September and February
Full-time: 3 Years
Part-time: 5 Years
Full-time: £10,500 per year
Part-time: £5,250 per year
Full-time: £10,500 per year
Part-time: £5,250 per year
At The City Law School, we are committed to the provision of high-quality graduate education and a stimulating research environment to study in. You will join the City Law School's thriving postgraduate research community, receiving the necessary support and training to develop successfully your research project.
You will also have the opportunity to attend the School's research training seminars focused on research skills and methodologies and to present your work in progress at both weekly seminars and the annual School Postgraduate Forum. You will also become part of a stimulating research environment by participating in the activities of the School's research centres, institutes and groups.
Our internationally recognised experts conduct research into all major areas of laws. Our research centres, institutes and groups promote cutting-edge research with a view to advancing knowledge and bringing value to society.
Applicants should have a track record of high academic achievement, demonstrated by an LLB degree with at least a second class (upper division) or equivalent, and a Master's degree (in law or a related discipline) with at least a merit or equivalent. Applicants should also have achieved a strong merit in the Master's dissertation and demonstrate a suitable aptitude to undertake a course of independent research.
For applicants whose first language is not English, the following qualifications will meet the English language requirement for entry:
If you are not from the European Economic Area / Switzerland and you are coming to study in the UK, you may need to apply for a visa or entry clearance to come to the UK to study.
The way that you apply may vary depending on the length of your course. There are different rules for:
For more information see our main Visa page.
The award of a PhD requires the submission of a thesis for examination at a viva voce (oral examination) by two examiners, at least one of whom is external to City. A PhD thesis (up to 100,000 words) must be an original and substantial piece of work which makes a contribution to the relevant literature.
All students are initially registered for the MPhil degree. To proceed to a PhD all students must upgrade within 18 months (30 months for part-time students).
Find out about the research interests of our current students.
Find out more about the research carried out by our research centres.
Fees for doctoral candidates are charged annually and cover registration, supervision and examination. Fees are subject to review each year and may vary during your period of registration.
Fee waivers may be available to exceptional candidates. Please enquire with the School Office for further information.
The Government has introduced a new Postgraduate Doctoral Loans scheme which can provide a loan of up to £25,000 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 and can be used alongside any other forms of support you may be able to receive, for example from industry or business or through your PhD supervisor.
During their first year at City, all PhD students will attend a programme of weekly research training sessions led by members of the City Law School academic and professional staff. These sessions are intended to provide incoming PhD students with the core set of skills needed to successfully complete their research projects and engage productively with the broader research community. Researchers at City Law School work with a wide range of different methodologies and research approaches, and this intellectual diversity is reflected in the training programme. The sessions also provide an opportunity for new PhD students to learn from their peers’ experiences, through research presentations from more advanced doctoral researchers or recent graduates. The weekly training sessions are supplemented by a range of other research training opportunities available to PhD students in City Law School and the broader City University community throughout the year.
We are committed to the provision of high-quality graduate education and provide you with a stimulating research environment to study in. You are assigned two supervisors to support you throughout your research, with one of these supervisors taking primary responsibility for you. Your supervisor assists you with refining your research ideas, suggesting reading and making comments on the drafts of your thesis.
The admissions period for September 2019/20 has closed. Applications for entry to either January 2020 or September 2020 are now being accepted.
Please submit an online application form for this programme.
You will need to upload:
An outcome response will be communicated to you within two weeks.
Applicants are welcome to discuss their ideas for research by contacting relevant members of the School of Law. Details can be found on our website.
A strong PhD proposal is an important component of your application, so please read our guide to writing a successful PhD proposal carefully before sending us your proposal.
Academic references
You will need to provide names and e-mails of two referees who know your work well and can comment on your aptitude for critical thinking and original research within a well-defined framework. We will contact the referees once you have submitted your application.
Transcripts
At the initial stage of your application we will accept electronic copies of your official transcripts. If your application is successful we will require you to send us the original hard copies before a final offer of place is made.
Interview
You may be invited for an interview by a panel consisting of the PhD Programme Director and a potential supervisor.
