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Institute of Legal and Constitutional Research

PhD Studies

The University of St Andrews’ Institute of Legal and Constitutional Research is dedicated to fostering a large and lively community of postgraduate students, post-doctoral scholars and academic staff drawn from the Schools of History; International Relations; Philosophy, Social Anthropology, Film and Music; and beyond, in addition to hosting Visiting Scholars and other legal professionals from around the world.

All permanent academic staff at the University of St Andrews are happy to discuss applications for doctoral study from suitably-qualified applicants. For further details on permament academic staff at St Andrews who are members of the Institute of Legal and Constitutional Research see here .

For advice on  how to apply for a PhD place  at the University of St Andrews see here .

The University of St Andrews is committed to its large and flourishing community of PhD students and offer a range of postgraduate conferences, resources, international exchanges and teaching opportunities.

For further information on doing a PhD in the School of History see here .

For further information on doing a PhD in the School of International Relations see here .

For further information on doing a PhD in the School of Philosophy, Social Anthropology, Film and Music follow the further links here .

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• University is 'incubator of bigotry,' say…

University is 'incubator of bigotry,' say 13 federal judges boycotting its grads

By Debra Cassens Weiss

May 7, 2024, 10:57 am CDT

Thirteen federal judges, all of them appointees of former President Donald Trump, have announced that they won’t hire clerks who graduate from Columbia University or Columbia Law School. (Photo from Shutterstock)

Thirteen federal judges, all of them appointees of former President Donald Trump, have announced that they won’t hire clerks who graduate from Columbia University or Columbia Law School.

The judges say they won’t hire future Columbia grads for clerkships because of the school’s handling of campus disruptions caused by pro-Palestinian protesters, report Reuters , Bloomberg Law and the Volokh Conspiracy .

How Appealing posted the judges’ May 6 letter explaining their stance to Columbia University’s president.

Columbia has become “an incubator of bigotry,” the letter says, and the judges have lost confidence in the institution. Their future boycott will apply to the entering undergraduate and law school class of 2024 “absent extraordinary change.”

The letter says Columbia “has become ground zero for the explosion of student disruptions, antisemitism and hatred for diverse viewpoints” since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas. Professors and administrators have been “on the front lines” of the disruptions, showing the school’s “ideological homogeneity,” according to the letter.

Lead signers are Judge James C. Ho of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans, Judge Elizabeth L. Branch of the 11th Circuit at Atlanta and Judge Matthew H. Solomson of the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

In 2022 , Ho and Branch announced that they would not hire as clerks incoming students at Yale Law School, and in 2023 , they announced that they also wouldn’t hire from Stanford Law School because the schools stifle views.

The new letter calls on Columbia to:

  • Impose “serious consequences” for students and faculty who “participated in campus disruptions and violated established rules.”

  • Eliminate favoritism for certain viewpoints in enforcement of campus rules. “If Columbia had been faced with a campus uprising of religious conservatives upset because they view abortion as a tragic genocide, we have no doubt that the university’s response would have been profoundly different,” the letter says.

  • Establish viewpoint diversity on the faculty and across the administration.

Other judges who signed the letter are Judge Alan Albright, Judge David Counts, Judge James W. Hendrix, Judge Matthew J. Kacsmaryk , Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle, Judge Tilman E. Self III, Judge Brantley Starr, Judge Drew B. Tipton, Judge Daniel M. Traynor and Judge Stephen Alexander Vaden.

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Review the full semester calendar at registrar.nd.edu/calendars/ .

Originally published at events.nd.edu .

Courts | Challenge to North Carolina’s new voter ID…

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Courts | 9-day-old newborn girl, ‘showing signs of abuse,’ dies in norfolk, courts | challenge to north carolina’s new voter id requirement goes to trial.

FILE – A Super Tuesday voter walks past a sign requiring a photo ID at a polling location, March 5, 2024, in Mount Holly, N.C. A federal lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s photo voter identification law goes to trial Monday, May 6, with expected arguments focusing on whether the requirement unlawfully discriminates against Black and Hispanic citizens or serves legitimate state interests to boost public confidence in elections. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)

FILE – Brandon Rivers works to sign up voters at The Roof Above, Aug. 4, 2023, in Charlotte, N.C. A federal lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s photo voter identification law goes to trial Monday, May 6, 2024, with expected arguments focusing on whether the requirement unlawfully discriminates against Black and Hispanic citizens or serves legitimate state interests to boost public confidence in elections. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Trial in a federal lawsuit challenging North Carolina’s new voter identification law finally began on Monday, with a civil rights group alleging its photo requirement unlawfully harms Black and Latino voters.

The non-jury trial started more than five years after the state NAACP and several local chapters sued over the 2018 law, saying the photo requirement and two other voting-related provisions violate the U.S. Constitution — because lawmakers enacted them with discriminatory intent — and the Voting Rights Act.

The litigation, along with a similar lawsuit in state court, delayed implementation of the requirement until last year’s municipal elections. The 1.8 million voters who cast ballots in March primaries also had to comply. State election data showed that less than 500 provisional ballots were ultimately not counted in the primary because of ID-related issues.

The NAACP plaintiffs argue that some voters have already have been “caught up in the traps of the law” or were deterred from even coming to the polls in the first place, attorney Kathleen Roblez said during opening statements.

“This case is about impermissible and intentional racial discrimination,” Roblez told U.S. District Judge Loretta Biggs, adding the requirement “has already produced a discriminatory result for Black and brown voters,” who she said are less likely to hold qualifying IDs.

But an attorney representing Republican legislative leaders who helped enact the law said that it’s one of the most permissive voter ID requirements among states that have passed them, with free IDs available and exceptions for voters who can’t readily obtain one. Legislators passed the law over Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto mere weeks after voters approved a constitutional amendment directing a photo ID mandate.

“A legislature bent on discriminating would not have created all of these exceptions,” David Thompson, one of the GOP leaders’ lawyers, said in a Winston-Salem courtroom where the trial is expected to last several days. “The General Assembly was compelled by the people of North Carolina to enact a voter ID law.”

Biggs already has signaled that she won’t immediately rule from the bench. A favorable ruling for the NAACP could block the requirement in the fall. The November general election — with races for president, governor and other statewide seats — could see turnout three times greater than the primary. And the nation’s ninth-largest state is a likely presidential battleground where statewide races are often close.

Roblez said it is suspect to cite the constitutional amendment in justifying passage of the voter ID law because it was put on the ballot by General Assembly members at a time when many legislative districts were declared by federal judges to be illegal racial gerrymanders.

Roblez said the NAACP will present data showing Black and Latino voters are more than twice as likely to lack a qualifying ID with a photo than white voters. They plan to bring in witnesses who will say they encountered voting problems in the March primary. Thompson said that by total number, not percentage, there are more white voters who don’t have such an ID.

Thompson, who is representing House Speaker Tim Moore and Senate leader Phil Berger, and a state attorney representing the State Board of Elections members also defending the law in court said the rules impose only a minimal burden on voters.

The law greatly expanded the number of qualifying IDs compared to what was approved in a 2013 voter ID law used briefly until federal judges struck it down as discriminatory. Free IDs are provided by county election and Division of Motor Vehicles offices, and people lacking photo ID at the polls should have their votes count if they fill out an exception form or bring in their ID to election officials before the final tallies.

The GOP leaders also argue the General Assembly had legitimate state interests in passing the law: to build voter confidence in state elections and to prevent voter fraud. Still, nationwide voter identity fraud is rare.

State NAACP President Deborah Maxwell, the plaintiffs’ first witness, testified that the ID requirement makes it harder to vote and forced her group to allocate additional resources to make sure registered voters had a qualifying ID. She said free IDs from government offices only open on weekdays doesn’t help working people who only have weekends free.

Biggs, who was nominated to the court by President Barack Obama, issued a preliminary injunction in late 2019 blocking enforcement of the law, saying it was tainted because the 2013 law had been struck down on similar grounds of racial bias. But the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed her decision , writing that she had put too much emphasis on the past conduct of the General Assembly when evaluating the 2018 law.

In a separate state lawsuit, the state Supreme Court last year upheld the 2018 law, which allowed the State Board of Elections to implement it months later. The now Republican-controlled court reversed a previous Supreme Court decision striking down the law when Democrats held a majority of the court’s seats.

Thirty-six states have laws requesting or requiring identification at the polls, 21 of which seek photo ID, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.

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Online Doctorate in Criminal Justice – General Intellectual Pursuit of Improved Criminal Justice

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100% online, 8-week courses

Transfer in up to 50% of the degree total

Safeguard Communities and Lead in Law Enforcement with Liberty’s Online Doctorate in Criminal Justice – General

The job of a criminal justice practitioner is not always easy. Officers are on standby 24/7 – protecting citizens from the dangers of meditated and unmeditated crime. Judges face difficult decisions, government prosecutors must build strong cases, and probation officers strive to help parolees acclimate to their recently restored freedom.

You understand that effective law enforcement officials need training, discipline, knowledge, and compassion to succeed in their work — and you know that the best leaders inspire their teams to work diligently in the service of their community. If you’ve dedicated your career to the safety of the citizens you serve, Liberty University’s 100% online Doctor of Criminal Justice (DCJ) – General degree can help you increase your knowledge of crime prevention and deterrence as you pursue senior leadership roles in the criminal justice system.

The goal of our Doctor of Criminal Justice online is to help you become a confident leader — one who can navigate complex challenges, provide effective solutions in a timely manner, and earn the trust of citizens and officers alike. By partnering with Liberty for your online doctorate in criminal justice, you can earn a life-changing credential capable of helping you launch your career to new heights.

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• What Sets Us Apart?
• Private Nonprofit University
• 600+ Online Degrees
• No Standardized Testing for Admission
• Transfer in up to 75% of an Undergrad Degree
• Transfer in up to 50% of a Grad/Doctoral Degree

Why Choose Liberty University’s Doctor of Criminal Justice?

As a pioneer in distance education since 1985, we understand what it takes to create an online criminal justice degree program that challenges you and also respects your commitments. We realize that your personal responsibilities don’t go away when you enroll in a degree program, which is why our Doctor of Criminal Justice — General can be completed 100% online with no set login times and no required intensives. As an online student, you won’t have to commute to campus at any point during your degree.

Another advantage of pursuing Liberty’s online Doctor of Criminal Justice is the degree’s versatility. While this program can be used for career advancement in law enforcement, it could also be your ticket to a teaching position at a college or university.

The credibility of our online Doctor of Criminal Justice is backed by our institutional accreditation. Liberty University is regionally accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges ( SACSCOC ), which means that our academic programs have met rigorous standards and can help you reach your career goals.

What Will You Study in Our Online Doctorate in Criminal Justice – General?

Our online Doctor of Criminal Justice program consists of 5 sections: core courses, research and evaluation courses, advanced focus classes, the general specialization, and a capstone sequence.

In the core courses, you will study theories of crime and comparative criminal justice systems. You will also study advanced juvenile justice policy and advanced corrections policy. The research and evaluation courses will guide you through advanced research design, quantitative and qualitative research methods, and a program evaluation.

The advanced focus section of our online criminal justice doctorate will cover transnational organized crime, advanced topics in terrorism and intelligence, and organizational conflict in criminal justice systems. In this section, you can also learn how to manage the stress that comes with working in criminal justice.

The general specialization of our online criminal justice doctorate consists of 3 free-elective courses. This means that you are offered your choice of 3 doctoral government courses – allowing you to study the topics you’re most interested in.

The capstone sequence is the final phase of your degree. The criminal justice doctoral capstone consists of 5 classes that will guide you through the process of identifying an issue in the field of criminal justice, conducting research on that issue, and then providing a data-based solution to the problem.

Potential Career Opportunities

• Crime scene investigation unit manager
• Police chief/sheriff
• Police detective
• Prison warden
• Public policy advisor

Featured Courses

• CJUS 700 – Theories of Crime
• CJUS 703 – Advanced Corrections Policy
• CJUS 810 – Transnational Organized Crime Advanced
• CJUS 820 – Advanced Topics in Terrorism and Intelligence

Degree Information

• This program falls under the Helms School of Government .
• View the Graduate Government Course Guides (login required) .

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Your success is our success, which is why we are committed to providing quality academics at an affordable tuition rate. While other colleges are increasing their tuition, we have frozen tuition rates for the majority of our undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs for the past 9 years – and counting.

Eligible current and former military service members and their spouses may qualify for a special rate of $300/credit hour ( learn more ) .

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Admission Information for the Online Doctor of Criminal Justice Degree

Admission requirements.

• A non-refundable, non-transferable $50 application fee will be posted on the current application upon enrollment (waived for qualifying service members, veterans, and military spouses – documentation verifying military status is required) .
• Send official college transcripts (mailed as sealed, unopened copies or sent via a direct electronic transcript system). A regionally or nationally accredited master’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA is required for admission in good standing.
• Applicants whose native language is other than English must submit official scores for the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or an approved alternative assessment. For information on alternative assessments or TOEFL waivers, please call Admissions or view the official International Admissions policy .

Please note: The Office of Graduate Admissions may request additional documentation when conducting admission reviews to evaluate a candidate’s record before a final admission decision can be made.

Preliminary Acceptance

If you are sending in a preliminary transcript for acceptance, you must:

• Be in your final term and planning to start your doctoral degree after the last day of class for your master’s degree.
• Complete a Master’s Self-Certification Form confirming your completion date. You may download the form from the Forms and Downloads page or contact an admissions counselor to submit the form on your behalf.
• Submit an official transcript to confirm that you are in your final term. The preliminary transcript must show that you are within 6 credit hours of completion for a 30-48 credit hour master’s degree or within 9 credit hours of completion for a 49+ credit hour master’s degree.
• Send in an additional, final official transcript with a conferral date on it by the end of your first semester of enrollment in the new doctoral degree.

Transcript Policies

Official college transcript policy.

An acceptable official college transcript is one that has been issued directly from the institution and is in a sealed envelope. If you have one in your possession, it must meet the same requirements. If your previous institution offers electronic official transcript processing, they can send the document directly to [email protected] .

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Liberty University is dedicated to providing world-class educational experiences to military students across the globe.

Who May Qualify?

• Active Duty
• Reserve/National Guard
• Veterans/Retirees
• Spouses of Service Members and Veterans/Retirees

Military Tuition Discount

We want to help you find the doctoral degree you want – at a price you’ve earned. As a thank-you for your military service, Liberty University offers eligible current and former service members like you or your spouse multiple pathways to earn a doctoral degree for only $300/credit hour . Find out how you can take advantage of this unique opportunity as you work toward your goal of reaching the pinnacle of your profession – for less.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the difference between an online doctorate in criminal justice and a phd program in criminal justice or criminology.

The difference between a Doctor of Criminal Justice online and an online PhD in Criminal Justice lies in the emphasis. Our online doctorate in criminal justice carries a practical emphasis while our online criminal justice PhD carries more of a theoretical, research-based emphasis. Despite the differences between the degrees, each program is appropriate for personal enrichment and career advancement.

If you’d like to pursue an academic career in research or as a professor upon completion of your doctoral studies, our criminal justice PhD online or a criminology PhD program may be the best fit for you. If you’re considering the idea of someday venturing into academia but would like to continue serving as a law enforcement official for now, our Doctor of Criminal Justice online may be ideal.

What does the career potential look like for this field?

Typically, postsecondary teaching positions require a doctoral degree, and according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, demand for this career is projected to grow 12% by 2030 – a rate much faster than the national average for job growth.* Postsecondary teachers also earned an average salary of $80,560 in 2020.*

*Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, at Postsecondary Teachers (viewed online Sept. 22, 2021). Cited projections may not reflect local and/or short-term economic or job conditions and do not guarantee actual job growth.

Does this degree have any campus requirements?

This degree is offered 100% online with no required intensives.

What accreditation does Liberty University have?

Liberty University is regionally accredited by SACSCOC , the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

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