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PhD/MPhil/MJur Law

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

Quick Facts

  
Full-Time Duration: 1 year (MJur)
2 years (MPhil)
3 years (PhD)
Starting in: January, September
Tuition Fee: £20,820 per year (Full-Time)
£10,410 per year (Part-time)
Location: Online

Why study this course?

  • Academic expertise: At the Law programme from University of Birmingham you will be supervised by experts, internationally renowned for their research in the legal field. Many of our academics ‘wrote the book’ 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 2021).
  • 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.

Birmingham Law School staff research supervision areas:

  • Commercial and company law
  • Comparative law
  • Constitutional and administrative law
  • Criminal law and criminal justice
  • Environmental law
  • European Union law

“The transition from undergrad to postgrad can be a big step up in terms of workload and what is expected of you, but there is so much support available to you as a postgrad student, from academic writing support (if you’ve been out of education for a few years or just want a bit of extra help) to mental health and wellbeing services. The careers support is fantastic – the uni puts on employer fairs throughout the year and you have access to one on one support from the Careers Network team, who can help you develop your skills ready for your next step!”

Emma Sutton // PhD Psychology

Careers

The University’s Careers Network provides expert guidance and activities especially for postgraduates, which will help you achieve your career goals. The College of Arts and Law also has a dedicated careers and employability team who offer tailored advice and a programme of College-specific careers events.

You will be encouraged to make the most of your postgraduate experience and will have the opportunity to:

  • Receive one-to-one careers advice, including guidance on your job applications, writing your CV and improving your interview technique, whether you are looking for a career inside or outside of academia
  • Meet employers face-to-face at on-campus recruitment fairs and employer presentations
  • Attend an annual programme of careers fairs, skills workshops and conferences, including bespoke events for postgraduates in the College of Arts and Law
  • Take part in a range of activities to demonstrate your knowledge and skills to potential employers and enhance your CV
  • What’s more, you will be able to access our full range of careers support for up to 2 years after graduation.

Requirements

Our requirements for postgraduate research are dependent on the type of programme you are applying for:

  • For MJur and MPhil programmes, entry usually requires a good (normally a 2:1 or above) Honours degree in law (or a subject related to the proposed area of research) or its international equivalent
  • Typically, applicants for a PhD will also need to hold a Masters qualification at Merit level or above in law (or a subject related to the proposed area of research) or its international equivalent

Learn more