law phd duration

Ph.D. Program

The ph.d. in law degree.

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

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

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

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

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

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Top 10 Best PhD in Law Programs [2024]

A PhD in law is an advanced qualification that will make you a true legal expert. You can use that credential to work as a legal research scholar or teach at a post-secondary level. This is not only a prestigious career path but also a lucrative one — today’s law PhD holders have an average salary of $93,000.

Today’s law schools emphasize an interdisciplinary approach to legal education, equipping students to work in a diverse range of fields.

Interested in an advanced criminal justice career? Below we’ll cover the top PhD in law programs, universities, and what you need to know before pursuing a doctorate in law.

Table of Contents

Top PhD in Law Programs

Yale university, law school.

Yale University’s Law School ranks first in the nation, with its 20 legal clinics offering an immersive experience for students. This PhD program has a purely academic focus. To qualify for admission, you’ll need to already have a JD (Juris Doctor) degree. If accepted, you’ll be able to benefit from Yale Law School’s acclaimed “Yale Teaching Program.”

Courses: Criminal law & administration, international human rights, and complex civil litigation.
Duration: 3 years
Delivery: On-campus
Tuition: Fully funded
Financial aid: Full tuition coverage, health insurance, and stipend.
Acceptance rate: 7%
Location: New Haven, Connecticut

Stanford University

Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD)

Stanford University is another highly acclaimed institution in the field of law education with a tough admissions process. Only a few exceptionally gifted students with an international JD or LLB or a SPILS (Stanford Program in International Legal Studies) qualification are accepted into this program every year. The program has an emphasis on an interdisciplinary approach to law.

Courses: Advanced antitrust, current issues in business law, and reinventing American criminal justice systems.
Credits: 44 units
Duration: 4 years
Tuition : $64,350 per year
Financial aid: Scholarships, fellowships, grants, assistantships, federal work-study, and loans.
Acceptance rate: 5%
Location: Stanford, California

The University of Chicago, The Law School

Doctor of Jurisprudence (JSD)

The Law School of the University of Chicago is renowned for its interdisciplinary approach to teaching and cross-lists its courses with other departments. The faculty include philosophers, political scientists, historians, and law scholars. Students also have the option to pursue a Doctorate in Comparative Law (D.Comp.L.) instead of a JSD if they wish.

Courses: Antitrust & intellectual property, civil rights clinic: police accountability, and American legal history.
Duration: 5 years
Tuition : $7,647 per year
Financial aid: Full tuition scholarship, fellowship, and health insurance.
Acceptance rate: 7%
Location: Chicago, Illinois

Columbia University, Law School

JSD Program

The Columbia Law School emphasizes experiential learning with law clinics, moot courts, and externships, offering opportunities for innovative education and valuable intellectual exchange. Students can conduct independent research with the help of their faculty advisors and they need to submit a DPR (Dissertation Progress Report) at the end of each year.

Courses: Intellectual property & technology, international & comparative law, and law of the workplace.
Duration: 5-6 years
Tuition : $75,572 per year
Financial aid: Grants, loans, and first child allowance.
Location: New York City, New York

Harvard University, Law School

Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD)

Harvard University is one of the world’s most famous centers for education, and its Law School is equally renowned. The school has a unique grading system that uses the classifications honors, pass, low-pass, and fail. This flexible SJD program allows students to design their own study plan and choose faculty supervisors for independent research.

Courses: Advanced comparative perspectives on US law, environmental justice, and strategic litigation & immigration advocacy.
Duration: 4 years
Delivery: On-campus
Tuition : $67,720 per year
Financial aid: Scholarships, grants, and loans.
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts

The University of Pennsylvania, Carey Law School

Doctor of Science of Law (SJD)

Carey Law School’s curricula cut across disciplinary and international lines to create law experts in every field, including business, health, technology, education, and social work. For admission to the Carey Law School PhD, you must already hold an LLM or JD from the same school or an institution of similar standing.

Courses: Privacy & racial justice, appellate advocacy, and disability law.
Tuition : Refer tuition page
Financial aid: Full tuition, stipend, health insurance, and scholarships.
Acceptance rate: 9%
Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

The University of Arizona, James E. Rogers College of Law

The University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law is one of the country’s most affordable top-tier law schools. This PhD law degree offers the choice of two concentrations: International Trade & Business Law, and Indigenous Peoples Law & Policy.

Courses: International business & investment structuring, federal Indian law, and trusts & estates.
Duration: 3-5 years
Tuition and fees : $26,000 per year
Financial aid: Scholarships, federal work-study, loans, veteran benefits, and fellowships.
Acceptance rate: 85%
Location: Tucson, Arizona

The University of Texas at Dallas, School of Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences

Doctor of Philosophy in Criminology

The University of Texas’ School of Economic, Political, and Policy Sciences creates professionals capable of dealing with modern issues like risk management, political violence, social inequality, healthcare, and international trade & conflict resolution. You’ll need a bachelor’s in criminology or a related discipline to apply for this PhD in criminology.

Courses: Advances in criminology theory, evidence-based crime prevention, and regression & multivariate analysis.
Credits: 75 semester credit hours
Financial aid: Scholarships, grants, and loans.
Acceptance rate: 79%
Location: Richardson, Texas

Abraham Lincoln University, School of Law

Juris Doctor (JD)

This school was founded with to provide affordable education to working professionals who cannot attend regular law school. This doctorate in law is a flexible JD degree that can be completed entirely online through the university’s high-level education technology.

Courses: Criminal law, civil procedure, and wills & trusts.
Delivery: Online
Tuition : $10,100 per year
Acceptance rate: 90.3%
Location: Glendale, California

Walden University

Online PhD in Criminal Justice

Walden University aims to help working professionals pursue advanced degrees and has been ranked #1 in research doctorates for African-American students. This program was one of the first online doctorates in criminal justice and allows students to explore national and international issues in criminal justice administration with a dual emphasis on contemporary theory and practice.

Courses: History & contemporary issues in criminal justice, policy & analysis in criminal justice systems, and research theory, design & methods.
Credits: 77 quarter credits
Tuition : $636 per quarter hour
Financial aid: Grants, scholarships, loans, and veteran benefits.
Acceptance rate: 100%
Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota

What Do You Need to Get a PhD in Law?

The exact requirements vary depending on the program, but you’ll typically need a LLB, LLM, or JD as a basic prerequisite.

As part of the admission process, you usually need to submit:

Academic transcripts from previous studies
Personal essay and/or research proposal
Recommendation letters

To earn your doctorate, you’ll have to complete coursework, qualifying examinations, and usually a dissertation to a high standard.

Preparing for a Law Doctorate Program

The best PhD in legal studies programs are competitive, so it’s important to start preparing early. Keep up to date on developments in the field and research the best universities that offer your preferred specialization.

Look into leading faculty members in your areas of interest, and network by joining relevant professional communities. Once you’ve decided on your dream program, check admission requirements to prepare the strongest possible application.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Law PhD Program

Choosing the best law PhD program will depend on a range of factors, including your passions and interests. However, there are a few general factors that are essential for everyone deciding on a law school for their PhD to consider:

Location: First, a school close by could save you on accommodation costs. But that’s not the only location consideration. You should look at your school destination for evidence of a booming legal or education industry. For example, New York is a hub for business, while Boston is known as a center for technology.
Cost and funding: Ensure the program costs align with your budget and explore financial aid opportunities.
Specialization: Some schools offer unique specializations like social justice, law and economics, and international law. Choose a program with a focus on your preferred specialization.
Faculty: The university’s reputation is important, but its faculty credentials are equally critical. Explore faculty backgrounds by researching published papers and social media profiles like LinkedIn.
Class sizes: Smaller class sizes mean better one-on-one attention; however, a larger cohort offers better networking opportunities.
Placement support: What happens after graduation? Are you on the hook for finding a job on your own, or does the school offer placement options? Find out where alumni are employed to get an idea.

Why Get a Doctorate in Law?

A doctorate degree in law will allow you to pursue roles in the legal field as a scholar, researcher, or academic, and build a worthwhile career.

Several candidates apply for admission to PhD in jurisprudence programs every academic year, but top law schools have low acceptance rates, and only a few are accepted. For example, Harvard only has around 70 SJD students while hundreds or thousands may apply. Therefore, with this qualification, you’ll belong to an exclusive group of in-demand professionals.

Jobs for PhD in Law Degree Holders

Here are some common roles for PhD holders in law with the average annual salaries for each:

General Counsel ($170,183 )
Staff Attorney ($71,106 )
Professor of Law ( $131,926 )
Project Manager ( $76,264 )
Senior Research Associate ( $75,029 )

Course Costs

The cost greatly depends on where you study, but prestigious law schools can charge annual tuition of around $65,000. Once you factor in living expenses, books, and facility fees, the total cost can add up to around $100,000 a year. However, you can find programs with tuition and fees for as little as $7,500 a year. Moreover, most top institutions offer full-tuition scholarships, stipends, and similar financial aid that cover almost all of your expenses.

Course Length

Typically, a PhD in law takes 3-5 years to complete. However, most programs will give you extra time to complete your doctorate if needed.

Skills You’ll Gain through a PhD in Law

Aside from giving you in-depth and expansive legal knowledge, PhD in law programs can also help you develop the following skills:

Communication
Presentation
Critical Thinking
Project Management
Problem Solving

Key Takeaways

A PhD in law is an excellent choice for legal professionals seeking a career in research or academia. While a JD or Juris Doctor is equivalent to a PhD, the former equips you to become a law practitioner.

On the other hand, if you want to teach at a post-secondary level or conduct further legal research, you will need a PhD. Prepare early and choose a program that will best help you to achieve your career goals.

For more law education advice, take a look at our guide on the best master’s in criminal justice programs , or weigh up your options with the highest-paying PhDs .

PhD in Law FAQs

What is a phd in law called.

A PhD in law is usually called a Doctor of Law or Doctor of Laws. Some universities offer a JD (Juris Doctor or Doctor of Jurisprudence) degree, while others offer SJD (Doctor of Juridical Science) or JSD (Doctor of Science in Jurisprudence) programs.

Is a PhD in Law the Same as a JD?

A JD (Juris Doctor) degree is suitable for anyone who wants to practice as a licensed legal professional. These programs usually take three years to complete and are mostly coursework-focused.

On the other hand, a PhD in law may take 5-6 years to complete and usually involves a dissertation or major research project. If your aim is professional research or a job in academia in the discipline rather than practicing law, a PhD is better for you.

What is the Highest Degree in Law?

A PhD in law is generally considered the most advanced law degree. While some universities call it by other names, such as SJD (Doctor of Juridical Science) or JSD (Doctor of Jurisprudence degree), this is essentially the same thing.

How Long is a PhD in Law?

PhD Law programs typically take 3-5 years to complete. You may take longer for individual reasons, such as if you choose to study part-time.

What Does a PhD in Law Do?

A PhD in law will equip you to work in legal research or academia.

Lisa Marlin

Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.

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Our research programme

Law research.

MPhil/PhD Law Research from The Dickson Poon School of Law at King's College London.

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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, Professor Michael Schillig and the Director for Doctoral Studies, Dr Aleksandra Jordanoska.

Candidates should identify and approach their potential first supervisor before applying. Applications from candidates without a named, agreed supervisor from the School will not be considered. View our people page to match your interests with our academic's broad range of research expertise.

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

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.

Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD)
Graduate School
Prospective Students
Graduate Degree Programs

Canadian Immigration Updates

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

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

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

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

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

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

Maira Hassan

Quick Facts

Program Enquiries

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

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

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

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

English Language Test

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

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

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

Overall score requirement : 100

IELTS: International English Language Testing System

Overall score requirement : 7.0

Other Test Scores

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

The GRE is not required.

Prior degree, course and other requirements

Prior degree requirements.

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

Document Requirements

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

2) Meet Deadlines

3) prepare application, transcripts.

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

Letters of Reference

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

Statement of Interest

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

Supervision

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

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

Citizenship verification.

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

4) Apply Online

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

Research Information

Research facilities.

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

Tuition & Financial Support

Financial support.

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

Program Funding Packages

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

Average Funding

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

Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)

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

Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA)

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

Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTA)

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

Graduate Academic Assistantships (GAA)

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

Financial aid (need-based funding)

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

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

Foreign government scholarships

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

Working while studying

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

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

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

Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals

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

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

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

Cost Estimator

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

Career Outcomes

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

Sample Employers in Higher Education

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

Craig Bateman

Job Title Copy editor, legal researcher, and writing consultant

Employer Self employed

Robert Russo

Job Title Lecturer

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

Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats

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

ENROLMENT DATA

Completion rates & times.

Research Supervisors

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

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

Doctoral Citations

Sample thesis submissions.

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

Related Programs

Same specialization.

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

Further Information

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

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

Terri-Lynn Williams-Davidson, KC

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

Oludolapo Makinde

Haley Hrymak

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

Melanie McPhail

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

Curious about life in Vancouver?

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The PhD in Law program prepares students who have earned a JD from an American Bar Association accredited law school to enter law teaching or other careers that require a scholarly mastery of law. The program is designed to provide a broad foundation in the canonical texts and methods of legal scholarship and to support students in producing original scholarship in the form of a dissertation. The program strongly encourages, but does not require, interdisciplinary approaches to the study of law.

Programs of Study
PhD - Doctor of Philosophy
Yale Law PhD Program

Robert Post

Director of Graduate Studies

[email protected]

Gordon Silverstein

Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs

[email protected]

Thais Sobczak

Departmental Registrar

[email protected]
203-432-1696

Admission Requirements

Standardized testing requirements.

GRE is not accepted.

Program-Specific Application Requirements

A writing sample and a research proposal are required by this program.

English Language Requirement

TOEFL iBT or IELTS Academic is required of most applicants whose native language is not English.

You may be exempt from this requirement if you have received (or will receive) an undergraduate degree from a college or university where English is the primary language of instruction, and if you have studied in residence at that institution for at least three years.

Academic Information

GSAS Advising Guidelines

Academic Resources

Academic calendar.

The Graduate School's academic calendar lists important dates and deadlines related to coursework, registration, financial processes, and milestone events such as graduation.

Featured Resource

Registration Information and Dates

https://registration.yale.edu/

Students must register every term in which they are enrolled in the Graduate School. Registration for a given term takes place the semester prior, and so it's important to stay on top of your academic plan. The University Registrar's Office oversees the systems that students use to register. Instructions about how to use those systems and the dates during which registration occurs can be found on their registration website.

Financial Information

Phd stipend & funding.

PhD students at Yale are normally full-funded for a minimum of five years. During that time, our students receive a twelve-month stipend to cover living expenses and a fellowship that covers the full cost of tuition and student healthcare.

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Graduate Financial Aid Office
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Tuition and Fees

Alumni Insights

Below you will find alumni placement data for our departments and programs.

Schools & departments

Awards: PhD

Study modes: Full-time, Part-time

Funding opportunities

Programme website: Law

Discovery Day

Join us online on 18th April to learn more about postgraduate study at Edinburgh

View sessions and register

Research profile

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

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

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

You will find opportunities in the following fields:

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

Programme structure

Find out more about compulsory and optional courses.

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

Training and support

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

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

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

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

Find out more about the training and support available

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

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

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

Career opportunities

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

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

the International Criminal Court
Anderson Strathern
HM Prison Service

Our PhD programme

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

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

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

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

Studying for a PhD video

Entry requirements.

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

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

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

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

International qualifications

Check whether your international qualifications meet our general entry requirements:

Entry requirements by country
English language requirements

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

English language tests

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

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

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

Degrees taught and assessed in English

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

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

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

Approved universities in non-MESC

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

Find out more about our language requirements:

Fees and costs

Scholarships and funding, featured funding.

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

UK government postgraduate loans

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

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

your programme
the duration of your studies
your tuition fee status

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

UK government and other external funding

Other funding opportunities

Search for scholarships and funding opportunities:

Search for funding

Further information

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

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

PhD Law - 3 Years (Full-time)

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

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

How to apply

You must submit two references with your application.

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

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The PhD programme

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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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PhD Law / Overview

Year of entry: 2024

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

Full entry requirements

Apply online

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

Application Deadlines

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

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

Programme options

Programme overview.

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

Please enable JavaScript to watch this video.

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.

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
Trudeau Doctoral Scholarships 2024 Entry
PhD Studentship with the Stuart Hall Foundation (Social Sciences) - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (High Income Countries)
Humanities Doctoral Academy Humanitarian Scholarship 2024 Entry
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (Least Developed Countries and Fragile States)
President's Doctoral Scholar (PDS) Awards - Competition Closed for 2024 Entry

Contact details

See: School Subjects

Programmes in related subject areas

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

Regulated by the Office for Students

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

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

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Doctoral Studies

PhD in European Law and Governance

Coming to UCD Law School creates the possibility of expert supervision by leading researchers in a wide variety of fields. We have the largest group of academic lawyers in Ireland and leading researchers of high international standing across many of the main fields of law including European Union law, commercial law, criminology, criminal justice and criminal law, regulatory studies, constitutional law and governance, human rights, administrative law, employment law, environmental law, intellectual property law, WTO law, legal history, agricultural law and private law.

Individuals who wish to be considered for enrolment in one of UCD Law School’s PhD programmes are asked to prepare a research proposal. This should include:

a statement of the research question the candidate proposes to examine;
an outline of the proposed methodology (in other words, an outline of how the applicant proposes to go about their research); and
a short literature review. (The idea of this is to place the research within the current state of knowledge in the field in question. It should include a short, indicative, bibliography of works in the field)

There is no maximum length for a research proposal. Normally, it would be at least three or four pages long.

Please note that students who wish to work with a particular academic are advised to state this in their communications.

Please note that you can make your formal application to enrol as a PhD student online through the online UCD application process, at http://www.ucd.ie/apply/

However, in order to help and encourage prospective applicants, the School of Law offers you the option of sending us a draft of your research proposal, before you make your formal application. The PhD management team will review your draft research proposal and provide you with feedback. Academic transcripts should be emailed along with the research proposal

You can then take that feedback into account in making your final application. Further, if a draft research proposal is sent to us, we can also tell you in advance whether there actually is supervisory capacity within the Law School for your proposed programme of research and we can also identify a prospective supervisor.

Once you receive your feedback, you can make any advised revisions to the proposed research proposal, gather all the relevant documentation, and make your formal application through the online UCD application process.

Draft proposals and academic transcripts should be addressed to (opens in a new window) [email protected] .

What are the admissions requirements?

Applications are invited from graduates with a degree (normally of a first class or very high 2.1 standard or equivalent). The degree should either (a) in law or (b) in an inter-disciplinary degree in which law was a major component. Holding a masters degree in law will normally enhance considerably an applicant's chances of acceptance on one of our PhD programmes.

Exemption from these requirements may be given to those with significant, relevant, practical experience. Such applicants should state clearly in their application why they feel their qualifications/experiences are appropriate for admission to the programme.

English Language Requirements for the PhD in Law Programme

Applicants whose first language is not English must submit satisfactory evidence of competence in written and spoken English, i.e. overall IELTS 7.5 (including a minimum of 7 in all bands) or a score of 109 overall in the TOEFL iBT, 27/30 in reading and writing and 23/30 in speaking and listening. The test results must be less than 2 years old.

International applicants should visit the UCD Global website ( www.ucd.ie/global ) for information regarding our campus, location of UCD, visa information, registration and orientation.

Please note that admission to the programme is at the discretion of the Graduate Admissions Committee

To obtain further information please contact (opens in a new window) [email protected]

The aims of the PhD programmes offered by the School of Law in UCD are:

that candidates will conceive, design and give effect to a substantial and innovative piece of research which will expand the frontiers of knowledge. This is done by developing of a substantial body of work (leading to publication of a monograph or a (opens in a new window) series of academic articles );
that candidates will be able to evaluate and synthesise new and complex ideas;
that candidates will become effective communicators orally and through writing;
that candidates will demonstrate knowledge and understanding in their chosen field of legal study. They will develop advanced conceptual frameworks and provide systemic understanding of the problems they identify; and
that candidates will be able to promote intellectual, social and cultural advancement in a knowledge-based society.

The doctoral programme in law is a structured programme. The core element in the programme is of course the carrying out of research leading to the completion of a thesis. Students are also required to complete a minimum number of taught modules (30 credits).

These modules include one compulsory course - Introduction to Advanced Research in Law - Optional courses which a student might choose to take include a course in qualitative and quantitative research methods, in substantive areas of law or in other areas where the student feels skills might be required to advance his or her PhD studies, for example languages or economics.

Students are assigned to a main supervisor before arrival at the Law School. The supervisor, in turn, is supported by a team of two other members of academic staff with expertise in the field of research. The supervisor plus the other staff members constitute your 'doctoral panel'.

At the end of the first year of the PhD programme each candidate is required to complete a transfer process in order to move from the first to the second stage of the PhD programme. This process provides an opportunity for students to review the progress they have made in the first year. It also enables the School of Law to ensure that all candidates are making sufficient progressing towards completion and accruing the transferable skills which PhD studies are designed to foster in a student - independence of research, originality of thought and competence in advanced research methodologies and skills.

Scholarships

For information on Sutherland School of Law scholarships and other scholarships click here

Apart from being the highest level of academic achievement, obtaining a PhD is now regarded as an essential feature in the curriculum vitae of anyone aspiring to a career in academia. Many graduates of UCD Law School's PhD Programme are now themselves academics either in or outside Ireland. Graduates in recent years from UCD Law School's PhD programme have been appointed to academic positions in HEC Paris, the Queen's University Belfast, the University of Portsmouth, the University of Ulster at Jordanstown, University College Dublin, the University of Maynooth, Dublin City University and NUI Galway, among other institutions and universities.

Of course, PhD graduates don't just end up in academia. For those who decide that they would prefer a career in legal practice, we have an excellent Careers Development Centre here at UCD, designed to help you with information regarding future employment or studies. UCD hold a number of graduate events throughout the year including a dedicated law fair at which at which many of the big law firms are in attendance. The School of Law has a dedicated careers advisor on its academic staff and a staff member from the careers office is in attendance at the School of Law on a number of occasions throughout the academic year. To see the full range of services offered by the careers office go to http://www.ucd.ie/careers/

Resources and teaching opportunities

All PhD students receive a desk in the Matheson Doctoral Studies Suite in the Law School and the School provides a PhD common room and a kitchen shared with staff.

All PhD students receive research support of €250 a year and are eligible to apply for competitive research support funds at School, College and University level in particular to present their work at conferences.

Those who receive a Sutherland School of Law scholarship are required to undertake some teaching and support responsibilities (e.g. to assist in conference organisation or to assist in mooting competitions) of not more than 6 hours per week.

All other PhDs can also avail of paid teaching opportunities in the School mainly related to undergraduate tutorials.

Regulations and policies

Please click the following hyperlinks for information regarding some relevant regulations and policies, including theses, progression in doctoral programmes, UCD Academic Regulations, conflict resolution , appeals , and (opens in a new window) PhDs by papers (law school).

UCD Sutherland School of Law

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PhD Law: Eligibility, Admission 2024, Fees, Entrance Exam, Syllabus, Jobs, Salary

Ph.D in Law is a doctoral-level programme in legal studies that span three to six-year duration. The curriculum focuses on providing knowledge of the constitutional law of India, legal theory, international law, and various other specialisation and types of law . Candidates with an LLM degree are eligible to apply for these programmes, provided they meet other eligibility as well.

Highlights - PhD in Law

Phd in law eligibility criteria, doctorate degree in law admission procedure, doctorate of law entrance exams, phd in law cutoff, doctorate in law degree skills, phd in law syllabus, phd law fees, phd law degree scope, career options after phd law, top recruiters, benefits of studying phd law degree, phd law salary, list of top ph.d. in law colleges in india with fees, top private ph.d. in law colleges in india with fees, top government ph.d. in law colleges in india with fees.

Ph.D is always the preferable choice of candidates interested in pursuing a career as an academician or researcher. UGC-NET, UGC-CSIR NET (including JRF), and GATE are some of the popular PhD Law entrance examinations. Several universities in India offer Ph.D. in Law courses, among them; JNU, JMI, and Delhi University are well regarded.

There is no fixed PhD Law eligibility criteria and it varies across institutions. Generally, a master's degree with minimum marks, along with the passing marks in the entrance exam is required. The minimum marks and entrance exams are not static and universities or colleges hold the right to modify them. The PhD Law eligibility criteria are provided below.

Candidates must have an LLM or equivalent degree with a minimum of 50 per cent marks from a recognised university.

All candidates should complete the pre-PhD course first.

Final-year students can also apply for the course, provided they submit all the documents at the time of admission.

For reserved category candidates, the minimum required marks are 45 per cent.

The admission process for each course can be found on the official website of the provider colleges. Public colleges have a more rigid PhD in Law admission process as compared to private colleges. Below, we have listed the PhD Law application procedure as followed by most universities.

Candidates must pass the required national-level or university-specific entrance exam; UGC-NET, UGC-CSIR NET, GATE, GLAET , or other university-level exam.

They can apply for the course through the official websites of their respective colleges.

Candidates who clear the cutoff of respective colleges will be invited to the next rounds.

For most colleges, personal interviews and group discussions are part of the next round.

The final selection of candidates will be based on their overall performance and total seat intake.

Selected candidates need to pay the course fees and submit the required documents to confirm the selection.

Ph.D. is the highest level degree one can pursue in any specialisation and interested candidates need to go through various exams to gain admission to well-reputed institutions. Below, we have listed important PhD Law entrance exams that facilitate admission to the best colleges in India.

UGC-NET: UGC-NET stands for University Grants Commission–National Eligibility Test and it is facilities twice a year in June and December. It is conducted by the National Testing Agency and provides candidates with the position of Assistant professor in universities across the country as well as with a Junior Research Fellowship.

UGC NET Eligibility Criteria

UGC NET Preparation Tips

UGC NET Syllabus

UGC NET Exam Pattern

UGC-CSIR NET: UGC-CSIR NET stands for University Grants Commission-Council of Scientific and Industrial Research National Eligibility Test and it is conducted by the National Testing Agency. It facilitates admission to Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) programmes across various universities in India. Candidates clearing this exam are eligible to become an assistant professor in any Indian university.

CSIR UGC NET Eligibility Criteria

CSIR NET Exam Pattern

CSIR NET Syllabus

CSIR NET Cut-off

The PhD in Law cutoff is published by providers colleges annually and it depends on various factors. These factors include the difficulty level of the exam, total seat intake, and number of applicants. Also, in public colleges, reservation plays an important role in determining the PhD Law cutoff.

Generally, the cutoff of the reserved category is less compared to general category candidates. Colleges release their PhD Law cutoff for respective entrance exams on their official website, some days after the exam.

A doctorate of law course equips students with various skills such as advanced research, analytical and critical thinking. Expertise in a specific legal area and staying ahead of current legal developments are essential for success in the field. The following listed PhD Law skills are beneficial for candidates during their curriculum, although not mandatory.

Critical Thinking

Legal Research

Academic Writing

Strong Communication

Presentation Skills

The PhD Law curriculum is of three to six years duration and divided into six to twelve semesters respectively. The first semester provides techniques and tools for legal research followed by the necessary skills for conducting research in the second semester. Below, we have compiled the PhD Law subjects taught at GGSIPU Delhi .

The governing body of the institution determines the course fees and includes tuition fees, admission fees, security deposit, and other service charges. The PhD Law fees vary across institutions and public colleges generally have low fees compared to private colleges. The average PhD Law fees range from Rs. 16,800 to Rs. 6.25 lakhs, depending on the choice of college.

A PhD in Law offers diverse career paths, including academia, legal research, policy analysis, and consulting. It provides expertise in specialised areas of law and opens doors to roles in universities, think tanks, government agencies, and international organisations. Graduates can also explore international opportunities if they have specialised in international law .

After graduating with a doctoral law degree, candidates can find employment in both the public and private sectors offering high-paying job roles. Below are some of the most pursued PhD in Law job roles.

Judges : Judges preside over legal proceedings, and interpret and apply the law. They impart decisions or verdicts based on the evidence presented in court.

Legal Advisors : Legal advisors are individuals with high expertise in law and related subjects. They are hired by the government, large companies, and other organisations for legal advice.

Academicians : Academicians are professionals whose primary work involves teaching and research activities. They are specialists in any one subject and are hired by colleges and universities.

Researchers : Researchers are individuals who conduct research and investigate topics of their interest or specialty. They work for any private organisation, government department, or university or conduct their own research.

Lawyers : Lawyers are professionals with high legal knowledge and they can also be called attorneys, solicitors, counsellors, or barristers. They represent their clients in legal proceedings before courts.

Many recruiters in India, both private and public, hire professionals with legal expertise for various roles. Graduating from top law schools will provide students with worthy job roles and a high salary package, allowing them to pursue careers in India as well as abroad.

Hester Bioscience Ltd

Khaitan & Co

Canara Bank

All India Judicial Service

A PhD in Law allows students to explore a specific legal area and opens doors to a career in academia, allowing them to teach, publish research, and contribute to the advancement of legal knowledge. Students will develop strong research skills, critical thinking, and analytical abilities that are valuable in various professional areas.

This legal doctorate degree offers a global perspective on legal issues, especially if students’ research involves international or comparative law . It also equips students with diverse career paths in legal consulting, government advisory roles, think tanks, NGOs, and international organisations.

Various legal PhD Law job roles are available in the current job market, as all organisations sought after professionals with legal knowledge. Below, we have provided the average PhD in Law salary for respective job roles.

Source: Payscale

Hundreds of law schools and universities offer legal PhD, each having its own eligibility and application process. Below, we have compiled the list of top PhD Law colleges in India, as per the NIRF ranking.

Among top providers, several private institutions have established themselves on the list. These institutions offer excellent academic and placement records, along with other facilities. More information on these institutions is provided in the table below.

Government colleges or universities that offer PhD in Law are available in most states in India. In the following table, we have highlighted the best government PhD Law colleges in India, along with their total course fees.

A PhD in law involves in-depth research, academic writing, and the development of expertise in the legal area. This coursework generally involves project, thesis, exams, and collaboration with faculty members. However, it is essential to check the curriculum and requirements first with the institution before applying.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

The Ph.D. in Law programme spans a duration of three to six years.

The curriculum emphasises constitutional law, legal theory, international law, and various specialisations and types of law.

Candidates with an LLM degree or an equivalent master's degree with a minimum of 50 per cent marks are eligible.

UGC-NET, UGC-CSIR NET (including JRF), and GATE are some of the popular entrance exams for Ph.D. in Law.

Candidates must pass a national-level or university-specific entrance exam, followed by personal interviews and group discussions in some cases. The final selection is based on overall performance and total seat intake.

Graduates can pursue careers as Judges, Legal Advisors, Academicians, Researchers, and Lawyers.

The average salary varies depending on the job profile, ranging from Rs. 6.07 LPA for Legal Advisors to Rs. 12.12 LPA for Judges.

Yes, final-year students are eligible to apply for the Ph.D. in Law programme, provided they submit all required documents at the time of admission.

Yes, in public colleges, reservation plays a role in determining the cutoff, with generally lower cutoffs for reserved categories compared to the general category.

Top recruiters include Hester Bioscience Ltd, SEBI, JAG, Reliance, Khaitan & Co, Canara Bank, Tata Group, and All India Judicial Service.

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Orthotist and Prosthetist

Orthotists and Prosthetists are professionals who provide aid to patients with disabilities. They fix them to artificial limbs (prosthetics) and help them to regain stability. There are times when people lose their limbs in an accident. In some other occasions, they are born without a limb or orthopaedic impairment. Orthotists and prosthetists play a crucial role in their lives with fixing them to assistive devices and provide mobility.

Pathologist

A career in pathology in India is filled with several responsibilities as it is a medical branch and affects human lives. The demand for pathologists has been increasing over the past few years as people are getting more aware of different diseases. Not only that, but an increase in population and lifestyle changes have also contributed to the increase in a pathologist’s demand. The pathology careers provide an extremely huge number of opportunities and if you want to be a part of the medical field you can consider being a pathologist. If you want to know more about a career in pathology in India then continue reading this article.

Veterinary Doctor

Speech therapist, gynaecologist.

Gynaecology can be defined as the study of the female body. The job outlook for gynaecology is excellent since there is evergreen demand for one because of their responsibility of dealing with not only women’s health but also fertility and pregnancy issues. Although most women prefer to have a women obstetrician gynaecologist as their doctor, men also explore a career as a gynaecologist and there are ample amounts of male doctors in the field who are gynaecologists and aid women during delivery and childbirth.

Audiologist

The audiologist career involves audiology professionals who are responsible to treat hearing loss and proactively preventing the relevant damage. Individuals who opt for a career as an audiologist use various testing strategies with the aim to determine if someone has a normal sensitivity to sounds or not. After the identification of hearing loss, a hearing doctor is required to determine which sections of the hearing are affected, to what extent they are affected, and where the wound causing the hearing loss is found. As soon as the hearing loss is identified, the patients are provided with recommendations for interventions and rehabilitation such as hearing aids, cochlear implants, and appropriate medical referrals. While audiology is a branch of science that studies and researches hearing, balance, and related disorders.

An oncologist is a specialised doctor responsible for providing medical care to patients diagnosed with cancer. He or she uses several therapies to control the cancer and its effect on the human body such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy and biopsy. An oncologist designs a treatment plan based on a pathology report after diagnosing the type of cancer and where it is spreading inside the body.

Are you searching for an ‘Anatomist job description’? An Anatomist is a research professional who applies the laws of biological science to determine the ability of bodies of various living organisms including animals and humans to regenerate the damaged or destroyed organs. If you want to know what does an anatomist do, then read the entire article, where we will answer all your questions.

For an individual who opts for a career as an actor, the primary responsibility is to completely speak to the character he or she is playing and to persuade the crowd that the character is genuine by connecting with them and bringing them into the story. This applies to significant roles and littler parts, as all roles join to make an effective creation. Here in this article, we will discuss how to become an actor in India, actor exams, actor salary in India, and actor jobs.

Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats create and direct original routines for themselves, in addition to developing interpretations of existing routines. The work of circus acrobats can be seen in a variety of performance settings, including circus, reality shows, sports events like the Olympics, movies and commercials. Individuals who opt for a career as acrobats must be prepared to face rejections and intermittent periods of work. The creativity of acrobats may extend to other aspects of the performance. For example, acrobats in the circus may work with gym trainers, celebrities or collaborate with other professionals to enhance such performance elements as costume and or maybe at the teaching end of the career.

Video Game Designer

Career as a video game designer is filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. A video game designer is someone who is involved in the process of creating a game from day one. He or she is responsible for fulfilling duties like designing the character of the game, the several levels involved, plot, art and similar other elements. Individuals who opt for a career as a video game designer may also write the codes for the game using different programming languages.

Depending on the video game designer job description and experience they may also have to lead a team and do the early testing of the game in order to suggest changes and find loopholes.

Radio Jockey

Radio Jockey is an exciting, promising career and a great challenge for music lovers. If you are really interested in a career as radio jockey, then it is very important for an RJ to have an automatic, fun, and friendly personality. If you want to get a job done in this field, a strong command of the language and a good voice are always good things. Apart from this, in order to be a good radio jockey, you will also listen to good radio jockeys so that you can understand their style and later make your own by practicing.

A career as radio jockey has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. If you want to know more about a career as radio jockey, and how to become a radio jockey then continue reading the article.

Choreographer

The word “choreography" actually comes from Greek words that mean “dance writing." Individuals who opt for a career as a choreographer create and direct original dances, in addition to developing interpretations of existing dances. A Choreographer dances and utilises his or her creativity in other aspects of dance performance. For example, he or she may work with the music director to select music or collaborate with other famous choreographers to enhance such performance elements as lighting, costume and set design.

Social Media Manager

A career as social media manager involves implementing the company’s or brand’s marketing plan across all social media channels. Social media managers help in building or improving a brand’s or a company’s website traffic, build brand awareness, create and implement marketing and brand strategy. Social media managers are key to important social communication as well.

Photographer

Photography is considered both a science and an art, an artistic means of expression in which the camera replaces the pen. In a career as a photographer, an individual is hired to capture the moments of public and private events, such as press conferences or weddings, or may also work inside a studio, where people go to get their picture clicked. Photography is divided into many streams each generating numerous career opportunities in photography. With the boom in advertising, media, and the fashion industry, photography has emerged as a lucrative and thrilling career option for many Indian youths.

An individual who is pursuing a career as a producer is responsible for managing the business aspects of production. They are involved in each aspect of production from its inception to deception. Famous movie producers review the script, recommend changes and visualise the story.

They are responsible for overseeing the finance involved in the project and distributing the film for broadcasting on various platforms. A career as a producer is quite fulfilling as well as exhaustive in terms of playing different roles in order for a production to be successful. Famous movie producers are responsible for hiring creative and technical personnel on contract basis.

Copy Writer

In a career as a copywriter, one has to consult with the client and understand the brief well. A career as a copywriter has a lot to offer to deserving candidates. Several new mediums of advertising are opening therefore making it a lucrative career choice. Students can pursue various copywriter courses such as Journalism , Advertising , Marketing Management . Here, we have discussed how to become a freelance copywriter, copywriter career path, how to become a copywriter in India, and copywriting career outlook.

In a career as a vlogger, one generally works for himself or herself. However, once an individual has gained viewership there are several brands and companies that approach them for paid collaboration. It is one of those fields where an individual can earn well while following his or her passion.

Ever since internet costs got reduced the viewership for these types of content has increased on a large scale. Therefore, a career as a vlogger has a lot to offer. If you want to know more about the Vlogger eligibility, roles and responsibilities then continue reading the article.

For publishing books, newspapers, magazines and digital material, editorial and commercial strategies are set by publishers. Individuals in publishing career paths make choices about the markets their businesses will reach and the type of content that their audience will be served. Individuals in book publisher careers collaborate with editorial staff, designers, authors, and freelance contributors who develop and manage the creation of content.

Careers in journalism are filled with excitement as well as responsibilities. One cannot afford to miss out on the details. As it is the small details that provide insights into a story. Depending on those insights a journalist goes about writing a news article. A journalism career can be stressful at times but if you are someone who is passionate about it then it is the right choice for you. If you want to know more about the media field and journalist career then continue reading this article.

Individuals in the editor career path is an unsung hero of the news industry who polishes the language of the news stories provided by stringers, reporters, copywriters and content writers and also news agencies. Individuals who opt for a career as an editor make it more persuasive, concise and clear for readers. In this article, we will discuss the details of the editor's career path such as how to become an editor in India, editor salary in India and editor skills and qualities.

Individuals who opt for a career as a reporter may often be at work on national holidays and festivities. He or she pitches various story ideas and covers news stories in risky situations. Students can pursue a BMC (Bachelor of Mass Communication) , B.M.M. (Bachelor of Mass Media) , or MAJMC (MA in Journalism and Mass Communication) to become a reporter. While we sit at home reporters travel to locations to collect information that carries a news value.

Corporate Executive

Are you searching for a Corporate Executive job description? A Corporate Executive role comes with administrative duties. He or she provides support to the leadership of the organisation. A Corporate Executive fulfils the business purpose and ensures its financial stability. In this article, we are going to discuss how to become corporate executive.

Multimedia Specialist

A multimedia specialist is a media professional who creates, audio, videos, graphic image files, computer animations for multimedia applications. He or she is responsible for planning, producing, and maintaining websites and applications.

Quality Controller

A quality controller plays a crucial role in an organisation. He or she is responsible for performing quality checks on manufactured products. He or she identifies the defects in a product and rejects the product.

A quality controller records detailed information about products with defects and sends it to the supervisor or plant manager to take necessary actions to improve the production process.

Production Manager

A QA Lead is in charge of the QA Team. The role of QA Lead comes with the responsibility of assessing services and products in order to determine that he or she meets the quality standards. He or she develops, implements and manages test plans.

Process Development Engineer

The Process Development Engineers design, implement, manufacture, mine, and other production systems using technical knowledge and expertise in the industry. They use computer modeling software to test technologies and machinery. An individual who is opting career as Process Development Engineer is responsible for developing cost-effective and efficient processes. They also monitor the production process and ensure it functions smoothly and efficiently.

AWS Solution Architect

An AWS Solution Architect is someone who specializes in developing and implementing cloud computing systems. He or she has a good understanding of the various aspects of cloud computing and can confidently deploy and manage their systems. He or she troubleshoots the issues and evaluates the risk from the third party.

Azure Administrator

An Azure Administrator is a professional responsible for implementing, monitoring, and maintaining Azure Solutions. He or she manages cloud infrastructure service instances and various cloud servers as well as sets up public and private cloud systems.

Computer Programmer

Careers in computer programming primarily refer to the systematic act of writing code and moreover include wider computer science areas. The word 'programmer' or 'coder' has entered into practice with the growing number of newly self-taught tech enthusiasts. Computer programming careers involve the use of designs created by software developers and engineers and transforming them into commands that can be implemented by computers. These commands result in regular usage of social media sites, word-processing applications and browsers.

Information Security Manager

Individuals in the information security manager career path involves in overseeing and controlling all aspects of computer security. The IT security manager job description includes planning and carrying out security measures to protect the business data and information from corruption, theft, unauthorised access, and deliberate attack

ITSM Manager

Automation test engineer.

An Automation Test Engineer job involves executing automated test scripts. He or she identifies the project’s problems and troubleshoots them. The role involves documenting the defect using management tools. He or she works with the application team in order to resolve any issues arising during the testing process.

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Postgraduate Research
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Our academic research is respected internationally for its rigour and significance. We are committed to contributing, through the excellence of our research and policy work, to critical exploration of the role of law in promoting (or inhibiting) social justice. We take as the inspiration for our legal investigations core values such as equality and citizenship, participation and exclusion, vulnerability and social responsibility – whilst also reflecting upon how such values are themselves constructed and critiqued.

Why study with us?

My time at the University of Liverpool has been amazing! I have had the chance to work with knowledgeable academics who are leaders in their field, but I have also had access to resources and opportunities which have allowed me to develop as a researcher. The Law School has continually helped me to push my boundaries and grow into a successful academic. Ruari McAlister - Law PhD student

in the sector for research impact classified as 'outstanding' (4*) in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021)

in the sector for research power in the latest Research Excellence Framework (2021)

years Liverpool Law School have taught Law and remains a leader in helping students to reach their full potential.

Our Department hosts eleven Research Clusters, which are crucial in supporting the building of external partnerships, providing a platform for knowledge exchange, and coordinating timely responses to current legal and policy developments.

The Charity Law and Policy Unit (CLPU) carries out research into the legal issues facing charities and third sector organisations, often with a strong empirical element and leading to proposals for legal and regulatory reform, which have made important contributions to policy change in this field. Examples are the unit's path-breaking work on charity mergers, disputes in the charitable sector, the legal structure of charities, housing the mentally vulnerable, and charities and equality legislation.

Corporations, Law, and Society (CLAS) research unit brings together academics, researchers, policy-shapers, and corporate experts to rethink the key legal principles and assumptions governing the relationship between corporations and society.

Critical Approaches to International Criminal Law (CAICL) focusses on international criminal law, as the subject has become one of the most prominent aspects of international law. The International Criminal Court and other tribunals have captured the imagination of the public, and international criminal justice has become a much commented-upon scholarly topic.

EU Law at Liverpool is committed to driving forward a critical understanding of the European Union. The research cluster offers a broad range of expertise across diverse areas of EU law and policy alongside significant impact, knowledge exchange, and public engagement activity as regards EU constitutional and institutional law.

The European Children's Rights Unit (ECRU) works alongside many external members from a range of academic, non-governmental and other research-driven organisations, to pursue a participatory, interdisciplinary research ethos into children's rights. Its focus is on the European (including comparative) dimension and is particularly distinctive in exploring the interplay between different levels of governance and the impact of those interactions on children's rights.

European Criminal Law Academic Network (ECLAN) coordinates with the Université de Bruxelles and the University of Luxembourg. The network brings together academics from 32 countries from Europe and beyond.

Feminist Legal Research and Action Network (FRAN) builds on the history of the Feminist Legal Research Unit at the University of Liverpool, as a group of legal scholars who take an intersectional approach to feminist research, teaching, and scholarship.

The Health Law and Regulation Unit (HLRU) brings together a range of experts pursuing impactful research into current legal, regulatory and policy dilemmas in healthcare, including areas such as medical malpractice, patient capacity and consent, reproduction, research ethics, and mental health.

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Law and Non-Communicable Disease Unit conducts research into how legal instruments can be used as tools for the prevention of NCDs, and how robust evidence-based policy interventions can be designed to support effective prevention of NCD risk factors including unhealthy diets, alcohol, and tobacco.

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Our research clusters provide the framework for delivering postgraduate research supervision and support, with students fully integrated into projects.

Charity Law and Policy Unit
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EU Law at Liverpool
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European Criminal Law Academic Network
Feminist Legal Research and Action Network
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International Law and Human Rights Unit
Law and Non-Communicable Diseases Unit
Liverpool Public Law Unit

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The fees stated in the table above exclude potential research support fees also known as ‘bench fees’. You will be notified of any fee which may apply in your offer letter.

* Please note that if you are undertaking a PhD within the Faculty of Science and Engineering the fee you pay, Band A or Band B, will reflect the nature of your research project. Some research projects incur a higher fee than others e.g. if you are required to undertake laboratory work. You will be informed of the fee for your programme in your offer letter.

^ Self-funded, full-time international students studying a PhD programme classified as Band A will receive a £2,000 reduction in their fees for the first year only.

Entry requirements

Applicants for the Law PhD programme should normally hold a minimum of a 2:1 class Honours Degree in a relevant subject (BA or LLB), in addition to a Masters in Law (LLM).

English language requirements

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Ph.D (Law): Course Details, Eligibility, Duration, Fees, Admission

Updated on - Jan 4, 2023

PhD in Law is a full-time research degree commonly offered as a three to a five-year degree program, implements a multidisciplinary approach that deals to impart students with the required theoretical background and research skills. After completion of the PhD in Law in India, the graduates are hired for several leadership roles in Judiciary, Business, Academics as well as Government, etc.

Ph.D in Law Course Details

About phd in law.

The PhD in Law is a full-time research degree and may be awarded after three to four years 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 dissertation elements. The course falls under the umbrella of PhD.

According to Wikipedia, "Doctor of Law or Doctor of Laws is a degree in law. The application of the term varies from country to country and includes degrees such as the Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D. or S.J.D), Juris Doctor (J.D.), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), and Legum Doctor (LL.D.).”

Table of Contents

PhD in Law Eligibility Criteria
PhD in Law Admission Process
Popular PhD in Law Entrance Exams
Top PhD in Law Colleges
Fees Structure for PhD in Law

Syllabus and Subjects for PhD in Law

Why Choose a PhD in Law?

Preparation Tips for PhD in Law

PhD in Law Salary

Career Options After PhD in Law

Skills to Excel

Eligibility Criteria for PhD in Law

The minimum eligibility criteria of the program are qualifying LLM or M.Phil in Law or Legal Studies with a minimum of 55% aggregate in the discipline passed from a recognized university. Selection of the candidates for admission in PhD is done on the basis of entrance examination or merit. PhD in Law admission is on the basis of the scores of entrance tests conducted by various universities. There is no age limit for the course.

How To Get Admission in a PhD in Law?

To get admitted into the best PhD in Law colleges in India, students must ensure that they satisfy the eligibility criteria. Aspirants are alleged to have passed the state or national level entrance exams held by different universities and government bodies. Candidates who are willing to get admission in this stream can apply to colleges by both offline and online means. Mentioned below is the general guidelines for the admission process:

How to Apply?

PhD in Law eligibility information for admission can be found on the colleges' official websites. Candidates can either browse the official website of the institute or visit the admission office of the institute to fill out the admission application form. Aspirants should then fill out the application form required and upload all the necessary documents required for admission.

Selection Process

Admission is strictly offered to only those candidates who clear the minimum cut-off. Applicants clearing the cut-off are shortlisted for the selection process. After completion of the process of application, students must appear for the counselling round and attend the personal interview round as part of the final steps for admission. And the interview decides whether the candidate will be allotted a seat or not.

Popular Entrance Exams for PhD in Law

The applicants need to clear the entrance examination conducted by UGC or state to secure a seat in the top PhD in Law colleges in India. Some of the top entrance exams applicable for M.Phil programs are:

JMI Law Entrance Exam

A Quick Glance at the PhD in Law Entrance Exams

To get into the top PhD in Law colleges in India, a candidate should clear the test. To prepare for the entrance exams, the candidates should know the PhD in Law course details, the syllabus, the question pattern, and should prepare according to it.

The exam is divided into objective and subjective type questions for a total of 100 marks and the total time duration is of 2 to 3 hours.
The questions are asked from topics related to Law.
The examination has subjective elements designed to assess a candidate’s analytical and critical thinking abilities.

Top 10 PhD in Law Colleges in India

Students can opt for the top government colleges for PhD in Law in India, or the most premium private colleges in India depending upon their ranking. Here is the list of top 10 colleges for PhD in Law in India for reference:

Fee Structure for PhD in Law

The average PhD in Law fees in India ranges from INR 10,000 - 2 LPA depending on the colleges or the universities offering the course. The fees may vary according to the college or university based on the type of institute, location, infrastructure, faculties, and facilities available. Listed below is the average annual fee for some colleges:

PhD in Law course duration for three to five years. The curriculum and syllabus of a PhD in Law can vary as per the specialization as well as the academic institution. A PhD in Law implements a multidisciplinary approach and aims to impart students with the required theoretical background and research skills in the former part of the program. Some of the compulsory subjects are:

Human Rights Law
International Business
Judicial Process
Foundation of Business Law

Read More About PhD in Law Syllabus and Subjects

Why Choose PhD in Law?

Students often wonder about PhD in Law details before choosing the course. Before deciding on a career, students come across queries like, "What is PhD in Law course?" and "Why choose PhD in Law?”. To clearly understand the answers to these questions, we have framed the following three pointers:

What is PhD in Law All About?

PhD in Law course in India is a three years full-time doctorate programme within the field of Law. PhD in Legal Studies involves research and a tutorial approach to the study of Law. After completing the course, graduates can choose to become Legal Practitioners, Legal Advisors, Consultants, Researchers, Jurists, Caseworkers, Lawyers, Solicitors and others.

What Does a PhD in Law Graduate Do?

Those who hold a doctorate in Law find themselves highly qualified for positions such as Legal Professionals, Researchers, Professors, Policy-Makers and many more. Graduates from PhD in Law programs can seek leadership positions in High Courts, International Humanitarian Bodies, Governments, Organizations and Commerce.

Lawyer: A Lawyer is a person who practices law and fights legal battles for people. Lawyers provide counsel and represent businesses, individuals, and government agencies in legal matters and disputes. They advise, research, and collect evidence or information, draft legal documents such as contracts, divorces, or real estate transactions, and defend or prosecute in court.

Reasons Why PhD in Law Can Fetch You a Rewarding Career?

Working towards a PhD in Law is a process that develops the candidate in ways besides their specific understanding and knowledge of the subject they are researching. The completion of a PhD in Law degree program is a notable achievement and is valued very highly both inside and outside of academia.

Career Scope and Options: Students after the successful completion of a PhD program have a large opportunity to explore various areas of professional life. Candidates have a good scope to explore their knowledge, skills, training and apply the tools in areas like Law organizations, Businesses, Government and personal organizations, Legal department, Research and Development, Colleges and Universities and others.

Salary of a PhD in Law Graduate

The salary of a PhD holder will differ with field, designation and experience. As a fresher, the average salary ranges around INR 2 - 4.5 LPA. It will increase up to INR 5 - 12 LPA [Source: Glassdoor], depending on a graduate's skills and experience. Experience and skills will increase the job scope. And for a Professor, government colleges provide a salary of INR 5.8 LPA [Source: Glassdoor].

Skills That Make You The Best PhD in Law Graduate

For a field like Law, a doctoral degree is suitable for those who want to pursue their career as legal scholars and teachers. A PhD in Law incorporates intense coursework followed by detailed research in the chosen specialization. Must have skills are:

Analytical Thinking
Critical Thinking
Good Management Skills
Good Organizational Skills
Research and Problem Solving Skills
Strategic Communication Skills

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Sample Questions

The Ph.D (Law) programme offers candidates an opportunity to contribute to the academic field in their chosen areas of study. As a part of the programme, candidates are also provided an opportunity to teach or participate in ongoing research at NLSIU, in areas related to their dissertation, allowing for deeper integration with the NLSIU community and providing diverse feedback opportunities.

Eligibility for Ph.D. (Law)

The following candidates shall be eligible to apply for the Ph.D. (Law) programme:

a) Candidates having a 5-year/ 10-semester/ 15-trimester bachelor’s degree programme in Law through regular mode from a recognized University having secured a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed (70% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC- NCL/Persons with Disability.)

b) Candidates having a 3-year/ 6-semester/ 9-trimester bachelor’s degree programme in Law (LL.B.) through regular mode from a recognized University having secured a minimum of 75% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed (70% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC-NCL Persons with Disability); and

c) Candidates having a Masters in Law degree (LL.M.) through regular mode from a recognized University having secured an aggregate of at least 55% marks or its equivalent grade (50% of marks or its equivalent grade in case of SC/ST/OBC-NCL)/ Persons with Disability);

d) Candidates having passed the Solicitors Examination conducted by the Bombay Incorporated Law Society and having a completed a bachelor’s in Law (LL.B./LL.B. (Hons.)) degree from a recognized University through regular mode; or

(e) Candidates having a Master of Business Laws (MBL) degree from the National Law School of India University with minimum CGPA (Cumulative Grade Point Average) of 4.00 and having completed a bachelor’s degree from a recognized University through regular mode.

Provided that candidates in their final year of study in the respective degrees in (a), (b) and (c) shall be eligible to apply, subject to the candidate securing the minimum marks or equivalent grade prior to July 2024.

International Students

Candidates can apply for the NLSAT – International Examination for “international student” category, if they fulfil the following conditions:

They should be a citizen of a country other than India; AND
They should have completed a minimum of ten years of their education in a school/college/university outside India.

For more details, click here.

Admission Process

Admission to the programme will be through an all-India written admissions test, the National Law School Admissions Test (NLSAT-PhD). Candidates shall submit the application form duly filled up along with a research proposal of about 6-8 pages. The application form is available here.

The research proposal should contain: i. Tentative Title ii. Statement of the problem and the background information on the subject. iii. A brief outline of the research design including a set of research questions, a brief review of the relevant literature on the issue identified for research, a research hypothesis (where applicable) and the proposed methodology. Students who demonstrate a firm grasp of these foundational issues will be awarded higher marks.

The NLSAT-PhD shall have the following scheme: a) Research Aptitude: 50 marks b) Essays/Answers on relevant topics pertaining to law/ other disciplines: 50 marks

Candidates securing not less than 50% marks on the aggregate in the written test will qualify for evaluation of their Research Proposal and making an oral presentation before a Panel of Experts on the date specified by the University.

Selection Process

Candidates will be selected based on the marks obtained by the candidate in the NLSAT- PhD, the research proposal, and the oral presentation. The weightage of each score component shall be as follows:

a) NLSAT-PhD: 50% b) Research Proposal: 35% c) Oral Presentation: 15%

Important Dates

The National Law School Admissions Test-PhD (NLSAT-PhD) will be held on March 17, 2024 (Sunday), from 10.00 am to 12.30 pm in specified centres across the country. The duration of the test shall be 150 minutes.
Application deadline has been extended to 11:59 pm IST, on February 28, 2024. View official notification. An application fee of Rs. 3000/- (Rupees Three Thousand Only) shall be payable at the time of submission of the application.
The dates for the oral presentation shall be announced after the completion of the NLSAT-PhD. They are likely to be held in April – May 2024.
Classes for coursework component of the Ph.D. programme shall commence in the University in July 2024.

The maximum number of Ph. D seats for the Academic Year 2024-25 are 8 (Eight). This includes 4 in Ph.D (Law) and 4 in Ph.D (Interdisciplinary). The University reserves the right not to fill all the seats where sufficient candidates do not satisfy the admission requirements.

PhD Regulations

Regulations governing the PhD programme are available here. Candidates should familiarize themselves with the requirements of the programme, before applying.

The admission notification for AY 2024-25 is available here.

For Indian Nationals

For international students.

The total amount payable at the time of admission by foreign students for AY 2024-25 is Rs. 2,55,000/- as provided below:

Registration Fee – one time 90,000/- Course Work Fee – one time 90,000/- Annual Fee 75,000/- Total fee – per annum 2,55,000/-

* Fees mentioned above are provisional and subject to ratification by the University Governing Bodies.

Sample questions for NLSAT 2024 will be released to candidates who have registered through the admissions portal prior to the admissions test.

The University’s PhD programme in the previous year was offered in terms of the Ph.D. Degree Programme Regulations, 2021. The Regulations have been revised since the Academic Year 2023-24.

The FAQs below reflect the Ph.D. Degree Programme Regulations 2023.

NLSIU currently offers two Ph.D programmes:

– The Ph.D. (Law) programme allows a candidate to contribute academically in the field of law; – The Ph.D. (Interdisciplinary) involves research across disciplines to arrive at a more comprehensive perspective and solution for a particular problem.

Yes, they may apply for the Ph.D (Law) programme.

No, there is no age limit to apply for the programmes.

Candidates will have to appear for the admission test NLSAT – Ph.D, conducted by the University. To apply, visit admissions.nls.ac.in

Note: While submitting the application for the admission test, candidates should also submit a research proposal of about 6-8 pages. The research proposal should contain: i. Tentative Title ii. Statement of the problem and the background information on the subject. iii. A brief outline of the research design including a set of research questions, a brief review of the relevant literature on the issue identified for research, a research hypothesis (where applicable) and the proposed methodology. Students who demonstrate a firm grasp of these foundational issues will be awarded higher marks.

No. Candidates may apply for either Ph.D (Law) or the Ph.D (Interdisciplinary) programme.

To apply for the Ph.D programmes, visit admissions.nls.ac.in

The University shall conduct a written test (NLSAT-Ph.D) along the following scheme:

a) Research Aptitude – 50 marks b) Essays on relevant topics pertaining to law/ other disciplines – 50 marks

The list of selected candidates as above shall be displayed on the NLSIU website.

Candidates are required to be present at the NLSIU campus for the duration of their coursework spread over three trimesters. Course work is compulsory for all the Ph.D. candidates.

The first component of the course work must be completed during the first trimester upon their admission. The remaining two trimesters of the course work needs to be completed within the first two academic years.

a) The candidate will have to complete a minimum of three (3) years’ research in their chosen subject, including the mandatory course work as provided in these Regulations.

b) Maximum period: The maximum duration of the Ph.D. programme shall be six (6) years* from the date of admission in the Ph.D. programme, subject to the fulfilment of the requirements per the Regulations.

*- Provided that candidates who are Persons with Disabilities (having more than 40% disability) may be allowed a relaxation of upto two (2) years; however, the total period for completion of a Ph.D. programme in such cases should not exceed eight (8) years from the date of admission in the Ph.D. programme; – Provided further that female Ph.D. candidates may be provided Maternity Leave/ Child Care Leave for up to 240 days in the entire duration of the Ph.D. programme; however, the total period for completion of a Ph.D. programme in such cases should not exceed six (6) years and eight (8) months from the date of admission in the Ph.D. programme.

c) Failure to complete the course within the maximum period set out in point (b) above will automatically result in cancellation of registration.

There are a total of six courses that a doctoral candidate has to complete. Three of these are compulsory taught courses. Each taught course will extend for around 10 weeks and will be held on campus.

The first compulsory taught course is to be completed in the initial trimester on admission to the programme. The second compulsory taught course can be completed in the initial or any subsequent trimester (depending on when the course is offered). These two taught courses have to be completed prior to the first presentation before the Research Advisory Committee. In addition, there are also two course requirements relating to review of literature and fine-tuning of the proposal which need to be completed under the guidance of the Supervisor prior to the first presentation before the Research Advisory Committee.

The third compulsory taught course has to be completed prior to the second presentation before the Research Advisory Committee. In addition, candidates also will also need to complete the course requirement relating to teaching/research assistantships as will be decided by the Supervisor/relevant University body of the University.

There is a Research Advisory Committee for each Ph.D. scholar consisting of a Supervisor and two members (one from within NLSIU and one external member).

Please refer to the fee tab on the respective programme pages for fee details.

Yes, the University will release sample questions at a later date.

We do not offer rolling admissions to the PhD programme. New students are admitted once a year, to begin studying at the start of the Academic Year in July.

Yes, but only in the next academic year. Candidates will have to appear for the NLSAT after applying for the programme in any given year.

Yes. The University will notify a ‘Campus Open Day’ for you to visit us and familiarize yourself with the campus before applying for any programme through the NLSAT. Follow our website for further updates.

Law Library

Carolina Law Reaches Top 20 in U.S. News Rankings

For the first time since U.S. News and World Report began ranking law schools in 1987, UNC School of Law has reached No. 20 out of 196 law schools. According to U.S. News & World Report’s 2024 edition of “America’s Best Graduate Schools,” released on April 9, this year Carolina Law achieved its all-time highest ranking.

Carolina Law ranked 7 th among public university law schools.

Carolina Law also ranked in the Top 25 in six specialty areas:

Criminal Law, tied for 20 th
Legal Writing, tied for 20 th
Tax Law, tied for 20 th (up four spots)
Business/Corporate Law, tied for 22 nd (up seven spots)
Clinical Training Programs, tied for 23 rd (up 11 spots)
Contracts/Commercial Law, tied for 23 rd

Carolina Law has consistently held steady in reputation among law school peers and among lawyers and judges. This year, Carolina Law’s peer assessment was ranked No. 24 among faculty at all law schools. Carolina Law’s reputation among lawyers and judges jumped a spot to be ranked No. 19.

“Reaching this rankings milestone underscores the extraordinary quality of a Carolina Law legal education – one that places us in the top tier of all law schools. When accessibility and affordability are added into the mix, the return on investment for our students is virtually unparalleled in American legal education,” says Martin H. Brinkley ’92, dean and William Rand Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor.

Rankings are important to the law school’s constituents. Prospective students rely on them to make decisions on where they should attend law school. Current students look to rankings to affirm their decision. Alumni know that higher rankings strengthen the value of their law degrees and propel careers to greater heights.

Carolina Law’s Class of 2022 achieved 96.8% of graduates employed in full time legal jobs at 10 months after graduation. This is among the top 10 law schools in the country for employment outcomes. In addition to being highly ranked among law schools, Carolina Law’s position as a top professional school at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is further bolstered by matching UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School’s ranking for the second year in a row.

“We are grateful for the support of our generous donors, North Carolina’s taxpayers, the N.C. General Assembly, and the leadership of UNC-Chapel Hill,” says Brinkley. “The public recognition of these rankings underscores our success in fulfilling our core mission: Preparing outstanding lawyers and leaders for the bar, the bench, all public and private law settings, and public service.”

U.S. News Releases 2024 Best Graduate Programs Rankings

Find the top-ranked graduate schools in business, education, law, nursing and other fields.

U.S. News Ranks Best Graduate Schools

Photo Library

To help prospective graduate students find a school that fits their needs, U.S. News released the 2024 rankings for multiple graduate fields.

Depending on the job or field, earning a graduate degree may lead to higher earnings, career advancement and specialized skill development.

But with several types of degrees and hundreds of graduate schools, it can be difficult to narrow down the options. To help prospective graduate students find a school that fits their needs, U.S. News released its 2024 Best Graduate Schools rankings today. They evaluate business, education, fine arts, health, law, library studies, nursing, public affairs, science, and social sciences and humanities graduate programs. Medical school and engineering rankings are not being released at this time.

A notable methodology change includes a new salary indicator based on profession in the business rankings.

Additionally, for the first time in four years, there are new rankings for a blend of doctoral and master's programs in audiology, occupational therapy, physical therapy, pharmacy, nurse midwifery and speech-language pathology. Graduate programs in nurse anesthesia and social work are also ranked for the first time since 2016 and 2022, respectively. Those and other specialty rankings are based on reputation ratings from scholars at other surveyed schools.

Read each program's specific methodology for the most detailed explanations of all the changes. The rankings are one source of information among many that prospective college students can use to inform their college decision. Below is a summary of the top-ranked schools in four major graduate program areas:

Best Law Schools

Best business schools, best nursing schools, best education schools.

Among the top 10 law schools . Yale Law School in Connecticut and California-based Stanford Law School shared the top spot again. The University of Chicago Law School in Illinois maintained its No. 3 rank, followed by a four-way tie at No. 4: Duke University School of Law in North Carolina, Harvard Law School in Massachusetts, the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and the University of Virginia School of Law .

Columbia Law School in New York ranked No. 8 again, while there was a three-way tie for No. 9: New York University School of Law , Northwestern University's Pritzker School of Law in Illinois and the University of Michigan—Ann Arbor Law School .

Looking beyond the top 10, multiple law schools moved up in the rankings. William & Mary Law School in Virginia, for instance, jumped nine spots from a tie at No. 45 to a five-way tie at No. 36.

U.S. News also ranked 13 law specialties: business/corporate, clinical training, constitutional, contracts/commercial, criminal, dispute resolution, environmental, health care, intellectual property, international, legal writing, tax and trial advocacy. (You can filter by specialty on the main ranking page .)

Meanwhile, in the part-time law school rankings – which consists of law schools with at least 20 part-time students enrolled in fall 2022 and fall 2023 – the top three stayed the same. The Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C., is once again at the top while D.C.-based George Washington University Law School , now No. 3, switched places with the Fordham University School of Law in New York City, which claimed second place.

Previously ranked at No. 3 and No. 6 respectively, the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and Stanford Graduate School of Business took the top spot in this year's full-time MBA program rankings . Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management and the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business moved down from their previous places in the top two to tie at No. 3.

While the top 10 mostly consists of the same schools as last year, both the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley and the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business joined those ranks this year. UC Berkeley rose from a three-way tie at No. 11 to a three-way tie at No. 7, while UVA moved up four spots from No. 14 to a tie at No. 10.

Farther down the full-time MBA rankings, there were some big changes. For example, Pitt's Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business soared 39 spots from a tie at No. 86 to a tie at No. 47.

Meanwhile, the very top of the part-time MBA rankings looks similar to last year, with the same schools in the top 5: UChicago, UC Berkeley, Northwestern, NYU's Leonard N. Stern School of Business and the Anderson School of Management at the University of California—Los Angeles. But UChicago took the No. 1 spot from UC Berkeley this year.

Moving up from No. 2, Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in Maryland tied with Emory University's Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing in Georgia to claim the top spot in this year's nursing master's program rankings. Duke University School of Nursing in North Carolina climbed up by one to claim the third spot.

Johns Hopkins ranked No. 1, as it did last year, in the Doctor of Nursing Practice program rankings. George Mason University School of Nursing in Virginia – which reported more graduates and resources per faculty – soared from a four-way tie at No. 39 to take the No. 2 spot. Duke tied with the University of Washington School of Nursing to round out the top three.

Duke also ranked No. 1 in all of the ranked nursing master's nursing practice specialties, including administration, family, both acute and primary care adult gerontology, and mental health.

Once again, Teachers College, Columbia University in New York was No. 1 in the graduate education schools rankings. This year, however, it tied with the University of Wisconsin—Madison School of Education , which climbed two spots.

The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor's School of Education dropped from the top position to tie with the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies at No. 3. UCLA was previously tied at No. 7.

U.S. News also ranks nine education specialties, with the College of Education at Michigan State University claiming the top spot in the following categories: curriculum and instruction, educational administration, elementary teacher education, higher education administration and secondary teacher education.

Searching for a grad school of education? Access our complete rankings of Best Graduate Schools.

Grad Degree Jobs With $100K+ Salaries

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LL.M. Program

5005 Wasserstein Hall (WCC) 1585 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge , MA 02138

The LL.M. (Master of Laws) program is a one-year degree program that typically includes 180 students from some 65 countries. The Graduate Program is interested in attracting intellectually curious and thoughtful candidates from a variety of legal systems and backgrounds and with various career plans. Harvard’s LL.M. students include lawyers working in firms, government officials, law professors, judges, diplomats, human rights activists, doctoral students, business people, and others. The diversity of the participants in the LL.M. program contributes significantly to the educational experience of all students at the School.

LL.M. Degree Overview

Ll.m. degree requirements, academic resources, ll.m. class profile, modal gallery, gallery block modal gallery.

M. Cathleen Kaveny, JD, PhD, to Present 17th Annual Commonweal Lecture, April 9

Cathleen Kaveny, JD, PhD

Co-hosted by the Center for Catholic Studies and the Zeta chapter of Phi Beta Kappa at Fairfield University, Dr. Kaveny of Boston College will present a lecture titled “Nostalgia, Nationalism, and American Public Life.”

Dr. Kaveny will explore these connections between a certain nostalgia for the past and concerns about present-day public life in the U.S. when she presents “Nostalgia, Nationalism, and American Public Life,” the 17 th Annual Commonweal Lecture, on Tuesday, April 9 at 7 p.m. in Fairfield University’s Dolan School of Business Event Hall. This event is free and open to the public.

Dr. Kaveny's work focuses on the intersections of law, religion, and ethics in a divided, pluralistic society. She has published more than 100 articles and essays, and her books include Law's Virtues: Fostering Autonomy and Solidarity in American Society (2012); Prophecy without Contempt: Religious Discourse in the Public Square (2016), and Ethics at the Edges of Law: Christian Moralists and American Legal Thought (2018).

In 2018-19, Dr. Kaveny served as the Cary and Ann Maguire Chair in Ethics and American History at the Kluge Center at the Library of Congress. She is currently the Phi Beta Kappa 2023-24 Carl F. Cranor Visiting Scholar, and the Darald and Juliet Libby Millenium Professor at Boston College, where she has dual appointments in the Law School and the Theology Department.

Dr. Kaveny received her BA from Princeton University, and her MA, M.Phil, JD, and PhD from Yale.

A popular speaker on Catholicism and public issues, her frequent essays in Commonweal magazine bring careful analysis to bear on charged topics such as the relationships between law, religion, and morality in pluralistic societies.

Join us for the 17 th Annual Commonweal Lecture with M. Cathleen Kaveny at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 9 at the Quick Center for the Arts, located at 1073 North Benson Road, Fairfield, CT 06824. This event is free and open to the public.

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Ph.D. Program
The Ph.D. in Law degree program is designed to prepare J.D. graduates for careers as legal scholars and teachers through a doctoral program aimed at the production of a substantial body of academic research and writing under the close supervision of a three-member faculty dissertation committee. ... 2020 and 2021 Graduate Programs alumni ...
S.J.D. Program
S.J.D. Program. The Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) is Harvard Law School's most advanced law degree, designed for aspiring legal academics who wish to pursue sustained independent study, research and writing. In recent years we have created a vibrant intellectual community of young scholars from around the world, most of whom will ...
Top 10 Best PhD in Law Programs [2024]
Yale University, Law School. PhD in Law. Yale University's Law School ranks first in the nation, with its 20 legal clinics offering an immersive experience for students. This PhD program has a purely academic focus. To qualify for admission, you'll need to already have a JD (Juris Doctor) degree.
Graduate Program
The Graduate Program attracts lawyers of demonstrated intellectual and academic excellence from all over the world. The LL.M. and S.J.D. programs expose students to American modes of legal education (which emphasize critical thinking and self-inquiry) as well as to substantive law, and enhance our students' ability to do advanced scholarly work.
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 ...
Coordinated JD/PhD Program
Overview The Coordinated JD/PhD Program is designed for students interested in completing interdisciplinary work at Harvard University and is founded on the belief that students' legal studies and their arts and sciences graduate studies can be mutually enriched through this pursuit. Students completing the coordinated program receive a JD from Harvard Law School (HLS) and […]
Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD)
The PhD in Law is designed to provide advanced training for outstanding graduate students who have already obtained a Master of Laws (LLM) degree or its equivalent. ... Sep 2022 to Aug 2023 - average funding for full-time PhD students enrolled in three terms per academic year in this program across years 1-4, the period covered by UBC's Minimum ...
Law
The PhD in Law program prepares students who have earned a JD from an American Bar Association accredited law school to enter law teaching or other careers that require a scholarly mastery of law. The program is designed to provide a broad foundation in the canonical texts and methods of legal scholarship and to support students in producing original scholarship in the form of a dissertation.
Law PhD
Duration Study mode; PhD: Law: 3 Years: Full-time: Programme structure 2023/24: PhD: Law: 6 Years: Part-time: Programme structure 2023/24: 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 PhD programme
Further information on postgraduate admission to research courses in the Faculty of Law is available from [email protected] or +44 (0)1223 330039. 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 ...
PhD Law (2024 entry)
PhD Law / Overview. Year of entry: 2024. View tabs; View full page; Overview; Entry requirements; Application and selection; Programme details; Careers; Degree awarded Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) ... PhD (part-time) UK students (per annum): £2,393 International, including EU, students (per annum): £10,750
PhD in Law
Duration: 4 years full-time or 6 years part-time: Starting: September & January: Fees 23/24: EU - Full Time €6,790, Part Time 4,490. Non-EU - Full Time €13,080 Part Time €8,760 ... English Language Requirements for the PhD in Law Programme. Applicants whose first language is not English must submit satisfactory evidence of competence in ...
PhD Law: Eligibility, Admission 2024, Fees, Entrance Exam, Syllabus
The PhD Law curriculum is of three to six years duration and divided into six to twelve semesters respectively. The first semester provides techniques and tools for legal research followed by the necessary skills for conducting research in the second semester. Below, we have compiled the PhD Law subjects taught at GGSIPU Delhi.
Doctor of Philosophy (Law)
· time availability statement · curriculum vitae · list of publications (if available) ... The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) at the University of Sydney Law School is a pathway to a number of careers, including tertiary education, policy development, advanced research, and specialisation for employment in government, inter-governmental and ...
Law PhD
^ Self-funded, full-time international students studying a PhD programme classified as Band A will receive a £2,000 reduction in their fees for the first year only. Entry requirements Applicants for the Law PhD programme should normally hold a minimum of a 2:1 class Honours Degree in a relevant subject (BA or LLB), in addition to a Masters in ...
Ph.D (Law): Course Details, Eligibility, Duration, Fees, Admission
Ph.D (Law): Course Details, Eligibility, Duration, Fees, Admission. Duration: 5 Years. Avg Fees: ₹10K - 2 LPA. Ph.D in Law. Syllabus and Subjects. Job, Scope and Salary. Kripal Thapa. Updated on - Jan 4, 2023. PhD in Law is a full-time research degree commonly offered as a three to a five-year degree program, implements a multidisciplinary ...
Ph.D (Law)
The National Law School Admissions Test-PhD (NLSAT-PhD) will be held on March 17, 2024 (Sunday), from 10.00 am to 12.30 pm in specified centres across the country. The duration of the test shall be 150 minutes. ... The maximum duration of the Ph.D. programme shall be six (6) years* from the date of admission in the Ph.D. programme, subject to ...
Carolina Law Reaches Top 20 in U.S. News Rankings
April 9, 2024. For the first time since U.S. News and World Report began ranking law schools in 1987, UNC School of Law has reached No. 20 out of 196 law schools. According to U.S. News & World Report's 2024 edition of "America's Best Graduate Schools," released on April 9, this year Carolina Law achieved its all-time highest ranking.
U.S. News Releases 2024 Best Graduate Programs Rankings
Find the top-ranked graduate schools in business, education, law, nursing and other fields. ... which consists of law schools with at least 20 part-time students enrolled in fall 2022 and fall ...
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Weather Moscow. Moscow has long, cold winters usually lasting from November to the end of March. Temperatures can fluctuate between the city centre and the suburbs between 5-10°C (41-50°F). Heat waves may occur during summer. Average low temperatures are -10°C (15°F) in February, while average highs reach 24°C (76°F) in July. Study a PhD ...
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LL.M. Program
The LL.M. (Master of Laws) program is a one-year degree program that typically includes 180 students from some 65 countries. The Graduate Program is interested in attracting intellectually curious and thoughtful candidates from a variety of legal systems and backgrounds and with various career plans. Harvard's LL.M. students include lawyers working in firms, government officials, […]
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The first 288 students from 47 countries graduated in 1965. Around that time, international construction teams started to appear, and the first student teams of ... a 1973 graduate of Patrice Lumumba PFU. From 1998 to 2005, PFUR was directed by Dmitry Petrovich Bilibin, a graduate of Patrice Lumumba PFU. ... 32 full professors, and 71 PhDs. Law ...
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Moscow has long, cold winters usually lasting from November to the end of March. Temperatures can fluctuate between the city centre and the suburbs between 5-10°C (41-50°F). Heat waves may occur during summer. Average low temperatures are -10°C (15°F) in February, while average highs reach 24°C (76°F) in July. Study a Master's degree in ...
M. Cathleen Kaveny, JD, PhD, to Present 17th Annual Commonweal Lecture
She is currently the Phi Beta Kappa 2023-24 Carl F. Cranor Visiting Scholar, and the Darald and Juliet Libby Millenium Professor at Boston College, where she has dual appointments in the Law School and the Theology Department. Dr. Kaveny received her BA from Princeton University, and her MA, M.Phil, JD, and PhD from Yale.