Taught LLM Degrees

We would normally expect you to have at least an upper second class (2:1) honours degree in Law or its equivalent from your home country. If you are an international student, please check the overseas equivalents for your qualifications.

If you hold a good lower second class (2:2) honours degree or equivalent and have practical and/or other relevant experience then you may also be considered.

Degrees other than Law may still be considered as long as we are satisfied that you will be able to complete your LLM satisfactorily.

Please also provide the following:

• One academic reference (or a professional reference if you have been out of education for over two years)
• Degree transcripts/certificates (originals or attested copies) - please include your marksheets/transcripts and grading criteria when you apply
• English language certificate

It's not just your academic qualifications and experience, though. In your personal statement, we want to see evidence that you're interested in the course you're applying for, and that you understand the demands of postgraduate work.

Research Degrees

To apply for this degree, we would normally expect you to have at least an upper second class (2:1) undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in Law or a related social sciences discipline with significant legal content.

To apply for this degree, we normally expect you to have a good Master's degree (or equivalent) in law or a related subject (including a thesis or dissertation), plus a strong research proposal. Those with a good first-class undergraduate degree may also be considered for entry. We may also consider work experience involving significant and substantial writing.

Before you submit your application, you must ensure we have a member of staff who shares your research interests. You should consult our staff directory to find out who is doing what in the department and identify potential supervisors. You should make contact initially via email prior to submitting an application. While individual academics cannot make a decision to accept a given application, most successful applicants have contacted potential supervisors to secure in-principle interest in supervising their particular research project.

Please note that an expression of interest from a supervisor, or even their involvement in refining your proposal, is not a guarantee that your application will be successful. Applicants must make initial contact with a potential supervisor before submitting their application otherwise it is likely the application will be rejected.

Find a Supervisor

When contacting a potential supervisor, please keep in mind that for a successful thesis, it is crucial that there is a good fit with your research interests and those of your supervisor. We invite you to set out in which way your proposed research chimes with that of your potential supervisor. Your communication with a potential supervisor should include:

• A proposed research title and rationale, and a working hypothesis or research questions
• A few sentences on your proposed research methodology, including any field work
• A survey of the relevant literature and a clear expression of the originality of the proposed work – an annotated bibliography is very useful to begin a conversation on your research
• A few sentences on your research experience

It will help us if you indicate whether you have also contacted other colleagues within Warwick Law School, as this information reduces potential duplications in our responses.

Find a SupervisorLink opens in a new window

We also require the following documents with each application:

• Two academic references or, exceptionally, professional references. You are strongly advised to contact your referees and provide them with your research proposal ahead of time so that they can make specific comments on your suitability for research in your chosen topic.
• Degree transcripts/certificates (originals or attested copies)
• English language certificate
• Agreement in principle from an appropriate supervisor within Warwick Law School
• Research Proposal: 2000-2500 words (MPhil or PhD) or 1000-1500 words (LLM by Research), containing:
  • Proposed research title and rationale, and a working hypothesis or research questions
  • Research methodology, including any proposed field work
  • Survey of the relevant literature and a clear expression of the originality of the proposed work
  • List of publications (where appropriate) and research experience

Important Dates for MPhil/PhD Applicants

Starting for 2024 entry, Warwick Law School now operates two admission rounds for MPhil/PhD applicants. Admission round 1 is for those applicants who wish to be considered for scholarships administered by the School of Law, the University, or national funding bodies such as the ESRC or AHRC. Admission round 2 is for those applicants who plan to either self-fund their studies or those who have (or those who hope to secure) a scholarship from outside the UK.

Admission Round 1

Admissions are open from 1 October 2023. The deadline for applications is 11 December 2023. This departmental deadline applies to all applicants wishing to be considered for:

• Chancellors International Scholarships
• The Law School Scholarships
• ESRC DTP studentships
• AHRC M4C studentships
• China Scholarship Council
• University of Warwick Scholarships
• Monash-Warwick Alliance Joint PhD Scholarships

Please note: Scholarship applicants must have been made an offer by the department before they can be considered for a scholarship. In most instances, scholarship applicants will need to submit a separate scholarship application to the relevant administering body. Deadlines for this separate application will vary. More information about the administration of relevant scholarships is available here. The departmental deadline of 11 December 2023 is in place to give the department time to process applications before scholarship selections and nominations take place.

Admission Round 2

Admissions are open from 1 October 2023. The deadline for applications is 3 June 2024. In some circumstances, with the support of the proposed supervisor, applications after this deadline might still be considered. If you wish to apply after 3 June 2024, please contact the Law School Director of Postgraduate Research to discuss your application before submitting it.

Please note: Applicants who are applying for Sanctuary or CARA scholarships may apply at any time of year. If you wish to apply for these schemes outside the two admission rounds outlined above, please contact the Law School Director of Postgraduate Research to discuss the application before submitting.