Program Overview

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Introduction to the DPhil in Law

The DPhil in Law is the most prestigious of the Law Faculty's research degrees, entailing the writing of a thesis over a period of three to four years for full-time students or six to eight years for part-time students.

About the Course

All students will be admitted to Probationer Research Student (PRS) status in the first instance. Except for those who have previously completed the faculty's MPhil in Law programme, all students will undertake a course in legal research methods during the first year as a full-time student or in the first two years as a part-time student. This course provides training in legal research methodology and exposes students to the diversity of and intellectual challenges involved in legal scholarship.

The course comprises seven compulsory two-hour seminars during Michaelmas term, while in Hilary term, students must attend eight hours of seminars from a wider range of options. Students must also attend the course conference at the start of Trinity term.

Attendance

The course can be studied full-time or part-time, with both modes requiring attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements, while part-time students are required to attend course-related activities in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year.

Resources to Support Study

As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of resources, including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources, and IT services. The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK, holding more than 13 million printed items and providing access to e-journals.

Supervision

The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Law Faculty. On admission as a research student, you will be assigned a supervisor with whom you will have the opportunity to meet to discuss your work and provide feedback and advice.

Assessment

All students will be initially admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student (PRS). Within a maximum of four terms as a full-time PRS student (eight terms as a part-time PRS student), you will be expected to apply for and achieve transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status by submitting a research outline and a substantial piece of written work.

Graduate Destinations

DPhil students will pursue a range of career paths after completion of the doctorate, including academic posts, postdoctoral research, legal practice, and legal advisory roles.

Research Areas

You will have the opportunity to undertake research within the specialized themes of this course, which include:

• Business Law
• Computers and Law
• Family and Medical Law
• Human Rights Law
• Jurisprudence
• Law and Technology
• Legal History
• Private Law
• Public Law
• Public International Law
• Tax Law

Entry Requirements

As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:

• A first-class undergraduate degree with honors in law. Exceptionally, students with first-class honors in other subjects may be considered if the subject is relevant to the proposed area of research.

English Language Proficiency

This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement.

Funding

For entry in the academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,100 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.

Costs

The fees for this course are charged on an annual basis. For the academic year, the annual course fees are:

• Full-time study: ú10,910 (Home), ú31,110 (Overseas)
• Part-time study: ú5,455 (Home), ú15,555 (Overseas)

College Preference

Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. You can express a preference for one of the colleges listed or ask us to find a college for you.

How to Apply

You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents.

Proposed Field and Title of Research Project

Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known.

Proposed Supervisor

If known, under 'Proposed supervisor name' enter the name of the academic(s) whom you would like to supervise your research.

Referees

Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete.

Official Transcript(s)

Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date.

CV/RÚsumÚ

A CV/rÚsumÚ is compulsory for this course. Most applicants choose to submit a document of one to two pages highlighting their academic achievements and any relevant professional experience.

Research Proposal

You should submit a detailed outline of your proposed research, written in English. The overall word count may exclude any bibliography or footnotes.

Written Work

An academic essay or other writing sample from your most recent qualification, written in English, is required. This may be an extract from a longer piece - in such cases, the piece should be prefaced by a note which puts the work in context.

After You've Submitted Your Application

Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will be taken into consideration when your application is assessed.