phd law distance learning university of london

PhD/MPhil Law

Postgraduate research degree

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

Research centres and groups

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

Key information

Law Postgraduate research degrees PhD/MPhil course Overview

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Requirements

Entry requirements.

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

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

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

English requirements

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

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

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

Visa requirements

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

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

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

Fees and funding

Full-time Home/UK: £11,700 per year

Part-time Home/UK: £5,850 per year

Full-time International: £11,700 per year

Part-time International: £5,850 per year

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

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

Support for PhD study

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

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

The City Law School Doctoral Studentships

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scholarships for EU Law and Commercial Law students

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

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

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

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

Postgraduate Doctoral Loans

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

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

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

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

Additional expenses

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

Academic support

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Other support:

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

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

How to apply

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

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

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

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

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

You can apply here by completing our online form .

• 30 th Sep 2024

For further application enquiries please contact our PGR enquiries team .

PhD Research projects from The City Law School

Jean monnet chair in law and transatlantic relations.

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

Research centre: Institute for the Study of European Law

Academic: Professor Elaine Fahey

Current student: Giulio Kowalski

Status: Ongoing project

View case study site

The future of EU Trade and Investment Partnerships EUTIP

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

EU-UK-Japan relations TRILATTRADE

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

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

Academics: Dr Enrico Bonadio and Professor David Collins

Find a supervisor

Some examples of our supervisors are listed below

Professor Elaine Fahey

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

Academic law programmes

Professor Panos Koutrakos

Jean Monnet Professor of EU Law

Professor David Collins

Professor of International Economic Law

Dr Grietje Baars

Reader in Law & Social Change

Useful links

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

The City Law School

Contact details.

+44 (0)20 7040 4568

[email protected]

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PhD research degree in law

Queen Mary School of Law is the ideal place to embark on this transformative journey. My experience here underscores the School's dedication to nurturing future changemakers. Esther Jaromitski researching the role of social media platforms in international crime

The PhD in Law programme at Queen Mary is one of the largest in the UK, with more than 120 research students. As a PhD student at the School of Law, you will be part of a diverse and cosmopolitan research community, as students come to Queen Mary from all over the world. Have a look at the research profiles of some of our current students .

The School of Law’s thriving PhD programme is competitive. Successful applicants usually have first-class undergraduate degrees and distinctions at Masters-level or the equivalents. While most applicants will have LLB and/or LLM degrees, we value interdisciplinary research projects, and welcome candidates with relevant non-law degrees. Candidates with professional experience in a field of law or institution relevant to their research project will also be considered.

You can apply to attend on a full-time or a part-time basis. Before you apply, you will need to:

• Develop a strong research proposal for a PhD thesis
• Make contact with a potential thesis supervisor
• Consider how you will fund your PhD study
• Gather your application documents and check our programme entry requirements
• Find out about the application process and submit your application

These webpages also contain information on what completing a PhD at the School of Law entails .

The deadline for application submissions for entry in September 2024 is midnight on Wednesday 5 June 2024 . If you are applying for a Queen Mary studentship, the deadline is Wednesday 6 December 2023 . The application process for the September 2025 intake will begin in October 2024. Applications received after the deadline cannot be considered.

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• Prospective Students
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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

Bachelor of Laws

Llb law online.

Our online law degree, known as an LLB or Bachelor of Laws, is equivalent to a BA or BSc. This degree will prepare you in part for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE1) or Bar Practice Course (to qualify as a barrister).

If you have set your sights on other careers, such as politics, business or journalism, the transferable skills you will learn on your law degree will provide an excellent launch pad for these ambitions and more. With our professionally focused qualification, you can expect to learn practical skills coupled with a focus on your future employability.

Studying at our Online campus provides you with the perfect combination of a flexible study programme to fit around your other commitments together with the benefit of our expertise, experience, and employability focus. 

Call our Clearing hotline: 0800 289 997 (UK) or +44 (0) 1483 216 000 (International) or speak to our friendly advisors through Live Chat on our Clearing Hub

Entry requirements

A Level: BBB

GCSE: English Language Grade C/4 or above, or equivalent

Course requirements ➔

Duration options

Next start date, september 2024.

Apply Direct

You don't need to apply through UCAS to study one of our online courses.

Find out more ➜

Top 10 for Teaching

Ranked Top 10 in the UK for Teaching in the 2024 National Student Survey.

More Lawyers

We are one of the UK's longest-established specialist providers of legal education and have trained more practising lawyers in the UK than anyone else.

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023

We've been awarded an overall Silver rating, with a Gold rating for Student Experience and Silver rating for the Student Outcomes in the  Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF)  for 2023.

Course Details

Llb (hons) law online.

If you’re looking to pursue a career in the legal or wider commercial sector, but want to study in a more flexible way, then this 100% online law degree could be the course for you.

Just like the on campus version of the LLB, this course has a practical focus, with employability integrated into the programme. There is a high level of interaction and you will receive peer and one-to-one professional lecturer reviews, with over 90% of our lecturers being qualified solicitors and barristers.

The distance learning LLB law course aims to deliver an insight into critical legal topics and develop your knowledge and understanding of key concepts through practical activities and engaging content. You will develop skills in analysis, research, problem solving and communication.

When you study an online LLB degree with us you receive:

• The highest standard of online teaching from experienced professionals
• Access to loads of online resources to help your studies
• Access to a large specialist careers service and pro bono clinics
• A variety of specialist modules to enhance employment prospects

This degree will provide the foundation for Master’s degree study, or you can move into employment within the wider legal sector and other commercial or business fields.

Foundation Year

You can choose to take an additional Foundation Year before you start your online LLB. This introductory year focuses on developing the key skills required to study at degree level. Please note, the Foundation Year is only available as a September start and is not available for Hong Kong online.

Three Year Degree

Foundation year if applicable.

Compulsory modules include:

Communication Skills You will develop communication skills and understanding of different methods and styles of communication. You will consider appropriate methods of communication in both formal and informal environments. You will develop your understanding of social media and how to use it effectively. By looking back at previous activities and considering the choices you made and how you may do things differently in the future, you will enhance your skills on reflection.

Digital and Research Skills You will learn how to navigate responsibly around the internet using different search engines and resources, including AI, and will develop your understanding of how to stay safe online and create an appropriate online presence. Learn about interpreting information you find; how relevant and accurate it is and how to present it. Discover a variety of learning resources and understand the importance of academic integrity.

Sustainability and Society You will explore the UN Sustainable Development Goals and how sustainability has a wider impact on society. A problem-solving approach to global sustainability will be adopted and you will be encouraged to think about the role you and others play in addressing sustainability issues and an understanding of who is accountable. Also looking at both the broad concepts of sustainability and the aspects which are relevant to your chosen discipline.

Foundation Year Project Develop your research skills by learning how to choose, plan and carry out an investigation into a chosen topic. Discover the importance of ethics when conducting research and practice presenting research. This module helps prepare you for entry onto Level 4 of the degree programme through the formative e-portfolio containing a log of activities, your 2000 word written project and your video presentation.

Shaping Skills for Success This module will enable you to develop wider skills that are needed to succeed during your studies and beyond. You will be introduced to different types of skills and how to track and reflect on your skills development. You will develop your skills by participating in sessions focused on specific skills and hearing from a variety of guest speakers. You will take part in a group challenge designed to develop your teamwork and communication skills and reflect on the skills you develop during this module as part of your Foundation Year Project.

Core Concepts of Law

Introducing you to the study of law, including an overview of the English legal system, including legal careers, and how it compares to legal systems around the world.  You will consider the concept of ‘the rule of law’ and explore law and morality whilst developing an understanding of how law impacts society. You will further develop your research skills through introductions to specific law resources available in the library and the OSCOLA method of referencing.

Choose one*:

• Core Concepts of Business
• Core Concepts of Computer Science
• Core Concepts of Criminology
• Core Concepts of Psychology

*Options available are indicative and available subject to numbers and the campus chosen. Students will also complete the Shaping Skills for Success programme.

Common Law Method and Ethics

This module introduces you to the English legal system and looks at how to interpret statutes and the doctrine of precedent. Also, how law is created and the structure of the English court system. These enable you to understand how laws are created and interpreted. Within Ethics, you will consider different approaches to ethical issues, including the social and ethical context of the legal profession.

Academic and Digital Skills

This module underpins all of the other modules on the LLB & MLaw. It develops the academic and digital skills which you will need for both your studies and the workplace, including using the University’s VLE and other relevant platforms and software, legal research and referencing, academic integrity, communication skills, and how to analyse and answer legal problems. 

Contract Law

In this module you will consider the elements of a contract, different types of contractual terms, remedies for breach of contract and the circumstances when remedies can be excluded.  You will also look at connected areas such as misrepresentation, duress, and undue influence.

The Law of Tort

Tort is a key area of law and considers acts and omissions that give rise to injury or harm to another and amount to a civil wrong. You will consider topics such as trespass to the person, negligence, product liability, employer liability, occupiers’ liability, trespass to land and private nuisance. You will also look at the remedies available when an action in Tort succeeds.

This module looks at sources of the UK constitution and principles such as the rule of law, separation of powers and parliamentary supremacy. Also, how the lawfulness of decisions and actions made by public bodies are challenged through exploring the grounds for judicial review and the remedies available. You will learn about the place EU Law has within the UK constitution and consider the key rights and freedoms incorporated into UK law through the Human Rights Act.

Criminal Law

This module gives an overview of the criminal justice system and helps to develop an understanding of the principles of criminal liability. You will look at different criminal offences, including homicide, criminal damage, assaults, sexual offences, theft and robbery, and drugs offences. You will consider what defences may be available and the law in relation to secondary participation and attempts to commit certain offences.

Business Law 1

This module introduces you to different forms of business organisation such as partnerships and companies and how to choose the most appropriate format to run a business. You will explore company law in more detail, exploring the separate legal personality of a company and its limited liability status and company constitutions. You will look at the different parties involved in a company such as the directors and shareholders. 

Critical Approaches in Current Legal Issues

Designed to further develop the academic skills which you developed during your Level 4. Equipping you with the skills which you need to succeed as you progress through the programme. Through topical areas of law, you will develop your critical thinking and evaluation skills, ability to solve legal problems, and research skills.  You will be challenged through debating controversial areas of law and presenting arguments, in order to develop your ability to reflect and understand the views of others.

We look at the nature of land, how the ownership of estates and interests in land operate and the formalities for creating and disposing of those estates and interests. It looks at important topics such as: the protection and enforcement of third party interests in land, the distinction between registered and unregistered land, trusts of land and co-ownership, leases, easements, covenants, and mortgages. 

Choose three*:

• Employment Law
• Access to Justice and Legal Services
• Real Estate
• Human Rights
• Extended Essay
• Practising Law in a Digital World

*All options are indicative and subject to numbers.

Equity and Trusts

In this module you will study the core principles of equity and trusts law which arise in a range of personal, social and commercial contexts. You will look at the distinction between a gift and a trust and how trusts are created. You will explore the management of the trust through the powers and duties of trustees and the rights of the beneficiaries before considering what remedies are available if there is a breach of trust.

Choose two*:

• Civil Dispute Resolution
• Graduate and Employability Skills
• Business Law 2
• International Commercial Law
• Mental Health and Mental Capacity Law
• Research Project (double module)
• Wills & Succession
• Criminal Litigation and Evidence
• Legal Technology
• Research Project (40 credits)

*All options are indicative and subject to availability. Please note that some modules are available in Years 2 and 3; please select only one.

Four Year Degree

• Academic & Digital Skills
• Common Law Method & Ethics
• Law of Tort
• Equity & Trusts

*All options are indicative and subject to availability.

Year 3 Summer

*All options are indicative and subject to availability. Please note that some modules are available in Years 2 and 3; please select only once.

Year 4 Summer

BECOME A SPECIALIST LAWYER

LLB (CILEX)

If you're interested in becoming a CILEX Lawyer, learn more about our four year online degree, the LLB (CILEX).

Six Year Degree

• Common Law Method & Ethics (half)

Semesters 2

• Common Law Method and Ethics (second half)
• Contract Law (half)
• Contract Law (second half)
• Business Law 1 (half)
• Business Law 1 (second half)
• Level 5 Option (half)
• Level 5 Option (second half)
• Level 5 Option

Level 5 Options are:

• Business Law 2 (half)
• Business Law 2 (second half)

Choose two Level 6 modules*:

• Civil Dispute Resolution (half)
• Level 6 option

Choose one level 6 option*:

• Business Level 2
• Civil Dispute Resolution (second half)

Module details

This module underpins all of the other modules on the LLB & MLaw. It develops the academic and digital skills which you will need for both your studies and the workplace, including using the University’s VLE and other relevant platforms and software, legal research and referencing, academic integrity, communication skills, and how to analyse and answer legal problems.

In this module you will consider the elements of a contract, different types of contractual terms, remedies for breach of contract and the circumstances when remedies can be excluded. You will also look at connected areas such as misrepresentation, duress, and undue influence.

This module introduces you to different forms of business organisation such as partnerships and companies and how to choose the most appropriate format to run a business. You will explore company law in more detail, exploring the separate legal personality of a company and its limited liability status and company constitutions. You will look at the different parties involved in a company such as the directors and shareholders.

Designed to further develop the academic skills which you developed during your Level 4. Equipping you with the skills which you need to succeed as you progress through the programme. Through topical areas of law, you will develop your critical thinking and evaluation skills, ability to solve legal problems, and research skills. You will be challenged through debating controversial areas of law and presenting arguments, in order to develop your ability to reflect and understand the views of others.

We look at the nature of land, how the ownership of estates and interests in land operate and the formalities for creating and disposing of those estates and interests. It looks at important topics such as: the protection and enforcement of third party interests in land, the distinction between registered and unregistered land, trusts of land and co-ownership, leases, easements, covenants, and mortgages.

Course Start Dates

• Full-time: Online

January 2025

What about the SQE?

The SQE is being phased in to become the new centralised way to qualify as a solicitor in England and Wales

Continue your journey with ULaw

After you’ve completed the LLB, you can go onto study one of our postgraduate law courses to become a solicitor or barrister.

If you want to become a barrister, you can study our Bar Practice Course .

If you want to become a solicitor, we suggest studying our LLM Legal Practice (SQE1&2) .

You can still study the Legal Practice Course (LPC) if you’ve completed, started, accepted an offer, or paid a non-refundable deposit to study the LLB by 21 September 2021.

If you want to specialise in a particular area of law, we also offer a range of academic Master of Law (LLM) courses, covering subjects from human rights to banking.

At The University Law, we want to help you reach your ambitions with our range of alumni discounts. Be rewarded for your hard work and loyalty when you stay on to study another course with us through our Alumni Loyalty Scheme .

Make an Enquiry

Course requirements.

The course demands show you the requirements, prior knowledge and commitments our course will involve.

Find out more ➔

Study On Campus

You can also study this course at one of our campuses across the UK. If you’re looking for a more traditional university experience, why not consider studying on campus?

Course Information

• Course dates
• Classification

Application and booking deadlines vary by intake - take a look at our key application and enrolment deadline dates  for more information.

To get a full picture of how studying this course works during the year, take a look at our course date breakdowns.

We use a variety of assessment methods designed to meet the practical nature of the course and individual module learning outcomes. Some of these will be exams, while others will require you to submit a project report, essay, portfolio or oral presentation. You will also have the opportunity to practice with a mock assessment.

Our course has an innovatively flexible structure, with specific assessments that are conducive to effective learning.

Employability We Set You Up For Success

We care about your career, which is why we offer support with job applications and other work experience opportunities as soon as you accept your place.

Find a career that suits you

Fees and applying.

• How to Apply
• Fees and Funding
• International

Applications for all our undergraduate courses are open. You don't need to apply through UCAS to study one of our online courses. 

3 year and 4 year full-time online £9,250 per year - deposit of £250 payable on acceptance

4 year part time online £6,935 per year - deposit of £250 payable on acceptance

6 year part time online £4,625 per year - deposit of £250 payable on acceptance

If you need to fund your studies with a student loan you can apply via Student Finance.

We have students from over 120 different countries throughout our campuses, with a dedicated team to help international students.

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Official course data.

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Course type

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About Postgraduate Law

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Law through distance learning offers a flexible platform for in-depth legal research and scholarship. It caters to those who wish to combine an advanced higher education qualification with their existing work or personal commitments by providing the ability to study from anywhere globally. You’ll be able to undertake the majority of your research at an off-campus location.

There are 19 such courses in the UK, and full-time students are expected to complete their work within three years. Courses are competitive, and a first class or upper second-class honours degree in law (or a subject related to the proposed area of research) is usually required.

What to Expect

The distance learning Law PhD spans approximately 3 to 6 years, depending on whether you choose to study with full-time or part-time enrolment. The programme is predominantly research-based, requiring candidates to produce a lengthy thesis that offers a significant, original contribution to the legal profession. This involves rigorous independent research, under the guidance of experienced faculty members who provide academic oversight and support through online communication.

Candidates are required to engage in critical analysis of legal texts, case studies and contemporary legal issues, demonstrating critical thinking and analytical skills. Online seminars and workshops are integral to the curriculum, promoting academic development and networking within the legal community.

Upon completion, graduates possess a thorough understanding of their chosen area of law, prepared for careers in academia, legal research, policy development or high-level advisory roles.

Related subjects:

• Arbitration
• Company Law
• Constitutional and Public Law
• Criminal Law
• Data Protection Act
• European Law
• European Union Law
• Intellectual Property
• International Law
• Jurisprudence
• Law (Specific Statutes)
• Law and Legal studies
• Law of Specific Areas and Countries
• Legal Practice
• Legal Practice and Procedures
• Legal Rights (Law)
• Maritime Law
• Property Law

• Course title (A-Z)
• Course title (Z-A)
• Price: high - low
• Price: low - high

Postgraduate Diploma in Finance and Financial Law (Distance Learning)

Soas university of london.

The Postgraduate Diploma in Finance and Financial Law is ideal for those who already have some experience in either law or finance. The Read more...

• 1 year Distance without attendance degree: £7,280 per year (UK)

LLM Construction Law and Practice

University of salford.

Construction law and practice affects stakeholders working across the international construction sector. Gain the necessary legal knowledge Read more...

• 2 years Distance without attendance degree: £4,725 per year (UK)

LLM in Legal Practice

Oxford brookes university.

Our LLM in Legal Practice provides practising, qualified graduates with an additional qualification. With our legal practice postgraduate Read more...

• 13 months Distance without attendance degree: £3,800 per year (UK)

LLM Law Conversion

University of wolverhampton.

Our LLM Law Conversion is designed for non law graduates wanting a fast-track pathway to a law qualification. It replaces our LLM Common Read more...

• 2 years Distance without attendance degree: £4,408 per year (UK)
• 1 year Distance without attendance degree: £8,815 per year (UK)
• 1 year Full time degree: £8,815 per year (UK)
• 2 years Part time degree: £4,408 per year (UK)

Regulation and Compliance LLM

Queen mary university of london.

This LLM teaches you the fundamentals of the regulatory framework and provides a more focused approach to compliance in various markets. Read more...

• 2 years Distance without attendance degree: £9,450 per year (UK)
• 1 year Full time degree: £18,850 per year (UK)
• 2 years Part time degree: £9,450 per year (UK)

LLM International Commercial Law

Aberystwyth university.

The LLM International Commercial Law at Aberystwyth University offers you a professional and firm academic programme that will provide a Read more...

• 2 years Distance without attendance degree: £5,288 per year (UK)
• 1 year Full time degree: £8,835 per year (UK)

Law PhDs and MPhils (Distance Learning)

University of portsmouth.

If you're ready to take your expertise and qualifications in Law into a postgraduate research degree, Portsmouth is the perfect place to Read more...

• 6 years Distance without attendance degree: £2,393 per year (UK)
• 3 years Distance without attendance degree: £2,393 per year (UK)

Data Protection Law and Information Governance Postgraduate Certificate

Northumbria university, newcastle.

Course Typically information governance/security and law have been taught as distinct subjects in different discipline areas. In Read more...

• 1 year Distance without attendance degree: £3,083 per year (UK)

MPhil/PhD in Law

Manchester metropolitan university.

Discover your research degree study options, including areas of expertise for our academic supervisors. Our research degrees will help you Read more...

• 3 years Distance without attendance degree
• 6 years Distance without attendance degree
• 3 years Full time degree: £4,786 per year (UK)
• 6 years Part time degree

Legal Practice Top-up (distance learning) LLM

Nottingham trent university.

Nottingham Law School provides an LLM (Masters in Law) award through distance learning to “top-up” professional legal qualifications or Read more...

• 4 months Distance without attendance degree: £2,460 per year (UK)

University of Birmingham

As a postgraduate researcher at Birmingham Law School you will be contributing to more than 85 years of research tradition, working Read more...

• 2 years Distance without attendance degree: £2,393 per year (UK)
• 2 years Full time degree: £4,786 per year (UK)

Education (Wales) - Equity in Education, MA

Swansea university.

The National MA Education (Wales) Equity in Education is a truly transformative and sector leading programme for educational Read more...

• 3 years Distance without attendance degree: £3,250 per year (UK)

Human Rights Law - LLM

London metropolitan university.

Engage in theoretical and practical elements relating to human rights and social justice. You’ll develop the skills, knowledge and Read more...

• 1 year Distance without attendance degree: £15,000 per year (UK)
• 2 years Distance without attendance degree: £7,500 per year (UK)

LLM Law and Practice

The LLM Law and Practice is an advanced legal studies course that is structured to prepare you to undertake the Solicitors’ Qualifying Read more...

• 1 year Distance without attendance degree: £8,395 per year (UK)

LLM Human Rights and Humanitarian Law

The LLM in Human Rights and Humanitarian Law at Aberystwyth University offers you the opportunity to engage with the distinct yet Read more...

Master's by Research in Law

• 1 year Distance without attendance degree
• 2 years Distance without attendance degree
• 1 year Full time degree: £9,500 per year (UK)
• 2 years Part time degree

LLM International Legal Studies (Distance learning)

• 4 months Distance without attendance degree: £3,885 per year (UK)

Professional Legal Practice - PG Cert

Preparing you for the new Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), this course replaces the postgraduate diploma in Legal Practice Read more...

• 1 year Distance without attendance degree: £5,000 per year (UK)
• 1 year Full time degree: £5,000 per year (UK)
• 2 years Part time degree: £2,500 per year (UK)

LLM Professional Practice (Top up)

The course will provide you with the opportunity to develop in-depth knowledge of an area of chosen legal interest. It will encourage you Read more...

• 1 year Distance without attendance degree: £2,938 per year (UK)
• 1 year Part time degree: £2,938 per year (UK)

1-20 of 85 courses

Course type:

• Distance learning

Qualification:

Universities:.

• University of Wales Trinity Saint David
• Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London
• SRUC Scotland's Rural College
• King's College London, University of London
• University of Winchester
• Solent University (Southampton)
• Birmingham City University
• University of Sunderland
• University of Bradford
• University of Manchester
• Informa Connect
• Lancaster University
• University of Leicester
• University of London Worldwide
• Staffordshire University
• Leeds Beckett University
• Open University

Related Subjects:

• Find a course
• Undergraduate study
• Postgraduate study
• MPhil/PhD research
• Short courses
• Entry requirements
• Financial support

How to apply

• Come and meet us
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• Student Services
• Business Services
• Student life at Birkbeck
• The Birkbeck Experience
• Boost your career
• About Birkbeck
• Contact Birkbeck
• Faculties and Schools
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Law (Graduate Diploma)

Graduate Diploma

Application options include:

Course Overview

Our Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) enables you to gain the legal skills necessary for the best possible preparation in beginning vocational training for a career in legal practice. The GDL teaches you the seven foundations of law as required by the Bar Standards Board for the vocational training for barristers. It also equips you to embark on the necessary preparation for the Solicitors Qualifying Examination. You will develop the ability to:

• critically engage with sources of law, including cases, and scholarship from law and related fields
• apply principles of law
• engage in basic legal research using specific legal resources.

If you already have an undergraduate degree and want to gain the skills to help you qualify, but are not yet ready to commit to a full Master's degree, this GDL is for you. Birkbeck’s GDL is unique in teaching you to understand and apply the law, as well as teaching you about the law in its political, social and economic context. We want our graduates to not only go on to be successful lawyers, but also to be able to participate in important contemporary debates at the junction of law and public life.

Discover the career opportunities available by taking Law (Graduate Diploma) (Graduate Diploma).

Key information and modules

Law graduate diploma: 1 year full-time, on campus, starting september 2024.

Central London or by distance learning

For further information on making an application see How to apply

Law Graduate Diploma: 1 year full-time, online, starting September 2024

Law graduate diploma: 2 years part-time, on campus, starting september 2024, law graduate diploma: 2 years part-time, online, starting september 2024.

Find another course:

• Our Graduate Diploma in Law offers a fast-track route to retrain as a lawyer, with numerous opportunities to network with law practitioners and legal scholars.
• The course will give you plenty of opportunities for professional development and networking, and you will benefit from our vibrant annual cycle of inspiring expert-led public lectures and conferences, in which our research centres and institutes  play a key role.
• Birkbeck is a hub of expertise on creative, innovative and critical thinking, and we have a strong tradition of research in the areas of law and criminology. Our  academic staff  are international authorities in their respective fields.
• Our city centre campus is in Bloomsbury WC1, a lively student-centred place that is home to a number of universities and other colleges of the University of London. You will be able to take advantage of the rich research collections of University of London libraries as well as  Birkbeck Library , which has a strong collection in critical, theoretical and interdisciplinary legal studies, including access to key specialist journals and an extensive range of online materials.

Birkbeck makes all reasonable efforts to deliver educational services, modules and programmes of study as described on our website. In the event that there are material changes to our offering (for example, due to matters beyond our control), we will update applicant and student facing information as quickly as possible and offer alternatives to applicants, offer-holders and current students.

Most of our courses are taught in the evenings, however some of our courses offer a daytime timetable. Where there is an option to attend daytime teaching sessions, this is stated in the Key Information section under Attendance.

Entry Requirements

A second-class honours degree (2:2) in a subject other than law. Applicants with less than a 2:2 will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Applications are reviewed on their individual merits, and your professional qualifications and/or relevant work experience will be taken into consideration positively. We actively support and encourage applications from mature learners.

On your application form, please list all your relevant qualifications and experience, including those you expect to achieve.

Apply now  to secure your place. The earlier you apply, the sooner your application can be considered and you can enrol. You do not need to have completed your current qualification to start your application.

English language requirements

If English is not your first language or you have not previously studied in English, our usual requirement is the equivalent of an International English Language Testing System (IELTS Academic Test) score of 6.5, 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 and foundation programmes to help you improve your English language skills and get your place at Birkbeck.

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.

Credits and accredited prior learning (APL)

If you have studied at university, you may have accumulated credits through the modules you studied. It may be possible to transfer these credits from your previous study to Birkbeck or another institution.

Law Graduate Diploma: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, on campus or online, starting in academic year 2024-25

Academic year 2024–25, starting september 2024.

Part-time home students: £5,420 per year Full-time home students: £10,840 per year Part-time international students : £8,000 per year Full-time international students: £16,000 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.

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 .

At Birkbeck, most of our courses are taught in the evening and all of our teaching is designed to support students who are juggling evening study with work and other commitments. We actively encourage innovative and engaging ways of teaching, to ensure our students have the best learning experience.

Teaching may include formal lectures, seminars, and practical classes and tutorials. Formal lectures are used in most degree programmes to give an overview of a particular field of study. They aim to provide the stimulus and the starting point for deeper exploration of the subject during your own personal reading. Seminars give you the chance to explore a specific aspect of your subject in depth and to discuss and exchange ideas with fellow students. They typically require preparatory study.

In addition, you will have access to pastoral support via a named Personal Tutor.

Methods of teaching on this course

Teaching methods consist of pre-recorded lecture material; online materials, including readings, exercises and prompts; regular interactive seminar sessions; career-related sessions; and law research and legal practice events.

Teaching hours

Our evening hours are normally between 6pm and 9pm (6-7.30pm and 7.30-9pm). Some programmes also offer teaching during the day and this will be clearly signposted to you where it is available.

On our taught courses, you will have scheduled teaching and study sessions each year. Scheduled teaching sessions may include lectures, seminars, workshops or laboratory work. Depending on the modules you take, you may also have additional scheduled academic activities, such as tutorials, dissertation supervision, practical classes, visits and field trips. On our taught courses, the actual amount of time you spend in the classroom and in contact with your lecturers will depend on your course, the option modules you select and when you undertake your final-year project (if applicable).

Alongside your contact hours, you will also undertake assessment activities and independent learning outside of class. The amount of time you need to allocate to study both for taught sessions (this might include online sessions and/or in-person sessions) and personal study will depend on how much you are studying during the year and whether you are studying full time or part time.

Birkbeck’s courses are made up of modules and allocated ‘credit’. One credit is equivalent to ten hours of learning time. Modules are usually in 15, 30 or 60 credit units. A 15-credit module will mean around 150 hours of learning, including taught sessions and independent study or group work. This is spread out over the whole period of that module and includes the time you spend on any assessments, including in examinations, preparing and writing assessments or engaged in practical work as well as any study support sessions to help you in your learning.

On our distance-learning and blended-learning courses, discussion, collaboration and interaction with your lecturers and fellow students is encouraged and enabled through various learning technologies.

Timetables are usually available from September onwards and you can access your personalised timetable via your My Birkbeck Profile online (if you have been invited to enrol).

Indicative class size

Class sizes vary, depending on your course, the module you are undertaking, and the method of teaching. For example, lectures are presented to larger groups, whereas seminars usually consist of small, interactive groups led by a tutor.

Independent learning

On our taught courses, much of your time outside of class will be spent on self-directed, independent learning, including preparing for classes and following up afterwards. This will usually include, but is not limited to, reading books and journal articles, undertaking research, working on coursework and assignments, and preparing for presentations and assessments.

Independent learning is absolutely vital to your success as a student. Everyone is different, and the study time required varies topic by topic, but, as a guide, expect to schedule up to five hours of self-study for each hour of teaching.

Study skills and additional support

Birkbeck offers study and learning support to undergraduate and postgraduate students to help them succeed. Our Learning Development Service can help you in the following areas:

• academic skills (including planning your workload, research, writing, exam preparation and writing a dissertation)
• written English (including structure, punctuation and grammar)
• numerical skills (basic mathematics and statistics).

Our Disability and Dyslexia Service can support you if you have additional learning needs resulting from a disability or from dyslexia.

Our Counselling Service can support you if you are struggling with emotional or psychological difficulties during your studies.

Our Mental Health Advisory Service can support you if you are experiencing short- or long-term mental health difficulties during your studies.

Assessment is an integral part of your university studies and usually consists of a combination of coursework and examinations, although this will vary from course to course - on some of our courses, assessment is entirely by coursework. The methods of assessment on this course are specified below under 'Methods of assessment on this course'. You will need to allow time to complete coursework and prepare for exams.

Where a course has unseen written examinations, these may be held termly, but, on the majority of our courses, exams are usually taken in the Summer term, during May to June. Exams may be held at other times of the year as well. In most cases, exams are held during the day on a weekday - if you have daytime commitments, you will need to make arrangements for daytime attendance - but some exams are held in the evening. Exam timetables are published online.

Find out more about assessment at Birkbeck, including guidance on assessment, feedback and our assessment offences policy.

Methods of assessment on this course

Assessment consists of quizzes, examinations and essays.

Careers and employability

As a graduate of the GDL, you are one step closer on your career path to becoming a legal practitioner. Possible professions include:

• policy adviser
• civil servant

Alternatively, you may use your legal practice and critical reasoning skills within the industry in which you work, including in business, technology, the arts and NGOs.

We offer a comprehensive careers service - Careers and Enterprise - your career partner during your time at Birkbeck and beyond. At every stage of your career journey, we empower you to take ownership of your future, helping you to make the connection between your experience, education and future ambitions.

You will need to apply for our Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) via LawCAB (Law Central Admissions Board).

You will find all the information you need about the application process and how to apply on the LawCAB website.

Please note that the application deadline for home applicants is 21 August.

If you are an international student requiring a visa you will need to ensure that you apply by the standard visa deadlines . 

When to apply

You are strongly advised to apply now, to ensure there are still places on your chosen course and to give you enough time to complete the admissions process, to arrange funding and to enrol.

You don't need to complete your current programme of study before you apply - Birkbeck can offer you a place that is conditional on your results.

You will also receive information about subject-specific induction sessions over the summer.

Help and advice with your application

Get all the information you need about the application, admission and enrolment process at Birkbeck.

Our online personal statement tool will guide you through every step of writing the personal statement part of your application.

Related courses

• Law General (LLM)

Course structure

Course structure listing, course structure and modules for law graduate diploma: 1 year full-time or 2 years part-time, on campus or online, starting september 2024.

You must complete modules worth a total of 150 credits, consisting of:

• eight compulsory modules (15 credits each)
• two option modules (15 credits each).

Alongside formal studies, you will be encouraged to participate in co-curricular activities, including career information evenings with practitioners, open evenings with law firms, and talks on substantive law by expert practitioners and legal scholars.

Compulsory modules

• Contract Law (GDL)
• Criminal Law (GDL)
• Equity and Trusts (GDL)
• European Union Law (GDL)
• Land Law (GDL)
• Legal Methods and Skills (GDL)
• Public Law (GDL)
• Tort Law (GDL)

Indicative option modules

• Evidence (Level 6)
• Legal Argument and Language in Law (Level 6)
• Mooting and Trial Skills
• Private International Law
• Wills, Probate and Inheritance

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

YouTube Widget Placeholder https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e_wrD7py4Xg

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 PhD workshops 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 , former UCL Laws PhD student

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 provided valuable insights into effective academic presentation skills and helped anticipating what presenting at conferences would be like in the years to come.”

Christina Lienen , former UCL Laws PhD student

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 UCL Laws 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 felt part of the academic community in two ways: as a teacher and as a student. I was able to learn constantly from both sides and the skills I 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 , former 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 enjoyed about studying at UCL Laws. The first was the rest of the PhD community. The small size of the PhD cohort and the range of interesting topics being worked on at any one time helps foster a vibrant and supportive research environment where everyone learns from each other. The second was being situated in Bentham House. Having excellent research facilities and dedicated study space in the heart of London is invaluable, especially as it allowed me to attend talks and conferences throughout the city. The third was 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 gave me a cross-disciplinary insight and made my work more holistic."

Jeevan Hariharan , former UCL Laws PhD student

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, new graduate research students and their supervisors are invited to a special welcome event, hosted by the Dean of the Faculty (currently Professor Eloise Scotford ) at the start of Term 1. This event provides a wonderful opportunity for new students to meet academic staff from across the faculty.  This is just one of several induction activities in the first two weeks of the programme in which new research students will have the opportunity to meet academic staff of the Faculty and established research students returning for their next year of study.

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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