baya, F. (Creator), Begne, S. (Creator), Bennett, A. (Creator), Benedet, F. (Creator), Bitariho, R. (Creator) & Bocko, Y. (Creator), Forestplots.net, 2019

DOI : 10.5521/forestplots.net/2019_1

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MPhil/PhD Law

• Graduate research
• Department of Law
• Application code M3ZL
• Starting 2024
• Home full-time: Closed
• Overseas full-time: Closed
• Location: Houghton Street, London

LSE Law is the UK's pre-eminent research institution for law. Our academics are the authors of influential and often path-breaking scholarship, and many have globally leading reputations. As one of UK's largest law departments, with over 70 academic members of staff, LSE Law is well known for its interdisciplinary and contextual approaches to the study of law.

Our PhD Law programme 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.

Students in our PhD programme work under the supervision of two academics. We also provide specialised training for PhD students, both through our own training course and through courses run by other units of LSE, especially the Department of Methodology and the PhD Academy. PhD students are also welcome to attend any other LSE course, subject to the approval of the lecturer. We aim to provide our PhD students with the opportunity to gain teaching experience, and also offer the opportunity to become involved with the organisation of mooting, academic conferences, pro bono work, and our working paper series. Each year two PhD students also serve as Masters advisers/PhD Representatives.

Programme details

For more information about tuition fees and entry requirements, see the fees and funding and assessing your application sections.

Entry requirements

Minimum entry requirements for mphil/phd law .

Our normal minimum entry requirement is a completed LLM degree or other masters-level qualification, awarded with an average mark of 70% (distinction/first class honours) or equivalent. Exceptionally, we may admit students who do not meet this requirement, where there is strong, alternative evidence of your suitability for our PhD programme.

Although we accept applications from students who have not yet completed their LLM or equivalent degree by the application deadline, we give priority within the admissions process to students who have already obtained the required grade by this date. Strong candidates who are currently completing their LLM/other masters degree may therefore wish to defer their application until they have received the requisite grade. Offers of admission and funding that are made to applicants who are currently undertaking their LLM/other masters degree are made on a “conditional” basis, meaning that the offer cannot be confirmed until the minimum entry requirement has been achieved. Conditional offers must be confirmed by the end of July of the year of entry at the latest. This means that current master students who will not have their final grades/transcript by the end of July (including students on the LSE LLM degree) are not eligible to apply to the PhD programme, unless they already hold another masters degree with the requisite grade.

It must be emphasised that meeting the minimum entry requirement does not guarantee entry. The PhD programme is heavily over-subscribed, meaning that the large majority of applicants who meet this requirement each year do not receive a place. We select students based on a variety of factors, including past academic performance, motivation for doctoral study, the viability of the applicant’s research proposal and its anticipated contribution to legal scholarship, the availability of suitable supervisors, and the diversity of the incoming PhD cohort, including diversity of subject-areas.

Research proposal

Your application should give us a clear idea of what you want to research and why.

You should state the general area in which you wish to undertake research, and provide a detailed outline of the specific questions you intend to investigate within that field. You should indicate the ways in which your proposed study would be a significant and original contribution to knowledge. You should identify the materials you expect to need, where you expect to find them, and the methods and/or framework of analysis you propose to use. Finally, you should explain how your proposed project is a good fit with other research work done within the Law School.

More detailed information on the admissions requirements for the programme, and guidance on what is required to form a successful research proposal is available in the LSE Law PhD programme FAQs page .

Competition for places at the School is high. This means that even if you meet our minimum entry requirement, this does not guarantee you an offer of admission. 

If you have studied or are studying outside of the UK then have a look at our  Information for International Students  to find out the entry requirements that apply to you.

Assessing your application

We welcome applications from students whose proposed research projects complement the academic interests of members of staff at the School, and we recommend that you investigate staff research interests before applying. Applicants may wish to approach potential supervisors at the Law School to gauge their availability in a particular year and/or their willingness to supervise a specific research topic. However, you are not required to contact potential supervisors before applying, and doing so provides no advantage in the admissions process. If your application is successful, two academic members of staff will be appointed to supervise you.

We carefully consider each application on an individual basis, taking into account all the information presented on your application form, including your:

- academic achievement (including existing and pending qualifications) - statement of academic purpose - references - CV - outline research proposal - sample of written work.

See further information on supporting documents

You may also have to provide evidence of your English proficiency. You do not need to provide this at the time of your application to LSE, but we recommend that you do.  See our English language requirements .

In most instances, we hold a brief interview with shortlisted applicants as part of the admissions process. This is typically conducted by an applicant’s potential supervisors, it takes place virtually (e.g. over Zoom), and it lasts about half an hour. The purpose of the interview is to further assess both the applicant’s motivation for doctoral study and the feasibility of the proposed research project. No preparation is required for the interview, although we recommend that you look over the material that you have submitted with your application beforehand.

When to apply

The application deadline for this programme is 1 December 2023 . To be considered for any LSE funding opportunity, you must have submitted your application and all supporting documents by the funding deadline. See the fees and funding section for more details. Candidates are responsible for ensuring that any necessary supporting materials (e.g. letters of reference sent by referees on their behalf) reach the LSE in good time, and are advised to start the admissions process as early as possible as a result.

Fees and funding

Every research student is charged a fee in line with the fee structure for their programme. The fee covers registration and examination fees payable to the School, lectures, classes and individual supervision, lectures given at other colleges under intercollegiate arrangements and, under current arrangements, membership of the Students' Union. It does not cover  living costs  or travel or fieldwork.

Tuition fees 2024/25 for MPhil/PhD Law

Home students: £4,829 for the first year (provisional) Overseas students: £22,632 for the first year

The fee is likely to rise over subsequent years of the programme. The School charges home research students in line with the level of fee that the Research Councils recommend. The fees for overseas students are likely to rise in line with the assumed percentage increase in pay costs (i.e. 4 per cent per annum).

The Table of Fees shows the latest tuition amounts for all programmes offered by the School.

The amount of tuition fees you will need to pay, and any financial support you are eligible for, will depend on whether you are classified as a home or overseas student, otherwise known as your fee status. LSE assesses your fee status based on guidelines provided by the Department of Education.

Further information about fee status classification.

Scholarships, studentships and other funding

The School recognises that the  cost of living in London  may be higher than in your home town or country, and we provide generous scholarships each year to home and overseas students.

LSE Law School nonetheless aims to ensure that all students have adequate funding for their studies, typically through the award of an LSE PhD Studentship . A Studentship covers the cost of the student’s tuition fees and also provides a generous annual maintenance stipend (£23,000 for 2023/24). Studentships come with a teaching requirement of approximately 100 hours of classroom teaching to be completed over the course of the candidate’s PhD studies. The Law School also offers an annual personal research allowance of £1,000, and other benefits such as access to our PhD Field Work fund.

There is no separate application process for LSE PhD Studentships, as funding awards are considered alongside admission to the doctoral programme. All applicants must apply by the ordinary application deadline of 1 December 2023 .

In addition to our needs-based awards, LSE also makes available scholarships for students from specific regions of the world and awards for students studying specific subject areas.  Find out more about financial support.

External funding 

There may be other funding opportunities available through other organisations or governments and we recommend you investigate these options as well.

Further information

Fees and funding opportunities

Information for international students

LSE is an international community, with over 140 nationalities represented amongst its student body. We celebrate this diversity through everything we do.  

If you are applying to LSE from outside of the UK then take a look at our Information for International students . 

1) Take a note of the UK qualifications we require for your programme of interest (found in the ‘Entry requirements’ section of this page). 

2) Go to the International Students section of our website. 

3) Select your country. 

4) Select ‘Graduate entry requirements’ and scroll until you arrive at the information about your local/national qualification. Compare the stated UK entry requirements listed on this page with the local/national entry requirement listed on your country specific page.

Programme structure and courses

In addition to progressing with your research, you are expected to take the listed training and transferable skills courses. You may take courses in addition to those listed, and should discuss this with your supervisor. At the end of your first year (full-time), you will need to satisfy certain requirements and if you meet these, you will be retroactively upgraded to PhD status.

First year - Training courses

Doctoral Research Seminar (Compulsory) Equips students with the skills required to undertake advanced legal research. Law Department Seminar Series (Compulsory) One other relevant course: (Compulsory)

Second year - Training courses

Doctoral Research Seminar Series (Optional) PhD Seminar Series (Optional) Staff Seminar Series

Third year - Training courses

Doctoral Research Seminar Series (Optional) PhD seminar Series (Compulsory) Staff seminar Series (Optional)

Fourth year - Transferable skills courses

Doctoral Research Seminar Series (Optional) PhD Seminar Series (Optional) Staff Seminar Series (Optional)

You must note, however, that while care has been taken to ensure that this information is up to date and correct, a change of circumstances since publication may cause the School to change, suspend or withdraw a course or programme of study, or change the fees that apply to it. The School will always notify the affected parties as early as practicably possible and propose any viable and relevant alternative options. Note that the School will neither be liable for information that after publication becomes inaccurate or irrelevant, nor for changing, suspending or withdrawing a course or programme of study due to events outside of its control, which includes but is not limited to a lack of demand for a course or programme of study, industrial action, fire, flood or other environmental or physical damage to premises.

You must also note that places are limited on some courses and/or subject to specific entry requirements. The School cannot therefore guarantee you a place. Please note that changes to programmes and courses can sometimes occur after you have accepted your offer of a place. These changes are normally made in light of developments in the discipline or path-breaking research, or on the basis of student feedback. Changes can take the form of altered course content, teaching formats or assessment modes. Any such changes are intended to enhance the student learning experience. You should visit the School’s  Calendar , or contact the relevant academic department, for information on the availability and/or content of courses and programmes of study. Certain substantive changes will be listed on the   updated graduate course and programme information page ..

Supervision, progression and assessment

Supervision.

You will be assigned two supervisors who are specialists in your chosen research field, though not necessarily in your topic. 

Progression and assessment

Full-time PhD students must complete their doctorate within four years, and part-time students must complete it within eight years.

At the end of the first year (or, in the case of part-time students, second year), your progress is formally assessed. Successful completion of this assessment then sees you registered as a candidate for the PhD degree.  As part of this assessment (or ‘upgrade’) process, you will present your work-in-progress at our Upgrade Conference, attended by academic staff and PhD students. Third year doctoral students also give a seminar on their work-in-progress, again attended by academic staff and PhD students.

Student support and resources

We’re here to help and support you throughout your time at LSE, whether you need help with your academic studies, support with your welfare and wellbeing or simply to develop on a personal and professional level.

Whatever your query, big or small, there are a range of people you can speak to who will be happy to help.  

Department librarians   – they will be able to help you navigate the library and maximise its resources during your studies. 

Accommodation service  – they can offer advice on living in halls and offer guidance on private accommodation related queries.

Class teachers and seminar leaders  – they will be able to assist with queries relating to specific courses. 

Disability and Wellbeing Service  – they are experts in long-term health conditions, sensory impairments, mental health and specific learning difficulties. They offer confidential and free services such as  student counselling,  a  peer support scheme  and arranging  exam adjustments.  They run groups and workshops.  

IT help  – support is available 24 hours a day to assist with all your technology queries.   

LSE Faith Centre  – this is home to LSE's diverse religious activities and transformational interfaith leadership programmes, as well as a space for worship, prayer and quiet reflection. It includes Islamic prayer rooms and a main space for worship. It is also a space for wellbeing classes on campus and is open to all students and staff from all faiths and none.   

Language Centre  – the Centre specialises in offering language courses targeted to the needs of students and practitioners in the social sciences. We offer pre-course English for Academic Purposes programmes; English language support during your studies; modern language courses in nine languages; proofreading, translation and document authentication; and language learning community activities.

LSE Careers  ­ – with the help of LSE Careers, you can make the most of the opportunities that London has to offer. Whatever your career plans, LSE Careers will work with you, connecting you to opportunities and experiences from internships and volunteering to networking events and employer and alumni insights. 

LSE Library   –   founded in 1896, the British Library of Political and Economic Science is the major international library of the social sciences. It stays open late, has lots of excellent resources and is a great place to study. As an LSE student, you’ll have access to a number of other academic libraries in Greater London and nationwide. 

LSE LIFE  – this is where you should go to develop skills you’ll use as a student and beyond. The centre runs talks and workshops on skills you’ll find useful in the classroom; offers one-to-one sessions with study advisers who can help you with reading, making notes, writing, research and exam revision; and provides drop-in sessions for academic and personal support. (See ‘Teaching and assessment’). 

LSE Students’ Union (LSESU)  – they offer academic, personal and financial advice and funding.  

PhD Academy   – this is available for PhD students, wherever they are, to take part in interdisciplinary events and other professional development activities and access all the services related to their registration. 

Sardinia House Dental Practice   – this   offers discounted private dental services to LSE students.  

St Philips Medical Centre  – based in Pethwick-Lawrence House, the Centre provides NHS Primary Care services to registered patients.

Student Services Centre  – our staff here can answer general queries and can point you in the direction of other LSE services.  

Student advisers   – we have a  Deputy Head of Student Services (Advice and Policy)  and an  Adviser to Women Students  who can help with academic and pastoral matters.

Student life

As a student at LSE you’ll be based at our central London campus. Find out what our campus and London have to offer you on academic, social and career perspective. 

Student societies and activities

Your time at LSE is not just about studying, there are plenty of ways to get involved in  extracurricular activities . From joining one of over 200 societies, or starting your own society, to volunteering for a local charity, or attending a public lecture by a world-leading figure, there is a lot to choose from. 

The campus 

LSE is based on one  campus  in the centre of London. Despite the busy feel of the surrounding area, many of the streets around campus are pedestrianised, meaning the campus feels like a real community. 

Life in London 

London is an exciting, vibrant and colourful city. It's also an academic city, with more than 400,000 university students. Whatever your interests or appetite you will find something to suit your palate and pocket in this truly international capital. Make the most of career opportunities and social activities, theatre, museums, music and more. 

Want to find out more? Read why we think  London is a fantastic student city , find out about  key sights, places and experiences for new Londoners . Don't fear, London doesn't have to be super expensive: hear about  London on a budget . 

Quick Careers Facts for the Department of Law

Median salary of our PG students 15 months after graduating: £36,000

Top 5 sectors our students work in:

• Law and Legal Services  
• Government, Public Sector and Policy   
• Accounting and Auditing              
• Health and Social Care  
• Education, Teaching and Research

The data was collected as part of the Graduate Outcomes survey, which is administered by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). Graduates from 2020-21 were the fourth group to be asked to respond to Graduate Outcomes. Median salaries are calculated for respondents who are paid in UK pounds sterling and who were working in full-time employment.

Once completed, the majority of our students undertake academic appointments, whether as lecturers or post-doctoral researchers. The remainder have received tenancies in barristers’ chambers or work in law firms, or NGOs and consultancies. Over the last four years, our PhD graduates have been appointed to lectureships at universities that include London School of Economics, City, Cardiff, Durham, King’s College London, Birkbeck, Liverpool, Middlesex, Queen Mary, SOAS, Southampton, University College London, Warwick and York, and outside the UK at the Graduate Institute of International Studies (Geneva), University College Dublin, Victoria University (New Zealand), Queen’s University (Canada) and St Thomas University (Canada). Other graduates have been selected for post-doctoral fellowships at the London School of Economics. New York University, Humbolt University,  the European University Institute and the University of Haifa.

Further information on graduate destinations for this programme

Support for your career

Many leading organisations give careers presentations at the School during the year, and LSE Careers has a wide range of resources available to assist students in their job search. Find out more about the  support available to students through LSE Careers .

Find out more about LSE

Discover more about being an LSE student - meet us in a city near you, visit our campus or experience LSE from home. 

Experience LSE from home

Webinars, videos, student blogs and student video diaries will help you gain an insight into what it's like to study at LSE for those that aren't able to make it to our campus.  Experience LSE from home . 

Come on a guided campus tour, attend an undergraduate open day, drop into our office or go on a self-guided tour.  Find out about opportunities to visit LSE . 

LSE visits you

Student Marketing, Recruitment and Study Abroad travels throughout the UK and around the world to meet with prospective students. We visit schools, attend education fairs and also hold Destination LSE events: pre-departure events for offer holders.  Find details on LSE's upcoming visits . 

How to apply

Virtual Graduate Open Day

Register your interest

Related programmes, mphil/phd international relations.

Code(s) M1ZR

LLM, Master of Laws

Code(s) M3U1, M3U4 (extended part-time – 48 months)

MRes/PhD Political Science

Code(s) M1ZN

MPhil/PhD Gender

Code(s) Y2ZG

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• Faculty of Social Sciences
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• Research degrees

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

A PhD is an internationally-recognised research qualification.

Studying for a PhD in Law, Criminology or Criminal Justice will allow you to become an expert in a specialist legal area and gain high-quality research training, which will equip you to undertake further research projects.

PhD in Law, Criminology or Criminal Justice

As a PhD candidate, you will carry out original research under the guidance of two supervisors and produce an original thesis of approximately 100,000 words.

For the first twelve months, or eighteen months if part-time, you will be enrolled as a provisional PhD candidate. In this period, you will develop a detailed research proposal and write a literature review. This work is then submitted to a panel of examiners who assess it and provide you with feedback and advice on the progress of your research.

This procedure is called a 'transfer' and is an important means of monitoring the progress of your work, assessing, amongst other matters, whether your proposal has enough weight to be accurately explored through a PhD research path.

After successfully transferring, you will enrol as a full PhD candidate, complete your research and write a thesis of approximately 100,000 words. 

The degree of Doctor of Philosophy is awarded on the basis of your thesis, and your viva voce, where you present and discuss the rationale, methods and findings of your original study with an examining panel.

A PhD can be taken full-time (three years) or part-time (five years).

Areas of supervision

Our research supervision offers a wide breadth of activity across several key academic teams. 

Explore our research areas to discover the themes and supervisors relating to your field of study: 

• Centre for Business Law and Practice
• Centre for Criminal Justice Studies
• Centre for Innovation and Research in Legal Education
• Centre for Law and Social Justice

Many of our academic staff are also involved in the Leeds Social Science Institute which fosters interdisciplinary research collaborations and provides training for our postgraduate researchers.

Sean Butcher PhD Law

“My research has developed in fascinating ways that I couldn’t have anticipated. But beyond this, I’ve had a chance to assist with research projects undertaken by other members of staff, complete an exciting programme of research training, engage in teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, and present at and host conferences. All of this has been invaluable in shaping my academic skills and profile, which is vital to enhancing my career prospects.”

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PhD Programme

Our Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) postgraduate degree is a research-based programme of study centred on completing a satisfactory thesis of up to 100,000 words on an approved topic in the field of law. The programme is normally three years in length, or six years for part-time students. This degree is internationally recognised as a sign of research excellence. Many of our former PhD students have gone on to have successful careers in academia, the legal profession, the civil service, and in non-governmental organisations. Please see a list of our recently graduated students and their theses here. Information about the annual fees for this course can be found here , and PhD counts as a 'classroom' course for these purposes.

Areas of supervision

Prospective PhD students should consult our list of Areas of Research Supervision and contact staff to discuss potential projects.

Securing funding for PhD studies

Limited funding is available on a competitive basis for undertaking the PhD with details available here. Please note that if you would like to be considered for external funding, applications must be submitted in advance of the deadlines specified on that page.

Application

In order to apply for a PhD, students must meet our entry requirements, detailed below. Once students have checked that they meet the conditions, they should contact a member of staff with a view to them acting as supervisor. When contacting staff, students should share with them a research proposal so the potential supervisor can understand fully the nature of the proposed study.

The second step in the application process is to complete the online application form.

Once accepted onto the programme, students will be inducted into the University and the Law School. Please note that all induction events take place in October, although there is also a limited intake of new students who begin their studies in January or April. We accept applications on a rolling basis throughout the year to accommodate this.

Entry requirements

In order to be admitted onto the PhD programme, students must satisfy the following entry requirements:

You must have a relevant Bachelor's degree or equivalent overseas qualification at the level of a good 2:1 or above. Where that degree is in a discipline other than Law, you must demonstrate a sufficiently deep understanding of the relevant areas of the law or legal thought, which will usually require your degree to have included a substantial Law component. In addition , applicants will have a Masters degree with an average of 65 or above (or equivalent).  Please note: we require a copy of your academic transcripts, with a breakdown of your module results before we can process your application.

• If you are not a native English speaker, you must demonstrate competence in English. Our   minimum standard is 7.0 on every component   of the IELTS test. Students must achieve this standard before commencing studies. If your most recent IELTs test is more than 2 years old, it will need to be taken again. Applicants whose entrance qualifications were studied in English in certain countries within the last two years are not required to submit evidence of English language proficiency.

Application requirements

In addition to satisfying our entry requirements, applicants must also submit the following documents when they apply.

• You must submit a current   CV
• You must provide a photo page of your   passport .
• You must supply  two academic references  from within the past two years . We may also accept one professional reference and one academic reference. Applicants should  not  email references to us themselves. Each reference  must  be  either  emailed by the referee directly to us ( [email protected] )  or  uploaded via the application system. All references must be on headed paper and clearly dated.
• You must submit a satisfactory research proposal of   no more than 2,000 words , including references but excluding bibliography. Details of the content of a research proposal are explained below. Acceptance is dependent on whether we have the necessary academic expertise in the School. Students must make informal contact with a potential supervisor  to discuss their application and research proposal at an early stage. Please note, however, that such contact does not necessarily mean that you will eventually be accepted.
• You should state on the application whether you would like to be considered for a scholarship to assist with funding your PhD study. Do note that the Law School has limited funding available for PhD applicants and it is available on a competitive basis. Details of postgraduate funding opportunities are available   here

Students must ensure they include all relevant documentation when applying. Any incomplete applications will not be processed.

Research proposals

Your application  must  include a proposal for the research project you wish to undertake. Without this your application cannot be considered. The UK system of research degrees is driven by the student's own choice of project, rather than projects being dictated by supervisors.

Your application must name the member of academic staff within the Law School whom you believe could act as your primary supervisor. To identify a member of staff please consult the list of   Areas of Research Supervision   and then approach the identified person to ask whether they would be willing and able to supervise you. You are advised to discuss your draft research proposal with this person in advance of your application. This will strengthen your proposal and will increase the likelihood of acceptance onto the programme.  Your application should clearly state with which potential supervisor you have discussed your proposal.

As part of the application process, you may be requested to amend your proposal before we come to a final determination on its suitability.

The research proposal must include an explanation of the research context (i.e. the state of the current research), set out the research questions to be answered in the thesis, and explain the sources and methods that are to be used.

A good PhD proposal will:

• Introduce your proposal by explaining the ‘research problem’ that your study intends to address. Tell us why it is an important and interesting area for research and how it relates to your own interests/previous research.
• Provide a review of the literature that shows your familiarity with current knowledge of the ‘research problem’. Tell us how your research will fit with the existing academic/legal/policy literature.
• Identify the gap in current knowledge on which your project will focus.
• Formulate clear research questions.
• Explain how your methodology and approach will enable you to address your research questions.
• Most legal research is literature based. If, however, you propose to conduct empirical research, then you will need to describe your methodology and proposed methods for sampling, data collection and data analysis, showing how these will allow you to address the research questions. A social science methodology should be supported by reference to the research methods literature. You will need to pay attention to ethical considerations and indicate how you will address them.
• Provide a research plan showing how you would conduct the research over the period of your PhD.
• Explain the relevance of your previous experience to the project and what impact your research could make (e.g., to policy/practice as well as knowledge).

For more information, please contact the Law School Postgraduate Research Co-ordinator on  [email protected]  

Get in touch

Enquiries about Durham Law School and our courses should be sent via the contact links below.

• Get in touch using our enquiry form
• Contact Law School reception

Durham Law School

Durham University Palatine Centre Stockton Road Durham DH1 3LE

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Discover more about Law at Manchester

PhD Law / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

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

Full entry requirements

Apply online

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

Application Deadlines

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

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

Programme options

Programme overview.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scholarships/sponsorships

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

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

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

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

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

Contact details

See: School Subjects

Programmes in related subject areas

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

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 .

Graduate Admissions

Law (osgoode hall law school).

Osgoode is one of Canada's oldest and most prestigious law schools with a reputation for academic excellence.

The Research Graduate Program (PhD & LLM) provides research-focused graduate students with an opportunity to be supervised by outstanding professors who are pursuing original research. We have a large and varied Faculty, innovative research centres, a range of available funding, a broad range of graduate courses and Canada's finest research law library.

The Research LLM is a full-time research-intensive degree that requires students to complete either a thesis or major research paper.  The PhD is an advanced degree involving extensive, research-intensive study, suitable for students who aim for an academic position.

In addition to the Research Graduate Program, Osgoode Professional Development offers a different set of full and part-time Professional LLM programs that bridge theory and practice. These are ideal for Canadian or international lawyers and law graduates who want to explore a new area of law or improve professional skills. For further information on these programs, please visit the Osgoode Professional Development site or email [email protected] .

Note : The Graduate Program in Law at Osgoode Hall Law School of York University accepts a very limited number of international applicants. Please refer to the program website for more details before submitting an application.

Quick Links

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Additional Admission Requirements

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Degrees Offered

Program component(s).

• Course work
• OR Major research paper

Minimum Required GPA

Deadline - fall (all applicants), english proficiency requirement.

Duolingo scores are accepted for Summer 2021, Fall 2021 and Winter 2022 entry only.

• AND Dissertation

Required Forms

What you need to apply.

• Application Checklist (PDF)
• Application Form
• Supplementary Information Form (Research) (To be completed and uploaded as a PDF with your application)

Number of Recommendation(s)

• 2 recommendation(s)

Other Requirements

• Resumé or CV
• 1 writing sample
• 2 references
• Statement of Interest (Research Proposal)
• Transcripts
• Supplementary Information Form (Research)

Ways to connect with the Faculty of Graduate Studies and Program Supports

Have a program-related question.

Contact the graduate program assistant: yorku.ca/gradstudies/program-contacts/

Have an admission related question? Contact the Graduate Admissions Team

By phone: 416-872-9675

By email:   [email protected]

Upcoming graduate webinars/in-person events for Future Students: futurestudents.yorku.ca/events/graduate

York University Office of Admissions Bennett Centre for Student Services 99 Ian Macdonald Blvd Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 CANADA 

Connect with York University

Osgoode’s PhD in law is a full-time advanced degree requiring research-intensive study and in principally aimed at students pursuing an academic career. It is designed to be completed in three to four years.

Prerequisites

An LLM is generally a precondition of admission to the PhD. Students without an LLM should apply initially to the Research LLM; after their first year of study they can apply to advance to the PhD.

Degree Requirements

Graduate seminar i: legal research (gs law 6610), graduate seminar ii: advanced legal research methodologies (gs law 6611).

• Study groups
• One elective course
• Extended dissertation proposal

Dissertation

• Final oral examination

The Graduate Seminar is the core course for the Graduate Program in Law. Designed to complement other courses, the seminar provides a venue for developing critical assessments of the law and facilitating students’ progress on their own research, papers and dissertation proposals. The seminar also creates an intellectual community and introduces students to Osgoode research resources.

This seminar offers a review of quantitative and qualitative methods employed in legal research. Specific sessions focus on interviewing, ethnographic methods, surveys and other quantitative methods, data collection and analysis, archival and document collection and analysis. The seminar is designed for PhD students and is completed in the winter term.

Study Groups

Students participating in study groups read and discuss a number of articles with their groups each week. The groups are not structured as courses but as venues for reflection and discourse. For doctoral students, study groups are equivalent to the comprehensive examinations required by other graduate programs.

Participation in a study group is required (for credit) in the first or second year of PhD studies, and then one year thereafter (non-credit) provided PhD students are registered full-time. Students can choose among five options, depending on their research interests and course availability:

• Regulation and Governance
• Law and Economic Relations
• Theoretical Perspectives in Legal Research
• Law and Social Justice
• Law in a Global Context

Elective Courses

PhD students can fulfil their elective course requirement through:

• a variety of graduate courses in law
• integrated courses with the JD program
• independent study
• courses in other programs

Research Outline, Ethical Review and University Guidelines

In the second term of their first year, each student must submit to the Program office a brief outline of their proposed research that has been reviewed and approved by the members of their supervisory committee. The work must be original, containing a new argument supported by research carried out by the student.

A declaration of the ethical issues around the underlying research must be made early in the student’s first year. Projects involving interactions of any kind (for example, through interviews, questionnaires, consultations or observations) require an ethics review.

Dissertations must be prepared in accordance with the Faculty of Graduate Studies thesis and dissertation guidelines .

Extended Dissertation Proposal

PhD students must submit an extended dissertation proposal (50 –70 pages) by the end of their sixth term. Students must defend their proposal in an oral exam before an examining committee (which must be done by the end seventh term).

The dissertation is a piece of original research that reflects a substantial contribution to existing legal literature. Expected to be between 300-350 pages, it should have the usual scholarly apparatus, footnotes and a bibliography prepared in accordance with the McGill Guide to Legal Citations. The dissertation should be of sufficiently high quality to warrant publication by an academic publisher or through a comparable venue.

With the permission of their supervisor and in consultation with the Graduate Program Director, PhD candidates may submit a Portfolio Dissertation in lieu of a conventional thesis. The Portfolio Dissertation must be composed of three to five articles (depending on the length and ambition of the articles) developed during the candidate’s graduate studies, published or accepted for publication, and combined with an introduction and conclusion.

Final Oral Examination

Students must succeed in an oral defence of their dissertation before an examination committee.

Time to Completion

PhD students are expected to complete all requirements within 18 terms (six years).

Residency Requirement

Students must be located such that they are able to progress on all program requirements requiring geographical availability on campus.

More Detail:

Faculty research advisors, related topics:, funding and fees, intellectual life, meet our current doctoral students, meet our phds.

Jake Okechukwu Effoduh

“This school propelled me to unearth the power of legal research in ways that have helped me uncover new insights, challenge existing paradigms and contribute to this ever-evolving landscape of scholarship.”

Deanne Sowter

“Attending Osgoode Hall Law School for my JD and PhD were two of the best decisions of my life, giving me the opportunities and skills to engage in important research supported by a thriving academic community.”

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Course Overview

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

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

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

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

Our key areas of research are:

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

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

Key information

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

• October 2024
• January 2025

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

Find another course:

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

Entry Requirements

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

English language requirements

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

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

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

Visa and funding requirements

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fees and finance

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

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

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

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

International scholarships

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

Our research culture

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

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

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

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

Read more about  our vibrant research culture .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Areas of research interest

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

Application deadlines and interviews

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

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

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

Recent research topics.

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

Apply for your course

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

Finding a supervisor

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

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

Related courses

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

• Postgraduate
• Research degrees

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

• Apply for 2024
• Find a course
• Accessibility

Postgraduate course

A PhD is your research, your questions and your passion. Immerse yourself in your chosen specialism and conduct high quality academic research, on campus or by distance learning.

Our PhD course lets you plan, design, and conduct research in an area that interests you. Your supervisory team will support you as you evaluate the latest research findings and produce your own thesis. If you know the area you want to specialise in, this course can help you become an expert in the field. A PhD will improve your career prospects and allow you to continue the pursuit of your intellectual interests.

Course location York campus, London campus or by distance learning

• Duration – 2 to 4 years full time, 3 to 7 years part time
• Start date – February 2025, June 2024, October 2024

Minimum entry requirements

2:1 degree in a related subject

Master's qualification

Tuition fees

UK 2023-24 £4,786 per year full time --> full time

International 2023-24 £13,000 per year full time --> full time

Course overview

Your PhD will be challenging, rewarding and will lead you to the highest educational qualification. Your research will be an original contribution to knowledge and have the potential to alter current policies, approaches or practices in the subject area.

You will collaborate with a supervisory team that has been carefully selected for you and be part of an exceptional research community of postgraduate researchers.

When you choose to study with us, you will gain plenty of opportunities to enhance your professional skills. These could include:

• Gaining teaching experience
• Presenting your research at conferences and events
• Engaging with further training
• Working with the community

Professional development and training

During your PhD, you will discuss additional training needs with your supervisory team. Your supervisors will help you identify your strengths and highlight areas for development.

The university delivers a blended training programme that will help you to develop your research and professional skills, enhance your CV and your employability.

Distance learning

Our PhD is also available by distance learning. Studying by distance learning will enable candidates to work remotely and engage with their supervisor through online meetings.

The PhD by distance learning is available to study full time or part time. Fees, assessment requirements and milestones are the same as PhDs on campus, and so are the expectations of time commitment and supervisory meetings.

Course structure

How you will study.

Your PhD will consist of 3 stages where you will:

• Produce a literature review of current research in your field
• Pose a set of novel questions that advance knowledge in your area
• Conduct your research and analyse your results
• Produce and submit your thesis
• Attend a viva voce (oral examination)

At this stage you will conduct the research. You will be expected to obtain ethical approval, collect your data and analyse your results, organising your work into coherent chapters for your thesis. You can present your research at conferences during this time and submit your work for publication. You will have a formal annual review to ensure your project is progressing.

At this stage you will be expected to collect your data and analyse your results, organising your work into coherent chapters for your thesis. You can present your research at conferences during this time and submit your work for publication. You will have a formal annual review to ensure your project is progressing.

Your final stage is where you will focus on writing and completing your thesis. You will have a final formal review alongside your regular supervisor meetings. At the end of your final phase, you will submit your thesis and undertake your viva voce. During this oral examination you will discuss and critically defend your thesis. An independent chair and examiners will be present to assess your research and findings.

Distance learning supervision

Supervision for a PhD by distance learning should take place regularly through online methods, for example Microsoft Teams or Zoom.

The commitment statement agreed when you apply for the PhD by distance learning should set out expectations for the frequency and mode of contact for supervision. The statement will also detail any face to face contact expectations and arrangements for written research reports.

Distance learning attendance and resources

When studying a PhD by distance learning, you will not normally be required to attend the University in person, except induction and oral examinations where attendance is expected. Exceptions to attending in person may be requested if you are not able to do so. 

During the PhD you will be expected to demonstrate attendance through participating in designated academic engagements, including supervisory sessions.

Entry Requirements

Qualifications.

2:1 degree in a related subject See full entry requirements including GCSEs

International Students

If you are an international student you will need to show that your qualifications match our entry requirements.

Information about international qualifications and entry requirements can be found on our International pages.

If English is not your first language you will need to show that you have English Language competence at IELTS level 7.0 (with no skill below 6.0) or equivalent.

International entry requirements

Applying for PhD by distance learning

Alongside the standard PhD entry requirements, you will also need to demonstrate that you can study successfully remotely. This includes:

• Showing that you can conduct your research with the resources available at your study site.
• Showing that you have access to appropriate IT facilities.
• Showing that you have the time, commitment and attitude to study successfully off-campus.
• Showing that you have access to support for study-related disabilities, if appropriate.

You will need to agree a commitment statement to confirm these requirements before you enrol.

Fees and funding

Uk 2024 - 2025.

The tuition fee for this PhD in the 2024 academic year course is £4,786 for full time UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man students.

For UK, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man candidates studying part time, the tuition fee for this PhD course in the 2023 - 2024 academic year is £2,393 per year.

The total, capped amount for completing your PhD is £14,358.

Doctoral loans are available to help you pay for your course. Find out more about UK Government Doctoral loans .

More information about funding your PhD is available on our Funding your research degree page.

International 2024 - 2025

The tuition fee for this PhD course is £13,000 per year in the 2024 academic year for full time international candidates.

For international candidates on a part time course  £6,500.

More information about funding your PhD is available on our International Fees and Funding page.

International Visa and Immigration

UK 2023-24 £4,786 per year full time --> full time

Additional costs

Depending upon the nature of your research project, a bench fee might be applied as a separate cost to your tuition fee. Bench fees are normally incurred for laboratory consumables and other significant project costs and any goods will remain under the property of the University.

If you have any queries regarding bench fees, please speak to your potential supervisor during the application process.

Any bench fees will be included in your offer letter and if you accept, the charge will be in addition to your tuition fees.

Contact us to discuss your research proposal

If you know what subject you want to research or you just want to find out more, contacting a School Postgraduate Research Leads is a great first step.

Our School Postgraduate Research Leads are the right people to talk to if you want to study a research degree. They can put you in contact with an academic who is researching a similar subject, and who could be your research supervisor during your course.

School Postgraduate Research Leads

School Postgraduate Research Lead : Claire Hind - [email protected]

Contact Claire if you are interested in subjects relating to:

• Drama and theatre
• Music performance and production
• Fine art, illustration and photography
• Media production
• Visual communication

School Postgraduate Research Lead: Dr Scott Cole -  [email protected]

Contact Scott if you are interested in subjects relating to:

• Language and linguistics
• Children, young people and families
• Teaching and education
• Psychology and mental health

School Postgraduate Research Lead:  Robert Edgar -  [email protected]  

Contact Robert if you are interested in subjects relating to:

• History and American studies
• Politics and international relations
• Religion, theology, philosophy and ethics
• English literature and media studies

School Postgraduate Research Lead:  Adam Odell -  [email protected]  

Contact Adam if you are interested in subjects relating to:

• Maths and data science
• Computer science
• Biomedical science
• Sport and exercise science
• Health sciences

School Postgraduate Research Lead: Rosie Binfield-Smith - [email protected]

Contact Rosie if you are interested in subjects relating to:

• Business and management
• Sociology, criminology and policing
• Accounting, economics and finance
• Tourism, hospitality and events

School Postgraduate Research Lead: Dr Khaled Kesseba -  [email protected]

Contact Khaled if you are interested in subjects relating to:

• Management, Business Management and International Business
• Management Studies Research
• Public Health and Global Healthcare Management
• Digital Marketing
• Project Management
• Computer and Data Science

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UCL LLM graduate, Dheemanth Vangimalla, wins an international research essay prize

22 May 2024

UCL Laws LLM graduate, Dheemanth Vangimalla, wins the top award in the 4iP Council Research Awards 2023 for a paper based on his LLM research dissertation. Dheemanth will be speaking about his research topic at a webinar organised by 4iP Council, on 30th May.

We are delighted to announce that Dheemanth Vangimalla, a recent UCL Laws graduate of the LLM in Intellectual Property Law has received the top award in the prestigious 4iP Council Research Awards for 2023 for his paper entitled ‘Plausibility and the flotilla: have the English courts drifted from the commodore’s approach to the evidential requirement for patent validity, and if so, is this divergence justified?’

The 4iP Council Research Award is an international research competition for European University students studying at Masters and PhD levels. It seeks to promote new ideas on topics pertinent to the interplay between intellectual property rights and innovation. Submissions, based on a student’s Masters or PhD research, are assessed by 4iP Council’s Research Award Jury made up of intellectual property experts from academia, government and industry. The papers are evaluated based on criteria including:

• Original thinking that broadens the debate on the chosen topic;
• High quality written expression; and
• Relevance to current IP problems and debate

and up to three prizes are awarded (winner and two runners-up).

In his winning paper, Dheemanth considered the origins of ‘plausibility’ and explored the evidential requirement that the term represents. His research revealed that there is divergence between the EPO and English courts in the evidential standard applied by the two decision-making bodies when assessing patent validity. He argues that the English courts adopting a higher standard lacks cogent justification as the standard neither reflects a balance between the competing objectives of the patent system nor limits a plausibility assessment to its targeted mischief. 

This paper was based on Dheemanth’s dissertation for his LLM in Intellectual Property Law, which was also recently awarded the IBIL Prize for Top Performance in an IP-related Research Essay on the LLM . During his LLM, Dheemanth was supervised by our IBIL scholarship PhD researcher, Joshua Bradley .

As part of the prize, the winning essay has been published on 4iP Council’s website , and Dheemanth will be speaking at a webinar about plausibility - orgainised by 4iP - along with IBIL's Professor Jacob, on 30 May. More details of the event can be found here . 

Having completed his LLM in the summer of 2023, Dheemanth has been working as a Research Assistant at the UCL Institute of Brand and Innovation Law  (IBIL), while also completing his bar exams. He will join Three New Square Chambers in the autumn as a pupil barrister.

• Read Dheemanth’s paper here .
• Find out more about the 4iP Council Research Awards
• Register to attend:  Plausibility: from herbicides to insecticides and beyond .