As a postgraduate researcher at Birmingham Law School you will be contributing to more than 85 years of research tradition, working alongside some of the country's most eminent legal scholars.

Our expertise spans a wide range of areas, including commercial law, criminal law, criminal justice, judicial administration, European law, public law, human rights, international law, private law, restitution, conflicts of law, international economic law, comparative law, health and social welfare, socio-legal studies, and legal theory.

Why Study this Course?

Academic expertise: You will be supervised by experts, internationally renowned for their research in the legal field. Many of our academics ‘wrote the book’ on their on their area of expertise, or have been commissioned by governments and other public bodies to carry out important applied legal research. The University of Birmingham is also one of the UK’s top 20 law schools (QS World Rankings 2019).
Postgraduate community: The postgraduate community at Birmingham Law School is lively and supportive. You will have the opportunity to organise and participate in a range of research events, as well as get involved in social events. It is not without significance that several members of the School’s academic staff were themselves postgraduate students here. You can also make the most of new, dedicated postgraduate study spaces in the Law School and neighbouring Frankland Building. Read more about the postgraduate community at Birmingham Law School.
Employability: Birmingham is one of the top universities in the UK for graduate employment. Our Centre for Professional Legal Education and Research (CEPLER) offers support, whether you are looking to pursue a career in law, academia or elsewhere.

Postgraduate employability: Law

Postgraduate research students have the opportunity to benefit from extensive careers advice and employability support from the Law School. If you are interested in a qualifying as a lawyer, you have access to a wide range of events and activities, including regular visits from major law firms and barristers’ chambers. All of our careers and employability activities are organised through the Law School’s Centre for Professional Legal Education and Research. Over the past 5 years, 83% of our postgraduates were in work and/or further study 6 months after graduation (DLHE 2012 – 2017).

If a career in academia is your goal, we have an annual lecture and exclusive advice sessions for postgraduate researchers, which includes support to develop you career profile and secure a job in higher education. It is not without significance that several members of the Law School’s academic staff were themselves postgraduate students here.