Program Overview

Law PhD

Overview

The School of Law has over 100 years of achievement in both education and research. We are ranked as a leading centre for legal research in the UK, and our academics are recognised experts at home and abroad.

We offer PhD supervision across the legal field, supporting a range of approaches, from the doctrinal to the sociolegal, comparative, criminological and critical.

Our doctoral students go to exciting careers, including as academics at law schools across the UK. Our base in Belfast gives us direct contact with the legal profession and judiciary, allowing excellent access in terms of the study of law and legal practice.

We are committed to making doctoral students part of the life of the School of Law and the wider university. We have created a bespoke training programme for new PhDs; more advanced students can avail of training opportunities offered by the School and by the University's Graduate School. Our PhDs can apply for paid teaching experience from their second year; there are also opportunities to get involved in editorial work for the Northern Ireland Legal Quarterly (one of the UK's oldest law journals), or with LawPod, a podcasting venture hosted by the School of Law, or with the student-led Research Network. Funding is available to support students who want to present their work at conferences or expert seminars.

Subject Summary

You will join the 70 PhD students in the School who make up a vibrant postgraduate community contributing to the School’s scholarship and research culture. Research supervision is available in a wide range of legal areas including:

• Human Rights: this is a longstanding area of strength within the School, with expert colleagues at all levels and a dedicated Human Rights Centre, which PhDs can join. A human rights conference is held annually, hosted by PhDs, who choose the conference theme and manage the event. Our expertise spans both core and emerging areas of human rights, including gender, health, refugees, equality and non-discrimination, the EU and human rights, conflict and human rights, business and human rights, and new technologies and human rights.
• Justice: Justice is a further longstanding area of strength within the School, which has close relations with the University's George Mitchell Institute for Global Peace, Security and Justice. Our expertise ranges from transitional justice to criminal justice, with additional strengths in areas such as the legal profession, judicial review and international criminal law.
• Law and Governance: Our track record on questions of law and governance is impressive and wide-ranging. We have expertise in commercial, contract and business law, in EU law and governance, and in questions of law and ethics, and law and risk.
• Importantly, the School is able to host PhDs across an array of research methods. Our experts use a particularly wide range of legal research methods, allowing us to offer supervision to PhDs that are doctrinal, sociolegal, critical, criminological or oral-history based. We are also able to host interdisciplinary PhDs, working with experts from across Queen's.
• We are also delighted to be able to welcome applications in the following emerging areas of legal studies:
  • The UK's changing relationship with the European Union (EU)
  • Business and human rights
  • Heritage, property and culture
  • Law and new technologies, from the human right to science, to the legal implications of AI

Law Highlights

Industry Links

• The Law School has strong links with the High Court and Court of Appeal, and the Northern Ireland Assembly (all based in Belfast).

World Class Facilities

• A £20 million investment in our School of Law building has created excellent facilities for postgraduate researchers, with access to Queen's Graduate School just minutes away.

Internationally Renowned Experts

• We are extremely proud of our international connections and have staff and students from over 70 countries. Our academics have research links across the world.

Key Facts

Research students are encouraged to play a full and active role in relation to the wide range of activities within the School and wider University. You will have access to:

• A student-led Research Network
• The University's Postgraduate Researcher Development Programme
• Office accommodation with computing facilities and support to attend conferences.
• A bespoke School of Law PhD training programme

Student Testimonials

“QUB’s research environment has allowed my doctoral studies to go from strength to strength, fostering academic insight and research skills that I was unsure I had, and providing me with the confidence, resources, and skills to develop my own ideas and research interests. My supervisor team has given me invaluable insight as first-rate academics, and they have fully welcomed me into the research community at QUB.”

Eamonn Rea
PhD student

"The School of Law provides training for PhD law students, covering the necessary aspects for a successful PhD journey. In addition, postgraduate students may sign up for a range of training courses offered by the Graduate School.

Throughout the year, the School of Law also organises seminars and invites scholars from different universities to present their research on a wide range of topics, which postgraduate students are welcome to attend.

Postgraduate students also have opportunities to attend valuable networking events and present research at conferences, enabling PhD students to share their research with peers and receive feedback."

Daniela Janikova
PhD student

Academic Testimonials

"Queen's is an ideas factory for budding legal academics like me. I count myself lucky to be in such an inspirational place."

Dr Conor McCormick
PhD alumnus and Senior Lecturer in Law at Queen's

Career Prospects

Queen's postgraduates reap exceptional benefits. Unique initiatives, such as Degree Plus and Researcher Plus, bolster our commitment to employability, while innovative leadership and executive programmes, alongside sterling integration with business experts, helps our students gain key leadership positions both nationally and internationally.

Learning Outcomes

A research degree offers students an opportunity to foster their capacity for independent research and critical thought. It also allows students to explore an area of interest and so understand and solve theoretical and practical problems within the field.

Undertaking a research degree can enhance a student's written and oral communication skills and a PhD is almost always a formal requirement for an academic post.

Course Structure

A PhD is awarded for original research in a topic chosen by the student. PhD studies may be undertaken on a full (3 years) or part-time (6 years) basis.

Research students are appointed a primary and secondary supervisor who will guide them through their research.

"The School of Law provides training for PhD law students, covering the necessary aspects for a successful PhD journey. In addition, postgraduate students may sign up for a range of training courses offered by the Graduate School.

Throughout the year, the School of Law also organises seminars and invites scholars from different universities to present their research on a wide range of topics, which postgraduate students are welcome to attend.

Postgraduate students also have opportunities to attend valuable networking events and present research at conferences, enabling PhD students to share their research with peers and receive feedback."

Daniela Janikova PhD student

This independent research is complemented by programmes of training, provided both by the School of Law and by Queen's Graduate School, which is housed in a beautiful converted building just minutes from the entrance to the School of Law building.

Assessment

Assessment processes for the research degree differ from taught degrees. Students will be expected to present drafts of their work at regular intervals to their supervisors who will provide written and oral feedback.

In addition, a formal assessment process takes place annually. This Annual Progress Review requires students to present their work in writing and orally to a panel of academics from within the School. Successful completion of this process will allow students to register for the next academic year.

The final assessment of the doctoral degree is both oral and written. Students will submit their thesis to an internal and external examining team who will review the written thesis before inviting the student to defend their work orally at a viva voce.

Feedback

Supervisors will offer feedback on draft work at regular intervals throughout the period of registration on the degree.

Facilities

Full time PhD students have access to shared office space and access to a desk with personal computer and internet access.

Entrance Requirements

Graduate

An Upper Second or First Class Honours degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) in Law or another relevant discipline, plus a Master's degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) with an average above 60%. Applicants with an Upper Second or First Class Honours degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) in Law or another relevant discipline who are currently studying a Master’s degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) will also be considered. Applicants with an Upper Second or First Class Honours degree (or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University) in Law or another relevant discipline plus evidence of ability to conduct independent and original research will be considered on a case by case basis.

International Students

For information on international qualification equivalents, please check the specific information for your country.

English Language Requirements

Evidence of an IELTS* score of 7.0, with not less than 6.5 in any component, or an equivalent qualification acceptable to the University is required. *Taken within the last 2 years.

Tuition Fees

Northern Ireland (NI) | £5,006 Republic of Ireland (ROI) | £5,006 England, Scotland or Wales (GB) | £5,006 EU Other | £20,500 International | £20,500

1. EU citizens in the EU Settlement Scheme, with settled or pre-settled status, are expected to be charged the NI or GB tuition fee based on where they are ordinarily resident, however this is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly Student Fees Regulations. Students who are ROI nationals resident in GB are expected to be charged the GB fee, however this is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly student fees Regulations.
2. It is expected that EU students who are ROI nationals resident in ROI will be eligible for NI tuition fees. The tuition fee set out above is provisional and subject to the publication of the Northern Ireland Assembly student fees Regulations.
3. EU Other students (excludes Republic of Ireland nationals living in GB, NI or ROI) are charged tuition fees in line with international fees.

All tuition fees quoted relate to a single year of study unless stated otherwise. All fees will be subject to an annual inflationary increase, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Additional Course Costs

There are no specific additional course costs associated with this programme.

Funding and Scholarships

The Funding & Scholarship Finder helps prospective and current students find funding to help cover costs towards a whole range of study related expenses.