Research degrees in Law

Overview

Deadline for application submissions

Applicants should be aware that the deadline for applying to the PhD programme for entry in September 2023 is midnight on Tuesday 6 June 2023. The application system will close at that point, meaning new applications cannot be submitted from that date and time onwards.  We will be open for applications in October 2023 for applicants wanting entry in September 2024.

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.

PhD students are a vital part of our research culture and you will be invited to attend regular research seminars at which faculty members, visiting scholars and PhD students present their work in progress.

This programme will:

• Allow you to specialise in virtually any field of law you choose. All supervisors are qualified members of staff with their own major research projects and publications.
• Give you research training, through a series of seminars at which you will be required to present your work, and through a formal research methods training course run at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. Participation in these courses is a compulsory part of the first year of research.
• Allow you to study additional courses which are provided by the college on different aspects of the PhD research process.

View our current cohort of PhD Law Students at Queen Mary.

Why study your PhD in Law at Queen Mary?

The School of Law has consistently been ranked among the top law schools in the UK for the quality of our research, and many of our internationally recognised staff act as advisers to governments, industry and NGOs, both nationally and internationally. In the latest Research Assessment Exercise (REF2021) we were ranked 15th in the UK, according to Times Higher Education, with 87 per cent of our School’s research outputs classed as world-leading (4* the highest score possible) or internationally excellent (3*).

The Postgraduate Law Centre is based in Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Holborn, the legal district of London, near to numerous law firms, chambers and the Royal Courts of Justice and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, one of the leading law libraries in Europe.

We have a number of active research centres and institutes across a diverse range of legal areas, each one focuses on a particular area of law and brings together staff with similar research and teaching interests.

You will be able to join the School of Law Online Network (SOLON) and attend events organised by the group such as social gatherings and writing retreats. You can also get involved with the Annual Postgraduate Legal Research Conference, one of the largest in the UK, organised and led by PhD students with support from Queen Mary academics.

Facilities

• You will have access to facilities and equipment, including the Postgraduate School of Law Centre in Lincoln's Inn Fields which comprises workstations, wireless internet access, projectors and a common room. You will also have access to the Lock-keeper's Cottage Graduate Centre dedicated solely to the use of graduate students in the faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, with the use of a common room and interdisciplinary training workshops.
• As well as housing the Law Library and a European Documentation Centre, the Queen Mary Library at Mile End provides access to all the main British, European and international textbooks, law reports and periodicals and also offers one of the best commercial law collections in the country. Through the University of London College network, you will have access to an unrivalled range of electronic law journals and databases.
• Queen Mary provides free access to extensive online databases and collections including: Lexis, Nexis, Westlaw, Justis, Eur-lex, Hein-Online, Business Source Complete, Index to Legal Periodicals, International Court of Justice Reports, Kluwer Arbitration, Oxford Scholarship Online (Law), Reports of Patent, Design and Trademark Cases, UK Statute law database and United Nations Treaty Collection.
• In addition to the Queen Mary Library and the British Library, you will be able to access the well-stocked law library at the University of London's Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (IALS). The Institute, located at Russell Square, a few minutes' walk from Lincoln’s Inn Fields, is one of the major law libraries worldwide. You will also have access to the University of London Library at Senate House.

Structure

The normal period of registration for the PhD in Law is three years full-time and six years part-time. Full-time students must complete within four years and part-time students within seven years. You will be required to live in or around the London area for the duration of your doctoral studies.

Supervision

There are a limited number of supervision places with each academic, so apply early to ensure that we can match you with an appropriate supervisor. Search our staff list to find staff in your proposed field of research. You can also search our current PhD Students.

Unlike other programmes at Queen Mary, we do not advise you to contact individual academic staff members about supervision before you apply and, while you can name your proposed supervisor on your online application form, it is not a requirement. This is because all new applications are reviewed by our Director of Graduate Studies. The Director has an overview of the supervisory capabilities and availability of all academic staff within the school. If your application is considered strong enough, the Director will ensure that it is reviewed by academics with expertise relevant to your proposed area of study.

Therefore, applicant’s should note that, while the College’s On-line PhD application system requires applicants to confirm the name of a proposed supervisor (in the ‘Research Proposal’ section), the School of Law has no requirement here, applicants can simply name their proposed supervisor as a ‘School of Law supervisor’, without having to name a specific member of staff (although they are free to do so if they wish).

Research training

Research training is offered through a series of weekly term-time seminars at which you will be required to present your work, and through a formal research methods training course run at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. Participation in these courses is a compulsory part of the first year of research. Additional courses are provided by the college on different aspects of the PhD research process.

Applicants for part-time study should be aware that, while taking the mandatory research training courses can be spread over the first two years, rather than just in the first year, they still require attendance at seminars provided during the working day. Therefore, part-time students must make sure they are able to attend these seminars during the first or second year of study.

Entry requirements

The application process and documentation required

1. Online Application
2. Qualification documents
3. English language qualifications
4. Employment history - CV
5. Funding
6. References
7. Additional documents
   
   1. Research proposal
   2. Statement of purpose

The following guidance notes are in addition to the central College research degree application guidance notes provided on the online application page. You must read both guides when completing your application.

The notes on this page are specific to the School of Law PhD programme, and take precedence over the College notes. For example, we only consider applications which include a Research Proposal, CV and two references. Failure to submit all the documents that the School of Law requires (even if the online process has been completed) will mean that your application will not be processed and could delay your application.

Also - while the College’s On-line PhD application system requires applicants to confirm the name of a proposed supervisor (in the ‘Research Proposal’ section), the School of Law has no requirement here, applicants can simply name their proposed supervisor as a ‘School of Law supervisor’, without having to name a specific member of staff (although they are free to do so if they wish).

1. Making on online application

To apply online, please click on the buttons on the top right side of this web-page under the ‘full-time application’ or ‘part-time application’ titles, depending upon which mode of study you want. These buttons are portals to the on-line application system - one you are in the application system, please follow the instructions.

2. Qualification Documents - academic entry requirements

You will be expected to have a distinction on an LLM or equivalent qualification. In some circumstances the requirement will be applied flexibly, for example if an applicant has performed to distinction level in an LLM dissertation or has an outstanding undergraduate qualification. In exceptional cases, vocational experience in the proposed area of research may compensate for the lack of a master's degree, or a grade below that specified above. For example, working as a magistrate, judge, lawyer or expert for a considerable period of time, such as five years, in the proposed area of research will be taken into account. A relevant undergraduate degree in Law or its relevant equivalent qualification is necessary in all cases.

Applicants need to provide copies from their most recently taken academic qualification. This should include both the transcript showing the breakdown of your mark, including specifically the mark for any dissertation component taken), and a copy of the certificate confirming the overall grade. If you have also previously taken an under-graduate degree in Law, please include copies of your certificate from this degree, confirming the overall grade.  For degrees taken in non-English speaking countries, applicants must submit transcripts translated into English by a notarized interpreter.

If you are a current LLM or MA student, you should include documentation relating to your previous course of study (for example, your LLB).

3. English Language Qualifications

Documentary proof of English Language Competency, such as an IBTOEFL or IELTS test result certificate.

Applicants whose first language is not English are required to provide proof of proficiency in English as part of the application process. To see if your nationality counts as the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) definition of an English speaking country (meaning you normally wouldn’t need to provide documentary proof of English competency), please go to the following web-page. Applicants must note, however, that in additional to holding a passport from such a country, the applicant must have both predominantly resided and received the majority of their schooling in that country. This will be determined by the College’s Admissions Office during the application review process and be confirmed to the applicant by the time of any offer decision.

For applicants who must provide English, then you will need to provide proof of English proficiency, in the form of a certificate showing you have taken an English language test recognised and accepted by our Admissions Office no more than two years prior to your proposed entry point and you meet our entry criteria.

Our English language webpage provide information on both the main English testing schemes we use and the marks required to meet our requirements (for example, in the IELTS testing scheme, we look for 7.5 overall (and 7.5 in the written component).

The English Language webpages also list the various types of English test we may accept results from.

Successful applicants who are required to provide proof of English and who haven’t done so by the time of the submission of their application will receive offers conditional upon their providing documentary proof they have taken a relevant English test and met the required mark prior to their enrolment date. Therefore, international applicants should be aware that student visas can only be applied for once an applicant holds an unconditional offer to their proposed programme of study, meaning English documentation must be submitted in sufficient time prior to their proposed entry date to ensure the applicant is able to attend the UK).

Pre-sessional English

If you fall below our standard English Language requirements, you may consider one of our Pre-Sessional English courses. You will require a UK government approved secure English Language Test for entry to Pre-Sessional courses. Only IELTS for UKVI and Trinity ISE are currently accepted. The minimum entry requirement for the PSE course is 6.0 overall (and 6.0 in writing) for the IELTS programme. We offer a Summer Pre-sessional Summer programme. As this course can start in mid-June, applicants are advised to submit their PhD application no later than mid-March to ensure an offer and then a visa application (if required) can be made in time for attendance by then.

Exceptions and Exemptions from this requirement:

Applicants who are not from a majority English speaking country, or do not hold an approved English test that meets our requirements can be considered exempt from this requirement if they can provide documentary evidence:

• They hold a degree from a Majority English Speaking Country (MESC) (and provided QMUL recognises the degree and deems it equivalent to UK degree), you may use this degree to satisfy the English language requirements for entry if it was delivered in the MESC. Such degrees must have sufficient minimum years of study.
• They have at least one year of recent employment using English as the main language of communication. QMUL can consider on an individual basis a letter from your employer confirming your English language proficiency in all four component scores provided you additionally have a Queen Mary approved English language test outside the standard validity period.Applicants should note this documentation should either be provided with the other supporting documentation when the application is submitted or, should your application be successfully reviewed, after you have received the offer you must submit the documentation to our Research Admissions Office directly, following the instructions given in the offer.

For further queries regarding acceptable English language qualifications, please contact the Admissions team directly via email to pgtadmissions@qmul.ac.uk.

In addition to the section on the School of Law PhD programme, applicants should read the ‘Postgraduate Guidelines’ section given on the Postgraduate Research English Language Requirements page.

4. Employment History - CV

You should include an up to date copy of your CV. This should include details of any legal vocational experience relevant to your proposed area of research, in addition to your academic background.

5. Funding deadline

There are a variety of different deadlines for submission of funding applications. In order to be considered for the funding award, you must also submit your main PhD application (and supporting documents) by that funding deadline date. Details of eligibility criteria are available on the funding page.

Funding Deadlines

There are a variety of different deadlines for submission of funding applications. In order to be considered for the funding award, you must also submit your main PhD application (and supporting documents) by that funding deadline date. Details of eligibility criteria are available on the funding page.

6. References

Applicants must provide two written references (not one, as mentioned in the central College Guidance Note), in the form of a letter of support from you referee. One of these references must be from an academic who taught you on your most recent course of study (which is normally the LLM degree or equivalent). Applicants who are current LLM students should obtain their references from staff currently teaching them on their LLM. For applicants without recent academic qualifications, vocational references may sometimes be accepted.

7. Additional Documents

In addition to the specified documentation, the School of Law application process also specifically requires a Research Proposal and a Personal Statement. Although you will be able to submit an online application without these documents, your application will not be reviewed without them.

a) The Research Proposal

You must demonstrate, through a research proposal submitted with your application form, that you have a coherent and viable research project. There is no template for this proposal but it should be sufficiently detailed for a potential supervisor to assess your understanding of the area of interest and the viability of the proposed research. The research proposal should set out the research methods which will be adopted and include a short bibliography of the key relevant literature in the area.

For guidelines on writing a PhD proposal see our Research Proposal Guide [PDF 224KB].

There is no word limit for the research proposal, but research proposals which are well-written, clear and concise are usually more successful. Please disregard any other guidance note which suggests that the Research Proposal should be no longer than 500 words.

b) The Statement of Purpose / Personal Statement

Your statement of purpose should explain why you want to undertake this particular research and how it will help your life and career. It should be one side of A4. This document gives you the opportunity to include any information that you believe is relevant to your application which you haven’t included in another part of your application papers. For example, if you do not have an LLM, but would like to apply on the basis of vocational experience, you could include your justification for doing so here. Please also include details of how you intend to fund your studies and living costs in each year (year 1, 2, 3 and 4).

Important Additional Information about the application process

Interviews and feedback

When we have reviewed an application and supporting documentation, and if we are interested in supervising your PhD, the final stage of the process is an interview to discuss your proposed research and other details of your application. You should therefore be available for interview if requested. We will carry out telephone interviews for overseas applicants or UK applicants who currently live or study overseas. Offers of study will only be made following a successful interview.

We receive a high volume of applications so we cannot offer individual feedback on unsuccessful applications.

Entry Points

The PhD programme is open for entry in September only. We recommend that you apply early:

• The application process can take a number of months, and applicants should be aware that the deadline for applying to the PhD programme for entry in September is at the beginning of June each year. The application system will close for new applications at this point, meaning new applications cannot be submitted from that date. Applicants wanting entry in the September of the following year should note that the PhD application system will reopen for new applications in late September each year.
• Non-EU applicants who need to receive an offer before September in order to apply for a student visa should apply even earlier, in April or May.
• If you are currently taking your LLM and the date of your graduation (not the date of your last class or assessed work) falls after September, you will have to apply for entry in the following year.

Supervision

There are a limited number of supervision places with each academic, so apply early to ensure that we can match you with an appropriate supervisor. Search our staff list to find staff in your proposed field of research.

Unlike other programmes at Queen Mary, we do not advise you to contact individual academic staff members about supervision before you apply and, while you can name your proposed supervisor on your online application form, it is not a requirement. This is because all new applications are reviewed by our Director of Graduate Studies. The Director has an overview of the supervisory capabilities and availability of all academic staff within the school. If your application is considered strong enough, the Director will ensure that it is reviewed by academics with expertise relevant to your proposed area of study.

Contact us

For general enquiries about the application process contact Gareth Skehan, PhD Admissions Administrator

email: g.skehan@qmul.ac.uk
School of Law,
Queen Mary University of London,
67-69 Lincoln's Inn Fields
London WC2A 3JB

Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 8214
Fax: +44 (0)20 7882 8101

Academic support

Assessment

You will be assessed in the first year of study to check that your progression is satisfactory. If you are a full-time student you will be required to submit written work and prepare a presentation for two assessors. If you have attended all the mandatory research training and your written work and presentation are deemed satisfactory, you will continue on the next stage of the PhD programme. If your report is unsatisfactory you will be set a number of academic targets that you will need to meet or you will be will be de-registered. Your progress will be assessed in each year of study. Failure to demonstrate progression to the required standard may result in de-registration from the programme.

Thesis

The thesis, which must be presented in accordance with University of London regulations, is read by at least two examiners appointed by Queen Mary University of London, who also examine the candidate orally. A PhD thesis must form a distinct contribution to the knowledge of the subject and afford evidence of originality, shown either by the discovery of new facts or by the exercise of independent critical power. The length of a PhD thesis is a maximum of 100,000-words. College regulations require that each student is normally allocated two supervisors and you may expect to see your primary supervisor every two weeks or so during term-time in the initial stages of your research.

Fees

Tuition fees for Home and EU students

Find out the tuition fees for Home and EU Students.

Tuition fees for International students

Find out the tuition fees for International Students.

You can either take out a Tuition Fee Loan (see Funding section below) to pay your fees or, if you are paying them yourself, you can pay in instalments.

You can also contact us using the following details:

Tel: +44 (0)20 7882 7676 or email: fees@qmul.ac.uk

Funding

Profiles

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