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MPhil/PhD Law

• Graduate research
• LSE Law School
• 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: £4,786 for the first year 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 Law School

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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Our research programme

We have a thriving cohort of PhD students from all over the world. Their projects cover a broad range of topics from intellectual property to information technology, from competition law to counter-rules, from global justice to gender equality.

You can meet some of our  current PhD students  on our Faculty's People pages. 

Our research programme is overseen by the Vice Dean for Research and the Director for Doctoral Studies.

How to Apply

Our PhD programme accepts projects in any area of legal research, subject to supervisory availability. 

Candidates should approach their potential first supervisor before applying to secure their support for application. Applications from candidates without a named, agreed supervisor from the School will not be considered. View our Faculty People Page to match your interests with a suitable supervisor.

Entry Requirements

• A Master's degree with Merit in Law or a related discipline, with strong evidence of research and writing ability. This will normally involve achieving a Merit in a dissertation component of the Master’s degree. We usually also require a Bachelor's degree with 2:1 honours.
• Candidates who do not meet these criteria will only be admitted if the prospective supervisor makes a case for admission based on the candidate's broader work and research experience.

Supporting Documentation

• Personal Statement - maximum 2 pages
• Writing Sample - A PDF copy of your Master’s dissertation or equivalent research essay (of up to 10,000 words) on a legal topic or relevant topic in a discipline other than Law. 
• Research Proposal - maximum 2 pages
• Qualifications - Copy of your official academic transcripts and degree certificates, proof of English language proficiency (if necessary)
• References - Two academic references. Your proposed supervisor may not act as your reference.

Find full guidance on the application process and supporting documentation here:  Applying for a Law Research MPhil/PhD .

 When you are ready, you must make an application via the  King's Apply portal .

What We Offer

You will join our academic staff on the premises in Somerset House East Wing where we have a dedicated suite of hot desking spaces available to our research students.

Mere minutes from the Strand Campus you will find the  Maughan Library  which serves as King College London’s library for law, social science, and the arts and humanities. As a King’s researcher you will also have access to the resources of other London universities including those at Senate House (home to the University of London’s research library), the British Library of Economics and Political Science at LSE, and the libraries of both Birkbeck College and the School of Oriental and African Studies in Bloomsbury. You also have access to The  Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS)  - the premier legal research library in London.

We provide a research allowance to each PhD student to support you with conference attendance, training, and development during your PhD. Additionally, we run multiple internal schemes for Research Development that can help you with the costs of travel and accomodation related to your PhD research. The Dickson Poon School of Law has also had great success supporting students with the Modern Law Review bursary over the last four years. 

Student life 

The Dickson Poon School of Law is home to one of the largest communities of doctoral researchers in the country and prides itself on the vibrant life of its doctoral programme. Our researchers are an integral part of the King’s community and fully participate in staff research events alongside faculty members.

The Dickson Poon School of Law is also home to various research centres and groupings which enjoy strong international and national reputations. These centres contribute to legal and wider public discourse on important current issues. You may find that your PhD project and research interests align with the themes and scope of one of our research centres or groups, where you will find opportunities to be involved with their projects and activities. For more information, see Our Centres . 

Student Representation

As a PhD student, you will be represented at the Faculty level by our Postgraduate Research Student Committee. This is a student-staff liaison committee which includes 4 representatives from the PhD cohort who take a lead in specific areas of concern and make sure that research students’ voices are heard. You are also represented at College level by the King's Doctoral Students' Association which includes members from each Faculty.

Our Law Student Reps provide input into training, inclusion, research activities, and social events. They have organised career development seminars, online writing sessions, and an annual Doctoral Student Sympsium where you will have an opporunity to present work-in-progress to your peers and members of our academic community. 

Timeline of a PhD

The structure of the Law PhD is 3 years full-time (or part-time equivalent) + 12 months of a 'Writing Up' year. This means most full-time students submit their thesis toward the end of their 4th year.

Over the course of the PhD, your will undertake independent research under the guidance of your supervisors to produce an innovative thesis of up to 100,000 words. This means much of your work is independent and based upon agreed targets with your supervisors.

Entry to the Law Research MPhil/PhD programme is 1st October of each academic year.

During your PhD, progress will be monitored by formal progress reports submitted to our Student Records system every 6 months. You will be expected to regularly meet with your supervisory team and engage in the research community of The Dickson Poon School of Law.

When you arrive

The School runs a series of induction events to complement the events King’s offers to all its postgraduate research students. These events introduce the School, its facilities and allow students to meet your enrolling peers and the wider PhD community. You should meet with your first supervisor within a week or two of enrolment. This meeting will serve to identify your second supervisor, agree the frequency of your meetings, discuss ethics approval and your upgrade. You will submit a student-supervisor agreement following this meeting.

Your first year

Over the course of your first year, you will undertake the compulsory Introduction to Law Research training module. This seminar series will introduce you to the idea of methodology in legal research. It will provide an overview of different legal research methodologies and explore the link between theory and methodology and outline key research skills. At the end of the course you should be able to make an informed decision about your project's research methodology.

All new students will be registered for the MPhil degree with the expectation that they will transfer to the PhD via a process we call the Upgrade. We expect our PhD students to upgrade between 9 -12 months (FT) or 18 - 22 months (PT) after their initial registration. To successfully upgrade, you will produce a significant piece of written work (approximately 20,000 words, usually two draft chapters), a draft abstract (approximately 250 words) and a work plan for completion of the thesis (with goals and completion dates). There is then an oral assessment (a mini-viva) to discuss this work. This meeting is with your first supervisor, an independent assessor (usually from within the School) and a Chair. The key principle for upgrading is that you are well on course to produce research of the required standard within the permitted timescale.

Your second year and third year

The middle part of your PhD has significantly less structure than your first year. Your should continue to have regular supervision meetings and complete regular progress reports throughout your PhD. Depending on the nature of your project and area of study, you might be doing any of the following things in your second, third, or even into your fourth year: Fieldwork, participating in conferences and workshops, undertaking a fellowship or internship, teaching at King's or another London university, coaching one of our several Mooting Teams, continuing to attend training and development seminars, participating in our yearly Doctoral Symposium, or engaging in opportunities with our academic staff and teams such as impact, knowledge exchange, public talks and events. We encourage you to engage with the community of The Dickson Poon School of Law as much as possible during your time here.

Your Final Year

Your final year is often focused on writing a draft of your PhD thesis. After 3 years of full-time registration (or PT equivalent) you will qualify to transfer to 'pending submission' status (also known as 'writing up'). This period marks the end of the data collection and research required for the PhD. 'Pending submission' is a possible registration status which signals you are likely to submit within twelve months. You must adhere to your final submission date (usually four years after registration), regardless of when you transfer into Writing Up, though some students submit earlier than the final submission date. You will also start thinking about examiners for your viva in your final year. These must be formally appointed and approved by the Faculty, so you will want to discuss it with your supervisory team early on.

Submission and final assessment

Assessment is by a thesis, not to exceed 100,000 words and an oral examination of your thesis (your viva). The viva is by two external Examiners who are experts in the field of research being examined.

• Schools & departments

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Law

Discovery Day

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

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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:

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The PhD programme

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Finance overview    Funding    How to apply

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Postgraduate research students are usually registered initially for the degree of PhD. Your initial studies, under the guidance of an academic supervisor, will prepare you for confirmation of your PhD registration, which takes place within two years (full time), and provide you with the essential foundation to help you make an original contribution to knowledge in your chosen field.

Introducing your degree

PhD in Law (min 2 years) Gain expert knowledge in a specialist legal field, develop your research skills, and benefit from joining our academic community with its national and global networks, by joining our postgraduate research programme in Law. Foster your capacity for originality and analysis throughout this research degree to expand your knowledge of important and fundamental aspects of the law, working towards your PhD.

Programme Overview

View the doctoral programme profile for this course

What's related

• Research Centres and Institutes

Entry Requirements

Typical entry requirements, applying for a research degree.

The School of Law welcomes applications to undertake research from suitably qualified. candidates. Applications may be made at any time during the academic year, to commence study at any time, although it is usual to commence research at the start of the academic year.

What is required to apply?

• Completed application form - form available to download
• Research proposal - Advice on Writing a Research proposal
• 2 references, at least one of which must be academic, the other should be academic or relevant professional
• Your Academic transcript

Selection process

For further information on making an application please see the main University site, and for the on-line application for Research degree please see the application forms page.

This page contains specific entry requirements for this course. Find out about equivalent entry requirements and qualifications for your country.

Programme Structure

Typical course content.

The PhD has no modules per semester, instead it is an entirely research-oriented programme in which students conduct original research under the guidance of their supervisors.

Fees & funding

Tuition fees.

Fees for postgraduate research degrees vary across the University. All fees are listed for UK, EU and international full-time and part-time students alphabetically by course name.

Scholarships, bursaries, sponsorships or grants may be available to support you through your course. Funding opportunities available to you are linked to your subject area and/or your country of origin. These can be from the University of Southampton or other sources.

Study locations

Southampton Law School, Highfield Campus

Situated on the Highfield Campus; occupying building 4, Southampton La... Find out more

Study Postgraduate

Mphil/phd in law (2024 entry).

Course code

30 September 2024

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

Qualification

University of Warwick

Find out more about our Law MPhil/PhD degree.

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

Course overview

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

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

Teaching and learning

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

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

General entry requirements

Minimum requirements.

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

English language requirements

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

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

International qualifications

We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.

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

Additional requirements

There are no additional entry requirements for this course.

Our research

Eleven research clusters:

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

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

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

Find a supervisor

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

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

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

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

Tuition fees

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

Find your research course fees

Fee Status Guidance

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

Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?

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

Find out more about how universities assess fee status

Additional course costs

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

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

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

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

Scholarships and bursaries

Scholarships and financial support

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

Living costs

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

School of Law

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

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

Our Postgraduate courses

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

How to apply

Important dates for law mphil/phd applicants.

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

Admission Round 1

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

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

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

Admission Round 2

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

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

How to apply for a postgraduate research course  

After you’ve applied

Find out how we process your application.

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Track your application and update your details.

Admissions statement

See Warwick’s postgraduate admissions policy.

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Postgraduate fairs.

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

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

Departmental events

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

See our online departmental events

Warwick Talk and Tours

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

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

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

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Law research degree (phd).

• Jump to: Key information
• Jump to: Course overview
• Jump to: Structure
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Key information

Home student fees (full-time) : £4,860 per year Home student fees (part-time) : £2,430 per year Overseas student fees (full-time) : £22,490 per year Overseas student fees (part-time) : £11,245 per year

Please note that fees go up each year.   See  research fees  for further details.

Course overview

The Law Research Degree (PhD) programme run by the School of Law accepts candidates for research work leading to a PhD.

The central feature of PhD work is the close relationship between the doctoral candidate and his or her supervisor, in which they meet regularly and consult closely. This relationship is supported and strengthened in various ways. Every doctoral candidate has an adjunct supervisor, another member of staff with a close interest in the candidate’s region and/or subfield of the discipline.

There is a departmental director of doctoral studies (research tutor) with overall responsibility for doctoral candidates who is available for a discussion of general problems. In addition there are a number of other activities which contribute to a doctoral candidate’s work and training. All incoming PhD candidates are required to take the School of Law’s Research Methods Seminar Programme in their first year.

Why study the Law Research Degrees (PhD) at SOAS?

• we are UK Top 20 and World Top 200 for Law (QS World University Rankings 2021)
• our research publications have been rated first in the UK - and our School of Law rated sixth in the UK - in the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021
• SOAS provides a unique environment and opportunity to engage with relevant issues taught by our expert staff who bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience of working and teaching in the field. This includes posts such as United Nations Independent Expert on human rights in the Sudan, acting as advisors to national, regional and international bodies, and in multiple roles and affiliations with civil society organisations and actors
• doctoral candidates are encouraged to contribute to the research activities of the department Several of them are active in the various  research centres  run in the School of Law and are encouraged to participate in conferences and other projects organised by the department. Doctoral candidates are expected to participate in the School of Law PhD Colloquium which is held once a year. The colloquium, which is organised by a committee of PhD candidates, gives doctoral candidates the opportunity to present their research and progress to colleagues and staff
• many SOAS doctoral candidates spend some time doing field work in the regions of their research. The School, and other members of SOAS, through their various connections with individuals and institutions in the universities and governments of Asia and Africa, facilitate this work with personal contacts and introductions
• the School’s language training facilities are also available to doctoral candidates to develop their facility in an appropriate language for research purposes

Applicants must normally have an advanced degree equivalent in level and content to the School of Law’s LLM or MA.

Recent PhD theses in the School of Law

These include:

• Michele Tedeschini, Unsettling Human Rights Custom (2020)
• Oreva Olakpe, South-South Migrations in International Law: The Case Studies of Nigeria and China (2020)
• Birsha Ohdedar, The Human Right to Water, Climate Change and Justice: Analysing multiple interactions through a case study of India (2020)
• Mohammed Abdul Aziz, The Integration of Muslims in Britain: An account and analysis of the legal and non-legal equality and security initiatives during the New Labour years of 1997- 2010 (2019)
• Yuan Qiong Hu, Rethinking Patent Centric Biomedical Innovation:  Towards an Alternative Conceptual Framework Building (2019)
• Lovleen Bhullar, Water pollution in India : environmental rights litigation as a solution (2018)

Selected published PhDs

• Al Khanif, Religious Minorities, Islam and the Law – International Human Rights and Islamic Law in Indonesia (Routledge, 2020). [PhD 2016]
• Rose Parfitt, The Process of International Legal Reproduction: Inequality, Historiography, Resistance (Cambridge University Press, 2019). [PhD 2010]
• Janan Al-Asady, Iraq’s Oil and Gas Industry – The Legal and Contractual Framework (Routledge, 2019). [PhD 2016]
• Jonathan Bashi Rudahindwa, Regional Developmentalism Through International Law: Establishing an African Economic Community (London: Routledge, 2018). [PhD 2016]

During the first year, candidates are required to attend the School of Law’s Postgraduate Research Training Seminar , whose purpose is to introduce them to the principal practical and methodological issues associated with postgraduate legal studies.

This course introduces candidates to both an array of methodologies, as well as different bodies of legal scholarship and theory. Candidates are also able to avail themselves of general seminars on research methodology offered by the SOAS Doctoral School.

By the beginning of the third term of the first year, candidates are required to hand in a draft Research Plan that is an integrated document based on the methodology paper, research paper, draft dissertation abstract, draft table of contents, draft bibliography and working schedule.

All doctoral candidates are first registered as MPhil candidates. The process of upgrading - that is, upgrading registration from MPhil to PhD - takes place at the end of the first year of study (or part-time equivalent) and involves all members of the Supervisory Committee in the assessment of the candidate's work to date.

Specifically, the potential of the work to be developed into a PhD thesis of University of London standard. It is based on the Research Plan and a presentation of that plan to the Supervisory Committee. Candidates who are not upgraded in accordance with this process will not be eligible to proceed to submission of a PhD thesis, although they may proceed to submit for an MPhil at the end of two years of full-time registration or part-time equivalent.

Doctoral students will be required to complete the  Research Integrity Online Programme , as part of their upgrading requirement.

After year 1

After their first year, doctoral candidates must carefully plan their time so that they can finish their draft thesis well in time before the end of their third year of registration. The process followed by each doctoral candidate is guided by their research project.

This may include a period of field research if required by the nature of project undertaken. Doctoral candidates are encouraged to take part in the Law School's research activities and events, including the PhD Colloquium, activities organised by Research Centres, informal reading groups, and the Law School Research Seminar series.

Important notice

The information on the website reflects the intended programme structure against the given academic session. The modules are indicative options of the content students can expect and are/have been previously taught as part of these programmes. However, this information is published a long time in advance of enrolment and module content and availability is subject to change. 

Teaching and learning

During the first year, candidates are required to attend the School of Law’s  Postgraduate Research Training Seminar , whose purpose is to introduce them to the principal practical and methodological issues associated with postgraduate legal studies.

• familiarity with legal approaches to research will be developed through lectures, seminar discussions, compulsory reading assignments, and the dissertation
• an understanding of the philosophical, ethical and political issues at the heart of law research (as well as possible solutions to such problems) will also be developed through lectures, seminar discussions, compulsory reading assignments, and the dissertation
• critical comprehension of theoretical and empirical literature will be encouraged through substantive courses,compulsory reading assignments, lectures and seminars

Intellectual (thinking) skills

• planning and execution of an appropriate research design will be developed through independent projects, essays, and the dissertation
• understanding and utilization of appropriate research methods will be encouraged through independent projects (e.g. essays), oral presentations, and the dissertation

Subject-based practical skills

• the interpretation and critique of published research will be encouraged via compulsory reading assignments, synthetic/critical lectures, and regular seminar discussions, as well as long essays and the dissertation

Transferable skills

• an awareness of research resources available to social scientists will be provided via 1) the provision of detailed reading lists, which include, where appropriate, reference to on-line materials and 2) compulsory reading
• assignments which familiarize students with secondary sources
• an ability to write up and present the findings of analysis will be encouraged via long essays, coursework, exams, and the dissertation

SOAS Library

SOAS Library is one of the world's most important academic libraries for the study of Africa, Asia and the Middle East, attracting scholars from all over the world. The Library houses over 1.2 million volumes, together with significant archival holdings, special collections and a growing network of electronic resources.

Scholarships

Fees and funding

Fees for 2023/24 entrants per academic year.

Please note that fees go up each year.

See  research fees  for further details.

SOAS Law graduates leave SOAS as civic minded and critically engaged individuals who can effectively contribute to their communities and societies. With a thorough understanding of the legal dimensions underlying many of our global challenges today, our Law students are valued by employers due to their analytical skills, specialist knowledge, and global perspective.

Recent School of Law SOAS graduates have been hired by organisations including:

• BloombergNEF
• British Medical Association
• Clifford Chance
• DAC Beachcroft LLP
• Department for Work and Pensions
• HM Treasury
• Latham & Watkins
• Legal Cheek
• Simpson Millar Solicitors
• The Economist
• Travers Smith
• World Cancer Research Fund

Find out about our  Careers Service

SOAS Voices

Meet Iqra Hasan: SOAS alum making history as India's youngest female Muslim MP

Iqra Hasan Choudhary studied at SOAS and has now made history as the youngest Muslim woman to enter the Indian Parliament. Shloka explores her inspiring journey.

South Africa v Israel, provisional measures and the obligation to prevent genocide

SOAS Law academics contextualise South Africa v. Israel before the International Court of Justice ruling and discuss the implications of this case on international law and human rights protection.

Why I chose to study MA Human Rights Law at SOAS  

MA student Anna moved across the pond to pursue a Human Rights Law degree. She runs through the key reasons why she chose SOAS.

How is Covid-19 impacting human rights?

Covid-19 constitutes a major stress test for societies, states, and the international order.

Africa neglects women's property rights at its own economic peril - but it's not the only culprit

Women in Africa own less than 10% of the land. Transformation can only be achieved through legal awareness raising and bottom-up legal change strategies to facilitate economic empowerment.

Sudan's catastrophe: A long history of failed responses to structural and direct violence

The current crisis in Sudan has deep roots. Seemingly erupting suddenly, it has in fact been a long time coming.

Addressing the Multi-scalar Dimensions of Sectoral Water Conflicts: Lessons from South Asia (WATCON) (2024-2029)

Addressing water conflicts through the lens of water security.

The Social Life of Law in Authoritarian Contexts

Food security and the governance of local knowledge in india and indonesia (2018–2023).

Working with the Australian Research Council to examine the ways small farmers identify, conserve and exchange useful plant material.

Fostering ecocentric community-led river restoration and conservation in the Ganga Basin (2022–2023)

Interrogating the concept of "river rights" to examine the contribution of ecocentric rights for river restoration and conservation.

Conflicts over Access to Water and Land: Evolving dimensions (2022–2025)

Carceral policy, policing and race.

Amplifying the carceral experiences of marginalised populations across the Global South.

Sanitation in India: Understanding a complex and controversial human right (2016)

Examining the right to sanitation in India from a broad perspective that encompasses the various dimensions of the right.

Legal Issues Related to Water Sector Restructuring in India (2006–2009)

The first major study of water law in India since the early 1990s and contributed to ensuring policy-makers would consider it a more important part of sector reforms.

UKIERI: Climate change and groundwater management in India (2013–2015)

Analysing the impact of climate change on groundwater.

Rule of Law in Thailand

Enhancing SOAS knowledge and capacity in the study and research of East and Southeast Asian laws, with a focus on Thai law.

Age of consent and child-marriage in the British Empire

Exploring the debates that led to the reform of age of consent laws in UK and their introduction in other parts of the Empire at the end of the 19th century.

HURIME Project: Human Rights in the Post-Uprisings Middle East

Enhancing the knowledge of academicians and politicians on the new tendencies of human rights discourses and practices in the MENA region.

Related content

School of Law, Gender and Media

The School of Law is dedicated to the legal systems and challenges of the developing world, with complementary strengths in human rights, international law and institutions, environmental law, and international trade and commerce.

LLB Single Honours at SOAS University of London

SOAS awarded British Council Grant for partnership with environment industry on improving sustainability 

The British Council has awarded SOAS an Industry Academia Collaborative Grant for a project on mining, business and sustainability in partnership with Tata Steel Mining Ltd, National Law University Delhi (NLUD) and Camborne School of Mines, University of Exeter.  

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Our PhD in Law aims to train the next generation of legal thinkers, law reformers, policy advisers, political activists, and academics. Surrey Law School's  emphasis on combining theory and practice makes us unique in the UK, and a world-class centre for deep and creative legal research.

Key course information

January 2025 - full-time, january 2025 - part-time, october 2025 - full-time, october 2025 - part-time, why choose this programme.

• Legal philosophy and legal theory
• Neuroscience and law
• Criminal law
• Roman legal history
• Environmental law
• Health sciences and law
• Artificial intelligence and law
• Finance law and ethics
• Human rights law
• European law
• Public international law. 
• Our unique concentration of expertise in legal philosophy and legal theory is largely unparalleled worldwide.
• Our academic staff are internationally recognised for their research and are experienced legal practitioners, providing consultancy to law firms, governments, non-governmental organisations and businesses around the world. As a Surrey Law School doctoral student, you’ll be part of this thriving community of researchers engaged in a wide range of projects, and – depending on your area of study – you’ll be able to join a subject or research group, as well as participate alongside academic staff in the activities of the Surrey Law School. 
• The School also enjoys excellent links with local, national and international legal communities. You’ll benefit from stimulating roundtable seminars, workshops and lectures delivered by distinguished academics, eminent judges and law practitioners. 
• The Surrey Law School is ranked 6th in the UK for research outputs – research articles and other published works – with more than half of its research outputs rated world-leading (4*) by the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021 . The University as a whole is now also ranked in the top 20 in the UK by REF for the overall quality of research outputs.
• In the Postgraduate Research Experience Survey for 2022, 91.7% of our PhD students reported that they were satisfied overall with the experience of their research degree programme’ and 100 per cent of our law postgraduate research students go on to employment or further study (Graduate Outcomes 2024, HESA).

Programme details Open

What you will study.

Through a variety of approaches, from doctrinal to philosophical, contemporary to historical, single jurisdiction to comparative, we will help you challenge ideas, hone your skills and develop the hallmarks of a leading researcher. You will work on a structured, supervised programme of research in one of the areas of law in which we have expertise.

You’ll be able to develop your teaching skills, as well as the ability to think theoretically and provide innovative practical solutions to legal problems. We encourage our postgraduate research students to present work and discuss ideas in both formal and informal settings. We can also support you intellectually and financially to present and exchange ideas and discuss your research in international fora.

At the end of your time as a PhD researcher at Surrey you’ll be expected to submit an extended thesis for examination. This thesis will demonstrate your ability to pursue scholarly research which makes an original contribution to knowledge. You will be required to answer questions on your thesis and your research in a viva voce examination.

Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination with at least two examiners. You have the option of preparing your thesis as a monograph (one large volume in chapter form) or in publication format (including chapters written for publication), subject to the approval of your supervisors.

Stag Hill is the University's main campus and where the majority of our courses are taught. 

Research areas Open

Research themes.

• Civilian protections in war
• Criminal justice and AI
• Criminal law and neuroscience
• European Union law
• Human rights law
• Kantian legal philosophy and other intellectual historical approaches to legal problems, such as terrorism, human rights and refugee law
• Language and law
• Mental health law and neuroscience
• Methodology of intellectual legal history
• Philosophy of constitutional law
• Philosophy of contract law
• Philosophy of criminal law
• Philosophy of humanitarian law
• Philosophy of neuroscience and law
• Philosophy of tort law
• Philosophy of WTO
• Plastics governance
• Public international law
• Roman legal history and private law
• Rule of law and transnational law
• Socio-legal approaches to mental health and law, sex crimes, sentencing
• Technology and law
• Terrorism and law
• The law of armed conflict
• The nature of law
• The normativity of law
• The philosophy of law and economics
• Topics in international public law, such as state succession.

Discover more about our law research .

Research centres and groups

• Environmental Regulatory Research Group
• Surrey Centre for International and Environmental Law
• Surrey Centre for Law and Philosophy
• Surrey Law and Technology Hub

Academic staff Open

See a full list of all our  law academic staff .

Support and facilities Open

Research support.

Our PhD students have gone on to academic positions as lecturers and postdoctoral researchers in the UK and overseas, including institutions such as:

• University of Buckingham
• University of Chichester
• University of Coventry
• University of Exeter
• London South Bank University
• Westminster Law School.

The professional development of postgraduate researchers is supported by the Doctoral College , which provides training in essential skills through its Researcher Development Programme of workshops, mentoring and coaching. A dedicated postgraduate careers and employability team will help you prepare for a successful career after the completion of your PhD.

The research centres at the Surrey Law School are a core part of our research activities, and provide an important platform for the intellectual development of our research students.

You’ll get an office space, computer, access to major databases and a wide range of online research tools and resources. You’ll also have access to the latest e-resources and to our Library and Learning Centre facilities, as well as access to the Court of the Future .

Hear from our students and graduates Open

Daniel Peixoto Murata

Student - Law PhD

"I have always wanted to pursue an academic career, since my time as an undergraduate student back in Brazil. Surrey Law School at the University of Surrey excels in the field of legal philosophy and the Surrey Centre for Law and Philosophy is one of the largest and most active research groups in its field."

Maria Louca

Graduate - Law PhD

A qualified barrister under the National Bar of the Republic of Cyprus, Maria Louca holds an LLB from the University of Keele. She came to Surrey to study for an LLM in International Law and received the Justice Umaru Abdullahi Prize for the best graduating student on the International Law programme.

Entry requirements Open

Uk qualifications.

Applicants are expected to hold at least a 2:1 bachelors degree along with a masters degree at a minimum of merit level in law, or other relevant discipline, from an approved university.

If you are unable to offer these qualifications, you may still be considered for admission if you hold a first-class (1st) bachelors degree in law, or other relevant discipline, from an approved university, or a professional or other qualification deemed to be appropriate and equivalent.

Country-specific qualifications

International students in the united kingdom, english language requirements.

IELTS Academic: 7.0 or above (or equivalent) with 6.5 in each individual category.

These are the English language qualifications and levels that we can accept. 

If you do not currently meet the level required for your programme, we offer intensive pre-sessional English language courses , designed to take you to the level of English ability and skill required for your studies here.

Selection process

Selection is based on applicants:

• Meeting the expected entry requirements
• Being shortlisted through the application screening process
• Completing a successful interview
• Providing suitable references.

Fees and funding Open

Fees per year.

Explore  UKCISA’s website for more information if you are unsure whether you are a UK or overseas student. View the  list of fees for all postgraduate research courses.

• Annual fees will increase by 4% for each year of study, rounded up to the nearest £100 (subject to legal requirements).
• Any start date other than September will attract a pro-rata fee for that year of entry (75 per cent for January, 50 per cent for April and 25 per cent for July).

Additional costs

There are additional costs that you can expect to incur when studying at Surrey.

A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course.

Application process

Applicants are advised to contact potential supervisors before they submit an application via the website. Please refer to section two of our  application guidance .

After registration

Students are initially registered for a PhD with probationary status and, subject to satisfactory progress, subsequently confirmed as having PhD status.

Apply online

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Select your course

Choose the course option you wish to apply for.

Create an account and sign into our application portal.

Full-time, January 2025

Part-time, January 2025

Full-time, October 2025

Part-time, October 2025

About the University of Surrey

Accommodation

We have a range of housing to suit all requirements and budgets. There are more than 6,000 rooms available (en-suite, single-sex, studio flat, shared or single).

Student life

At Surrey we offer a friendly university campus set in beautiful countryside, with the convenience and social life of bustling Guildford on your doorstep.

Need more information?

Contact our Admissions team or talk to a current University of Surrey student online.

Code of practice for research degrees

Surrey’s postgraduate research code of practice sets out the University's policy and procedural framework relating to research degrees. The code defines a set of standard procedures and specific responsibilities covering the academic supervision, administration and assessment of research degrees for all faculties within the University.

Download the code of practice for research degrees (PDF) .

Terms and conditions

When you accept an offer to study at the University of Surrey, you are agreeing to follow our policies and procedures , student regulations , and terms and conditions .

We provide these terms and conditions in two stages:

• First when we make an offer.
• Second when students accept their offer and register to study with us (registration terms and conditions will vary depending on your course and academic year).

View our generic registration terms and conditions (PDF) for the 2023/24 academic year, as a guide on what to expect.

This online prospectus has been published in advance of the academic year to which it applies.

Whilst we have done everything possible to ensure this information is accurate, some changes may happen between publishing and the start of the course.

It is important to check this website for any updates before you apply for a course with us. Read our full disclaimer .

York Law School

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.

[email protected] +44 (0)1904 325818

Related links

• Research degree funding
• Accommodation
• International students
• Life at York
• How to apply

A welcoming community

of postgraduate researchers and scholars, with a reputation for delivering high quality, multidisciplinary research.

A top 25 law school

for research according to the Times Higher Education's ranking of the latest REF results (2021).

Explore funding for postgraduate researchers at York Law School.

Supervision

Your supervisors will provide expert advice, guidance and support.

Training and support

You will meet with your supervisors at least once every six weeks. This two-way relationship is something you both should benefit from, and will have a major influence on the progress of your research. Your supervisors will help to develop your intellectual interests by offering new perspectives on your chosen topic, suggesting appropriate academic contacts and events, and offering advice on publication.

As well as the main supervisors, a Thesis Advisory Panel (TAP) will be appointed to each student. The TAP meets with you and your supervisors twice a year, monitors progress and whether the supervisory relationship is working well, and offers advice where necessary. 

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

Course location

This course is run by York Law School.

York Law School is located on Campus East . Most of your training and supervision meetings will take place within the Law and Sociology Building, though your research may take you further afield.

Entry requirements

• An undergraduate degree in Law (or in a discipline related to the research area in which you intend to work) with an average of at least 65% overall, and a minimum of 65% in your dissertation (if applicable), as well as;
• A Masters degree in Law (or another discipline relevant to your research topic) with an average of at least 65% overall, and a minimum of 65% in the dissertation module (if applicable).

English language requirements

If English is not your first language you must provide evidence of your ability.

Check your English language requirements

Apply for PhD

Take a look at the supporting documents you may need for your application.

Find out more about how to apply .

As part of the application process, you must include:

• A transcript of your undergraduate and, where relevant, Masters degree results
• A research proposal
• A sample of your written academic work

Discover York

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

Discover more about our researchers, facilities and why York is the perfect choice for your research degree.

Graduate Research School

Connect with researchers across all disciplines to get the most out of your research project.

Meet us online or on campus

Find out all you need to know about applying to York

Scholarships

Find scholarships to support your studies

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• Full-time: 3 years
• Part-time: 6 years
• Start date: Multiple available
• UK fees: £5,350
• International fees: £23,000

Research overview

With well-established research centres and links to leading institutions around the world, the School of Law is a dynamic centre for PhD study. We have a vibrant and diverse academic and social community, with research students from all over the world. 

We promote research excellence, recognising that high-quality legal research may take many different forms. We use a variety of research methods across our projects. 

You will be assigned  two supervisors who will have the appropriate expertise to support your research project. The school offers supervision in most subject areas and for interdisciplinary projects that have a legal aspect to them. 

Research students and academics are all engaged in the same endeavours and can learn a great deal from each other. We actively encourage our doctoral students to engage in the wider community of the school and play a full role in its research activities. 

While legal research is often an individual pursuit, many collaborative research activities take place, including co-authorship of publications, and reading and discussion groups. In addition, our research students organise their own seminar series, with the support of a member of staff, which helps them practise and develop their presentation skills. 

Completing your PhD at Nottingham would be your first, essential step to pursuing a successful academic career. 

Our research areas include: 

• administrative and public law
• commercial law
• company and insolvency law
• consumer law
• criminal justice
• criminology
• criminal evidence law
• disability law
• environmental law
• European law
• human rights
• intellectual property law
• international law
• international humanitarian law
• law and development
• law and technology
• maritime law
• public procurement

Course content

You must complete a written thesis of up to 100,000 words, with support and advice from your academic supervisor(s). You will also take a verbal examination called a viva voce where you explain your project in depth to an examination panel. 

You will also be required to take the Legal Research Methods module, which considers the diverse spectrum of legal scholarship and methodologies. You will refresh or enhance your legal research skills and receive training in a range of research methods and techniques. 

It will enable you to identify various approaches to legal scholarship and characterise your research interests, apply research skills and methods, including being able to use, interpret and locate legal sources, and design, write and evaluate a research proposal. 

You are also encouraged, where appropriate, to undertake modules offered as part of the school’s LLM programme, which is one of the most extensive in the country. 

Supervision 

Full-time students should meet with their supervisors at least 10 times each year. This would be at least six times in the same period for part-time students. You will also receive an annual review of your progress for monitoring and support.  

The Legal Research Methods module considers the diverse spectrum of legal scholarship and methodologies. You will refresh or enhance your legal research skills and receive training in a range of research methods and techniques.

It will enable you to identify various approaches to legal scholarship and characterise your research interests, apply research skills and methods, including being able to use, interpret and locate legal sources, and design, write and evaluate a research proposal.

You are also encouraged, where appropriate, to undertake modules offered as part of the school’s LLM programme , which is one of the most extensive in the country.

Entry requirements

All candidates are considered on an individual basis and we accept a broad range of qualifications. The entrance requirements below apply to 2025 entry.

Meeting our English language requirements

If you need support to meet the required level, you may be able to attend a presessional English course. Presessional courses teach you academic skills in addition to English language. Our  Centre for English Language Education is accredited by the British Council for the teaching of English in the UK.

If you successfully complete your presessional course to the required level, you can then progress to your degree course. This means that you won't need to retake IELTS or equivalent.

For on-campus presessional English courses, you must take IELTS for UKVI to meet visa regulations. For online presessional courses, see our CELE webpages for guidance.

Visa restrictions

International students must have valid UK immigration permissions for any courses or study period where teaching takes place in the UK. Student route visas can be issued for eligible students studying full-time courses. The University of Nottingham does not sponsor a student visa for students studying part-time courses. The Standard Visitor visa route is not appropriate in all cases. Please contact the university’s Visa and Immigration team if you need advice about your visa options.

We recognise that applicants have a variety of experiences and follow different pathways to postgraduate study.

We treat all applicants with alternative qualifications on an individual basis. We may also consider relevant work experience.

If you are unsure whether your qualifications or work experience are relevant, contact us .

Applicants are strongly encouraged to make contact with possible supervisors prior to their application. You should look at the areas of supervision offered by staff in the school to identify who they may be. If you do not indicate a possible supervisor in your application, this may well affect its success.

Once an application has been received, applicants who are not already known personally to the potential supervisor will be contacted for a short interview to discuss the intended topic of your research. This interview can take the form of face-to-face interview, via Skype or over the telephone.

The Postgraduate Research Tutor will then make a decision on offering a place of study in the school.

Our step-by-step guide contains everything you need to know about applying for postgraduate research.

Additional information for international students

If you are a student from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, you may be asked to complete a fee status questionnaire and your answers will be assessed using guidance issued by the UK Council for International Student Affairs (UKCISA) .

These fees are for full-time study. If you are studying part-time, you will be charged a proportion of this fee each year (subject to inflation).

Additional costs

All students will need at least one device to approve security access requests via Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). We also recommend students have a suitable laptop to work both on and off-campus. For more information, please check the equipment advice .

As a student on this course, you should factor some additional costs into your budget, alongside your tuition fees and living expenses.

You should be able to access most of the books you'll need through our libraries, though you may wish to purchase your own copies or more specific titles.

The school has a fund to assist postgraduate students with research-related expenses, such as attendance at conferences and workshops, field trips for data collection or to access specific resources. You will have an allocated fund to support you for the duration of your studies.

There are many ways to fund your research degree, from scholarships to government loans.

Check our guide to find out more about funding your postgraduate degree.

School support

The School of Law has a multi-faceted approach to supporting students. All postgraduate research students are allocated two supervisors, who are members of academic staff with detailed knowledge of the doctoral programme and supervision process.

Supervisors also act as an important source of support. Throughout the duration of your studies, you will develop a strong working relationship with your supervisors. They will provide you with assistance and support as you carry out your research.

You will meet with your supervisors regularly and they will act as a source of confidential support. In addition to your supervisors, you will have access to a postgraduate student advisor to discuss confidential matters relating to pastoral support, specialist student welfare officers and the Directors of the Postgraduate Research Degrees Programme.

The School offers a dedicated research room for postgraduate research students offering individual desks, access to a shared kitchen and meeting space.

Teaching opportunities

Second and third-year research students can apply to undertake paid teaching experience by delivering undergraduate tutorials. Teaching is subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed. Training courses on teaching methods are on offer. 

Researcher training and development

The Researcher Academy is the network for researchers, and staff who support them. We work together to promote a healthy research culture, to cultivate researcher excellence, and develop creative partnerships that enable researchers to flourish.

Postgraduate researchers at Nottingham have access to our online Members’ area, which includes a wealth of resources, access to training courses and award-winning postgraduate placements.

Graduate centres

Our graduate centres are dedicated community spaces on campus for postgraduates.

Each space has areas for:

• socialising
• computer work
• kitchen facilities

Student support

You will have access to a range of support services , including:

• academic and disability support
• childcare services
• counselling service
• faith support
• financial support
• mental health and wellbeing support
• visa and immigration advice
• welfare support

Students' Union

Our Students' Union represents all students. You can join the Postgraduate Students’ Network or contact the dedicated Postgraduate Officer .

There are also a range of support networks, including groups for:

• international students
• black and minority ethnic students
• students who identify as women
• students with disabilities
• LGBT+ students

SU Advice provides free, independent and confidential advice on issues such as accommodation, financial and academic difficulties.

Where you will learn

Hallward library law collection.

The Hallward Library is situated adjacent to the School of Law. It provides the following for law students:

• The Law Collection of approximately 60,000 books, law reports series, journals, microfilms and more
• Unlimited access to extensive collections of legal materials via a wide range of electronic sources
• Knowledgeable staff

University Park Campus

University Park Campus  covers 300 acres, with green spaces, wildlife, period buildings and modern facilities. It is one of the UK's most beautiful and sustainable campuses, winning a national Green Flag award every year since 2003.

Most schools and departments are based here. You will have access to libraries, shops, cafes, the Students’ Union, sports village and a health centre.

You can walk or cycle around campus. Free hopper buses connect you to our other campuses. Nottingham city centre is 15 minutes away by public bus or tram.

School facilities - Law

The School of Law has a dedicated office for PhD students. You will have 24-hour access to a private study space, with your own computer, lockable desk space and unlimited free printing.

Whether you are considering a career in academia, industry or haven't yet decided, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Expert staff will work with you to explore PhD career options and apply for vacancies, develop your interview skills and meet employers. You can book a one-to-one appointment, take an online course or attend a workshop.

International students who complete an eligible degree programme in the UK on a student visa can apply to stay and work in the UK after their course under the Graduate immigration route . Eligible courses at the University of Nottingham include bachelors, masters and research degrees, and PGCE courses.

Many PhD graduates go on to secure academic roles in the UK and around the globe. Some enter the legal profession or return to their prior career with enhanced prospects. Others work for governmental institutions and non-governmental organisations.

100% of postgraduates from the School of Law secured graduate level employment or further study within 15 months of graduation. The average annual salary for these graduates was £38,667.*

* HESA Graduate Outcomes 2019/20 data published in 2022 . The Graduate Outcomes % is derived using The Guardian University Guide methodology. The average annual salary is based on data from graduates who completed a full-time postgraduate degree with home fee status and are working full-time within the UK.

Research Excellence Framework

The University of Nottingham is ranked 7th in the UK for research power, according to analysis by Times Higher Education. The Research Excellence Framework (REF) is a national assessment of the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.

• 85% of the School of Law's research considered world-leading or internationally excellent
• 90%* of our research is classed as 'world-leading' (4*) or 'internationally excellent' (3*)
• 100%* of our research is recognised internationally
• 51% of our research is assessed as 'world-leading' (4*) for its impact**

*According to analysis by Times Higher Education ** According to our own analysis.

This content was last updated on 16 July 2024 . Every effort has been made to ensure that this information is accurate, but changes are likely to occur between the date of publishing and course start date. It is therefore very important to check this website for any updates before you apply.

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Course closed:

Law is no longer accepting new applications.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Key Information

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

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

Funding Deadlines

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

Similar Courses

• International Law PGDip
• Legal Studies PGDip
• Politics and International Studies PhD
• Corporate Law MCL

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PhD/MPhil Law

Postgraduate research degree

The PhD/MPhil programme at The City Law School offers you the opportunity to carry out legal research and to contribute to professional knowledge in this constantly evolving field.

Research centres and groups

• European Union Law
• The Legal Practice Hub
• Maritime Law and Policy
• Intellectual Property Engagement
• International Law and Affairs
• Law & Social Change

Key information

Law Postgraduate research degrees PhD/MPhil course Overview

As PhD/MPhil researcher at The City Law School , you will be joining a dynamic research environment. We are dedicated to advancing knowledge and bringing value to society.

Within our research centres, we carry out cutting edge research that straddles different areas and approaches to the subject of Law . We cover many diverse areas including (but not confined to):

• EU and international law
• Commercial law and arbitration
• Intellectual property
• Maritime law
• Public law, and child and family law.

if you are interested in pursuing an academic career, you will have the opportunity to teach as you carry out your research. We will provide you with full professional training and higher education certification through City’s Department for Learning Enhancement and Development (LEaD).

You will initially register for the MPhil degree. You will upgrade to PhD status once you have demonstrated that your research has developed to doctoral standard.

Upgrading normally occurs after 12 months for full time study and within 24 months for part time study.

Your academic research and inquiry will culminate in a thesis of up to 100,000 words. Your thesis will make a significant, original contribution to your area of study.

You will then be examined in detail on your thesis by two academics, in the form of a viva voce (oral examination). At least one of the examiners will be external to City.

For full details about the City PhD programme structure, please see the Guide for Research Students .

Requirements

Entry requirements.

You will need to demonstrate a track record of high academic achievement.

We are looking for a minimum of second class (upper division) LLB degree and a Master’s in Law or a related discipline with at least a merit or equivalent.

You will also need to show a suitable aptitude to carry out an extended programme of original, independent research at a high level.

English requirements

If English is not your first language, you will need to provide proof of one of the following:

• A first degree from a UK university or from the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA)
• A first degree from an overseas institution recognised by City as providing evidence of English language proficiency
• GCE O-level/GCSE English language or English Literature, with a minimum C grade
• An overall score of 7.0 in the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum of 6.5 in the reading and writing subtests
• TOEFL iBT Special Home Edition: 95 overall with no less than 24 in Writing and Reading, 22 in Listening and 25 in Speaking
• Other evidence of English language proficiency that satisfies the Board of Studies (if you are from the European Economic Area or Switzerland).

For more information see our English language proficiency requirements at City.

Visa requirements

If you are not from the European Economic Area or Switzerland, you may need to apply for a visa or entry clearance to study in the UK.

Your application may vary depending on the length of your studies.

Check our main visa page to see the rules that apply to you.

Fees and funding

Full-time Home/UK: £11,700 per year

Part-time Home/UK: £5,850 per year

Full-time International: £11,700 per year

Part-time International: £5,850 per year

You will pay fees annually to cover registration, supervision and examination.

Fees are subject to review each year and may vary during your period of registration. Where applicable, fees for City's programmes will be subject to inflationary increases in each academic year of study commencing in September . Our policy for these increases is set out in our terms and conditions of study .

Support for PhD study

Prospective students are encouraged to explore doctoral Grants and funding opportunities such as:

• Research Council studentship awards , if available.
• PhD Scholarship for Black British applicants - The City Law School is offering a full-time, three-year doctoral scholarship for a Black British researcher (entry in September 2024).
• SeNSS Doctoral Training Partnership -SENSS is offering UK Fully funded ESRC studentships are currently available to Doctoral Researchers for entry in October 2024.

The City Law School Doctoral Studentships

We normally offer two scholarships a year to support exceptional research proposals. These comprise a full fee waiver and a National Living Wage bursary of currently £19,668, subject to change in line with the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI’s) recommended doctoral research student stipend.

In addition, all students are eligible for funding (currently up to £1,000) over the course of your studies. This can be used for research materials or to support attendance at conferences. Contact the Law School office for more details.

PhD Scholarships -  The City Law School is offering 2 full-time, three-year doctoral scholarships to applicants for entry in September 2024.

Our bursaries are non-repayable sums of money granted by the University, usually based on need.

Our loans are repayable sums of money granted by the University or other body.

Our scholarships are when the University pays towards your Study fees. You may also be eligible for further funding.

Scholarships for EU Law and Commercial Law students

We are inviting applications for 2 PhD scholarships funded by the City, University of London on EU law and commercial law. WE understand these two areas broadly:

• EU law covers competition, constitutional and administrative law, migration, citizenship, trade and investment, health, human rights, media and intellectual property
• commercial law covers maritime, corporate, investment, arbitration, data protection and privacy, intellectual property, competition law, and commercial aspects of law in society, eg in medical law.

The School has expertise in both these areas and we invite prospective applicants to look at our website and even approach our EU and commercial law colleagues. Applications can be made below:

• September 23/24 full-time
• September 23/24 part-time

Postgraduate Doctoral Loans

The Government has introduced a new Postgraduate Doctoral Loans scheme which can provide a loan of up to £25,000.

This will be over three years to support study for a doctoral degree.

A Postgraduate Doctoral Loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study. It can be used alongside any other forms of support you may be able to receive.

For more information, please see our Postgraduate Doctoral Loans page .

Additional expenses

Some of our degrees may involve additional expenses which are not covered by your tuition fees. Find out more about additional expenses .

Academic support

City has a well-established structure and processes to support your research .

You will have two supervisors to support you throughout your research, one of these will be your first point of contact responsible for:

• assisting you to refine your research ideas
• suggesting reading
• commenting on drafts of your thesis
• ensuring that you are effectively supervised.

We have an outstanding research seminar programme, designed to equip you with the skills needed to carry out your research successfully. The programme also contributes to facilitating your transition to a career once you have finished your research at City.

These seminars, led by faculty members, recent PhD graduates and more advanced doctoral researchers, take place weekly in your first year. You will explore a range of methodologies and research approaches. Learning from established practitioners as well as your PhD peers.

Our research seminar programme is supplemented by many other training opportunities. These are both within the City Law School and the wider university community, throughout the year.

In addition to events tailor-made for PhD students, you will be expected to participate to research events organised by City Law School academic staff .

You will be based in the brand new and state of the art City Law School Building. Here you will have use of a dedicated and suitably equipped area for Law PhD students .

All students are eligible for funding (currently up to £1,000) over the course of your studies. This can be for research materials or to support attendance at conferences.

Other support:

If you are interested in pursuing an academic career, you may have the opportunity to teach as you carry out your research.

We will provide you with full professional training and higher education certification through City’s Department for Learning Enhancement and Development (LEaD).

How to apply

You need to complete an online application form below, including:

• your research proposal
• details of two academic referees who know your work well and can comment on your ability to carry out research at this level

Your research proposal is a crucial part of your application. We strongly advise you to read our guide to writing a successful PhD proposal carefully before applying.

You are also welcome to discuss your ideas for research with relevant members of the School of Law before applying. Contact details can be found on our Research Pages .

You may be invited for an interview by a panel consisting of the PhD Programme Director and a potential supervisor.

You can apply here by completing our online form .

• 30 th Sep 2024

For further application enquiries please contact our PGR enquiries team .

PhD Research projects from The City Law School

Jean monnet chair in law and transatlantic relations.

The Jean Monnet Chair in Law & Transatlantic Relations aims to study and critically reflect upon the largest casestudy of global governance in the international legal order, the transatlantic alliance

Research centre: Institute for the Study of European Law

Academic: Professor Elaine Fahey

Current student: Giulio Kowalski

Status: Ongoing project

View case study site

The future of EU Trade and Investment Partnerships EUTIP

The objective of the EU Trade and Investment Policy ITN is to foster interdisciplinary research into the evolving international trade policy of the European Union (EU).

EU-UK-Japan relations TRILATTRADE

'TRILATTRADE’ examines three thematic strands in UK-EU-Japan relations going forward: overall economic law; regulation theory and data transfers; and IP law and policy.

Research centres: Institute for the Study of European Law and Intellectual Property Engagement Group

Academics: Dr Enrico Bonadio and Professor David Collins

Find a supervisor

Some examples of our supervisors are listed below

Professor Elaine Fahey

Professor of Law, Jean Monnet Chair in Law & Transatlantic Relations

Academic law programmes

Professor Panos Koutrakos

Jean Monnet Professor of EU Law

Professor David Collins

Professor of International Economic Law

Dr Grietje Baars

Reader in Law & Social Change

Useful links

• Doctoral College
• Professional Law Programmes
• Student wellbeing
• Terms and conditions

The City Law School

Contact details.

+44 (0)20 7040 4568

[email protected]

Alternatively, use our A–Z index

Attend an open day

Discover more about Law at Manchester

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.

Entry requirements

Academic entry qualification overview, english language.

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

English language test validity

Other international entry requirements.

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

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

Application and selection

How to apply, advice to applicants.

Before you start your application, you should:

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

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

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

Interview requirements

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

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

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

Re-applications

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

Programme details

Programme description.

Research is central to the work of the Law department. 

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

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

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

Special features

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

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

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

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

Additional programme information

Humanities Doctoral Academy

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

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

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

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

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

All appointments are made on merit.

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

Teaching and learning

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

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

Coursework and assessment

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

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

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

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

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

Related research

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

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

Read more about our Law research at Manchester.

What our students say

The University of Manchester Library

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

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

Disability support

Career opportunities.

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

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

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

Recommended pages

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Law PhD by Distance Learning

What is a phd by distance learning.

A PhD by Distance Learning allows you to undertake the majority of your research at an off-campus location. You are therefore able to do the research required for your PhD in a location of your choosing; only making one annual visit to the University.

Why study by distance learning?

The main advantage of studying by distance learning is the opportunity to undertake research supervised by one of our world-renowned academics without having to relocate geographically to the Birmingham region. The flexibility offered by distance learning will allow you to combine study with other commitments, including work and family.

Is the distance learning route for you?

The distance learning route to PhD study is not for everyone. You need to have a very clear idea of your research project and be able to motivate yourself. Undertaking PhD study off campus can sometimes be quite isolating, so the ability to proactively seek out connections from within relevant research communities is important. This route is well-suited to those who have a project associated with their work or particular interests and where resources are available locally to support your research e.g. appropriate archives and data collections.

Can I study by Distance Learning in the UK?

Distance Learning courses can be undertaken from anywhere in the world, including the UK. 

However, it is worth noting that supervisory sessions for Distance Learning students will take place via audiovisual communications, such as Skype or Facetime, rather than in person. 

While this 21st Century approach has proved effective, for those applicants who would prefer to visit the campus for face-to-face meetings with their supervisor, the traditional part-time study option would be more appropriate. 

• One return economy flight per year for the required two-week campus visit in September
• Accommodation at the University for the required two-week campus visit in September
• One return economy flight at the end of the study period for the three-day PhD viva examination
• Accommodation at the University for the three-day viva examination

How will I be supported?

You will receive the same level of support and supervision as on-campus students. The only difference is that supervisory sessions will take place via audio and visual communication services such as Skype or Facetime, rather than in person.  

When would I start?

We encourage you to start your PhD in the month of September so that you can attend an induction along with other PhD candidates beginning their research at the same time as you. However, other arrangements may be possible with agreement from your supervisor.

How often will I need to be on campus?

Although you may be able to undertake the majority of your study at an off-campus location, you will be fully funded to make one compulsory visit to the University per year of study. This will enable you to meet your supervisory team, undertake intensive research skills training and make a start on your doctoral studies. You will then be invited to attend the University for annual meetings which will give you the opportunity to interact with other doctoral students both socially and academically, undertake important progress meetings and carry out necessary training. You will also generally be required to be present on campus for your viva voce.

Am I eligible?

Before we can offer you a place it is important that you have agreement from your potential supervisor and that they are satisfied that you will be able to undertake the PhD on an off-campus basis. This may mean that slightly different entry requirements apply, such as English language and more extensive research skills training. Agreements will also need to be reached regarding some of the more practical aspects of undertaking the PhD in this way (for example attendance requirements, suitability of the chosen residency etc). It is important that arrangements are discussed early so that all parties involved know what to expect and to ensure you are able to successfully complete your studies.  

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School of Business and Law MPhil PhD

This course is in clearing

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Studying for a PhD with UEL's School of Business and Law will push you to the limit - and you'll be supported all the way by our world-class academic staff.  The School gives postgraduate research students the chance to learn from the best academic minds and industry experts.

You'll be studying in an environment that positively encourages students to think beyond the boundaries of traditional disciplines.

Our academic staff have the skills and experience to bring out the best in your PhD or MPhil research. Their expertise is based on our strong suite of taught postgraduate qualifications: from our Master of Business Administration (MBA) to Master of Law courses such as International law and financial markets.

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This course is in Clearing

Call our Clearing number between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, to apply through Clearing.

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Course options

• September 2024
• November 2024

PhD via MPhil

Entry Requirements

To apply for a PhD course, you should have an MPhil, or MRes qualification or an overseas qualification rated as equivalent.  Applicants for a PhD via MPhil should have either a first class or upper second class honours degree from a UK Higher Education Institution, or an overseas qualification rated as equivalent.   

MPhil PhD School of Business and Law

Mphil phd school of business and law, home applicant, full time.

• Home Applicant
• 5740 per year. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months). Pound 5740 per year. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).

MPhil PhD School of Business and Law, home applicant, part time

• 2870 UK - PhD by Published Work: £2,870. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months). Pound 2870 UK - PhD by Published Work: £2,870. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).

MPhil PhD School of Business and Law, international applicant, full time

• International Applicant
• 15340 per year. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months). Pound 15340 per year. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).

MPhil PhD School of Business and Law, international applicant, part time

• 7670 Int - PhD by Published Work: £7,670. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months). Pound 7670 Int - PhD by Published Work: £7,670. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).
• 6020 per year. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months). Pound 6020 per year. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).
• 3010 UK - PhD by Published Work: £3,010. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months). Pound 3010 UK - PhD by Published Work: £3,010. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).
• 16100 per year. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months). Pound 16100 per year. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).
• 8050 Int - PhD by Published Work: £8,050. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months). Pound 8050 Int - PhD by Published Work: £8,050. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).

Fees, funding and additional costs

EU, EEA and Swiss Nationals starting a course from September 2021, will no longer be eligible for Home fees. However, such nationals benefitting from Settled Status or Citizens' Rights may become eligible for Home fees as and when the UK Government confirms any new fee regulations. Further information can be found at UKCISA .

Tuition fees are subject to annual change. Fees for future years will be published in due course.

Home students

Postgraduate loans scheme.

£10,280 to fund your Masters Programme under the Postgraduate Loans (PGL) scheme

Postgraduate Loans (PGL)

The Postgraduate Loan (PGL) provide non-means-tested loans of up to £10,906 to taught and research masters students.  It will be paid to students as a contribution towards tuition fees, living costs and other course costs. Applications are made directly through  Student Finance England  

Eligibility

Whether you qualify depends on: •    if you've studied a postgraduate course before •    your course •    your age •    your nationality or residency status

Full eligibility can be found on the Government's Postgraduate Loan webpage .

Please take a look at the  Postgraduate Loans  for an overview of the new funding.

Postgraduate Scholarship

Apply for a 50 per cent discount on your tuition fees! You can get a 50 per cent discount on course fees through a UEL Postgraduate Scholarship. The scholarship is open to full-time and part-time UK and EU students of taught postgraduate courses. *Exclusions apply.

Find out more about full eligibility criteria and how to apply .

Terms and conditions apply.

Our scholarships and bursaries can help you

How we can help you

Did you know that with a postgraduate qualification, you can expect to earn more than someone who only holds an undergraduate degree?

If you want to build new skills, change career paths, or further your career prospects, a postgraduate degree can help you. Our range of scholarships and bursaries will make financing your education that much easier. Below is some of the funding available to support you in your studies:

• Alumni Discount   - up to 15% fee waiver *exclusions apply. Please see the Alumni Discount page  for information.
• Early Payment Discount  - 5% fee waiver
• Asylum Seekers scholarship   - 100% fee waiver
• Civic Engagement - £1,000
• Hardship Bursary - up to £2,000
• Sport Scholarships   - Up to £6,000

How to pay your fees

There are a number of ways you can pay your fees to UEL

• Online payment facilities
• By telephone
• In person at our Docklands or Stratford campus
• Bank transfer

Full information on making payments can be found  on our Finance page .

If you wish to discuss payments to the University, please contact our Income Team on 020 8223 2974 or you can email  [email protected]

Ideas for funding your postgraduate study

Below are some ideas on how to fund your postgraduate study:

•     Apply for a  Postgraduate Loan  
•     Take advantage of  UEL scholarships and bursaries
•     Ask your employer to sponsor your study
•     Study part-time so you can work at the same time (applicable to courses that have a part-time mode)
•     Look at  UK Research and Innovation funding options

The Student Money Advice and Rights Team (SMART) are here to help you navigate your finances while you're a student at the University of East London. We can give you advice, information and guidance on government and university funds so that you receive your full funding entitlement. Live chat: Click the live chat icon in the bottom left of the screen Phone: 020 8223 4444

International students

Living costs for international students.

As part of the Tier 4 student visa requirements, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) estimate that you will need £1,265* per month to cover your living costs. It includes expenses for accommodation, food and drink, travel within London, textbooks, entertainment, clothing, toiletries and laundry. Most Tier 4 students are required to show they have sufficient funds to cover the first nine months of the course before they start - a total of £11,385 - in addition to the tuition fees. You can find more information about the specific requirements of the Tier 4 student visa. The amount that you will spend can vary depending on your lifestyle. The UKCISA International Student Calculator can help you plan and manage your money.

* Please note the Immigration Rules are subject to change and this figure is likely to be increased by UKVI year on year. Please therefore check our ISA page for more information at the time of preparing your visa application.

How to pay your fees - international students

Deposits and paying by instalments International students are required to pay a  deposit  before being issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS). Your remaining balance will be paid in five monthly instalments over your first term. The first of these instalments must be paid when completing your enrolment on arrival at UEL. Please follow the payment instructions on our Make a Payment page . After the required payment has been made, you will be asked to complete the online International Student Reply Form to confirm your acceptance of our offer and of our terms of admittance and fee policy.

Our International team at UEL are available for advice and guidance on studying in London, fees, scholarships and visa requirements. Email:  [email protected]

Additional costs

Depending on the programme of study, there may be extra costs which are not covered by tuition fees, which students will need to consider when planning their studies.

Tuition fees cover the cost of your teaching, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, IT equipment and other support services. Accommodation and living costs are not included in our fees. 

Our libraries are a valuable resource with an extensive collection of books and journals as well as first-class facilities and IT equipment. You may prefer to, or be required to, buy your own copy of key textbooks.

Computer equipment

There are open-access networked computers available across the University, plus laptops available to loan. You may find it useful to have your own PC, laptop or tablet which you can use around campus and in halls of residences.

Free WiFi is available on each of our campuses.

In the majority of cases, coursework can be submitted online. There may be instances when you will be required to submit work in a printed format. Printing and photocopying costs are not included in your tuition fees.

Travel costs are not included but we do have a free intersite bus service which links the campuses and halls of residence.

For this course, you will be:

• involved in processes of making, as a means of exploration, experimentation, and understanding your practice, by using a diverse range of media and materials
• required to purchase your own copy of books, for required reading
• required to produce physical artefacts for assessment 
• able to participate in optional study visits and/or field trips

However, over and above this you may incur extra costs associated with your studies, which you will need to plan for. 

To help you budget, the information below indicates what activities and materials are not covered by your tuition fees:

• personal laptops and other personal devices 
• personal copies of books 
• optional study visits and field trips (and any associated visa costs)
• printing costs
• your own chosen materials and equipment
• costs of participating in external events, exhibitions, performances etc.

The costs vary every year and with every student, according to the intentions for the type of work they wish to do. Attainment at assessment is not dependent upon the costs of materials chosen.

Learn about applying

Important information about your application, uk full-time starting sept.

How to apply Apply directly to UEL by clicking on the apply button. For further information read our  Guide to Applying . When to apply Places on many courses are limited and allocated on a first-come first-served basis. We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer. Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone. +44 (0)20 8223 4354 Already applied? You can track the progress of your application by contacting our Applicant Engagement team on +44 (0)20 8223 3333 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm). Read our  guide to applying  for further information. Need help? Contact our Applicant Engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm) +44 (0)20 8223 3333

UK Part-time starting Sept

How to apply Apply directly to UEL by clicking on the apply button. For further information read our  Guide to Applying . When to apply Places on many courses are limited and allocated on a first-come first-served basis. We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer. Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone. +44 (0)20 8223 4354 Already applied? You can track the progress of your application by contacting our Applicant Engagement team on +44 (0)20 8223 3333 (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm). Read our  guide to applying  for further information. Need help? Contact our applicant engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm) +44 (0)20 8223 3333

International Full-time starting Sept

Submitting your application please read and consider the entry and visa requirements for this course before you submit your application. for more information please visit our  international student advice pages .  .

How to Apply We accept direct applications for international students. The easiest way to apply is directly to UEL by clicking on the red apply button. Please be sure to  watch our videos  on the application process.

When to Apply Please ensure that you refer to the international admissions deadline . We advise you to apply as early as possible to give yourself the best chance of receiving an offer.

International students who reside overseas Please ensure that you have read and considered the entry requirements for this course before you submit your application. Our enquiries team can provide advice if you are unsure if you are qualified for entry or have any other questions. Please be sure to read about the  Tier 4 visa requirements .

Advice and guidance Our  Information, Advice and Guidance team  provide impartial advice on courses, entry requirements, pre-entry and access programmes in person and via the telephone.

+44 (0)20 8223 4354 Need help? Contact our applicant engagement team (Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm)

+44 (0)20 8223 3333

About our foundation years

Our Foundation Year courses are perfect for you if you... 

• are returning to education after a long time, or you don't have the qualifications for direct entry into our degree programmes
• are thinking of re-training and would like an introduction to the area
• are an international student wanting an additional year to adapt to the UK academic system
• are still evaluating which degree pathway at UEL is the right one for you

Please note: Foundation years can only be studied full-time. However, you can transfer to part-time delivery once you have completed your foundation year. Please apply to the full-time option if you wish to study in this way.

What makes this course different

Academic staff

Postgraduate students score our academic staff highly in terms of support and the quality of their teaching - 82 per cent felt their research skills had developed during their course.

Many of our postgraduate students volunteer to help at UEL's Legal Advice Centre, joining local solicitors to provide free legal advice to local people.

Our research students have opportunities to teach undergraduates across the range of business and law courses at UEL - increasing their attractiveness to employers and academic institutions.

Course modules

Independent research core module.

PhD candidates will be undertaking their own research in communication with their supervisor.

NOTE: Modules are subject to change. For those studying part time courses the modules may vary.

What we're researching

The School of Business and Law's major research areas include: business strategy and sustainability, market function, entrepreneurialism and SMEs, global development, criminology and justice, conflict and law, terrorism studies and human rights.

Please  visit our Research section to find out more .

Your future career

Explore the different career options you can pursue with this degree and see the median salaries of the sector on our  Career Coach portal .

How we support your career ambitions

We offer dedicated careers support, and further opportunities to thrive, such as volunteering and industry networking. Our courses are created in collaboration with employers and industry to ensure they accurately reflect the real-life practices of your future career and provide you with the essential skills needed. You can focus on building interpersonal skills through group work and benefit from our investment in the latest cutting-edge technologies and facilities.

Career Zone

Our dedicated and award-winning team provide you with careers and employability resources, including:

• Online jobs board for internships, placements, graduate opportunities, flexible part-time work.
• Mentoring programmes for insight with industry experts 
• 1-2-1 career coaching services 
• Careers workshops and employer events 
• Learning pathways to gain new skills and industry insight

Mental Wealth programme

Our Professional Fitness and Mental Wealth programme which issues you with a Careers Passport to track the skills you’ve mastered. Some of these are externally validated by corporations like Amazon and Microsoft.

We are careers first

Our teaching methods and geographical location put us right up top

• Enterprise and entrepreneurship support 
• We are ranked 6th for graduate start-ups 
• Networking and visits to leading organisations 
• Support in starting a new business, freelancing and self-employment 
• London on our doorstep

What you'll learn

Royal Docks School of Business and Law offers two main research degrees: the Master of Philosophy (MPhil) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD). 

PhD via MPhil The most popular course is the PhD via MPhil. A PhD is an original and distinct contribution to the knowledge of the field of study. It is often essential for those wishing to follow an academic or research career in industry or commerce. PhD research can be carried out in all subject areas.

All Postgraduate Research students are supervised by at least two research-active staff. Your supervisors will support your programme of research through regular meetings and reviews.

The PhD via MPhil course normally takes a minimum of 36 months (full-time) 60 months (part-time) to complete. Students enrolled in full-time mode of study will transfer from the MPhil to a PhD usually at the two-year stage or equivalent for part-time study.

MPhil The Masters of Philosophy (MPhil) is a Master's level research degree programme which takes a minimum of 24 months (full-time) 48 months (part-time) to complete.

A PhD direct is aimed at postgraduate students who already have an MPhil (Masters of Philosophy) or MRes (Masters by Research) qualification and takes a minimum of 36 months (full-time) 60 months (part-time) to complete.

PhD via Publication

The publication route to a PhD is mainly intended for UEL postgraduate students or staff, based on their published academic output. Each application is considered separately on its own merits.

How you'll learn

Your research proposal

Research proposals give us a better understanding of the area you want to study for an MPhil, PhD via MPhil or PhD Direct course.

You don't have to follow a predetermined structure when writing your proposal, but it's a good idea to include a title that describes the aims and scope of your research, and information on how your ideas fit in with the research interests of UEL.

Other important elements include: relevant academic literature, how your research will advance knowledge in this area, and a possible methodology. You should also include a timescale for your research.

To find out more about how to write your research proposal, see our research proposal guidance .

How you will be assessed

At the end of your PhD, you will be required to submit an 80,000-word thesis, summarising your research. You will then have to undergo an oral examination (a viva) on your thesis.

At the end of your MPhil, you will be required to submit a 40,000-word thesis which outlines your research findings. You will then have to undergo an oral examination (a viva) on your thesis.

Campus and facilities

Our waterfront campus in the historic Royal Docks provides a stunning, modern, well-equipped learning environment.

Join us and you'll be able to make the most of our facilities including contemporary lecture theatres and seminar rooms, art studios and exhibition spaces, audio and visual labs and a multimedia production centre.

Features include our 24/7 Docklands library, our £21m SportsDock centre, a campus shop and bookstore, the Children’s Garden Nursery, cafés, eateries, a late bar, plus Student Union facilities, including a student lounge.   University of East London is one of the few London universities to provide on campus accommodation. Our Docklands Campus Student Village houses close to 1,200 students from around the world. We are well connected to central London and London City Airport is just across the water. We also run a free bus service that connects Docklands with Stratford campuses.

University Square Stratford is one of London’s most modern and well-equipped campuses. It serves 3,400 students and is the base for our courses in law and criminology, dance and performing arts, and the Master of Business Administration (MBA).   Modern facilities include: performing arts spaces; three performance studios; the Harvard lecture theatre, with live lecture capture technology; the multimedia Weston Learning Centre; a dedicated MBA suite and teaching space; a 300-seat specialised tiered lecture; and a simulated courtroom for mooting experience.   The campus is close to new Stratford developments such as Westfield Stratford City, and next door to the Theatre Royal and Picturehouse cinema.

Who teaches this course

This course is delivered by the Royal Docks School of Business and Law.

The teaching team includes qualified academics, practitioners and industry experts as guest speakers. Full details of the academics will be provided in the student handbook and module guides.

Professor Nazrul Islam

Related courses

This course is part of the Business Management, Entrepreneurship and Finance subject area.

MSc Finance and Risk

Pursue a career in financial management and gain the professional qualifications of prestigious Chartered Institutes such as the CBI, IMC or CFA.

MSc Human Resource Management

Take your HR career to the next level. Combine theoretical knowledge with the practical elements you will need to succeed in your career.

MSc International Business Management

MSc International Business Management prepares you for global business roles such as entrepreneurship, global innovation, corporate strategy, or consultancy.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Modal

Terms of Admittance to the University of East London

The Terms of Admittance govern your contractual relationship with the University of East London ("UEL"). A contract between you, the Student, and us, UEL, is entered into once you accept an offer of a place on a programme at UEL and this contract is subject to consumer protection legislation. You are entitled to cancel this contract within 14 days of enrolment onto your programme.

1) Student enrolment

Enrolment at UEL is the process whereby you officially become a UEL student. The enrolment process requires you to:

• Ensure that we are holding the correct personal details for you
• Agree to abide by our regulations and policies
• Pay your tuition fees/confirm who is paying your tuition fees

You are expected to enrol by the first day of your academic year (click on "Discover") which will be notified to you in your enrolment instructions. Failure to enrol by the deadline contained in our Fees Policy (for most students by the end of the second week of teaching) may lead to the cancellation of student status and all rights attached to that status, including attendance and use of UEL's facilities. If you do not complete the formal process of enrolment but, by your actions, are deemed to be undertaking activities compatible with the status of an enrolled student, UEL will formally enrol you and charge the relevant tuition fee. Such activities would include attendance in classes, use of online learning materials, submission of work and frequent use of a student ID card to gain access to university buildings and facilities. Late enrolment charges may be applied if you do not complete your enrolment by the relevant deadline.

2) Tuition fees

Your tuition fee is determined by:

• the programme you are studying;
• if you are studying full or part-time;
• whether you are a UK/EU or International student; and when you started your studies with us.

We will tell you the tuition fee that you are due to pay when we send you an offer as well as confirm any additional costs that will be incurred, such as bench fees or exceptional overseas study trips. Unregulated tuition fees (where the UK government has not set a maximum fee to be charged) are generally charged annually and may increase each year you are on the programme. Any annual increase will be limited to a maximum of 5% of the previous year's fee. Regulated tuition fees (where the UK government has set a maximum fee to be charged) may also be subject to an annual increase. Any annual increase will be in line with the increase determined by the UK government. You will be notified of any increases in tuition fees at re-enrolment in the programme. Further information on tuition fees and payment options is contained in our Fees Policy .

3) Student ID Cards

To produce an ID card, we need a recent photograph of you that is not obscured and is a true likeness. We will either ask you to send us/upload a photograph in advance of enrolment or take one of you at the point of enrolment. The photograph will be held on our student records system for identification purposes by administrative, academic and security/reception staff. By accepting these Terms of Admittance you are confirming that you agree to your photograph being used in this way. If you object to your photograph being used in this way please contact the University Secretary via email at gov&[email protected] . You are required to provide proof of your identity at initial enrolment and prior to the issue of your UEL student ID card. This is usually a full and valid passport but instead of this you may bring two of the following:

• A (full or provisional) driving licence showing current address
• An international driving licence
• An original birth certificate (in English)
• A debit or credit card (one only)
• A benefit book or benefit award letter (dated within the last 3 months)
• An Armed Forces Identity card
• A police warrant card

You are required to carry and display your student ID card whilst on UEL premises and must keep it safe so that it is not misused by others.

4) Proof of qualifications

You are required to produce evidence of having satisfied the entry requirements for your programme. Such evidence must be in the form of the original certificates or certified notification of results from the examining body. All qualifications must be in English or supported by an official certified translation. If you fail to provide evidence of having satisfied the requirements for the programme you are liable to be withdrawn from the programme.

5) Non-academic entry requirements

You may need to demonstrate that you have met non-academic entry requirements prior to enrolment by providing additional information to UEL. For example, if you:-

• are under 18 years of age at the time of initial enrolment,
• are applying to a programme that requires health clearance for study as stated in the programme specification,
• have declared a relevant criminal conviction,
• will be studying a programme that involves contact with children and/or vulnerable adults or leads to membership in a professional body that deals with children and/or vulnerable adults.

You will not be permitted to enrol and any offer will be withdrawn if UEL deems that you are unsuitable for study following assessment of this additional information in line with published policies. These policies will be provided to you when the additional information is requested.

6) Criminal convictions

UEL has a responsibility to safeguard staff, students and the wider community. You are required to inform UEL of any relevant criminal convictions you have and provide further information relating to these as requested. This includes any relevant criminal convictions received whilst studying at UEL. UEL will assess all information received in line with published policies and may remove you from a programme if the conviction makes you unsuitable for study in UEL's opinion. Failure to declare a relevant criminal conviction or provide further information about you may result in expulsion from UEL.

7) Providing false information to UEL

If you are discovered to have falsified or misrepresented information presented to UEL at application, enrolment or during your studies, you may be expelled from UEL.

8) Continued enrolment and student status

You are expected to abide by all UEL policies and regulations, both those in force at the time of first and subsequent enrolment and as later revised and published from time to time. UEL reserves the right to make reasonable changes to its policies and regulations and any substantial amendments will be brought to your attention. You are also required to take personal responsibility for your studies; this includes undertaking all studies in support of your programme as prescribed by UEL. Key policies include: Manual of General Regulations This describes the general regulatory framework of UEL and gives information about how UEL confers its degrees, diplomas and certificates. It includes important information about academic performance requirements for continued study. Engagement Attendance Policy This outlines UEL's expectations of students in relation to attendance on and engagement with taught programmes. These students are expected to attend all scheduled classes and engage fully with learning materials and resources provided to them - failure to do so may result in withdrawal from module(s) and/or the programme. Code of Practice for Postgraduate Research Degrees The purpose of this code is to provide a framework for the successful organisation and implementation of good practice in all matters relating to postgraduate research degrees at UEL. It aims to ensure that all students are effectively supported and supervised so that the full scope and potential of their research is realised; that their thesis is submitted within regulatory periods and that they complete their programme with a suitable and sufficient portfolio of research and employment-related skills and competencies. Health and Safety Policy This describes the structures and processes by which UEL protects the health and safety of its staff, students and visitors. It confirms that students will receive sufficient information, instruction and induction in relation to health and safety. All students should take reasonable care of their health and safety. They must abide by UEL’s rules and regulations and cooperate with supervisors to enable them to fulfil their obligations. Students must not interfere intentionally, or recklessly misuse anything provided for health and safety. UEL has consulted with its students and staff and has adopted a No Smoking Policy to safeguard the health and well-being of its community. Students are required to comply with this policy which restricts smoking to designated shelters and prohibits the use of electronic cigarettes within any UEL building or near building entrances. For further information on our Healthy Campus initiatives and support please visit the Health and Safety pages . Student Disciplinary Regulations and Procedures (incorporating the student code of conduct) This code is more than a list of things that we should and should not do: it reminds us that we should always consider how our behaviour affects others. The code applies:

• to all students;
• at all sites throughout our estate, and;
• when we represent UEL on business beyond our campus, both in real (face-to-face) and virtual environments.

And outlines expectations of students:

• verbal and physical behaviour should always be polite and respectful;
• behaviour should not impair the engagement, learning or participation of others;
• anti-social behaviour by individuals and groups will not be tolerated.

9) Changes to scheduled programmes

UEL will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the programme of study that you have accepted will conform to the programme specification published on our website and will ensure that the necessary resources required to enable you to meet the required learning outcomes and pass the relevant assessments are available. In order to ensure that our programmes are current and relevant, they are subject to regular review. From time to time, to ensure the maintenance of academic standards and/or compliance with professional body requirements, it may be necessary to amend a module or make adjustments to programme content. Major changes to programmes that in the reasonable opinion of UEL, will have a significant impact on students will involve consultation with students already enrolled on the programme when the changes are proposed. Once any changes are confirmed, UEL will notify all students and applicants of the changes. When UEL reasonably considers that the change may only impact one or more cohorts on the relevant programme, UEL may decide to only consult with the relevant cohort. In the event that we discontinue a programme, we will normally permit existing students to complete the programme within the typical duration of study. In these circumstances, UEL will use reasonable endeavours to continue the programme for existing students without making major changes. If this is not possible, we will support students in changing to another UEL programme on which a place is available, and for which the student is suitably qualified, or assist with transfer to another HEI to complete the programme elsewhere.

10) Changes to these terms

We may change these terms from time to time where, in UEL's opinion, it will assist in the proper delivery of any programme of study or in order to:- (a) Comply with any changes in relevant laws and regulatory requirements; (b) Implement legal advice, national guidance or good practice; (c) Provide for new or improved delivery of any programme of study; (d) Reflect market practice; (e) In our opinion make them clearer or more favourable to you; (f) Rectify any error or mistake; or (g) Incorporate existing arrangements or practices. No variation or amendment to these Terms of Admittance may be made without our prior written agreement. In the event that we agree to transfer you to an alternative programme of study, the transfer will be considered to be a variation to the Terms of Admittance, which shall otherwise remain in full force and existence. If we revise the Terms of Admittance, we will publish the amended Terms of Admittance by such means as we consider reasonably appropriate. We will use reasonable endeavours to give you notice of any changes before they take effect.

11) Data Protection

UEL is committed to adhering to its obligations under the Data Protection Act 2018 and will act as a Data Controller when it processes your personal data. You can find our registration to the Data controller register on ico.org.uk . UEL processes your personal data to fulfil its contractual and legal obligations to students. Personal data that we process about you includes:

• Your contact details and other information submitted during the application and enrolment processes;
• Details of courses, modules, timetables and room bookings, assessment marks and examinations related to your study;
• Financial and personal information collected for the purposes of administering fees and charges, loans, grants, scholarships and hardship funds;
• Photographs, and video recordings for the purpose of recording lectures, student assessments and examinations and for the purposes of university promotion that is in our legitimate interest but still fair to you;
• Information about your engagement with the University such as attendance data and use of electronic services such as Moodle, Civitas and YourTutor;
• Contact details for next of kin to be used in an emergency;
• Details of those with looked-after status or those who have left the care system for the provision of support;
• Information related to the prevention and detection of crime and the safety and security of staff and students, including, but not limited to, CCTV recording and data relating to breaches of University regulations;

This is not an exhaustive list, for further information please refer to our fair processing notice pages on uel.ac.uk. In all of its data processing activities, UEL is committed to ensuring that the personal data it collects stores and uses will be processed in line with the data protection principles which can be summarised as:

• Being processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner;
• Collected for specified, explicit and legitimate purposes;
• Adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary;
• Accurate and, where necessary, kept up to date;
• Kept in a form which permits identification of data subjects for no longer than is necessary;
• Processed in a manner that ensures appropriate security of the personal information;
• Be accountable for, and be able to demonstrate compliance with, the six principles above.

Student Responsibilities You must ensure that:

• All personal data provided to UEL is accurate and up-to-date. You must ensure that changes of address etc. are notified to the Student Hub.
• Students who use UEL's computing facilities may process personal data as part of their studies. If the processing of personal data takes place, students must take responsibility for that processing activity to ensure that it is in line with the data protection principles above.
• Students who are undertaking research projects using personal data must ensure that:
• The research subject is informed of the nature of the research and is given a copy of UEL's Fair Processing Notice and this Data Protection Policy.

12) Legal basis for use of data

By agreeing to these Terms of Admittance and enrolling at UEL, you are agreeing to the terms and conditions of a contract for the use of your personal data relating to your enrolment, and if appropriate, registration and ongoing participation in a programme of study. Your personal or special category data will be collected, processed, published and used by UEL, its online learning and teaching services and/or its partners and agents in ways which support the effective management of UEL and your programme of study, to allow for the delivery of bursary schemes and to support improvements to student experience and progression, and are consistent with: The terms of the Data Protection Act 2018; Any notification submitted to the Information Commissioner in accordance with this legislation; and compliance with any other relevant legislation. You have fundamental rights associated with how organisations use your personal data. Further information on data protection and use of your personal data can be found in our Data Protection Policy and on uel.ac.uk.

13) Intellectual property

You are entitled to the intellectual property rights created during your time studying at UEL that would belong to you under the applicable law. There are some programmes where the assignment of certain types of intellectual property to UEL is appropriate. UEL will require the assignment to it of intellectual property rights relating to postgraduate research that is part of an ongoing research programme. Where the nature of the research programme means that some assignment of intellectual property rights to UEL is appropriate, we will take what steps that we can to ensure that your interests are protected. UEL will take reasonable endeavours to ensure:-

• the scope of the assignment is narrow, and is restricted to what is necessary, for example, to protect UEL’s legitimate interests in the intellectual property created as party to a research programme;
• the application of the assignment is clearly defined so that it is clear to you in which circumstances the assignment will apply;
• where the assignment of the intellectual property is appropriate in the circumstances, we will take all reasonable steps to ensure that the rights of the parties are evenly balanced (for example, your work being acknowledged in a publication and, where appropriate, subject to an appropriate revenue sharing scheme)
• where UEL claims ownership of intellectual property rights in relation to a taught programme of study, such treatment of those rights will be made clear in the published information relating to that programme.

14) How we communicate with you

UEL will communicate with you via a variety of channels, including postal letters, e-mail, SMS text messages and online notices. To enable this, we request that you provide us with your e-mail address, postal address, and contact telephone number when you first enrol. Throughout your studies, it is important that you keep your contact details up to date. You can view and edit this information by logging into our student portal, UEL Direct at https://uel.ac.uk/Direct . We will create a UEL e-mail account for you after you enrol. Your e-mail address will be your student number, prefixed with a ‘u’ and followed by ‘@uel.ac.uk’ – e.g.: [email protected]. UEL will use this e-mail address to communicate with you and it is important that you regularly check and manage this mailbox for important updates and information. You can access your email account, plus information about our services, news and events by logging into our Intranet, intranet.uel.ac.uk. At the login screen, enter your email address (as above) and password. Your default UEL password will be your date of birth, formulated as DD-MMM-YY, e.g. 31-jan-84. Your UEL email account and associated UEL IT accounts will be deleted not more than 6 months after you graduate or withdraw from your programme of study (if earlier).  

15) University of East London Students' Union

The University of East London Students' Union (UELSU) represents students at UEL. By enrolling at UEL you are automatically granted membership of both UELSU and the National Union of Students (NUS). If you wish to opt out from this membership, please inform UELSU in writing at either [email protected]  or by writing to Chief Executive, UELSU, University of East London, Docklands Campus, 4-6 University Way, London E16 2RD. UELSU provides a range of services and support to students and can provide advice and representation on any matter affecting the contract between you and UEL. For further information on this support, please visit www.uelunion.org

16) Students studying at partner institutions

If you are undertaking a programme of study at a partner institution you will need to generally abide by the above terms and also those of the partner institution. Further information and support in understanding these terms is available from the Academic Partnership Office -  [email protected] .

17) International students - additional responsibilities

All international students must also comply with UK Visa and Immigration requirements. All international students are required to hold a valid visa which permits study in the UK or hold a Tier 4 visa/have applied for a Tier 4 visa with a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies issued by UEL. Students who are being sponsored under a Tier 4 student visa must also understand and comply with the responsibilities of their student visa and cooperate with UEL in fulfilling our Tier 4 duties .

18) Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

UEL is committed to working together to build a learning community founded on equality of opportunity – a learning community which celebrates the rich diversity of our student and staff populations and one in which discriminatory behaviour is challenged and not tolerated within our community. Within the spirit of respecting difference, our equality and diversity policies promise fair treatment and equality of opportunity for all regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, disability or religion/belief (or lack of). In pursuing this aim, we want our community to value and to be at ease with its own diversity and to reflect the needs of the wider community within which we operate. For further information on this inclusive approach to education please visit our Student Policies page .

19) Complaints

We welcome feedback on our programmes and services and facilitate this in a variety of ways, including programme committees, module evaluation forms and surveys. However, if you are dissatisfied with a particular service or programme or the manner in which it has been delivered, you must let the person responsible for that service know as we will always try to resolve matters at the earliest opportunity via informal conciliation. If you are unsure who to approach, please e-mail The Hub who will be able to direct your concerns appropriately. If you remain dissatisfied with a service or programme, or the manner in which it is delivered, you should refer to our formal complaints procedure to have the matter formally addressed. In addition, once you have enrolled on your programme, you will also have access to the Advice and Information Service offered by UELSU. This access is not available to students studying at partner institutions.

20) Cancellation

If you wish to cancel this contract within 14 days of enrolment in your programme, you must do so in writing. Any fees that you have paid will be refunded – please see the Fees Policy for further information on obtaining a refund.

21) Further guidance

If any of the information in these Terms of Admittance or related policies is unclear or if you have any questions, please contact The Hub for guidance on +44 (0) 208 223 4444 .

22) Right to advice

This is a consumer contract and you are able to obtain independent advice in relation to its terms and conditions from UELSU as well as your local Citizens Advice Bureau.  

23) General

Neither you nor UEL will be liable for failure to perform their obligations under these Terms of Admittance if such failure arises from unforeseeable events, circumstances or causes outside of that party's reasonable control. Examples of such events include, but are not limited to, war, terrorism, industrial disputes, natural disasters, fire and national emergencies. Only you and UEL are parties to these Terms of Admittance. No other person shall have any rights under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 to enforce any term of these Terms of Admittance. Failure or delay by you or UEL to exercise any right or remedy provided under this contract shall not constitute a waiver of that or any other right or remedy, nor shall it prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. No single or partial exercise of such right or remedy shall prevent or restrict the further exercise of that or any other right or remedy. These Terms of Admittance are governed by the law of England and Wales and you and UEL agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

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UCL Faculty of Laws

• Fees and scholarships

MPhil/PhD fees and scholarships

Find out more about fees, funding and scholarship opportunities for the MPhil/PhD programme at UCL Laws.

Skip to: Fees and finance |  Funding and scholarships

Fees and finance

Tuition fees cover all elements of your tuition, registration and examination. If applicable, any additional research expenses will be specified on your formal offer of admission.

Full details of the tuition fees for each academic year can be found under the fee schedule  pages of the UCL Current Students website.

Tuition fees for subsequent years are subject to increase. You should make provision for such increases and this is implicit in accepting the offer of a place at UCL.

You must pay at least 50% of your tuition fee before or at enrolment to be fully enrolled, or provide a letter of sponsorship indicating who should be invoiced for your fee.

Tuition fees for 2025 entry

(As a guide) UCL’s tuition fees for UK students registered on graduate research programmes at UCL Laws for 2024-25 are £6,035 for full-time students, and £3,015 for part-time students.  These will likely increase for 2025-26.

(as a guide) UCL’s tuition fees for international students registered on graduate research programmes at UCL Laws are £25,900 for full-time students and £12,950 for part-time students for the academic year 2024-25.  These will likely increase for 2025-26.

Tuition fees for 2025-26 may increase. Further information relating to on tuition fees can be found in the fees and funding section of the UCL Current Students website .

Living costs

As well as your tuition fees, you will also need to think about how you are going to meet your living costs – accommodation, food and travel, as well as other costs associated with your studies and everyday life.

Find more information about living costs and managing your money on the UCL Prospective Students website .

Funding and scholarships

There are a number of different scholarships available to fund your PhD. All are awarded on the basis of academic excellence and are competitive.  An application for a place on the PhD programme should precede any application for funding.

Each requires a different application process and deadline so please do read the following information carefully and adhere to the deadlines specified. No late applications will be accepted.

Please see also the UCL guidance on Funding for students on postgraduate research courses , which provides information on other possible funding sources.  

Annual Scholarship opportunities

These scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence, research potential and research area. Candidates must have an outstanding academic track record, an excellent research proposal and strong references as competition for these scholarships is high. Financial need is not an essential criterion but will be taken into account in tie-break cases, namely when there are two equally well qualified candidates on the basis of academic excellence.

A UCL Laws FRS covers the cost of tuition fees, plus a maintenance stipend per annum for full time study. The annual stipend for 2024-25 (as a guide) is £21,337. Costs are pro-rated for part-time students.

Awards are made initially for one year but will be renewed for a second year, subject to satisfactory completion of studies during your first year. They will be renewed for a third year, provided the student has been upgraded to full PhD status and continues to make satisfactory progress in the programme.

How To Apply:  

All successful applicants to the UCL Laws PhD programme are automatically considered for our prestigious Faculty Research Scholarships (FRS), awarded directly by the Faculty. There is no separate application form that needs to be completed.

To be considered for the scholarship candidates must apply for the PhD programme by 18th November 2024. Further details about applications are available here . 

Four Faculty Research Scholarships, named after distinguished legal figures associated with the Faculty, are typically available each year:

• Orme Scholarship :  Eliza Orme was the first woman to earn a law degree in England, graduating from UCL with an LLB in 1888. This followed UCL’s groundbreaking decision to become the first UK university to permit women on an equal footing to men, in 1878. While women at the time were not permitted to qualify as a barrister or solicitor, Orme made a career drafting legal documents from her office in Chancery Lane. She was also involved in the National Society for Women’s Suffrage.
• Lawrence Scholarship :  Reina Lawrence was London’s first woman councillor. After receiving her LLB from UCL in 1893, Lawrence served on the Hampstead Distress Committee, helping the unemployed, before the Qualification of Women Act 1907 opened the way for female candidates in council elections. Lawrence stood for Hampstead Borough Council and was elected for the Belsize Ward with a large majority.
• Clarke Scholarship :  Ellis Clarke graduated from UCL Laws in 1940, being called to the Bar at Gray’s Inn the following year. Clarke returned to his native Trinidad and Tobago and served as a lawyer and, following that country’s independence from Britain, in a number of government posts including Ambassador to the United States and Ambassador to the UN. Knighted in 1963, Sir Ellis was instrumental in drafting a new republican constitution for Trinidad and Tobago and following its adoption was appointed President, serving in that capacity from 1976 to 1987.
• Elias Scholarship :  Taslim Olawale Elias graduated from UCL with an LLB in 1946, being called to the bar at the Inner Temple the following year. Elias completed his LLM and PhD at UCL, becoming the first African to earn a PhD in Law from the University of London in 1949. In the run up to Nigerian independence in 1960, Elias played a key role in drafting the constitution and on its adoption was appointed Attorney General and Minister of Justice. In 1972 he became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and served in a number of important international roles including Chairman of the UN International Law Commission, and helping to draft the Constitutions of the Congo and the Organisation of African Unity (forerunner to the African Union). In 1976 he was appointed a judge at the International Court of Justice in the Hague, becoming its President in 1982.

The UCL Faculty of Laws offers UCL Laws Research Opportunity Scholarships. These scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence, research potential and research area. Candidates must have an outstanding academic track record and excellent research proposal. Financial need is an essential criterion for this award. It is a condition for eligibility for these scholarships that candidates qualify for ‘UK fee status’ as defined here by UCL, and are domiciled in the UK.

A UCL Laws Research Opportunity Scholarship covers the cost of tuition fees, plus a maintenance stipend per annum for full time study. The annual stipend for 2024-25 (as a guide) is £21,237. Costs are pro-rated for part-time students.

Awards are made initially for one year but will be renewed for a second year, subject to satisfactory completion of studies during your first year. They will be renewed for a third year, provided the student has been upgraded to full PhD status and continues to make satisfactory progress in the programme. 

How To Apply:

There is not a separate application form for this scholarship, and all applicants successful at interview will be given the option to provide financial information in order to be considered for the UCL Laws Research Opportunity Scholarship.

To be considered for the scholarship candidates must apply for the PhD programme by 18th November 2024. Further details about applications are available here .

The UCL Faculty of Laws offers UCL Laws BAME Research Opportunity Scholarships. The scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic excellence, research potential and research area. Candidates must have an outstanding academic track record and excellent research proposal.  Financial need is an essential criterion for the scholarship. It is a condition for eligibility for these scholarships that candidates qualify for ‘UK fee status’ as defined here by UCL and are domiciled in the UK. The scholarship is only available to ethnic groups currently underrepresented as academic staff members in Law Schools at Russell Group Universities. The Faculty will make an assessment of which groups are currently underrepresented using the latest HESA and National Census data.  A UCL Laws Research Opportunity Scholarship covers the cost of tuition fees, plus a maintenance stipend per annum for full time study. The annual stipend for 2024-25 (as a guide) is £21,237. Costs are calculated pro rata for part-time students. Awards are made initially for one year but will be renewed for a second year, subject to satisfactory completion of studies during your first year. They will be renewed for a third year, provided the student has been upgraded to full PhD status and continues to make satisfactory progress in the programme.

There is not a separate application form for this scholarship, and all applicants successful at interview will be given the option to provide the personal information required in order to be considered for the UCL Laws BAME Research Opportunity Scholarship.

To be considered for the scholarship candidates must apply for the PhD programme by 18yh November 2024. Further details about applications are available here . 

The UCL Laws Institute of Brand and Innovation Law is offering a scholarship in 2025-26. The scholarship will fund one PhD student to undertake research in the field of Intellectual Property, and will provide a stipend of at least £21,237 per year for 3 years. Fees at the Home rate are covered (the scholarship is open to international students as well; if successful, an international student would receive a discount on the international fees equivalent to the value of the Home fees, and would need to cover the difference with their own funds).

The Institute of Brand and Innovation Law would like to thank its sponsors for their generosity, which has made this scholarship possible. Details of IBIL's sponsors can be found on our website.

All applicants to the UCL Laws PhD Programme in the field of Intellectual Property will be considered for the scholarship. There is no separate application form.

One scholarship worth £1,000 is available for prospective or current MPhil/PhD research students at UCL Laws. This scholarship is awarded on the basis of academic merit and research potential, taking into account the availability of other sources of funding.

All successful applicants to the UCL Laws PhD programme are automatically considered for the Joseph Hume Scholarship, awarded directly by the Faculty. There is no separate application form.

To be considered for the scholarship, candidates must apply for the PhD programme by 18th November 2024. Further details about applications are available here . 

UCL Research Excellence Scholarships (RES) aim to attract high-quality students to undertake postgraduate research at UCL. The university usually awards approximately 40 UCL RES annually to prospective and current UCL research students from any country.  These are highly competitive scholarships and are awarded only to the most outstanding potential and existing research students from all UCL departments and faculties.

The scholarships consist of tuition fees (for home or overseas students) plus a maintenance stipend of at least £21,237 for full-time study (benefits are calculated 'pro rata' for part-time students). The scholarship also includes additional support for research costs of up to £1,200 per year for the stated duration of the programme. Awards are normally tenable for years 1, 2, and 3 of a full-time research degree programme (or years 1-5 of a part-time programme), subject to annual review and renewal. 

All further information and required materials for application can be found online here . There is a separate application form which must be sent to [email protected] . You must also have applied to the PhD programme by 18th November 2024 . The RES application documents can be submitted later though - by a date to be confirmed in January 2025. Further details about applications are available here . 

We are partnered with the AHRC-funded London Arts & Humanities Doctoral Training Partnership. These are studentships that normally cover fees and maintenance allowance (stipend). 

Candidates should be aware that the LAHP studentship competition is a twin-track process, and they will need to:

• Apply first for a place on the UCL Faculty of Laws PhD programme by 18th November 2024; and
• Apply separately and directly to LAHP to their Open Competition Studentship .

The application window for LAHP Studentships opens in December 2024 (precise date tbc).The application process for these Studentships is run entirely by LAHP.  UCL's Faculty of Laws is not involved in the process at all. If you are intending to apply for an LAHP studentship, please make note of this on your online application form when you apply for a place on the PhD programme. 

Register your interest

Natalie Sedacca, Faculty Research Scholarship recipient

Read about our alumni and where they are now

If you have any questions about the MPhil/PhD programme or the admissions procedure at UCL Laws please contact us at:

Email:   [email protected] You should always quote your UCL Application ID number in any correspondence relating to your application.

Unfortunately, the UCL Laws Research Office does not accept drop-in visitors.

UCL Laws student news

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Law (Graduate Entry) LLB

Key information.

Course code

M106 with placement

Placement available

Mode of study

2 years full-time

3 years full-time with placement

International £19,430

Entry requirements

The Graduate Entry LLB is a fast track two-year law degree that enables people with a degree in an academic discipline other than Law (at minimum 2:2 level) to earn a qualifying law degree.

We offer two study options. You can choose two years full-time, or three years full-time with a one-year  professional placement  between the first and second years that will give you hands-on experience working in a legal practice.

You’ll be able to discuss career ideas with your careers advisor and get guidance on placements and further study options.

The legal skills you’ll gain from our Graduate Entry LLB, on top of what you learnt from your previous degree, will make you an excellent candidate for a career in law. Employers know that law graduates have a variety of useful, transferable skills that make them excellent employment prospects in both legal and non-legal careers so you will finish your degree as a professional, sought-after graduate.

To qualify as a solicitor you will need a degree and to pass the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), Parts 1 and 2.  The Brunel LLB provides a solid grounding in the core legal subjects aspiring solicitors need to know. Brunel students can benefit from discounts for BARBRI SQE preparation courses, and we offer two fully-funded BARBRI scholarships each academic year to our best-performing final year students to help to set you on the path to a successful and rewarding career.

To qualify as a barrister you will need a law degree which covers the foundations of legal knowledge subjects, which the Brunel LLB does. For further information on solicitor and barrister qualification routes, please refer to www.sra.org.uk and www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

You can find out more about our course by watching this video .

For students coming from Canada you can see the benefits of studying the Graduate Entry LLB on our Canadian students webpage

You can explore our campus and facilities for yourself by taking our virtual tour .

Course content

The LLB consists of both compulsory and optional modules, which are designed to give you a full grounding in the English law. Students joining Brunel from the 2024/2025 academic year will study the following modules. Modules are either studied at 30 credits for a full academic year, or at 15 credits for one term of an academic year.

• Public Law and Legal Skills
• Contract Law and Civil Justice Systems
• Criminal Law and Criminal Justice systems
• Dissertation
• EU Law in its UK Context
• Law of Equity and Trusts
• Banking Law
• Children and the Law
• Company Law
• Competition Law
• Intellectual Property Law
• International Commercial Arbitration
• International Human Rights
• International Investment Law and Arbitration
• International Law
• Jurisprudence
• Law Science and Technology Studies

This course can be studied undefined undefined, starting in undefined.

This course has a placement option. Find out more about work placements available.

Please note that all modules are subject to change.

Read more about the structure of undergraduate degrees at Brunel.

Careers and your future

Graduates from Brunel University London rank 27th nationally, and 9th in London for the salaries they earn - earning £4,300 more than the median salary across the university sector .*

Our high-quality placements will give you first-hand professional legal experience and a real taste of what life after your studies could be like. You’ll benefit from the guidance of dedicated careers advisors and the expertise of your personal tutor so whether you want to explore your passion for law or already have your dream job in mind, we’ll support you on your career journey.

Our strong links with industry will help you to boost your career potential. We offer a number of exciting opportunities which are unique to students studying at Brunel Law School. Brunel is one of the few UK universities on the Blake Morgan Brand Ambassador Scheme – offering great work experience opportunities, mentoring programmes and giving you great exposure to the graduate recruitment team of a leading law firm.

We have a partnership with Macfarlanes to offer a training scholarship for three Brunel law students annually, and to provide opportunities for Brunel students to gain insights into working in a top law firm. We offer two fully-funded BARBRI scholarships each academic year to our best-performing final year students, and Brunel students can also benefit from discounts to the BARBRI SQE preparation courses. We also have links with a number of other professional practices, and opportunities to participate in mentoring programmes are also available to Brunel students.

You will have the opportunity to develop your legal skills with our Law Lives programme . You’ll build, develop and strengthen transferable skills and experiences through a range of activities and programmes such as Brunel’s Pro Bono Legal Advice Centre, which offers pro bono legal advice through various clinics in different areas of law.

You will graduate with a firm grounding in legal theory, allowing you to be flexible in your future choices. Law affects every part of our society, and so we will prepare you for work in the corporate world and government, as well as legal roles in the humanitarian and criminal fields.

Whatever your career aspirations are, you can begin on your path to success with Brunel Law School. Recent graduates went on to pursue careers in range of high-profile organisations such as the Court of Appeal, Blake Morgan, CPS, Freshfields, Mishcon de Reya, the Home Office and Linklaters.

* Longitudinal Employment Outcomes 2022

UK entry requirements

2024/25 entry.

• The minimum requirement for admission into the Graduate Entry LLB is an honours degree at 2:2 level in a subject other than Law.

For students coming from Canada, please see details on our Graduate LLB for Canadian students webpage .

EU and International entry requirements

If you require a Tier 4 visa to study in the UK, you must prove knowledge of the English language so that we can issue you a Certificate of Acceptance for Study (CAS). To do this, you will need an IELTS for UKVI or Trinity SELT test pass gained from a test centre approved by  UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and on the Secure English Language Testing (SELT) list . This must have been taken and passed within two years from the date the CAS is made.

English language requirements

• IELTS: 6.5 (min 5.5 in all areas)
• Pearson: 59 (59 in all subscores)
• BrunELT : 63% (min 55% in all areas)
• TOEFL: 90 (min R18, L17, S20, W17)  

You can find out more about the qualifications we accept on our  English Language Requirements  page.

Should you wish to take a pre-sessional English course to improve your English prior to starting your degree course, you must sit the test at an approved SELT provider for the same reason. We offer our own BrunELT English test and have pre-sessional English language courses for students who do not meet requirements or who wish to improve their English. You can find out more information on English courses and test options through our  Brunel Language Centre .

Please check our Admissions  pages for more information on other factors we use to assess applicants. This information is for guidance only and each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis. Entry requirements are subject to review, and may change.

Fees and funding

£9,250 full-time

£1,385 placement year

International

£19,430 full-time

Fees quoted are per year and may be subject to an annual increase. Home undergraduate student fees are regulated and are currently capped at £9,250 per year; any changes will be subject to changes in government policy. International fees will increase annually, by no more than 5% or RPI (Retail Price Index), whichever is the greater.

More information on any additional course-related costs .

See our fees and funding page for full details of undergraduate scholarships available to Brunel applicants.

Please refer to the scholarships pages to view discounts available to eligible EU undergraduate applicants.

Teaching and learning

You will be taught by experts in your field of study, and you will have the opportunity to interact and engage with academics and your fellow students throughout your programme.

Your programme will consist of a variety of learning and studying activities, including lectures and seminars which will be delivered in person on campus. These will be supported by pre- and post-sessional activities which are designed to enhance your studies and provide a rich, dynamic learning experience.

In Year 1 you will study four modules which will span the whole academic year. In Year 2 you will study a combination of modules, some taught over the course of the academic year, and others taught for one academic term. This helps students organise their time, and prevents an excess of assessment at particular points in the year.

In Year 2 you will also write your dissertations. This is a compulsory element which all students will complete. Supervision of the dissertation module will take the form of individual meetings with a dissertation supervisor, dissertation surgeries and presentations across the teaching terms.

Outside of the classroom, all students will also have the opportunity to seek guidance during module lecturers’ feedback and consultation hours. Additionally, students will be able to seek support in individual meetings with their personal tutors, both on campus and online. There will also be regular cohort meetings and student society events, at both programme and departmental level.

All lectures, seminars, and social activities will occur in person on the Brunel campus. It is expected that students will regularly attend these events, as sustained engagement with a learning community is a central dimension of the Brunel experience.

The majority of core texts are available through the University website. Students may prefer to purchase a physical copy. Copies are also available via Brunel Library.

Access to a laptop or desktop PC is required for joining online activities, completing coursework and digital exams, and a minimum specification can be found here.

We have computers available across campus for your use and laptop loan schemes to support you through your studies. You can find out more here .

Our teaching is research-led in its focus, building on Brunel’s strong reputation for producing excellent research. The 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) rated the majority (72.7%) of our research activity as either world-leading or internationally excellent. Our research was rated 58th globally for research impact. This robust culture provides a dynamic space for students to learn and contribute to current knowledge.

The course itself will consist of lectures, tutor-led seminars, private study and one-to-one supervision with your tutor. You will have lectures as a full cohort, and your seminar groups will consist of up to 15 students. Lectures are generally one- or two-hours in length, and are followed by a seminar in each module. You will receive further professional and academic skills on your Academic and Professional Skills module where you'll begin to build your professional and legal profile.

Independent learning features heavily on the Law undergraduate degrees, and you will be expected to complete around 10-12 hours of self-directed study a week alongside your lectures and seminars.

Your learning continues out of the classroom. A number of professional development activities are provided to help you develop the legal and transferable skills that will make you stand out in the job market.

• We run workshops, short courses and career events with experts from across the legal spectrum that will give you an insider’s view of the various aspects of the profession
• Our mentoring scheme gives you the opportunity to work individually with an experienced legal practitioner and gain insight into a particular area of law and the profession in general
• Mooting sessions, which are mock courtroom hearings, allow you to test out the presentation, argument and research skills you’ve been learning

You will receive your timetable in advance of the course starting.

We also have an excellent Student Support and Welfare Team who are here to help should you need any non-academic support during your time at Brunel.

Assessment and feedback

Modules are assessed by a variety of methods, including written coursework, examinations, oral presentations, reflective and participatory assessments based on seminars, continuous assessment and other methods. All final year students are required to research and write a dissertation on a legal topic.

Read our guide on  how to avoid plagiarism  in your assessments at Brunel.

Related courses

Law with criminal justice llb, law with international arbitration and commercial law llb.

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Criminology PhD

Key information.

• 1st  in the UK for our research impact in Sociology in  REF 2021   (Times Higher Education)
• 8th   in the UK for Sociology  (QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023)

Sussex is an exciting place to pursue a PhD in Criminology.  We’re an active, research-intensive team of criminologists, and our work is influencing public and policy debates worldwide.  Our faculty have specific expertise in:

• crime and violence
• drugs, alcohol and crime
• gender and crime
• criminological theory
• terrorism and extremism
• technology and crime
• surveillance
• crime and public policy
• prisons and punishment
• historical criminology
• race and criminal justice.

We understand that deciding where and what to study is a very important decision. We’ll make all reasonable efforts to provide you with the courses, services and facilities described in this prospectus. However, if we need to make material changes, for example due to government or regulatory requirements, or unanticipated staff changes, we’ll let you know as soon as possible.

Masters and P h D events

Meet us on campus or online

Book your place

Entry requirements

• UK requirements
• International requirements

Please select your country from the list.

Philippines

Saudi Arabia

South Africa

South Korea

Switzerland

United Arab Emirates

My country is not listed

If your country is not listed, you need to contact us and find out the qualification level you should have for this course. Contact us

English language requirements

Ielts (academic).

High level (6.5 overall, including at least 6.0 in each component).

IELTS scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course.  Find out more about IELTS

We accept IELTS One Skills Retake.

We do not accept IELTS Online.

Check full details of our English Language requirements and find out more about some of the alternative English language qualifications listed below

Alternative English language qualifications

Proficiency tests, cambridge advanced certificate in english (cae).

169 overall, including at least 162 in each skill.

We would normally expect the CAE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Advanced

Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE)

We would normally expect the CPE test to have been taken within two years before the start of your course.

You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Find out more about Cambridge English: Proficiency

LanguageCert Academic SELT

High level (70 overall, including at least 65 in each component).

LanguageCert Academic SELT scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course.  Find out more about LanguageCert Academic SELT

We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres.

We do not accept the online version.  We also do not accept the non-SELT version.

LanguageCert International ESOL SELT

High level (International ESOL SELT B2 with a minimum of 39 in each component)

LanguageCert International ESOL scores are valid for two years from the test date. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about LanguageCert SELT

We only accept LanguageCert when taken at SELT Test Centres. We do not accept the online version.

Pearson PTE Academic

High level (62 overall, including at least 59 in all four skills)

PTE (Academic) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about Pearson (PTE Academic)

We do not accept the PTE Academic Online test.

TOEFL (iBT)

High level 88 overall, including at least 20 Listening, 19 in Reading, 21 in Speaking, 23 in Writing.

TOEFL (iBT) scores are valid for two years from the test date. You cannot combine scores from more than one sitting of the test. Your score must be valid when you begin your Sussex course. Find out more about TOEFL (iBT)

We do not accept TOEFL (iBT) Home Edition.

The TOEFL Institution Code for the University of Sussex is 9166.

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As/a-level (gce).

Grade C or above in English Language.

Hong Kong Advanced Level Examination (HKALE)/ AS or A Level: grade C or above in Use of English.

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Grade C or above in English.

Brunei/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

Singapore/Cambridge GCE O-level in English: grades 1-6.

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Grade C or above in English as a First Language (Grade 4 or above in GCSE from 2017).

Grade B or above in English as a Second Language.

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If awarded before 1993: grades 1-6 in English language.

If awarded between 1993 and 2005: grades A-D in English language.

Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE)

 Level 4, including at least 3 in each component in English Language.

Indian School Certificate (Standard XII)

The Indian School Certificate is accepted at the grades below when awarded by the following examination boards:

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) – English Core only: 70%

Council for Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE) - English: 70% 

International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB)

English A or English B at grade 5 or above.

Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education

Grades A - C in English language

Malaysian Certificate of Education (SPM) 1119/GCE O-level

If taken before the end of 2008: grades 1-6 in English Language.

If taken from 2009 onwards: grade C or above in English Language.

The qualification must be jointly awarded by the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES).

West African Senior School Certificate

Grades A1-C6 (1-6) in English language when awarded by the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) or the National Examinations Council (NECO).

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Select to see the list of exempt english-speaking countries.

If you are a national of one of the countries below, or if you have recently completed a qualification equivalent to a UK Bachelors degree or higher in one of these countries, you will normally meet our English requirement. Note that qualifications obtained by distance learning or awarded by studying outside these countries cannot be accepted for English language purposes.

You will normally be expected to have completed the qualification within two years before starting your course at Sussex. If the qualification was obtained earlier than this, we would expect you to be able to demonstrate that you have maintained a good level of English, for example by living in an English-speaking country or working in an occupation that required you to use English regularly and to a high level.

Please note that this list is determined by the UK’s Home Office, not by the University of Sussex.

List of exempt countries: 

• Antigua and Barbuda
• New Zealand
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• The British Overseas Territories
• Trinidad and Tobago
• United Kingdom

** Canada: you must be a national of Canada; other nationals not on this list who have a degree from a Canadian institution will not normally be exempt from needing to provide evidence of English.

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If any part of your funding, at any time, is through USA federal Direct Loan funds, you will be registered on a separate version of this degree which does not include the possibility of distance learning which is prohibited under USA federal regulations. Find out more about American Student Loans and Federal Student Aid .

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Home students: £4,786 per year for full-time students

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Home PhD student fees are set at the level recommended by United Kingdom Research and Innovation (UKRI) annually, rising in line with inflation. Overseas fees are subject to an annual increase - see details on our tuition fees page

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On top of your PhD fees and living costs, you may also need to cover some research and training costs, relevant to your research project. These costs will depend on your research topic and training needs, but may include: - travel (to archives, collections or scientific facilities) - a laptop - overseas fieldwork costs (travel and accommodation, and language training) - conference costs (travel, registration fees and accommodation) - laboratory consumables and workshop materials - participant costs - transcription or translation costs - open-access publication costs. If you have a scholarship from one of the UK Research Councils, your scholarship should cover these types of costs. You'll receive details of how to claim this additional funding. If you're self funded, or if your scholarship doesn’t cover these costs, check with the Research and Enterprise Co-ordinator in your School for details of School or Doctoral School funding that may be available.

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UK police commissioner threatens to extradite, jail US citizens over online posts: 'We'll come after you'

'being a keyboard warrior does not make you safe from the law' the police commissioner warned.

UK police commissioner threatens to extradite and jail US citizens over social media posts: 'We will come after you'

London's Metropolitan Police chief announced officials will not only be cracking down on British citizens for commenting on the riots in the UK, but on American citizens as well.

London's Metropolitan Police chief warned that officials will not only be cracking down on British citizens for commentary on the riots in the U.K., but on American citizens as well.

"We will throw the full force of the law at people. And whether you’re in this country committing crimes on the streets or committing crimes from further afield online, we will come after you," Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley told Sky News.

Riots have broken out across the United Kingdom in recent days over false rumors spread online that an asylum seeker was responsible for a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift-themed dance event that left three girls dead and others wounded. The murders, allegedly committed by a now 18-year-old British citizen born to Rwandan parents, sparked a series of violent protests that tapped into broader concerns about the scale of immigration in the U.K.

Footage of the violent clashes involving anti-immigration protesters and the groups of counter-protesters, some of whom have been seen waving Palestinian flags, has gone viral on social media, and the government is warning that sharing such content may have serious consequences.

One key aspect that makes this apparent crackdown on social media  particularly shocking to critics is that the British government is threatening to extradite American citizens from the U.S. to be jailed in the U.K. for violating their rules about political speech online.

The British government announced it will not only be cracking down on British citizens for commenting on the riots in the UK, but on American citizens as well. (Sky News)

UK RIOTS PLUNGE COUNTRY INTO WORST UNREST IN YEARS, PRIME MINISTER VOWS TO APPLY ‘FULL FORCE OF LAW’

A Sky News reporter asked Commissioner Rowley to further explain his warning, arguing that high profile figures have been "whipping up the hatred," and that "the likes of Elon Musk" have been getting involved. She then asked what the police force’s plan will be "when it comes to dealing with people who are whipping up this kind of behavior from behind the keyboard who may be in a different country?"

Rowley answered by telling the reporter, "Being a keyboard warrior does not make you safe from the law."

"You can be guilty of offenses of incitement, of stirring up racial hatred, there are numerous terrorist offenses regarding the publishing of material," he said. "All of those offenses are in play if people are provoking hatred and violence on the streets, and we will come after those individuals just as we will physically confront on the streets the thugs and the yobs who are taking — who are causing the problems for communities."

Protesters scuffle with police during the "Enough is Enough" protest in Whitehall, London, Wednesday July 31, 2024, following the fatal stabbing of three children at a Taylor Swift-themed summer holiday dance and yoga class earlier this month in Southport. (Jordan Pettitt/PA via AP)

UK GOVERNMENT 'SCOURING SOCIAL MEDIA' TO ARREST PEOPLE FOR SHARING 'HARMFUL' RIOT FOOTAGE REGARDLESS OF INTENT

Elon Musk has made headlines for criticizing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's response to the riots over the past week, suggesting the U.K. is headed toward "civil war." 

He also responded to a video of someone allegedly arrested for offensive online comments with a question, "Is this Britain or the Soviet Union?" 

Starmer’s spokesperson said there was "no justification" for Musk’s comments, adding that social media companies "can and should be doing" more to combat misinformation, the BBC reported. He added that such companies "have a responsibility" to stop the spread of criminal activity and limit misinformation. 

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Fox Business' Peter Aitken contributed to this report.

Alexander Hall is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to [email protected].

Keir Starmer Warns Social Media Is Not A 'Law-Free Zone' After Sadiq Khan Reveals Concerns

Senior Trends Reporter, HuffPost UK

Keir Starmer signalled that a firmer crackdown on social media may be in the works after the London mayor Sadiq Khan expressed his concerns.

After a week and a half of far-right riots – partially driven by social media disinformation and online conspiracy theories – Khan said the government has “very swiftly” realised the Online Safety Act needs to be amended.

The mayor added: “I think it is not fit for purpose.”

The Online Safety Act became law last October, and allows regulator Ofcom to fine social media companies up to £18m or 10% of their global turnover if they do not take illegal content off their platforms.

However, these fines will not come into effect fully until 2025.

On Friday, the prime minister was asked for his response to Khan’s comments.

He said: “I do agree that we’re going to have to look more broadly at social media after this disorder, but the focus at the moment has to be on dealing with the disorder and making sure that our communities are safe and secure.”

Starmer added: “This is not a law-free zone. And I think that’s clear from the prosecutions and sentencing. Today we’re due sentencing for online behaviour.”

Two people linked to inciting the violence seen all over the UK in the last few days online have now been jailed.

The PM continued: “That’s a reminder to everyone that whether you’re directly involved or whether you’re remotely involved, you’re culpable, and you will be put before the courts if you’ve broken the law.”

He said tech bosses should be “mindful of the first priority, which is to ensure that our communities are safe and secure”.

Starmer did not directly mention the boss of X (formerly Twitter), Elon Musk, who has been in a war of words with the PM over the riots.

He responded to various clips of extremists clashing with the police, claiming “civil war in inevitable” in the UK and pushing conspiracy theories like “two-tier policing”.

Khan, one of the most high-profile Muslim politicians in the UK, also told the Guardian on Thursday that he felt “triggered” by the racist riots.

He said: “I’m somebody who grew up in the 1970s and 80s and experienced the National Front and the BNP and I thought that’s behind us.

“Like a lot of people of my generation, I felt triggered by the events of the last couple of weeks in particular.”

Khan has regularly faced abuse online too – but he noted it was not “realistic” to boycott any social platforms.

“One of the ways we can address people’s fears is using the medium that’s used by citizens and that is social media platforms.” he said.

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Permission to Appeal decision

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Permission to Appeal decision in the matter of Shamima Begum (Appellant) v Secretary of State for the Home Department (Respondent)

7 august 2024.

In the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom

UKSC 2024/0096

Lord Reed Lord Hodge Lord Lloyd-Jones

After consideration of the application filed on behalf of the Appellant seeking permission to appeal the order made by the Court of Appeal on 20 March 2024 and of the notice of objection filed by the Respondent

• Permission to appeal be REFUSED because the grounds of appeal do not raise an arguable point of law, for the reasons below.
• The Appellant pay the Respondent's costs in an amount to be determined in accordance with section 26 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 and Regulations made under it.
• There be a detailed assessment of the Appellant's legal aid costs.
• The Secretary of State decided in 2019, when the Appellant was in Syria, that she should be deprived of British nationality under section 40(2) of the British Nationality Act 1981, on the ground that it was "conducive to the public good". The decision was made on grounds of national security, because of the Appellant's alignment with ISIL in Syria and the threat which she was considered to pose to public safety if she returned to the UK. These proceedings are a statutory appeal against that decision.
• The first ground of appeal concerns the circumstances in which the Appellant left the UK in 2015 and travelled to Syria. SIAC (the tribunal which heard the Appellant's appeal against the Secretary of State's decision) found that there is a credible suspicion that she was a victim of trafficking. SIAC also found that there was an arguable case that the police, the Appellant's school and the local authority had failed to take reasonable measures to prevent her from travelling to Syria.
• Before the Court of Appeal, as it recorded at para 55 of its judgment, the Appellant argued that the Secretary of State's decision was vitiated under domestic common law by a failure to take into account the possibility that there had been a breach of the protective duty under Article 4 by public authorities in the UK in 2015, giving rise to a variety of duties under Article 4. The Court of Appeal rejected that argument, holding (put very shortly) that the possibility that there had been a breach of the protective duty in 2015 did not bear materially on the Secretary of State's assessment in 2019 of whether the deprivation of nationality would be conducive to the public good on grounds of national security, bearing in mind the lapse of time and the significance of supervening events.
• The Appellant does not seek to appeal against that conclusion. The panel would also observe that the question whether the possibility of the Appellant's having been trafficked should be investigated, with a view to appropriate measures being taken if deficiencies in protection are identified, is different from the question whether the Secretary of State should have considered the possibility of a prior breach of the protective duty under Article 4 when taking a decision based on an assessment of the public interest, having regard to the risk which the Appellant was considered to present to public safety at that time.
• The argument which the Appellant seeks to advance on appeal to this court is that, when taking the deprivation decision in 2019, the Secretary of State was required by Article 4 of the ECHR to consider whether the Appellant (then in Syria) was a potential victim of trafficking, whether there had been any failures by public authorities to protect her from trafficking, the obligations owed to her under Article 4 at that time as a victim or potential victim of trafficking, and whether deprivation would impede the State's ability to discharge those obligations. His failure to do so is said to have rendered the deprivation decision a violation of the Appellant's rights under Article 4.
• This argument is based on submissions as to the effect of Article 4 which appear to the panel to go well beyond the existing case law of the European Court of Human Rights, or the incremental development of the principles established by that case law: for example, that the non-punishment principle extends to a decision to deprive a person of her citizenship on grounds of national security, that the recovery duty applies to persons outside the State's jurisdiction, and that the restitutionary obligation can give rise to an obligation to repatriate.
• The Court of Appeal rejected similar submissions on the basis of the existing case law of the European court, and the approach to the application of the Human Rights Act 1998 laid down by this court in a number of recent authorities. In the panel's view they were right to do so. Whether the Convention law should be developed as the Appellant argues is a matter which can only appropriately be decided by the European court, as the authoritative interpreter of the ECHR. It is not the role of this court to develop the law under the Convention well beyond the principles established by the European court.
• The Appellant maintains that she had a common law right to make representations to the Secretary of State before the deprivation decision was taken, and that the Secretary of State's failure to afford her an opportunity to make representations therefore renders the decision unlawful.
• The panel agrees with the Court of Appeal that a right to make representations before a deprivation decision is made would be liable to undermine the effectiveness of such a decision in cases concerned with national security, and is therefore impliedly excluded.
• The argument under this ground of appeal, put shortly, is that the Secretary of State failed to have regard to the need to foster good community relations, as required by section 149 of the Equality Act 2010.
• The factual material before the courts below satisfied them that the impact of the decision in question on community relations had in fact been considered. It is not apparent that that conclusion on the facts is vitiated by any error of law.
• The courts below also considered that the operation of section 149 was in any event excluded by section 192, which provides that a person does not contravene the Equality Act by doing, for the purpose of safeguarding national security, anything it is proportionate to do for that purpose. The Appellant maintains in that connection that proportionality is to be measured specifically against the requirements imposed by the Equality Act, leaving other factors out of account. That interpretation does not appear to the panel to be arguable.
• The fourth ground of appeal concerns the fact that the deprivation decision resulted in the Appellant's becoming de facto stateless, as there was no reasonable prospect of her being admitted into Bangladesh, of which she was a citizen. In this regard, it is argued that the Secretary of State failed to have regard to all material considerations.
• Both courts below found on the evidence that the Secretary of State had taken into account the fact that the deprivation decision would render the Appellant de facto stateless. There is nothing to indicate that that conclusion is vitiated by any error of law. The Appellant's submission that the Court of Appeal failed to distinguish between the fact of de facto statelessness and the significance of that fact (the latter, rather than the former, being argued to be the mandatory relevant consideration) does not appear to the panel to raise an arguable point of law.
• The panel notes that the Appellant does not challenge the existing law that the prohibition, under section 40(4) of the British Nationality Act 1981, on making a deprivation decision which would render a person stateless, refers to de jure rather than de facto statelessness. Nor is it argued that the Secretary of State's decision to make the deprivation decision, notwithstanding that its effect would be to render the Appellant de facto stateless, was unlawful because it was perverse.

For more information, please contact the Court.

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Transfer Centre

Rohan Luthra: Derby County sign Crystal Palace academy graduate and former England youth international goalkeeper

Derby County sign Crystal Palace academy graduate Rohan Luthra, who was a free agent after leaving Cardiff City; Luthra is an ex-England youth goalkeeper, who made history last year when he became the first British South Asian ever to play in goal in English football's top two divisions

Wednesday 7 August 2024 16:56, UK

Former England youth goalkeeper Rohan Luthra has joined Derby County, Sky Sports News can exclusively reveal.

Luthra is expected to be involved in Derby County's Championship opener away at Blackburn Rovers on Friday night, live on Sky Sports Football.

Blackburn Rovers Derby County

Sky Sports News exclusively revealed back in May that 22-year-old Luthra had opted to leave Cardiff amid growing interest in the goalkeeper from home and abroad.

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The Rams have now won the race for the 6ft 5in Punjabi shot-stopper, who had a spell on loan at Slough Town last season, and has featured in Derby County's squad in their last five friendly games.

The first goalkeeper to play in the Championship who has come out of Britain's South Asian community ✨ Michael Chopra has hailed the significance of Rohan Luthra's debut 🙌 — Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) June 22, 2023

In the summer of 2021, Sky Sports News exclusively revealed Luthra was leaving Crystal Palace after more than a decade at the south London club, before breaking the news that he was set to join Cardiff City.

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Luthra made history with the Bluebirds last year when he became the first British South Asian ever to line up in goal in the top two divisions of English men's football.

When does the summer transfer window close?

The 2024 summer transfer window officially closes on August 30 at 11pm UK time in the Premier League and 11.30pm in Scotland.

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For more stories, features and videos, visit our ground-breaking South Asians in Football page on skysports.com and stay tuned to Sky Sports News and our Sky Sports digital platforms.

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