Program Overview

PhD, MPhil Law

The University of Strathclyde offers a PhD or MPhil in Law, requiring three years of full-time study for a PhD and one year of full-time study for an MPhil. Part-time research degrees are also available, providing an opportunity to research in an area related to your profession without having to leave employment.

Research Opportunities

You can study a PhD or an MPhil in Law, with the Law School welcoming part-time PhD and MPhil students. The Law School has expertise in various areas, including:

• Access to justice & the provision of legal services
• Constitutional & administrative law
• Environmental law & governance
• Human rights
• Gender, Sexuality and the Law
• Criminal, Justice and Evidence
• Criminology
• Private law
• Technology Law and Regulation
• Intellectual Property Law
• Commercial law and International Commercial Law
• International and EU Migration Law and Governance
• Competition Law and Antitrust
• EU and UK Labour Law
• Public International Law
• Law and Society
• Finance Law
• Medical Law and Ethics
• Legal Theory

Our Expertise

Further information on members of staff’s areas of expertise can be found under the supervisors' tab and on their staff profile pages.

The Place of Useful Learning

The University of Strathclyde has been recognized as the UK University of the Year and the Scottish University of the Year.

View our current research opportunities

The John Anderson Research Studentship Scheme (JARSS) doctoral studentships are available annually for excellent students and excellent research projects. There are two main sources of funding: Central University funding and Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council - Doctoral Landscape Award (EPSRC - DLA) funding.

Funding

• Central University funding
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council - Doctoral Landscape Award (EPSRC - DLA) funding

Deadline

The JARSS 2025/26 competition will open in October 2024, and students successful in this competition will commence studies in October 2025.

What our students say

Our students have found the research community at Strathclyde to be very engaged, with opportunities to discuss topics and ask for assistance. They have also appreciated the support received from their supervisors, which has been exceptional.

Fees & funding

All fees quoted are per academic year unless otherwise stated. Entrants may be subject to a small fee during the writing up period. Fees may be subject to updates to maintain accuracy. Tuition fees will be notified in your offer letter.

Annual revision of fees

Students on programmes of study of more than one year (or studying standalone modules) should be aware that the majority of fees will increase annually. The University will take a range of factors into account, including, but not limited to, UK inflation, changes in delivery costs and changes in Scottish and/or UK Government funding. Changes in fees will be published on the University website in October each year for the following year of study and any annual increase will be capped at a maximum of 10% per year.

Fees

• Scotland: £4,786
• England, Wales & Northern Ireland: £4,786
• Republic of Ireland: If you are an Irish citizen and have been ordinary resident in the Republic of Ireland for the three years prior to the relevant date, and will be coming to Scotland for Educational purposes only, you will meet the criteria of England, Wales & Northern Ireland fee status.
• International: £18,050

Funding

Take a look at our funding your postgraduate research web page for funding information. You can also view our scholarships search for further funding opportunities.

Postgraduate research at the Strathclyde Doctoral School

The Strathclyde Doctoral School offers a vibrant, student-centred research and training environment, dedicated to supporting both current and future research talent. Bringing together all four of our faculties, it is committed to enhancing the student experience, increasing research outputs and opportunities, and ensuring that training is delivered at the highest standard.

Support & development

The Graduate School is a friendly and supportive study environment for research students studying subjects within Humanities & Social Sciences. Our staff will support you through your studies and you'll become part of a community of students who get involved with our workshops, seminars and competitions.

Postgraduate Certificate in Researcher Professional Development (PgCert RPD)

Our PgCert RPD programme aims to ensure you get the most out of your current research activities at Strathclyde and helps you prepare for your future career as a researcher.

Careers

The University Careers Service can help you with everything from writing your CV to interview preparation.

Student support

From financial advice to our IT facilities, we have a wide range of support for all students here at Strathclyde.

Supervisors

Name| Areas of expertise| Projects Welcome ---|---|--- Dominic Aitken | punishment and penal policy, imprisonment and immigration detention, criminal law and criminal justice, criminological theory| punishment and penal policy, imprisonment and immigration detention Malcolm Combe | property law, land law, commercial law, access to justice, clinical legal education| Scottish land reform, Scots property law Antonio Cardesa-Salzmann | international & EU environmental law| Pablo Grez Hidalgo | constitutional & administrative law, non-judicial mechanism of constitutional and legal review, parliamentary accountability, The role of Law in Public Health Emergencies.| political accountability, non-judicial review, Scottish constitutional reform, Scottish Parliamentary committees and accountability Sylvie Da Lomba | international refugee law, immigration & asylum law, EU immigration & asylum law & policy, migrants' rights, human rights, social & economic rights, EU law| Michelle Donnelly | child and family law; child justice, child protection, childhood offending, children and families' rights.| UNCRC incorporation and child justice, Participation in child protection processes. Alyson Evans | Scots Family Law, Children's Rights, The Children's Hearing System, Child Protection, especially in non-familial settings| The Children's Hearing System, Child Protection in Sport Simon Halliday | socio-legal studies, legal culture, administrative justice, public law| Administrative fairness: public perceptions of fairness in public administration, Legal consciousness: what people think and do in relation to law in everyday life Charlie Irvine | mediation in the justice system & the role of emotion in conflict| mediation in the justice system, the role of emotion in conflict Douglas Jack | constitutional law, human rights law| protection of human rights in Scotland, multi-institutional protection of human rights Mel Kenny | private law, company and securities law, corporate governance, consumer and competition law, EU law| Genevieve Lennon | counter-terrorism & security, human rights| James MacLean | legal theory & legal philosophy, international criminal law, transitional justice, miscarriages of justice, criminal law & criminal justice| Christopher McCorkindale | constitutional law, legal theory, administrative law| devolution in the UK, Hannah Arendt and the law Lynsey Mitchell | international human rights law, women’s rights, reproductive rights, gender & sexuality, feminist legal theory, women & conflict| abortion and human rights, gendered approaches to human rights law Elisa Morgera | international, European & comparative environmental law, equity & sustainability in natural resource development, oceans governance, corporate accountability| Mary Neal | healthcare law, abortion law, assisted dying and the law, beginning-of-life and end-of-life ethics, conscientious objection in healthcare, healthcare professionalism and ethics, legal theory, theory of property, human dignity, vulnerability and the law| Guido Noto La Diega | intellectual property, private law and technology, data protection, European private law, consumer law| Projects at the intersection of law and technology, especially the Internet of Things, AI and robots. Maria Ntona | legal theory, legal geography, international & EU environmental law, human rights and the environment, oceans governance| Thérèse O'Donnell | counter-terrorism, hate speech, holocaust legacy, human rights, looted art, public international law, transitional justice| public international law, human rights law Michael Randall | financial law & concern regulating behaviour predominantly in the financial sector through taxation at both national & international level| Barry Rodger | competition law, international private law| Emily Rose | labour law, legal theory| Labour markets and the employment relationship in the innovation economy Jane Scoular | feminist legal theory, gender and law, legal theory, sex work| sex work regulation Birgit Schippers | human rights, artificial intelligence & data privacy, law, justice & algorithmic decision-making, legal & ethical regulation of biometric technologies, online speech, online harms & disinformation, critical human rights theories| Francesco Sindico | climate change law, international environmental law, international trade law, international water law, transboundary aquifers| Stephanie Switzer | international environmental law, international trade law, world trade organisation, global health security, law and epidemics| Cyrus Tata | criminal justice, discretionary decision-making, executive release from custody, judicial sentencing and punishment, legal aid & access to justice, plea decision-making, judiciary, penology, penal policy| criminal justice, discretionary decision-making, Sentencing and punishment, Scottish access to justice, Scottish criminal justice Saskia Vermeylen | legal theory, legal anthropology, law and literature, levinas, property theory| Elaine Webster | dignity, human rights, human rights education| Rhonda Wheate | criminal law, criminal justice, evidence, expert evidence, law clinics| Adelyn Wilson | private law, public law, medical law, legal history| private law, public law, medical law, legal history Rebecca Zahn | labour law, European social policy, EU law comparative law|

Apply

Before you apply online, we advise you to contact a potential supervisor and/or the Graduate School. The application will require:

• Your full contact details
• Your research proposal of 1,500 to 2,000 words in length
• Transcripts and certificates of all degrees
• Your CV
• Proof of English language proficiency if English isn't your first language
• Two references, one of which must be academic
• Funding or scholarship information

You'll be notified of the outcome of your application through the online application system.

Start between: Oct 2024 - Sep 2025

• Law: PhD (full-time)
• Law: PhD (part-time)
• Law: MPhil (full-time)
• Law: MPhil (part-time)

Start between: Oct 2025 - Sep 2026

• Law: PhD (full-time)
• Law: PhD (part-time)
• Law: MPhil (full-time)
• Law: MPhil (part-time)

Start between: Oct 2026 - Sep 2027

• Law: PhD (full-time)
• Law: PhD (part-time)
• Law: MPhil (full-time)
• Law: MPhil (part-time)