Leicester Law School is a research-led department, recognising the important relationship between excellence in research and in teaching. Our research is recognised on a global stage, and our academics are frequent participants in legal debates and contribute to policy-making. In the Research Excellence Framework 2014, 80% of the School's research output was rated to be world-leading or internationally excellent. In terms of research power, the School ranked 11th in the country.

Law at Leicester offers supervision for the degrees of:

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) - full-time, part-time and distance learning

Master of Philosophy (MPhil) - full-time and part-time

Supervision and research areas

We offer PhD and MPhil supervision in Law in areas compatible with the research interests of our academic staff including, but not limited to:

Company, Commercial, and Financial Law

Criminal Law, Criminal Justice, and Criminology

Dispute Resolution

European Law and Policy

Human Rights Law

International Law

Law and Theory

Medico-Legal

Private Law

Socio-legal Studies

PhD description

PhD students complete an independent research project under the guidance of a supervisory team.

PhD students complete an independent research project under the guidance of a supervisory team. The maximum period of registration permitted before thesis submission is 4 years full-time / 7 years part-time or distance learning.

Active research (including all experimental work, laboratory work, field work, and data collection) will typically take 3 to 3.5 years full-time / 6 to 6.5 years part-time or distance learning. On completion of active research students may request approval to register for a writing-up period of up to 12 months. The period of active research and writing-up together must not exceed the maximum registration period.