law phd in london

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• Working paper series

PhD Programme in Law

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

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

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

PhD Programme

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

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

PhD Funding

PhD Current research

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

FAQs Your questions about the PhD programme

PhD completions Browse our completed PhDs

Careers Our careers information and resources

Visiting research students How to apply as a visiting student

PhD Academy A dedicated space for PhD students

LSE Life Academic, personal, professional development

UCL Faculty of Laws

• Fees and scholarships

A PhD at UCL Laws will allow you to pursue original research and make a distinct and significant contribution to your field

Skip to:   A community of scholars |  Research culture |  Academic development |  Networking and social events  |  Facilities and resources |  Recent successes of PhD students |  Recently completed PhDs

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We are committed to the quality and relevance of the research supervision we offer and as an MPhil/PhD candidate, you will work with academics at the cutting edge of legal scholarship.

Furthermore as a research student, you will be an integral part of our collaborative and thriving research community. Student-run ‘work in progress’ forums and an end-of-first-year PhD workshop will give you the opportunity to present and discuss your research with peers and academic colleagues.

Tailored skills seminars will provide you with a supportive research environment and the critical skills necessary to undertake your research. To foster your academic development we also offer additional faculty funds, which can assist you with the costs of conferences and other research activities.

A community of scholars

UCL Laws is a world-leading community of intellectually dynamic scholars responding to today’s challenges. As a Laws MPhil/PhD student, you will have the opportunity to learn from, and contribute to, this research culture.

The UCL Laws Faculty is rated the top law school for research quality in the UK ( REF 2021 ).

The UCL Laws PhD programme has approximately 60-70 outstanding research students at any one time. The programme accepts applicants with external funding, and puts forward its most outstanding applicants for UCL scholarships.

Research culture

UCL Laws was ranked first in the UK for its world-leading research environment in the most recent Research Excellence Framework and our commitment to our research culture is mirrored in our postgraduate research environment. As a research student here you can take advantage of a range of opportunities to make the most of your studies, and get the best start in your career.

A vibrant and brilliant student community 

“UCL Laws truly is an amazing place and I am glad that it is where I have decided to undertake my doctoral studies. At UCL, I have been encouraged to pursue innovative and original research that might not have been possible in other places.

"The PhD student community is vibrant and made up of utterly brilliant fellows from around the globe. I gained a lot simply by spending time with these people in seminars, in the common room and at the pub.  All in all, UCL Laws is a top-rate institution to pursue graduate studies.”

Jean-Frédéric Ménard, UCL Laws PhD candidate

From opportunities to teach, develop your skills, and present your work, to networking and social events, alongside dedicated research student support facilities, you can find the resources to help you make a distinct and significant contribution to your field.

Academic development

We nurture the development of your research skills from the very beginning of the programme with our skills seminar series. Providing initial support and information about the research process, these seminars will advance your critical skills in research methods and theory as well as fostering your legal and academic career skills.

Our skills seminars culminate in our First-Year Research Presentation Workshop. Here you will have the chance to present your work in front of peers and academic colleagues, gaining both valuable feedback and experience of presenting academic papers in a friendly and supportive environment.

“[The research presentation workshop] gave all new PhD candidates the chance to reflect on their work and to present it, for some of us for the first time, to colleagues and faculty members. It was great to see so many supervisors attend – they provided constructive feedback and words of encouragement. This workshop has given us valuable insights into effective academic presentation skills and helped anticipating what presenting at conferences will be like in the years to come.”

Christina Lienen, PhD Candidate

The Work in Progress Forum is a seminar series led by current PGR students, and is an excellent opportunity to present and discuss your research in a supportive environment. All students are encouraged to be involved, and you may have the chance to convene the forums during your PhD.

“The PhD Work in Progress Forum is an integral part of the experience as a research student at UCL Laws. It provides opportunities for students to discuss their work with peers and to hone their skills as discussants in a rigorous yet supportive environment. Convening the Work in Progress Forum offers the chance to learn how to organise academic events. Last, but certainly not least, the Forum shapes the academic community of PhD students that is so vital to successful research.”

Lea Raible, former PhD student

The UCL Journal of Law and Jurisprudence is edited and published by graduate (LLM and PhD) students at UCL Laws. Featuring scholarly contributions from academics, researchers and practitioners, it also showcases outstanding research by post-graduate students at UCL. As a research student here you will have the unique opportunity to contribute to the journal, both editorially and through submitting research for publication.

Where possible, we offer research students the opportunity to provide tutorial teaching on the LLB and LLM. UCL offers training in teaching skills through its UCL Arena One programme.

“The opportunity to become a teaching fellow at UCL while completing your research comes with several benefits. When teaching I am part of the academic community in two ways: as a teacher and as a student. I have been able to learn constantly from both sides and the skills I have acquired have shaped me both personally and professionally. This experience is integral to the preparation of any career, whether it be in scholarship, teaching or something completely outside of academia.”

Sara Razai, Teaching Fellow

Research students can take part in our mentoring programme designed to assist LLM students with their dissertations. Each mentor is assigned a list of students, and will offer encouragement and advice on the form and style of dissertations, as well as provide feedback on draft work at face-to-face meetings and by email.

We recognise that conferences are crucial for you to meet other scholars, gain feedback on your research and ideas, and to engage in the academic world. Because of this, we encourage students to participate in both national and international conferences and to present their work in front of varies audiences, both within and outside of UCL. We also encourage students to organise their own conferences, workshops and reading groups where appropriate. To support conference attendance the faculty provides each research student with a generous Personal Research Allowance, with the opportunity to apply for additional funding too (see below).

The Laws faculty has an active public events calendar, and as part of Legal London we attract the leading figures in the field to contribute to our vibrant programme of events, informing public debate around social, legal, environmental and economic issues. Through this you will have the opportunity to hear cutting edge research and be part of a dynamic research community.

For upcoming events, see our events page .

The Doctoral Skills Development Programme is open to all graduate research students at UCL. The purpose of the programme is to give you the opportunity to expand your generic research skills and personal transferable skills. These skills are intended to help your research at UCL and also to enhance your life skills and employability. To find out more,  see the website here .

The UCL Law Journal Blog is the online platform of the  UCL Journal of Law and Jurisprudence  – UCLJLJ.

Much like our sibling UCLJLJ, the UCL Law Journal Blog is edited and published by graduate (Masters and PhD) students of UCL Laws. The Blog publishes scholarly contributions from academics, researchers and practitioners, as well as showcasing outstanding research of post-graduate students at UCL.

We accepts submissions and contributions in all areas of law and jurisprudence, reflecting the diverse and innovative areas of research at UCL Laws and UCLJLJ.

The Blog’s primary aim is to make a high-quality contribution to current debates on local and global issues of law and jurisprudence, and offer these contributions in a free, accessible, and updated platform, covering up-to-date events, developments, debates, cases, and more.

Finally, the Blog, much like the Journal, seeks to add to the content, research, an contributions of UCL, one of world’s leading law schools.

• View the latest blog
• Follow us on Twitter @ucljlj

Guidelines for Submission

The UCLJLJ Blog editorial board welcomes any contribution that concern the law and legal developments. We welcome reports on proceedings, case notes, book reviews, articles, interviews, and more.

We do not have any preference as to the methodology, and theoretical, doctrinal, interdisciplinary, empirical, and any other methodology – is welcome. Similarly we have no limitation, nor preference, to a particular field of law or jurisdiction nevertheless, in some cases certain contribution may be edited or coupled so to form a theme.

Not only contributions advocating a certain position are encouraged, but also comprehensive critical analyses, replies and reviews. Moreover, active debate is welcome on the blog, ensuring the possibility of all parties to be heard and a common symbolic space of dialogue to be established.

For further information on our blog guidelines, see our blog guidelines page .

Current editors-in-chief

• Leon Vincent Chan

My favourite things about studying at UCL Laws

"There are three things I particularly enjoy about studying at UCL Laws. The first is the rest of the PhD community. The small size of the PhD cohort and the range of interesting topics being worked on helps foster a vibrant and supportive research environment where everyone learns from each other. The second is being situated in Bentham House. Having excellent research facilities and dedicated study space in the heart of London is invaluable, especially as it allows me to attend talks and conferences throughout the city. The third is the opportunity to engage more widely with the work being undertaken by the UCL Law Faculty and UCL as a whole. The opportunity, for example, to attend and contribute to staff work-in-progress seminars and attend discussions in other faculties gives me a cross-disciplinary insight and makes my work more holistic."

Jeevan Hariharan, UCL Laws PhD candidate

Additional funding 

Graduate research students at UCL Laws have an annual research allowance that can be used to cover research-related expenses such as purchasing books, attending conferences or any other materials relevant to their research.

The allowance is currently £750 full-time or £375 part-time per financial year.

UCL Laws also runs a by-application research fund for current PhD students, aimed at providing financial assistance to fund valuable research activities that would otherwise be impossible.

Some examples of research activities supported by the fund include:

• Training in new research skills not available through the UCL Skills Development programme or the UCL Doctoral School
• Specialised research equipment or materials
• Support for access to specialised research facilities
• Research trips or visiting studentship
• Attending a conference to present a paper relevant to their thesis
• Organising workshops, seminars or conferences relevant to the thesis
• Activities that will spread knowledge, understanding of and engagement with research with external, non-academic audiences

The PRIF Fund is available to all enrolled MPhil and PhD students at UCL Laws, and is run through the Laws PhD Programme Office.

Networking and social events

We offer a number of events and opportunities for graduate research students to network and socialise with fellow students and academics, to help you make new connections, develop your research and gain new skills.

Each year we host a welcome lunch where first year PhD students meet their supervisors, other PhD students and the members of the PhD team.

Each year, new and returning graduate research students are invited to a special welcome event, hosted by the Dean of the faculty at the start of Term 1. This event provides a wonderful opportunity for new students to meet academic staff and other students from across the faculty.

The UCL Laws PhD Programme is based in Bentham House in Endsleigh Gardens.

In addition, all UCL Laws graduate research students can access the specialist resources provided by the  UCL Doctoral School , including useful information about research policies and procedures, societies, events and competitions, as well as to student facilities at UCL.

Some of the best libraries in the world are on our doorstep, and our students are able to take advantage of the specialist collections and materials as part of their studies and research.

UCL Laws students are able to access the  UCL Library , which currently holds over 1.3 million volumes, and includes a extensive law collection, which is particularly strong in the fields of international law, English law, public law, jurisprudence and Roman law.

As a member of the  University of London , all UCL students can join the  Senate House Library  and, with permission, visit the specialist libraries of other members of the University of London, including the  SOAS Library , the  British Library of Political and Economic Science  at the LSE, the  Institute of Historical Research .

Our students can also make use of the major research library of the  Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS)  in Russell Square. The collections of the IALS concentrate primarily on common law, civil law and Roman-Dutch law systems throughout the world and include material in western European languages for all jurisdictions for comparative and general reference purposes.

Research students can also register for a Reader’s Pass for the  British Library , and make use of its unrivalled reference collection.

Recent successes of PhD students

Four PhD students from the UCL Faculty of Laws have been successful in achieving academic positions in the UK and overseas. You can also read more student news  to find out about the events and publications our PhD students have been involved in.

Recently completed PhDs 

UCL Laws has a vibrant community of outstanding research students. You can read more about research by students who have recently completed their studies at UCL Laws below.

• Dr Lulwa Althenayan,  Between Shari'ah and International Standards: Protecting the Rights of the Child under Saudi Arabia's Human Rights Law
• Dr Chiara Armeni,  Public Participation in Decision-making on Wind Energy Infrastructure: Rethinking the Legal Approach Beyond Public Acceptance
• Dr Joe Atkinson,  Labour law and human rights: legal and philosophical perspectives
• Dr Caspar Bartscherer,  Primary and Secondary Rights in Private Law
• Dr Alexander Green,  A Moral Explanation of Emerging Statehood: Political Community and International Law
• Dr Eleanore Hickman,  Diversity, merit and power in the c-suite of the FTSE100
• Dr Ashleigh Keall,  Conceptions of Harm in the Canadian Constitutional Adjudication of Religious Freedom
• Dr Eva Christina Lienen,  The Nuanced Constitution: An Essay on Common Law Constitutional Rights
• Dr Alfonso Salvatore Nocilla,  Corporate Rescue at the Crossroads
• Dr Gaiane Nuridzhanian,  Ne bis in idem in the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court
• Dr Ira Ryk-Lakhman,  The Protection of Foreign Investments in Armed Conflicts
• Dr Eugenio Enrique Velasco Ibarra Arguelles, Adjudicating the right to freedom of religion or belief in the liberal state
• Dr Dorothy Acha Morfaw Epse Ghogomu, The complexities and inequalities of the laws of divorce in Cameroon and how these can be overcome  
• Dr Alberto Coddou Mc Manus, A transformative approach to anti-discrimination law in Latin America  
• Dr Kumaravadivel Guruparan, Internal Self-Determination in Public International Law  
• Dr Murilo Lubambo De Melo, Entry of foreign investments: convergence of international trade and investment law?
• Dr June Namgoong, Reconstructing trade and labour linkages: A legal analysis of labour provisions in United States trade arrangements  
• Dr Igor Nikolic, Licensing standard essential patents: FRAND and the internet of things  
• Dr Christopher O’Meara, Necessity and proportionality and the right of self-defence in international law  
• Dr Sara Razai, The role and significance of judges in the Arab Middle East: An interdisciplinary and empirical study  
• Dr Daniel Seah, The ASEAN character of non-intervention: a study of the relationship between general and regional international law  
• Dr Nicholas Tiverios, Relief against contractual penalties in England and Australia: history, theory and practice
• Dr Yael Levy Ariel, Judicial diversity in Israel: an empirical study of judges, lawyers and law students  
• Dr Michael Connolly, Easy cases making bad law: the English judiciary, discrimination law, and the statutory interpretation 
• Dr Amber Darr,  Parallel pasts, divergent destinies: a comparative analysis of transferring and implementing competition laws in India and Pakistan  
• Dr Olivia Hamlyn,  Beyond Rhetoric: Closing the Gap between Policy and Practice in the EU's Regulation of Risky Technologies  
• Dr Guillermo Jimenez Salas, Nonjudicial administrative justice in Latin America. A case study of the Chilean Comptroller-General  
• Dr Gerard Kelly,  Governing the EU ETS: the contribution and modalities of linkage  
• Dr Kimberly Liu, The constitutionality of facially neutral affirmative action in the United States  
• Dr Lea Raible,  Human rights unbound: a theory of extraterritorial human rights obligations with special reference to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights  
• Dr Diana Richards, Learning to Judge: An Empirical Study of Judicial Attitudes to Training and Sentencing in Romania  
• Dr Christopher Riley, Jeremy Bentham and the utility of history 
• Dr Anna Tzanaki,  The regulation of minority shareholdings and other structural links between competing undertakings: A law & economics analysis
• Dr Yu Shan Chang,  The mechanisms and rationale for integrated publicly-funded legal services: a comparative study of England and Wales, Australia and Taiwan  
• Dr Anna Donovan,  Reconceptualising Corporate Compliance  
• Dr Jessica Duggan-Larkin,  Human Rights Duties and the International Actions of States  
• Dr Eleni Frantziou,  The Horizontal Effect of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights: a Constitutional Analysis  
• Dr Mariko Fukasaka,  The Adversary System of the International Court of Justice: An Analytical Study  
• Dr Andrew Gilbert,  British conservatism and the legal regulation of intimate adult relationships, 1983-2013  
• Dr Miguel-Jose Lopez-Lorenzo,  Truth and knowledge in law: the integration challenge  
• Dr Manuela Melandri,  Self-determination and state-building in international law: a right in abeyance?  
• Dr Andres Palacios Lleras,  Competition law in Latin America: markets, politics, expertise  
• Dr Azza Raslan,  The diffusion of competition law in Africa: theoretical perspectives on the policy transfer process  
• Dr Inga Thiemann,  She is not just a victim. An intersectional feminist labour law approach to human trafficking into the sex industry  
• Dr Larissa Verra Boratti,  Environmental assessment from an environmental justice perspective: analysing the impacts of major urban projects in Brazil  
• Dr Xiaobo Zhai,  Bentham's Theory of the Nature of Law
• Dr Ghislaine Lanteigne,  The Best Interests of the Child in Relocation Disputes: England and Wales, and Canada  
• Dr Claire Lougarre,  The Right to Health: Legal Content through Supranational Monitoring  
• Dr Vassiliki Martzoukou,  Claims to Resources and Positive Obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights  
• Dr Natalie Ohana,  Social Exclusion through Legal Naming Events: The Case Study of Violence against Women by Male Partners  
• Dr Luke Price,  Improving the legal regulation of organisations by re-assessing the requirements of responsibility in the corporate context  
• Dr Oisin Suttle,  Equality in Global Commerce: Towards a Theory of Justice in World Trade Law  
• Dr Maria Tzanakopoulou,  In Defence of Constitutionalism: Democracy, Power and the Nation State
• Dr Ilias Trispiotis, Freedom of religion, equality and discrimination in the European Convention on Human Rights
• Dr Kristi Gourlay, The scientific approach to legal history and legal reform: comparing the legal philosophy, historical methodology, and legal science of Blackstone, Kames, and Bentham
• Dr Christopher Anderson, Administrative legitimacy and risk regulation in the European Union and the United States
• Dr Prakash Puchooa, Have the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY) judges exercised their judicial discretion fairly? A case study of the formulation and application of Joint Criminal Enterprise (JCE)
• Dr Radosveta Vassileva, Change of Economic Circumstances in Bulgarian and English Law. What lessons for the Harmonization of Contract Law in the European Union?

Register your interest

"I would definitely recommend UCL to anyone who is planning on doing a PhD in law"

"UCL has provided me with opportunities to present my work, both domestically and internationally, as well as to undertake a research visit to another university. It has provided me with the skills and experiences necessary to succeed in my future career, both in and out of academia."

Joe Atkinson, UCL Laws PhD student

Read about our alumni and where they are now

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

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

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

UCL Laws student news 

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• Staff & students

MPhil/PhD Law

Course information.

2-4 years full-time or 4-8 years part-time

Scholarship information

Funding available

Course overview

Goldsmiths Law MPhil/PhD candidates are given outstanding opportunities to explore modern legal phenomena in their rapidly changing socio-political, cultural, and economic context.

• Our forward-looking, cosmopolitan, and distinctive  Law department  draws on, and has further strengthened, Goldsmiths’ rich heritage of critical and transformative scholarship, and its unique ability to foster radical and creative thinking, facilitated by cross-disciplinary dialogue and collaboration. 
• Goldsmiths is known for its academic strengths in the creative arts, humanities, and social sciences; its unique focus on public and community engagement; the outstanding alumni from every generation of students; and its ground-breaking multi-disciplinary research. Our MPhil/PhD programme follows this tradition, and students joining the programme will also be joining a wider doctoral community served by Goldsmiths’ multidisciplinary Graduate School.

Working independently and with others 

We aspire for our PhD candidates to be fully integrated into the Department of Law’s innovative approach to legal studies and legal research, and are passionate about connecting students with our network of leading scholars and professionals, including:

• Our renowned visiting professors
• The dynamic organisations with which we work, whose aim is to make a real impact on policy, the law, and communities
• Academic staff and doctoral researchers in other Goldsmiths departments (e.g. in the departments of Politics, Psychology, Sociology, Media, Communications and Cultural Studies, History, Art, Design, Institute of Management Studies, and others) with intertwined research interests
• Our activist research centres and think tanks
• The scholars and legal professionals with whom we collaborate in our Law and Policy Clinics

PhD candidates are offered opportunities to contribute to our research and public engagement activity that will develop their skills to work in and beyond academia upon graduation, including growing confidence in public speaking, and using modern technologies to communicate research outputs.

Research Supervision Areas

All MPhil/PhD candidates at Goldsmiths receive supervision from two members of academic staff throughout their study with us, who may be drawn from the same department or, in the case of interdisciplinary projects, multiple departments at the college.

Areas of research strength in the Department of Law include:

• criminal law and procedure, and criminal justice
• public international law
• transnational human rights
• law and migration
• gender, race and sexuality
• law and technologies

Candidates are strongly encouraged prior to making their application to approach individual academics directly with expertise in the area in which they intend to pursue doctoral study, to inquire informally about supervision availability and to discuss preliminary research ideas. A full list of our current staff and their areas of research expertise can be found here .

Contact the department

If you have specific questions about the degree, contact Dr Aysem Diker Vanberg .

Entry requirements

We welcome applicants from both traditional legal educational backgrounds, and those with a background in other areas interested in pursuing doctoral research in law or legal studies. Applicants should ordinarily possess at least a first degree (equivalent to upper second-class honours or above) and would normally have (or are expecting to be awarded) a Masters in a relevant subject area, taught or by research.

Candidates with non-standard qualifications or equivalent experience will be considered.

International qualifications

We accept a wide range of international qualifications. Find out more about the qualifications we accept from around the world.

If English isn’t your first language, you will need an IELTS score (or equivalent English language qualification ) of 7.0 with a 7.0 in writing and no element lower than 6.5 to study this programme. If you need assistance with your English language, we offer a range of courses that can help prepare you for postgraduate-level study .

Fees, funding & scholarships

Annual tuition fees.

These are the fees for students starting their programme in the 2024/2025 academic year.

• Home - full-time: £TBC
• Home - part-time: £TBC
• International - full-time: £TBC

If your fees are not listed here, please check our postgraduate fees guidance or contact the Fees Office , who can also advise you about how to pay your fees.

It’s not currently possible for international students to study part-time under a student visa. If you think you might be eligible to study part-time while being on another visa type, please contact our Admissions Team for more information.

If you are looking to pay your fees please see our guide to making a payment .

Additional costs

In addition to your tuition fees, you'll be responsible for any additional costs associated with your course, such as buying stationery and paying for photocopying. You can find out more about what you need to budget for on our study costs page .

There may also be specific additional costs associated with your programme. This can include things like paying for field trips or specialist materials for your assignments.

Funding opportunities

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities . If you're applying for funding, you may be subject to an application deadline.

Scholarships

Find out more about postgraduate fees and explore funding opportunities here . If you’re interested in applying for funding, please take careful note of the college’s internal application deadlines. 

To be considered for funding, candidates are strongly advised to make contact with potential supervisors and submit their subsequent application early in the academic year.

PhD candidates in Law may be eligible for funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) via the CHASE doctoral training partnership , including (if applicable) the Stuart Hall Foundation CHASE scholarships .

International candidates may be interested in applying for a Commonwealth PhD Scholarship .

Candidates who have already commenced doctoral study, who are not yet in receipt of funding, may be eligible for a Modern Law Review scholarship .

How to apply

Please note: You are very welcome to submit your proposal as part of an initial approach to an academic, but this will not constitute a formal application to study at Goldsmiths. Following any fruitful discussions with a prospective supervisor, you must also make a formal application by clicking the Apply Now button above.

We welcome proposals for research in any area of law. We give priority to those with proposals for research within the areas of interest of  our staff . When you apply, please indicate your intended research area and any preference for a particular supervisor.

You apply directly to Goldsmiths using our online application system. 

Before submitting your application, you'll need to have: 

• Details of  your education history , including the dates of all exams/assessments
• The  email address of your referee  who we can request a reference from, or alternatively an electronic copy of your academic reference
• Contact details of a second referee
• A  personal statement –  this can either be uploaded as a Word Document or PDF, or completed online
• If available, an electronic copy of your educational transcript (this is particularly important if you have studied outside of the UK, but is not mandatory)
• Details of your  research proposal

           Please see our guidance on writing a postgraduate statement  

You'll be able to save your progress at any point and return to your application by logging in using your username/email and password.

We are only able to offer you a place on the programme if a suitable supervisor has agreed to supervise your proposed research. Before you apply for a research programme, we advise you to study our  academic staff pages  to identify one or more potential supervisors for your research, and to get in touch with them to discuss your plans.  Your prospective supervisor will need to confirm their willingness and ability to supervise your thesis before an offer can be made. 

How detailed a research proposal are we looking for on the application form? 

What you put on the form and exactly what you end up researching may be rather different, but in order to judge whether or not to offer you a place, the Department needs to know whether you have the broad outlines of a viable project. This means:

• a project that is both worthwhile and interesting, but not over-ambitious
• a project that can realistically be achieved within the confines of PhD on a full-time (4 years maximum) or part-time (8 years maximum) basis
• we need to be sure that you have thought about it carefully and are fully committed to the research
• we need to be sure that you understand what is involved in doing a PhD
• your research proposal should give us enough information to be able to reach a decision about whether to interview you.

When to apply  

Applications from candidates who are  self-funded  are accepted throughout the year. Interviews will be arranged on an  ad hoc  basis.

Selection process 

Admission to the programme is based on an interview and the panel’s assessment of your application. Online interviews can be arranged when necessary. Find out  more about applying.

Find out more about applying .

Our research takes a strong interest in the impact of modern technological developments on human rights, the use of AI in the criminal justice system, and the use of technology to unearth human rights violations. For more information on research areas and events, please visit the Law Research page .

Our Library

Goldsmiths Library gives students access to all the key legal databases for law , for example, Westlaw, Lexis Library, and Hein Online. It additionally contains the key practitioner resource, Practical Law. Through Practical Law international, Westlaw International and Nexis, you can access materials from many jurisdictions around the world. You will also have access to subscriptions to Cambridge University Press Law eBooks (around 3000), Oxford University Press Law eBooks (around 2000), Hart eBooks, Lexis Library eBooks and Westlaw eBooks on top of the paper collection. Goldsmiths postgraduate students are also able to join the  Institute of Advanced Legal Studies library , and make use of its legal resources, both print and digital.

In addition to pursuing traditional career paths in academia and postdoctoral research, graduates of our PhD programme are also encouraged to consider future career opportunities in the third sector, government organisations, or legal practice. Integration of theory and practice, and the embedding of a wide range of career skills in the PhD programme, will have exposed candidates to such opportunities and allowed them to create connections with relevant legal professionals and networks.

For more information about Law Staff at Goldsmiths, visit the department's staff pages .

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Course Overview

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

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

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

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

Our key areas of research are:

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

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

Key information

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

• October 2024
• January 2025

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

Find another course:

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

Entry Requirements

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

English language requirements

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

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

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

Visa and funding requirements

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Fees and finance

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

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

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

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

International scholarships

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

Our research culture

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

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

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

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

Read more about  our vibrant research culture .

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Areas of research interest

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

Application deadlines and interviews

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

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

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

Recent research topics.

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

Apply for your course

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

Finding a supervisor

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

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

Related courses

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

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Law research degree (phd).

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Key information

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

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

Course overview

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

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

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

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

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

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

Recent PhD theses in the School of Law

These include:

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

Selected published PhDs

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

After year 1

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

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

Important notice

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

Teaching and learning

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

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

Intellectual (thinking) skills

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

Subject-based practical skills

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

Transferable skills

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

SOAS Library

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

Scholarships

Fees and funding, fees for 2023/24 entrants per academic year.

Please note that fees go up each year.

See  research fees  for further details.

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

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

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

Find out about our  Careers Service

SOAS Voices

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

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

Why I chose to study MA Human Rights Law at SOAS  

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

How is Covid-19 impacting human rights?

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

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

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

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

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

OPINION: How Suella Braverman's fight to "stop the boats" breaches human rights

The UK government wants to remove the right to claim asylum from people who arrive without the right of entry, whom they call “illegal”. But it does not address the nation's international human rights obligations and echoes the anti-migrant discourse of previous generations.

The Social Life of Law in Authoritarian Contexts

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

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

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

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

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

Addressing water conflicts through the lens of water security.

Carceral Policy, Policing and Race

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

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

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

Legalissues Related to water sector restructuring in India (2006–2009)r

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

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

Analysing the impact of climate change on groundwater.

Rule of Law in Thailand

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

Age of consent and child-marriage in the British Empire

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

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

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

SOAS Influencing the Corridors of Power project

Influencing the Corridors of Power (ICOP) is an innovative front-line project which addresses the democratic deficit between UK universities and UK politics.

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

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

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PhD at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies

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Apply now to this course

Undertaking doctoral research allows you to develop in-depth knowledge, while making a meaningful contribution to your chosen field.

With guidance from our expert supervisors, you'll carry out extensive independent research culminating in a thesis of up to 100,000 words. The areas covered by the Institute’s expertise cover a broad range of law, policy and crime. 

This degree presents the opportunity to gain expertise in your area of interest while also honing a range of transferable skills. On completing this course, you'll be well prepared for specialist career paths both within academia and beyond.

On completing this course, you’ll be well prepared for specialist career paths, both within academia and beyond. Graduates are awarded a University of London degree.

Subject Areas and Supervisor

The  Institute of Advanced Legal Studies  offers doctoral research supervision in the following areas:

• Company Law
• Comparative Law
• Criminal Law and Evidence
• European Criminal Law
• Financial Crime
• Financial Services and Regulation Law
• Gender, Sexuality and Law
• Information Law and Policy
• Law and Society
• Legal Education
• Legislative Studies / Law Reform
• Public Law and Regulation

Your application and proposal will be reviewed initially by the IALS Director of Postgraduate Research Studies and, if you are offered a place, the Institute will appoint an appropriate supervision team. Details of our expertise can be found here:   Areas of Research | IALS (sas.ac.uk)

You are not required to contact a potential supervisor in advance of application. You are advised to read the guidelines on preparing a research proposal before submitting your application:  Entrance Requirements and How to Apply | IALS (sas.ac.uk)

Contact the Institute

Key information, the institute of advanced legal studies.

The  Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS)  is a national academic institution serving all universities through its national legal research library.

Its function is to promote, facilitate, and disseminate the results of advanced study and research in the discipline of law for the benefit of persons and institutions in the UK and abroad. Its areas of speciality include arbitration and dispute settlement, company law, comparative law, economic crime, financial services law, legislative studies and law reform, and the legal profession and delivery of legal services.

The School of Advanced Study

The  School of Advanced Study  at the  University of London  brings together  eight internationally renowned research institutes  to form the UK's national centre for the support of researchers and the promotion of research in the humanities.

Course structure

The degree can be taken full time over three years (or a maximum of four) or part time over five years (or a maximum of six). You will initially be registered for our MPhil and then, providing your progress has been satisfactory, be upgraded to our PhD programme.

The primary activity of the PhD programme is the writing of a thesis of up to 100,000 words. There is no formal coursework, but you will be expected to undertake at least 30 days of research training, including attending our twoweek research methods in law training course. You are also encouraged to participate in the regular seminars held at the Institute during the academic year, as well as to participate in our three specialist research centres.

After submission of the thesis, you will attend an oral examination conducted by an internal examiner, from the University of London, and an external examiner, normally from another British university.

Distance Learning

The School of Advanced Study will offer students with an appropriate topic and level of local resource the opportunity to undertake a PhD by distance learning. These students are required to attend our London campus at set intervals to complete an intensive research training module, for upgrade, and for the viva but will otherwise study at their own location. This option is available to UK, EU and international students on the same basis as our on-campus PhD programmes (three years full time, six years part time). Fees are the same as for our on-campus PhD programmes. Please note that not all institutes and supervisors offer this option, and that some topics are not appropriate to be studied this way.

If you would like to be considered for our Research Degree programme via Distance Learning, please download and fill out the  Research Degrees by Distance Learning form , to attach to your online application.

Opportunities and facilities

You'll benefit from a collaborative, interdisciplinary research environment as well as a range of funding opportunities. SAS is a national research hub and IALS enjoys close links with its other members, including the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, the Institute of Modern Languages Research and the Institute of Historical Research. Cross-institute collaboration is actively encouraged, making us an ideal location for interdisciplinary research.

You'll be able to use the libraries of other colleges, in addition to Senate House Library and IALS’s outstanding law library.

In addition to a rich programme of discipline-specific research training, you will also have access to a wider training programme that draws on the research and teaching expertise of the other SAS institutes and the University of London. Our workshop programme of generic research and transferable skills training provides the transferable and employability skills necessary for careers in academia and elsewhere. The IALS Library also organises a popular three-day workshop series on ‘How to get a PhD in Law’. This annual programme provides the chance for informative discussion and legal research guidance.

How to apply

Your application and proposal will be reviewed initially by the IALS Director of Postgraduate Research Studies and, if you are offered a place, the Institute will appoint an appropriate supervision team. Details of our expertise can be found here:  Areas of Research | IALS (sas.ac.uk)

Note : in accordance with regulations research students will be registered for the MPhil degree in the first instance. Upgrading to PhD will be considered in the second year for full-time students and in the third or fourth year for part-time students.

The School of Advanced Study is a unique environment in which to study the humanities.  The School strives to reflect the latest developments in thinking across the humanities disciplines it supports and to ensure that its programmes reflect this.   We are also aware that the needs of our students are constantly changing.  With that in mind, the School continually reviews the its programmes and, as part of that process, reserves the right to alter or discontinue them. 

We assure you that we carry out these exercises at no detriment to any enrolled students. Students enrolled on any programme that we discontinue will be able to complete that programme within a reasonable timeframe and with all the necessary resources at their disposal. The School will communicate any anticipated changes with students as early as possible.

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International Students

Are you an international student? Find out more about everything you need to know from visas to qualifications and language requirements.

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• Home  › 
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Law MPhil/PhD

Course content

Entry requirements, current phd candidates.

Apply for this course

With a research degree from Middlesex University, you'll make a lasting contribution to social justice through academic study or professional practice.

Why study MPhil/PhD Law at Middlesex University?

The School of Law at Middlesex has a vibrant and diverse MPhil/PhD programme with some 70 students engaged in research on a variety of topics spanning law, politics, international relations, criminology and sociology. Students are based either at our campus in London or overseas, including at our campuses in Mauritius and Dubai. Within the School, you will benefit from supervision by world-leading academics and a multidisciplinary research environment, bringing together doctoral students, researchers, practitioners and professionals from both within and outside the academy. Middlesex is home to outstanding centres of research and practice, such as the European Human Rights Advocacy Centre .

A graduate from the Middlesex PhD programme will have developed advanced skills in research, analysis and writing, public presentations and, in many cases, teaching at university level. A hallmark of the doctoral programme at Middlesex is that students are encouraged and supported to publish their research, whether as a monograph, as journal articles or in academic blogs. Our graduates are strongly placed to pursue careers in the global academic world, as well as high level work in international institutions, governments, non-governmental organisations and the commercial sector.

Doctoral students based in London benefit from proximity to the city’s vast cultural resources and world-class libraries, such as the British Library and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies.

In choosing which degree to apply for, please note that the difference between an MPhil and a PhD relates to the contribution you make to existing knowledge on the research topic that you have selected. A PhD contributes new knowledge beyond what is currently available, whereas an MPhil contributes new understanding of existing knowledge, by way of a critical review or evaluation. All of our doctoral students initially enrol on an MPhil and then transfer to a PhD degree.

Please see the How to Apply tab under Entry Requirement s for a list of disciplines and subject areas in which we welcome applications.

Doctoral Institute

Our Doctoral students are automatically members of the School of Law's Doctoral Institute, an academic unit within the School of Law whose objective is to enhance and enrich the doctoral experience by encouraging intellectual exchange, interdisciplinary debate and professional development.

The Institute organises regular activities that are designed to build a thriving and supportive research community, with opportunities both to exchange ideas and to socialise:

Bi-annual Doctoral seminar

Twice a year, students and colleagues in the Doctoral Institute spend two days together. These intensive seminars include sessions led by senior scholars from Middlesex and other leading universities, student presentations, and workshops on matters of practical importance. For students, they provide an opportunity to test ideas and modes of presentation, something of value in their preparation for the final oral examination. The practical sessions provide guidance on matters such as publishing, research and writing skills, and job interviews.

The seminars are of special interest to non-resident students who can greatly benefit from this intensive session. They also involve informal social gatherings. In the past, this has included a night at the theatre and a walking tour of London with an emphasis on the city's connection with slavery.

International law study group

The International Law Study Group meets approximately every month during term. The sessions focus on recent, notable judicial decisions from an international court or tribunal (such as the International Court of Justice, European Court of Human Rights or International Criminal Court).

The study group is chaired by Professor William Schabas .

International Law Blog

The International Law Blog was launched in 2014 by a group of scholars whose paths first crossed at Middlesex University. The Blog aims to provide students, junior lawyers and scholars at different stages of their professional and academic careers with a platform to discuss issues related to international, transnational, European and comparative law. Posts are peer-reviewed by current and former PhD students at Middlesex.

Support for Writing Skills

The School of Law offers various forms of support for writing at doctoral level. This may be provided one-to-one, or in the form of practical sessions during the twice-yearly doctoral seminars, or during regular writing retreats. Students also benefit from the Learning Enhancement Team at Middlesex, a team of specialists who offer support with Academic Writing and Language and Maths, Statistics and Numeracy.

Students and academic colleagues meet regularly in an informal setting to discuss books of interest. Books discussed during previous meetings have included:

Ian Cobain,  Cruel Britannia Stephen Pinker,  The Better Angels of our Nature Antonio Gramsci,  Selections from the Prison Notebooks

Research students in the School of Law organise regular, free screenings of films which broadly relate to themes of law and justice. Films that we have watched and discussed together include Shepherds and Butchers (Oliver Schmitz, 2016) and Mustang (Deniz Gamze Ergüven, 2015).

For more information, please contact Doctoral Institute Director Professor William Schabas or Dr Alice Donald .

What will you study on MPhil/PhD Law?

Research degrees are quite different from undergraduate or taught Masters degree programmes. Under the guidance of your Director of Studies and supervisor(s), you will conduct empirical or theoretical research that will lead to new knowledge in your chosen field and write a thesis of around 80,000 words (excluding footnotes and bibliography).

Our diverse range of programmes – including traditional PhD programmes provided full-time, part-time and via distance learning, and PhD by Public Works - provide different pathways to doctoral study to suit your prior experience and commitments

The route to a PhD at Middlesex University takes a minimum of three years for full-time students and six years for part-time students. This includes taking a structured PhD training and development programme at University-level and having access to a wide-range of activities to build our doctoral student community within the School of Law.

There are three stages of the PhD: the first stage is registration, which for full-time students takes place within six months of enrolment. The second stage, is the transfer from the MPhil to the PhD programme. The transfer panel assesses whether sufficient progress has been made to progress to the PhD and takes place within 18 months of the start date for full-time students. The final stage of the programme is the writing up and submission of the final thesis at the end of the third year. This involves the production of a final draft of your thesis and its submission for examination (the viva). Timescales are extended commensurately for part-time students.

How is the MPhil/PhD Law taught?

A Director of Studies and at least one supervisor from the University will conduct your research supervision.

Your supervisors will act as personal tutors, helping you to clarify your initial objectives, structure your research and develop supplementary skills. They also advise on subject reading, relevant taught courses, research seminars and workshops.

Academic support and guidance is constantly available, whether you work individually or as part of a team. There are regular research tutorials, plus seminars and meetings with research students, staff and guest speakers.

Collaborations with external partners

If you're working in partnership with an external organisation, you may be jointly supervised by academics from Middlesex University and the collaborating partner.

Where collaboration is involved, you should ensure that from the outset the responsibilities for provision of fees, equipment and any other resources are fully understood and accepted by the partners.

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Qualifications

For doctoral research, applicants are expected to have at least one of the following:

• An undergraduate degree, usually with class 2:1 or equivalent in a relevant subject
• A relevant master's qualification or equivalent evidence of prior professional practice or learning that meets the higher education provider's criteria and guidelines for the recognition of prior learning for the purpose of meeting entry requirements for a programme (including, for example, the required amount of prior publications or other output specified for applicants for the award of PhD by published work)
• If you'd like to enrol for our PhD course, you'll first need to enrol for the MPhil and then transfer to a PhD once you've made enough progress with your research – typically after 18-24 months.

Eligibility

UK/EU and international students are eligible to apply for this course.

Interviews, entrance tests, portfolios and auditions

Entry onto this course will require an interview.

We accept the equivalent of the below qualifications from a recognised overseas qualification:

To find out more about the qualifications we accept from your country please visit the relevant support in your country page . If you are unsure about the suitability of your qualifications or would like help with your application, please contact your nearest regional office for support.

Visas and immigration

You will not need a visa to study in the UK if you are a citizen of the European Union, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway or Switzerland. If you are a national of any other country you may need a visa to study in the UK. Please see our visas and immigration page for further information.

International students who require a Tier 4 Student Visa to progress on a course at Middlesex University must apply for study on a full-time basis. However, this course is offered part-time so you are eligible to apply on a part-time basis.

Part-time study

Changes to the Immigration Rules introduced in January 2018 now allows international applicants apply for Student route (formerly tier 4) visas for part-time postgraduate study (courses leading to a qualification at RQF level 7 or SCQF level 11 and above).

Tier 4 students studying part-time are subject to certain restrictions:

• no work (paid or unpaid)
• no work placements as part of the programme
• no dependants
• no extending under Tier 4 in the UK. This includes Tier 4 applications to work as a Students' Union Sabbatical Officer or for the Foundation Programme for postgraduate doctors and dentists
• not eligible for the Tier 4 Doctorate Extension Scheme

*Please note that, if the course of your choice involves work experience, unpaid work, placements or internships, we will be unable to sponsor you to study a part- time course under the Student route (formerly tier 4) visa.

English language requirements for international students

You must have competence in English language to study with us. The most commonly accepted evidence of English language ability is IELTS 6.5 (with minimum 6.0 in all components). We also normally require Grade C GCSE or an equivalent qualification. Visit our English language requirements page for a full list of accepted tests and qualifications.

If you don't meet our minimum English language requirements, we offer an intensive pre-sessional English course .

Applications for postgraduate study should be made directly to the university.

Please visit our  postgraduate application page for further information and to apply.

Applications

We welcome applications for Law in the following fields:

• Arbitration and dispute resolution
• Business and commercial law
• Child and family law
• Comparative constitutional law
• Criminal law
• Employment law
• Environmental law and governance
• Equality and discrimination
• European Union law
• Gender, migration and citizenship
• Global law and governance
• International criminal law
• International humanitarian law
• International human rights law
• International organisations
• International trade and maritime law
• International whistleblowing law and practice
• Legal regulation of the use of force
• Legal theory
• Medical law
• Minority and indigenous peoples' rights
• Public international law
• Regulation of new and emerging technologies
• Rule of law (practical and doctrinal issues)
• Transitional justice

We welcome applications for Politics in the following fields:

• Critical geopolitics
• Development studies
• Diasporas and international relations
• Ethnicity and nationalism
• Foreign policy / geopolitics
• Global governance
• International environmental governance
• International migration
• International political economy
• International relations
• International security politics
• Peace and conflict studies
• Political violence and terrorism
• Politics of Europe
• Politics of globalisation
• Politics of the Middle East and Northern Africa
• Security politics
• Social movements
• Statelessness
• Sustainable development

We welcome applications for Criminology in the following fields:

• Child abuse (online and offline)
• Crime of the powerful
• Criminal justice process
• Criminological theory
• Cybercrime and cyber security
• Domestic violence
• Gender and Crime
• Green criminology
• Human rights
• Media and crime
• Organised crime
• Sentencing and punishment in the criminal courts
• Substance use
• Research methods and ethnographic research
• Young people accommodated in state care and care leavers
• Youth crime and youth justice

We welcome applications for Sociology in the following fields:

• Critical theory
• Ethnographic research
• Feminism, gender and sexuality
• Islamic studies
• Migration, ethnicity and identity
• Race & class / intersectionality
• Radicalisation
• Technology and culture
• Young people and the (online) media

Help with your application

Eu / international students.

• EU/International

The fees below refer to the 2023/24 academic year unless otherwise stated.

Full-time students:£6,300 per year Part-time students: £3,150 (flat fee per year)

*Course fees are subject to annual inflation so the total costs for part-time study are shown here as a guide.

Funding for research degrees is limited, and most research degree students are expected to pay their own fees and subsistence costs.

The fees below refer to the2023/24 academic year unless otherwise stated.

Full-time students: £15,700 per year Part-time students: £7,850 (flat fee per year)

Part-time study is only available via distance learning. Due to UK Government visa regulations, students from outside the EU may not study part-time in the UK

Scholarships, fees and bursaries

Aytekin kaan kurtul.

Aside from his main interests, he has given lectures on peoples’ right to economic self-determination, Westphalian sovereignty, investor-state dispute settlement and peace treaties in international law. His publications include a book chapter on lèse-majesté laws in Turkey and Europe and articles on children’s right to free speech and the impact of genocide denial laws on historical research.

Besides English, Kaan is fluent in Turkish and Italian, has a grasp of French and Spanish as well as basic Russian skills. He is interested in literature, history and geopolitics and has non-academic publications in those fields.

Ezequiel Jimenez

Ezequiel currently works at Amnesty International, is part of the Editorial Board of En Letra Penal (University of Buenos Aires) and a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (London United Kingdom).

Ezequiel has a double summa cum laude BA in Political Science and International Relations from Macalester College (United States), and an MA (with distinction) in Human Rights Policy as an Erasmus Mundus Scholar (European Union) at the University of Roehampton (UK), Gothenburg (Sweden) and Tromsø (Norway). He is a graduate of the United World Colleges (Red Cross Nordic).

Dissertation: A Balancing Act: The Practice and Contemporary Issues of the Assembly of States Parties of the International Criminal Court

Francesca Braga

Since 2015, she has worked for the Permanent Mission of the Republic of San Marino to the United Nations (New York City), UN Women (Bangkok) and the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (Phnom Penh). She also practiced as a criminal lawyer in Italy and she worked alongside the Public Prosecutor on numerous matters including several trials where the charge were murders and white collar crimes.

She has published in NGO reports and international journals on crimes and human rights violations perpetrated against women, girls and minorities. She has taken part as a speaker in conferences and round tables talking about gender issues and their impacts on international law.

Francesca holds a Law Degree and two Master of Laws (LLM), one in International Crime and Justice (United Nations, 2016) and the second one in International Law and Justice (Fordham University Schools of Law, 2018).

Irtiza Majeed

Irtiza’s research investigates and explores the stringent immigration laws that can be interpreted as controlling foreign national offenders in England and Wales. His research focuses on the legislation and policies that centres around the rationale of punishment within the criminological theme of crimmigration.

Irtiza has also worked for International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL), General Secretariat in Lyon, France. As a research intern at the INTERPOL, he worked on wide ranging issues such as migration, counterterrorism and insurgency and intelligence research.

The research was published in collaboration with the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland in 2017. Irtiza has represented Middlesex University in criminology common session programs in Greece (2014) and in the Netherlands (2015).

Irtiza has an interest in Counterterrorism, Human Security - Migration, War and Conflict Studies, Globalisation and Third World Dependency. Irtiza holds a BA (honours) in Criminology and Psychology (Middlesex University, 2014) and an MSc in Criminology with Forensic Psychology (Middlesex University, 2015). Outside of the formal academic curriculum, Irtiza likes swimming, travelling and nature photography.

Itaf Al Awawdeh

She was admitted to the Jordan Bar Association and worked with UNICEF and several INGOs, including the American Bar Association, Save the Children and International Rescue Committee.

As a practitioner, she has developed a research interest in international development and human rights, children’s rights, education, gender equality, the rule of law and economic, social and cultural rights and justice.

Thesis: The Right to Quality Education for Children in International Human Rights Law The purpose of her thesis is to examine and evaluate the content and scope of the right to quality education for children, especially refugee children in crises context. The research also seeks to provide a legal analysis of states’ obligations to support the provision of quality education for children.

Joshua Hepple

Joshua is looking at the current campaigning for ‘Gay Rights’ and whether there could be a more neutral strategy which could focus on reducing harm for men who have sex with men.

Joshua is also heavily involved in mental health and enjoys disability and LGBT activism. He enjoys writing on these issues for many different publications. He delivers disability equality training to many different organisations including Shakespeare’s Globe and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, his training focuses on language and confidence surrounding communication.

Nicola Coleman

Following the guiding principles of the ‘Child First’ movement that is currently developing within the field of Youth Justice, she engaged this specific participant group in her predominantly qualitative research; placing children and young people at the centre.

A considerable amount of previous research into the risk factors associated with youth (re)offending behaviour, have identified ‘the family’ as a major source of risk; with little in the way of a definition of who, or what, ‘family’ may refer to in these young people’s lives.

Nicola was recently appointed module leader for the Youth and Crime module on the BA Criminal Justice and Criminology programme at University of Hertfordshire.

Previous educational attainments: BA in Criminology and Applied Psychology (University of Brighton), MSc in Criminology with Forensic Psychology (Middlesex University).

Paula Bradbury

She is currently working as a contract lecturer at the University and is working with faculty to apply for research grants focusing on reactionary COVID-19 studies to explore the impact of the pandemic lockdown on online child abuse, and self-generated sexual images by teens for money. She has also worked for the police as a Criminal Intelligence Analyst specialising in crimes relating to sexual offences and fatalities.

Paula has an MSc Child Forensic Studies: Psychology & Law (Merit), and a BSc (Hons) Criminology & Sociology (2:1)

Thesis: ‘Outcome 21’: Exploring the Criminalisation of Adolescent Sexual Behaviour in a Digital Age’ Child Sexual Abuse, Cyber Sexual Offending, Female & Adolescent Sexual Offending and Policing.

Natasia Kalajdziovski

Broadly speaking, her research examines the role and conduct of intelligence practice in counter terrorism in the national security context, using historical case studies as the foundation of her research. Global pandemic-pending, she intends to defend her thesis in autumn 2020.

Outside of academia, Natasia frequently contributes to publications in the counter terrorism field, and she consults with various organisations as a subject-matter expert in her areas of research expertise.

Most recently, her work can be found in the Georgetown Security Studies Review, the British Council’s “Extremism Research Forum” and the Berghof Foundation’s “Community Perspectives on Violent Extremism” project. She is also a junior research affiliate with the Canadian Network for Research on Terrorism, Security and Society (TSAS) and an elected postgraduate member of the Royal Historical Society (RHS).

Elena Borsacchi

The protection of fundamental rights, with particular attention to the issues linked to migration and the European Union approach, together with the international criminal justice may be enlisted among her areas of interests.

She is author of some publications and is one of the co-founders and active members of the International Law Blog , a project created by a group of friends and colleagues mainly from Middlesex University. She is junior partner of the law firm Barbieri Borsacchi of Pisa, where she now deals mainly with criminal matters, criminal family law and several specific aspects of  civil liability.

In 2018, she was admitted as a Registered European Lawyer at the Bar of England and Wales and since March 2019 she is a member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, waiting for the issuing of her ‘Certificate of Practice ‘ which will allow her to practice in English jurisdiction under some limitations.

In 2019/2020 she conducted a teaching experience as Hourly Paid Lecturer at Middlesex University for the Foundation Year in World Literature for Social Sciences and Law (she was in charge of two seminar groups).

Elena is fluent in English (IELTS) and French (DELF), and she has a good knowledge of Spanish and basic knowledge of German. She is an active member of the UIA (Union Internationale des Avocats), of the Italian Criminal Bar Association and of the Mindfulness in Law Society.

Thesis: In the interests of justice? The interests of justice in International Courts and Tribunals.

Raphael Ejime

Raphael’s research investigates the influence and communicable effects of terrorism and terrorist activities by two terrorist groups – the Islamic State (ISIS) on Boko Haram (BH) operating from one geographical area Syria and Iraq (ISIS) to the other, Nigeria (BH) within the years of focus.

Raphael has also worked for several international organisations and think tanks, such as the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Whitehall, London, the Protection Group International (PGI) in Farringdon, London and the Building and Wood Workers’ International in Geneva, Switzerland.

During his time with these institutions, he worked, on wide ranging issues such as migration, counter-terrorism and insurgency, social media reporting, and intelligence research. He also worked on labour laws and workers’ rights, especially in relation to working conditions for stadium workers for football events such as Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 World Cups.

Raphael has an interest in Counter-terrorism, Human security - Migration, War and Conflict Studies, Globalisation and Third World dependency. His publications include Countering Terrorism: Military and Other Options, published in 2017 in the European Scientific Journal .

Raphael holds a BA (honours) in Political Science (Madonna University, 2011) and an MA in International Relations (Middlesex University, 2014).

Dissertation: Terrorism and Contagion Theory: Examining the Influence of ISIS on Boko Haram (2012 - 2014)

Suranga Jayalath

Thesis: Towards the Reform of 1961 Rome Convention: Regulating Unauthorised Use of Broadcast Signals

His research reviews the laws and international treaties that are aimed at protecting broadcasting and regulating unauthorized use of broadcast signals in this modern digital era. He stats that unauthorised use of broadcast signals or signal piracy in the broadcast industry causes severe financial losses and the revenue loss in Asia from pay TV has been estimated at US$2 billion. The protection granted to broadcasters by Rome Convention of 1961 does not cover the infringements that take place in current digital age.

This thesis investigates the current problem of use of broadcast signals for commercial purposes and without permission, and proposes reforms based on improving the rights granted to broadcasters under the Rome Convention. It examines relevant legal frameworks, including prevailing copyright regimes and international treaties relevant to broadcasting, the criticism prevailing on the draft treaty and reviews the two bodies of surveys and other quantitative data gathered by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union and the European Broadcasting Union.

In conclusion, it is argued a new or revised international treaty granting enhanced protection to broadcasting organisations as a uniform standard to regulate re-transmission, fixation, reproduction and communication to the public of their broadcasts are required in this digital era.

Currently, he serves on the main Board Directors of the Capital Maharaja Organisation Limited, one of the largest conglomerates in Sri Lanka. He is the current Chairperson of Intellectual Property and Legal Committee of Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU which is head quartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia (2019 to 2021).

He was a visiting lecturer in Law at the Open University of Sri Lanka for the LLB  Degree Programme and was also a visiting lecturer for the LLM Programme of  the University of West London run in Colombo. He has participated actively in many SCCR sessions of World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva and is a member of London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and Dubai International Arbitration Center.

Stephen Owusu-Addo

He recived an LLB and LLM in Human Rights from University of East London and an LPC from the University of Westminster.

Thesis: Determination of Refugees Status by State’s in the context of conflict and/or violence and disaster and/or the adverse effects of climate change (nexus dynamics). Human Rights Approach

We’ll carefully manage any future changes to courses, or the support and other services available to you, if these are necessary because of things like changes to government health and safety advice, or any changes to the law.

Any decisions will be taken in line with both external advice and the University’s Regulations which include information on this.

Our priority will always be to maintain academic standards and quality so that your learning outcomes are not affected by any adjustments that we may have to make.

At all times we’ll aim to keep you well informed of how we may need to respond to changing circumstances, and about support that we’ll provide to you.

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Duration: 4 years full time

Institution code: R72

Campus: Egham

UK fees * : £4,786

International/EU fees ** : £18,200

The multidisciplinary Department of Law and Criminology is home to applied, theoretical and doctrinal research across Criminology, Forensic Psychology, Law, Social Work, and Sociology. In the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021), 100% of our submission was assessed as world leading or internationally excellent for research impact.

The Department is home to about 50 research active staff and 50 PhD students. We offer a stimulating research environment in which PhD students are expected to be a part of the multidisciplinary research groups and contribute to PhD-led seminars and development activities. Our students benefit from opportunities for research methods training and we have a network of external organisations who are willing to support optional short-term placements and knowledge exchange opportunities.

You can find detailed  research profiles  of our staff here, by selecting the Departmental Research Group of most relevance to your proposed research and following the links to staff profile pages.

Alternatively, you can find a list of staff here (select the drop down menu for Law to find staff with expertise).

Please note that by studying this degree your award title will not include the subject of study but will simply state you've completed a PhD.

Research facilities and environment

Our activities are organised around the Departmental Research Clusters which cover interdisciplinary domains of Crime and Punishment, Families and Children, Health and Social Care, and Rights and Freedoms. Many staff and PhD students are members of more than one research group.

Research Clusters organise monthly seminars and annual research impact-related events with external stakeholders, which PhD students are invited to attend. During the academic year PhD students are expected to attend Departmental workshops and to attend research and professional development events organised by the College-wide Doctoral School. There are also opportunities for students to organise mini conferences or seminar series.

We understand the importance of fostering professional and transferable skills for doctoral students, and fully support presenting papers at academic conferences in the UK and abroad. We are committed to our students' success, providing mock vivas, annual reviews, and personal advice on issues such as managing time pressures, meeting deadlines, and career development.

Students register for an MPhil and then participate in an upgrade process before the 20 th  month of studies, if in full time study (40 th  month part time). The upgrade requires submission of thesis chapters for consideration by a panel of Departmental staff and a formal presentation to this panel. Following upgrade, students follow a PhD registration and are expected to submit the thesis by the end of their third year of full time study, or at the latest by the end of their fourth year (part time by the end of the 8 th  year).

Part of the training throughout the programme is attending internal and external seminars. In addition, we run a PhD seminar series where students present their on-going research and receive feedback from their peers and the faculty.

Entry requirements

Candidates for a place on the MPhil/PhD programme will have undergraduate and taught Masters degrees in a relevant subject. The Masters degree would typically have included training in advanced research methods and/or doctrinal research, and be awarded with a Distinction or high Merit.

The Department welcomes applications from suitably qualified and highly motivated candidates. The application process for our postgraduate research programmes is interactive.

Please follow these steps for enquiring about and applying for a PhD in Law:

1. Make an informal enquiry before you apply

In the first instance, you should check the research interests of  members of academic staff  to see who is active in the area that you are interested in. When you have identified a potential supervisor (with relevant expertise to your proposed research), send to them an outline research proposal and a CV, setting out your qualifications and experience. You should expect to have a series of discussions with this member of staff (by email, by telephone/MSTeams, or in person) about the project, options for funding, and your career aspirations. These discussions will help the member of staff decide whether or not they would be an appropriate supervisor for your proposed project, if they have availability for supervision.

2. Submit an application

When a member of staff has agreed in principle to supervise your project, you should then submit an application form using the  online application system . Ensure that you indicate the name of the proposed supervisor/s.

One of the most important aspects of your application is the research proposal. The purpose of the research proposal is two-fold: first, to help determine whether your topic corresponds with the interests and expertise of the proposed supervisor(s) and, second, to make clear how the research will make an original contribution to theoretical and applied knowledge in the field.

The proposal is important as it will allow the Department to assess your aptitude for doctoral-level research, to allocate supervision appropriately, and to ensure we are fully able to support the study you propose. Although you are required formally to submit the proposal with your application for doctoral study, it is a document you should develop in discussion with a member of staff in the Department of Law and Criminology before you submit this formally.

The proposal should be approximately 2,000 words in length (excluding the reference list) and include the following sections:

At this stage, a working title that summarises the proposed focus is more than adequate.

b. Introduction, Research Question and Rationale

The introduction should, in a succinct way, provide an overview of, and rationale for, the proposed project. You should explain the project focus, main research question and broad aims, and how it will make an original contribution to theory and practice. The introductory section needs to outline the basic argument the thesis intends to advance, as well as what it will aim to demonstrate. In simple terms, explain what the project is about, why it is innovative, why the project matters, why you are the right person to undertake it, and why the Department of Law and Criminology is the most appropriate place to be based.

c. Literature Review

Any proposed project should make clear how it relates to existing research on the topic (or related topics). In this section, you should summarise the current state of scholarship on your topic and explain the ways in which your project will draw from, and build on, that work. In this part of the proposal, you are demonstrating your knowledge of the field and the ways in which your project will make meaningful contributions.

d. Data and Methodology

Detail the sources of data (qualitative and/or quantitative, doctrinal) that you will require in order to answer your research questions and the specific methods you intend to apply in order to collect or generate those data. You should offer a clear explanation for your selection of research methods: Why one method rather than another?

This section should also offer an account of your analytical strategy. How will you make sense of your data? Will you require any specialist software to complete that analysis? Will your project involve fieldwork? If so, to where? How will that fieldwork be financed and supported?

Include a section on the ethical implications of your proposed topic. Which ethical issues are raised by your project? How do you intend to address them?

e. Proposed thesis structure and timeline

In this section you should outline the structure of your thesis, and demonstrate that you have thought about how you are going to structure and organise the argument put forward in your thesis. Additionally, you should propose a timeline for your project, and demonstrate how you think you will organise your time in the three years you will work on your thesis.

f. Reference list

List here, using the citation system common to your discipline, the sources referred to in the proposal.

3. After applying

All applications are subject to review by a panel of academic members of staff in the Department of Law and Criminology. Applicants will be informed of the outcome as soon as the panel has met.

Further details

For further information concerning applications for postgraduate research in the department, please contact  Jill Marshall , Departmental Lead for Postgraduate Research.

English language requirements

All teaching at Royal Holloway is in English. You will therefore need to have good enough written and spoken English to cope with your studies right from the start.

The scores we require

• IELTS: 6.5 overall. Writing 7.0. No other subscore lower than 5.5.
• Pearson Test of English: 61 overall. Writing 69. No other subscore lower than 51.
• Trinity College London Integrated Skills in English (ISE): ISE III.
• Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE) grade C.

Country-specific requirements

For more information about country-specific entry requirements for your country please see  here .

Our PhD programme is very successful and our alumni have gone on to undertake careers in a variety of roles, particularly in the criminal justice, education, and health and social care sectors. Our graduates have also gone on to have extremely successful careers in a variety of Universities including here at Royal Holloway, University of London, as well as at other institutions both inside and outside the UK.

The Department actively supports the placement of PhD students in external organisations that can enhance PhD research impact, employability skills, and knowledge exchange.

Fees & funding

Home (UK) students tuition fee per year*: £4,786

EU and international students tuition fee per year**: £18,200

Other essential costs***: There are no individual costs greater than £50 per item.

…How do I pay for it? Find out more about   funding options,   including loans, grants,   scholarships   and bursaries. 

* and ** These tuition fees apply to students enrolled on a full-time basis.

* Please note that for research courses, we adopt the minimum fee level recommended by the UK Research Councils for the Home   tuition fee. Each year, the fee level is adjusted in line with inflation (currently, the measure used is the Treasury GDP deflator). Fees displayed here are therefore subject to change and are usually confirmed in the spring of the year of entry.   For more information on the Research Council Indicative Fee please see the   UKRI website.

** This figure is the fee for EU and international students starting a degree in the academic year 2024/25.   

All postgraduate fees are subject to inflationary increases. Royal Holloway reserves the right to increase tuition fees annually for overseas fee-paying students. Please be aware that tuition fees can rise during your degree. The upper limit of any such rise will be made clear on the relevant coursefinder listing for your year of entry, at the earliest opportunity.

***   These estimated costs relate to studying this particular degree at Royal Holloway during the 2024/25 academic year and are included as a guide. Costs, such as accommodation, food, books and other learning materials and printing, have not been included.   

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Course detail

Entry requirements.

• Fees & funding
• Study & career progression

Our School of Law at the University of West London provides a lively and stimulating research environment, attracting students from all over the world. Our London location offers unparalleled access to law resources with parliament, courts, judiciary, government agencies, law firms and international organisations within close proximity.

We offer supervision in a diverse range of  areas by academics who are  specialists in their field. Our areas of expertise include:

• international law
• international commercial law
• arbitration
• criminal justice
• judicial culture
• comparative criminal justice
• criminal law.

See a list of potential PhD supervisors and read about their expertise, in the 'Supervisors' section lower down the page.

Select your desired study option, then pick a start date to see relevant course information:

Start date:

If your desired start date is not available, try selecting a different study option.

Why study Law with us?

What our students say…

I have found that the School of Law is a very professional institute in developing students' skills in research and relevant legal knowledge. The teaching is very focused and efficient. When I began my studies here, my knowledge of Criminal Justice was effectively at ground zero. After nearly four years of study I have gained incredible amounts of knowledge in my field. From a professional perspective,  it is the first institute where I have felt as though study can be a happy and enjoyable experience.

World-leading Research

The University of West London has been recognised by the Government's Research Excellence Framework (REF) for its exceptional research work.

Research Centres

We have seven Research Centres, staffed by experts with an enviable record of publications, conferences, media and public engagement work.

Our academic staff have extensive professional experience across a range of disciplines and we provide a stimulating and supportive environment where you will benefit from: 

• peer feedback and discussion   
• a series of master-classes and lectures from industry figures   
• support by a supervisor and second supervisor suited to your project. 

About PhD study

This course is available for you to study either on a full-time or part-time basis and you have the flexibility to switch should you need to.

A PhD is founded on independent research.  You will undertake a systematic and in-depth exploration of your chosen topic to produce a substantial body of knowledge and make an original and important contribution to the subject area.  

The support provided by your supervisory team will be vital to your student experience and scholarly advancement.  You and your supervisors will have regular one-to-one meetings which will provide you with opportunities to develop your research topic and discuss your progress.

Our research record

View our academic journal 'New Vistas'   to see the work of students and academics who are making an impact both locally and globally through their research findings.

Based in the heart of Ealing, west London, you can make use of the excellent transport links to travel to the the capital or further afield - ideal for attending research meetings and networking events.

Got a question?

If you would like guidance or more information about studying for a research degree, you can contact Philip Ells .

To enable you to enhance your professional profile, we support you throughout your research degree by:

• providing research seminars
• organising doctoral events and activities
• facilitating networking and collaboration opportunities
• encouraging and supporting publication and dissemination of your research
• offering opportunities to gain teaching expertise and experience.

We provide structured research training, expert supervision, and an environment where you can discuss your research with other PhD students and researchers.

We run seminars in research methods from the Graduate Centre, as well as an ongoing series of events and activities organised by Schools and Colleges. Specialist help with academic English for students for whom English is not their first language is available.

Mock courtroom

Our mock courtroom will give you a realistic experience of life in the courtroom.

The Paul Hamlyn Library

The Paul Hamlyn Library provides an extensive range of books, journals and digital resources, PC and Mac workstations and a variety of study spaces. Find out more about what the  Paul Hamlyn Library has to offer .

Rami Ranger House (Postgraduate Student Centre)

Postgraduate and International Student Centre is a new focal point for the university’s postgraduate and international students, providing dedicated space for social and learning interaction.

This building, which is three storeys high, offers spaces for collaborative working, socialising, supervision and mentoring on the ground floor. The first floor has work spaces for the postgraduate support teams to use while the second floor provides guest accommodation for visiting scholars.

We contribute to national and international initiatives and promote collaboration and networking opportunities. We also encourage and support you to publish and disseminate your research in academic journals and via presenting papers at conferences.

We run an annual conference for doctoral students, where you are encouraged to present a paper about your research. As well as being an opportunity to discuss your work with other students, the conference is a chance to gain valuable experience in presenting your research and participating in open discussions with academic peers.

You will also find other opportunities such as postgraduate student seminars and forums within your specific subject area.

Once you start a PhD course at UWL, you become part of our research community. You will have access to a postgraduate common room, located at our Ealing campus on St Mary’s Road, where you will meet fellow researchers from other subject disciplines offering scope for collaborations or simply to discuss ideas, allowing you to be part of a vibrant research environment.

• Requirements: UK
• Requirements: International

The minimum entry requirements for a research degree are:

• a good first degree (First Class or Upper Second Class), or equivalent qualification in a relevant field
• a Masters Degree (MA, MSc, MBA or MRes) with Merit, or equivalent postgraduate or research experience.

We look for students with:

• a passion for their chosen subject.

You will also have a well thought through and persuasive proposal.

• Competence in written and spoken English is a pre-requisite for entrance to this programme. An IELTS (International English Language Testing System) score of 6.5 (with no element under 6.0).

Fees & funding

• Funding: UK
• Funding: International

The fee above is the cost per year of your course.

If your course runs for two years or more, you will need to pay the fee for each academic year at the start of that year. If your course runs for less than two years, the cost above is for your full course and you will need to pay the full fee upfront.

Government regulation does affect tuition fees and the fees listed for courses starting in the 2025/26 academic year are subject to change.

If no fee is shown above then the fees for this course are not available yet. Please check again later for updates.

Funding your studies

Funding for postgraduate students usually comes from one or more of a range of key sources:

• research councils
• charities and trust funds, including those funded by the UK government
• higher Education institutions
• overseas governments (international students only)
• professional and career development loans
• self-funding (including family funds).

Find out more about funding opportunities. Examples of most of these types of funding are included on the postgraduate studentships website , (with the exception of funding you may be able to obtain from your employer and self-funding).

Bursaries and scholarships

We offer generous bursaries and scholarships to make sure your aspirations are your only limit. See our PhD scholarships , scholarships and bursaries .

For any overseas students, your first port of call should be grant-awarding bodies in your own country (eg The Ministry / Department of Education) and your local (or nearest) office of the British Council.

The British Council manage a small number of international studentship grants in some countries and should be able to tell you what other awards may be available to you - they also produce the Sources of funding for international students guide.

Supervisors

Dr philipp elliot-wright.

Philip Ells

Dr Matteo Zambelli

Study & career progression

Studying for a PhD enables you to develop an area of specialism that will give you an edge whether you are planning to work within the field of law or to develop expertise to teach in academia.

During your PhD, you will also be learning transferable core skills that apply to jobs both in and out of academia, including:

• written and oral communication
• research and information management
• public speaking   
• project management
• critical Thinking
• collaboration
• analysis and problem-solving
• conflict resolution
• negotiation.

By the end of your research degree you will be able to articulately apply these skills to enhance your career path.

How to apply

• How to apply: UK
• How to apply: International

To apply for one of our research courses, click the green 'apply now' link shown below to complete an online application form. You will need to attach the following documentation to your online application form:

• research proposal outline (5000 words maximum)
• transcript of your highest qualification.

The research proposal outline, or statement of research interests, enables us to assess your suitability for higher degree work including:

• viability of the topic as a research study
• the most appropriate supervisor(s) to be appointed.

Click here  for more information on applying for a PhD.

Apply for this course

What happens next.

We aim to make a decision on your application as quickly as we can. If we need any more information about your qualifications, we will be in touch.

In the meantime, come and visit us and find out more about what studying at UWL is like. Sign up for an  open day  or join a campus tour .

• Applying for an undergraduate course
• Applying for a postgraduate course
• Our Admissions Policy

Visit us and see for yourself

Talk to our tutors and find out about our courses and facilities at our next open day or join a campus tour.

We're here to help

Any questions about a course or studying at UWL? We're here to help - call us on 0800 036 8888 (option 2, Monday – Friday 10am-4pm) or email us on [email protected].

To apply for one of our research courses, click the green 'apply now' link shown below to complete an online application form.  You will need to attach the following documentation to your online application form:

• research proposal outline

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Important notes for applicants

* Modern universities  - defined as higher education institutions that were granted university status in, and subsequent to, 1992.

** The National Student Survey 2022 and 2023 -   Based on an average of all 27 questions. Excludes specialist institutions.

Testimonials - our students or former students provided all of our testimonials - often a student from the course but sometimes another student. For example, the testimonial often comes from another UWL student when the course is new.

Optional modules - where optional modules are offered they will run subject to staff availability and viable student numbers opting to take the module.

Videos - all videos on our course pages were accurate at the time of filming. In some cases a new Course Leader has joined the University since the video was filmed.

Availability of placements - if you choose a course with placement/internship route we would like to advise you that if a placement/internship opportunity does not arise when you are expected to undertake the placement then the University will automatically transfer you to the non-internship route, this is to ensure you are still successful in being awarded a degree.

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• Working paper series

PhD Programme in Law

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

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

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

PhD Programme

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

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

PhD Funding

PhD Current research

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

FAQs Your questions about the PhD programme

PhD completions Browse our completed PhDs

Careers Our careers information and resources

Visiting research students How to apply as a visiting student

PhD Academy A dedicated space for PhD students

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School of Business and Law MPhil PhD

This course is in clearing with spaces available

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

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

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

Find out more

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• Undergraduate prospectus
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Course options

• September 2024

PhD via MPhil

Entry Requirements

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

MPhil PhD School of Business and Law

• Home Applicant
• 5740 Per year. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).
• 2870 UK - PhD by Published Work: £2,870. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).
• International Applicant
• 15340 Per year. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).
• 7670 Int - PhD by Published Work: £7,670. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).
• Part time , 3 years
• Part time , 5 years
• Full time , 3 years
• 6020 Per year. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).
• 3010 UK - PhD by Published Work: £3,010. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).
• 16100 Per year. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).
• 8050 Int - PhD by Published Work: £8,050. Write-Up Fees = £1000 (with £500 rebate if thesis handed in within 6 months).

Fees, funding and additional costs

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

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

Home students

Postgraduate loans scheme.

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

Postgraduate Loans (PGL)

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

Eligibility

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

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

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

Postgraduate Scholarship

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

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

Terms and conditions apply.

Our scholarships and bursaries can help you

How we can help you

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

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

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

How to pay your fees

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

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

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

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

Ideas for funding your postgraduate study

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

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

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

International students

Living costs for international students.

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

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

How to pay your fees - international students

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

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

Additional costs

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

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

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

Computer equipment

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

Free WiFi is available on each of our campuses.

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

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

For this course, you will be:

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

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

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

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

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

Learn about applying

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

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

UK Part-time starting Sept

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

International Full-time starting Sept

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

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

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

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

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

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

+44 (0)20 8223 3333

About our foundation years

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

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

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

What makes this course different

Academic staff

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

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

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

Course modules

Independent research.

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

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

What we're researching

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

Please  visit our Research section to find out more .

Your future career

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

How we support your career ambitions

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

Career Zone

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

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

Mental Wealth programme

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

We are careers first

Our teaching methods and geographical location put us right up top

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

What you'll learn

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

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

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

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

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

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

PhD via Publication

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

How you'll learn

Your research proposal

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

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

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

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

How you will be assessed

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

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

Campus and facilities

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

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

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

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

Who teaches this course

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

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

Related courses

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

MSc Finance and Risk

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

MSc Human Resource Management

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

MSc International Business Management

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

TERMS AND CONDITIONS Modal

Terms of Admittance to the University of East London

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

1) Student enrolment

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

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

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

2) Tuition fees

Your tuition fee is determined by:

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

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

3) Student ID Cards

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

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

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

4) Proof of qualifications

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

5) Non-academic entry requirements

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

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

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

6) Criminal convictions

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

7) Providing false information to UEL

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

8) Continued enrolment and student status

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

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

And outlines expectations of students:

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

9) Changes to scheduled programmes

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

10) Changes to these terms

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

11) Data Protection

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

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

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

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

Student Responsibilities You must ensure that:

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

12) Legal basis for use of data

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

13) Intellectual property

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

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

14) How we communicate with you

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

15)University of East London Students' Union

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

16) Students studying at partner institutions

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

17) International students - additional responsibilities

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

18) Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

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

19) Complaints

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

20) Cancellation

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

21) Further guidance

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

22) Right to advice

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

23) General

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

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Research (MPhil / PhD) Entry Route

The University of London academic community pursues and achieves excellence in a wide range of research activities and scholarship.

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Research opportunities

MPhil and PhD opportunities are available on-campus and by arrangement through our self-governing member institutions and research institutes, including the School of Advanced Study

Many of these institutions have performed highly in the Research Excellence Framework and are consistently ranked highly for research among UK universities.

Postgraduate research is offered via distance learning through the School of Advanced Study (Opens in new window) .

Research activity

The majority of academic staff are actively engaged in research, so you will be taught by experienced and motivated researchers who are eminent in their field.

To find out more about research opportunities, you can either search our courses to see which areas of research are available, or contact a university that offers related subjects to see if they can support your proposal.

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‘Insurance, Climate Change and the Law’: New book from Queen Mary academic, explores insurance industry's role in climate action

Queen Mary University of London academic Franziska Arnold-Dwyer is set to release her latest book titled "Insurance, Climate Change and the Law". This timely publication delves into the pivotal role of the insurance industry in addressing the challenges posed by climate change.

In recent years, the insurance sector has found itself on the frontline of climate change, bearing witness to increased frequency and severity of climate-related losses including property damage from windstorms, flooding, and wildfires. Additionally, as major institutional investors, insurance companies face the task of managing assets vulnerable to climate risks.

‘Insurance, Climate Change and the Law’ sheds light on the evolving legal and regulatory landscape surrounding climate change risks. While much attention has been given to managing and reporting on inward impacts on insurers' balance sheets, the book argues for a paradigm shift towards considering the positive outward impact the insurance industry can make.

Franziska Arnold-Dwyer proposes a new vision for the role of insurers as climate action enablers, advocating for initiatives such as 'impact underwriting' and 'impact investment.' By facilitating a transition to a Net Zero economy, insurers can support policyholders and other stakeholders in achieving national and international climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement.

The book caters to a diverse audience including legal practitioners, insurance industry professionals, financial and insurance regulators, policymakers, and academics interested in climate law and policy. It offers innovative insights and actionable proposals for creating a legal environment conducive to positive climate action within the insurance sector.

"I am thrilled to share this research which highlights the potential for insurers to drive positive change in the face of climate crisis," says Franziska Arnold-Dwyer. "By harnessing the power of impact underwriting and investment, the insurance industry can play a pivotal role in building a more resilient and sustainable future."

"Insurance, Climate Change and the Law" is poised to become an essential resource for navigating the complex intersection of insurance, climate change, and legal frameworks..

‘Insurance, Climate Change and the Law’ is available for pre-order, and is available in hardback and eBook from publisher Routledge . Order your copy and get a 20% discount with promo code SMA22.

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What do you want to do?

Find out about the research we do in law.

• Law Integrated PhD

Find a supervisor

Mode of study

4 years full-time

Entry requirements

Research profile.

Over the years, Brunel Law School has established itself as a major player in the UK law research landscape and is ranked as one of the top law schools in the UK for research. 

The impact of our diversity within the Brunel Law School is evident in the breadth of our research activity which can be divided into public and private law. Our research activity embraces doctrinal, theoretical, critical, contextual and comparative approaches to the study of law. It reaches from the local to the global, addressing important challenges in domestic law as well as universal legal, economic, and social issues. We investigate in depth how best to create and maintain just societies that fairly balance both personal freedom and authority, and the rights and responsibilities of individuals and society. 

Find out about the exciting research we do in this area. Browse profiles of our experts, discover the research groups and their inspirational research activities you too could be part of. We’ve also made available extensive reading materials published by our academics and PhD students.  

Learn more about research in this area.

The  Brunel Integrated PhD combines PhD research with a programme of structured research, professional and subject training. The programme typically takes 4 years (compared to 3 years for a non-integrated PhD programme). On successful completion, you will be awarded a PhD with an Integrated Postgraduate Diploma in Research in your chosen subject specialisation.

You will benefit from this integrated PhD programme immensely if you want to:  

• receive a more much guided and hands-on supervision of your learning and research process, especially if you come from more traditional teaching cultures
• increase your chances for timely completion of your PhD programme in comparison to students taking traditional route PhD, cutting down the expenses associated with prolonged study
• access to tailored, highly specialist research training not available as part of the support provided to traditional route PhD students
• maximise your chances for a successful research analysis by applying practical assignments and training which are part of the integrated PhD directly to the research you do for your thesis     
• receive an official Postgraduate Diploma in Research in addition to your PhD award to certify the completion of skills training which may be required by employers in some countries if you wish to pursue an academic career 

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

Our researchers create knowledge and advance understanding, and equip versatile doctoral researchers with the confidence to apply what they have learnt for the benefit of society. Find out more about working with the Supervisory Team .

You are welcome to approach your potential supervisor directly to discuss your research interests. Search for expert supervisors for your chosen field of research.

While we welcome applications from student with a clear direction for their research, we are providing you with some ideas for your chosen field of research:

• Externalisation and Securitisation of Asylum and Migration, supervised by Ermioni Xanthopoulou
• International law and the psychological impact of warfare on civilians, supervised by Solon Solomon
• Investigations into the law and ethics of biomedical technologies, supervised by Pin Lean Lau
• The impacts of systemic violence on the Traveller community, supervised by Rachel Stuart

Research journey

The programme involves demonstrating through original research or other advanced scholarship the creation and interpretation of new knowledge, a systematic acquisition and understanding of a substantial body of knowledge at the forefront of an academic discipline or professional practice, the ability to conceptualise, design and implement a project for the general of new knowledge, applications or understanding at the forefront of the discipline.

The programme of taught modules runs in parallel to your research work during the first three years of study, with the fourth year providing time for you to focus on writing up your PhD thesis. The taught modules cover research and professional skills as well as providing discipline-specific content.

The Brunel Integrated PhD aims to support an individual’s development as a research professional. It aims to produce researchers who are well prepared to embark on careers as academics or professional researchers. As well as the skills to conduct and disseminate high-quality academic research, researchers will develop a range of broader (‘transferable’) skills to help ensure that their work has an impact in the wider world.

Find out more here. 

This course can be studied 4 years full-time, starting in January. Or this course can be studied 4 years full-time, starting in October.

Find out about what progress might look like at each stage of study here:  Research degree progress structure.

Research support

Excellent research support and training

The Graduate School provides a range of personal, professional and career development opportunities. This includes workshops, online training, coaching and events, to enable you to enhance your professional profile, refine your skills, and plan your next career steps as part of the Researcher Development Programme . The researcher development programme (RDP) offers workshops and seminars in a range of areas including progression, research management, research dissemination, and careers and personal development. You will also be offered a number of online, self-study courses on BBL, including Research Integrity, Research Skills Toolkit, Research Methods in Literature Review and Principles of Research Methods.

Library services

Brunel's Library is open 24 hours a day, has 400,000 books and 250,000 ebooks, and an annual budget of almost £2m. Subject information Specialists train students in the latest technology, digital literacy, and digital dissemination of scholarly outputs. As well as the physical resources available in the Library, we also provide access to a wealth of electronic resources. These include databases, journals and e-books. Access to these resources has been bought by the Library through subscription and is limited to current staff and students.

Dedicated research support staff provide guidance and training on open access, research data management, copyright and other research integrity issues.

Find out more: Brunel Library

Careers and your future

You will receive tailored careers support during your PhD and for up to three years after you complete your research at Brunel. We encourage you to actively engage in career planning and managing your personal development right from the start of your research, even (or perhaps especially) if you don't yet have a career path in mind. Our careers provision includes online information and advice, one-to-one consultations and a range of events and workshops. The Professional Development Centre runs a varied programme of careers events throughout the academic year. These include industry insight sessions, recruitment fairs, employer pop-ups and skills workshops.

In addition, where available, you may be able to undertake some paid work as we recognise that teaching and learning support duties represent an important professional and career development opportunity.

Find out more.

UK entry requirements

The general University entrance requirement for registration for a research degree is normally a First or Upper Second Class Honours degree (1st or 2:1). Applicants will also be required to have achieved, or be on course to achieve a Master's Degree in Law (or relevant subject). We may consider substantial relevant work experience in place of a Master's Degree on a case-by-case basis.

An interview will be required as part of the admissions process and will be conducted by at least two academic staff members remotely via MS Teams, Zoom, or face-to-face.

Applicants will be required to submit a personal statement and a research statement. Please get in touch with your proposed supervisor, where possible, to receive feedback and guidance on your research statement before submitting it. Learn how to prepare a research statement here .

Please note that Law requires students to submit a 3000-word research statement as part of the application for a PhD programme. For information on completing your research statement please see our video guide here .

EU and International entry requirements

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

English language requirements

· IELTS: 7.0 (min 6.0 in all areas)

· Pearson: 64 (min 59 in all subscores)

· BrunELT: 68% (min 58% in all areas)

· TOEFL: 98 (min 20 in all subscores)

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

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

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

Fees and funding

Fees quoted are per year and are subject to an annual increase.

Some courses incur  additional course related costs . You can also check our  on-campus accommodation costs  for more information on living expenses.

Brunel offers a number of funding options to research students that help cover the cost of their tuition fees, contribute to living expenses or both. Recently the UK Government made available the Doctoral Student Loans of up to £25,000 for UK and EU students and there is some funding available through the Research Councils. Many of our international students benefit from funding provided by their governments or employers. Brunel alumni enjoy tuition fee discounts of 15%.

World’s First Global C02 Charge Inches Closer at London Meetings

By Jack Wittels

The shipping industry is being lined up as a guinea pig for a world-first: a global, mandatory charge on greenhouse gas emissions.

The International Maritime Organization — which regulates shipping worldwide — inched closer toward such a levy at talks held in London this week. The United Nations agency plans to finalize the detail of the measure next year, and have it introduced in 2027.

While the timeline is clear, there’s far less certainty about how it will actually work and whether there will be a significant impact on the emissions of an industry that carries 80% of world trade ...

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‘We need to talk about choice’: woman who ended life at Dignitas urges change to UK law

On the eve of her death in Switzerland Paola Marra told the Guardian about her journey and her wish that she could have died at home

P aola Marra’s social calendar has been packed in recent weeks. The 53-year-old has been dining at some of London’s best restaurants, enjoying grand afternoon teas and meeting old pals at hedonist hotspots such as the Groucho private members’ club.

The Canadian-born former music industry and charity worker has lots of friends from 35 years living in England – but not everyone can get a slot to see her.

“My diary is full,” she said. “It’s hard because there are people who want to get in there. But I have a date.”

That date came this week. On Monday, she left home in East Finchley and flew alone to Zurich. At 10am on Wednesday she was due at Dignitas, the Swiss assisted-dying organisation. There, after suffering with terminal stage 4 bowel cancer since 2021 and following months of planning and paperwork, she ended her life.

“Bowel cancer has been brutal and non-stop,” she said from her hotel room overlooking Lake Zurich a day earlier. “I just feel ready … The thing that makes me break down is talking about my friends and having to say goodbye to people. The rest of it I can live with, or die with. I can deal with leaving.”

Marra decided to speak to the Guardian because people in Britain “need to talk about assisted dying … they need to talk about choice”.

“I’m not scared to die,” she said. “I’m scared of dying in pain.”

Assisted dying remains criminalised in the UK and, as she awaited her appointment at Dignitas, Marra said it would be “insane” if assisted dying was not legalised in the next couple of years.

“It’s important for people to hear us,” she said. “We are the ones who are dying. We should be the ones who choose how to die. And it should be allowed in this country. I think it’s really unfair that I can’t do it here.”

Before she left for Switzerland , Marra was relieved to have found a home for her elderly whippet, Stanley, near the golden sands of Gwithian on Cornwall’s Atlantic coast, so he can enjoy beach walks.

And this week, Marra found herself alone in a strange Swiss hotel that contained “really weird” food and 1980s decor, with the prospect of taking her life with the support of two Dignitas representatives she had never previously met.

Her decision to talk about her journey adds to the growing public pressure for reform – including from figures such as Jonathan Dimbleby, whose brother Nicholas recently died with motor neurone disease, and Esther Rantzen, who has lung cancer and calls the law in Britain “a cruel mess”. Since 1998 more than 530 Britons have had to travel to Dignitas to die, and more have been too unwell to get there or cannot afford costs of more than £10,000.

Yet opinion polls consistently record public support of more than two thirds for assisted dying with strict controls. Last week, the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, confirmed he wanted the law changed and MPs would be given a vote on reform in England and Wales under a Labour government.

Kit Malthouse, the Conservative MP who co-chairs the all-party group on choice at the end of life, said that with a new generation of MPs arriving, “there’s every chance we will have legislation”. The last time there was a vote, in 2015, it was defeated 118 to 330.

Assisted dying is already legal for terminally ill, mentally competent adults in their final months of life in 11 US states, in most of Australia, in New Zealand, Canada, Spain, Austria and Ecuador. Broader right-to-die laws apply in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. In the UK, anyone assisting someone to die faces potential criminal prosecution. Law changes are, however, afoot in Jersey and the Isle of Man and a vote is expected on legalisation in the Scottish parliament.

“If people are for it, change it,” Marra said. “It bothers me. I wrote to my MP [Mike Freer] and he was against it and it just made me so angry.”

Freer tells constituents he had a friend who was diagnosed with a terminal illness who moved to the Netherlands to die by suicide, and six months after his death there was a breakthrough in drug treatments for his illness. This is not a prospect for Marra.

She first discovered she had breast cancer in 2017 but in 2020 bowel cancer was found and became incurable by 2021. Treatment has involved several “brutal” surgeries. She can no longer take many painkillers and if she had stayed in Britain “the way I will die will not be a good death” – with blocked bowels and in pain.

“I can feel my insides are starting to kink and twist and block and do all the things they always do,” she said on Tuesday from Switzerland. “So it’s absolutely the right time.”

In the preceding weeks, having stopped treatment, she has been enjoying the last of her life knowing she will not suffer too much at the end.

Earlier this year, her oncologist said she had about three to four months until tumours blocked what remains of her bowel after most of it was removed.

Describing an earlier procedure, she said: “They strip the whole inside. So all my female organs, everything, including my vagina. Everything is gone. They remove everything, put your organs back in that are non-cancerous, they fill your cavity full of chemo, they heat it up to 45 degrees and oscillate your body for two to three hours, then flush you out and stitch you back up. It’s brutal.”

She began the process of setting a date with Dignitas about two months ago. “It’s not a natural thing to do,” she said. “You’re literally standing at the cliff edge and you’re going to jump, so that was hard. It just became real.”

Her mother and father live in British Columbia; her brother, Tony, in Toronto.

It was when she set the date earlier this year, Tony realised “bang! I’m not gonna have my younger sister any more”.

The idea of knowing the “specific minute” she would die was “very odd”, he said. He would like to be by her side (“I hope she’s not lonely”), but she has decided to go alone and he understands that.

He “hates” the criminalisation of assisted dying in the UK mainly because it’s “costing her possibly a couple months of her life because she can’t decide to do it in the UK at a later date”.

His message to British parliamentarians who oppose assisted dying was: “It’s none of your goddamn business.”

Marra said leaving home in London on Monday was “manic”. “It’s like moving house and never coming back,” she said. “Throwing away my toiletries. It was weird.”

In Switzerland, Marra was due to have two meetings with doctors. She doesn’t think anyone in the hotel knows why she is there because “there are no pitying looks”. She was due at the clinic at 10am on Wednesday to take her own life with the help of the Dignitas team.

“Right now, it’s an idea,” she said. “It doesn’t feel real.”

But she said that when the moment comes her instinct is likely to be to get the process over with promptly.

After her death, Marra will be cremated in Switzerland before her ashes are returned to the UK by an undertaker she has paid to fly from London to Zurich as human remains cannot be sent by post or parcel service.

“It’s really bizarre,” she said. “I think his name is Richard. He’s going to go and pick me up … A group of friends will scatter my ashes.”

Arranging her death at Dignitas involved reams of paperwork, including dental records, marriage and divorce records and a birth certificate from Canada.

She initially found the tone of Dignitas’s “very matter of fact” communications “a bit weird”. She was expecting it to be softer somehow, but has got used to it and has become matter of fact about it herself, saying simply: “I go on the 18th and then I die on the 20th.”

Given the risk of criminal prosecution, British doctors must be circumspect when patients ask about assisted dying. But Marra said her medical team were “supportive without being supportive”.

Setting the date has given her time to say proper goodbyes.

“A lot of people don’t get that, especially people who do treatment right to the end,” she said. “I am spending the time that I have in the way that I want.”

Opponents of assisted dying warn that legalisation could lead to vulnerable people being coerced into an early death but Marra didn’t agree. “It’s so complicated to get approved,” she said. “There are so many people involved. I don’t understand how that could happen.”

She has seen the opposite happening with families coercing sick loved ones to try further treatment.

Another concern is that any initial law would be widened to include non-terminal illness, mental health problems and even children. Opponents of assisted dying warn that “guardrail” regulations would become viewed as restrictions on rights and widening the application could see more cases involving vulnerable people.

“I can’t see that happening here,” Marra said. “All of my terminal friends want the choice and if you don’t want to do it, don’t do it. It just seems kind of black and white to me.”

She does not feel negative about her decision. The alternative is suffering on a scale she understands too well from her treatments so far.

“It’s something I know I need to do for myself,” she said. “I don’t even really see it as an ending. It’s just a part of my life.”

• Assisted dying
• Switzerland

More on this story

Jersey to debate allowing assisted dying for terminally ill

Woman who ended life at Dignitas leaves video urging change in UK assisted dying laws

Macron announces assisted dying bill to go before French parliament in May

UK government law on assisted dying a mess, says Esther Rantzen

‘We need more compassion’: UK families call for assisted dying reform

Irish committee to recommend laws for assisted dying

Assisted dying law may soon diverge across British Isles, MPs warn

I’m glad the debate on assisted dying is forging ahead. But few understand why it frightens so many

‘He was a skeleton’: Joan Ruddock says she considered ending dying husband’s life

‘Increasingly unbearable’: Jonathan Dimbleby criticises UK’s law against assisted dying

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