Law (MPhil/PhD)
Explore our Law MPhil/PhD degree at Warwick
Study a MPhil/PhD in Law at the University of Warwick's Law School. Gain an understanding of relevant research methods and evolve into a well-rounded socio-legal scholar within a creative community of fellow researchers.
Course overview
In this programme you will be carefully supervised by an individual specialist in your chosen area of study and supported to generate a research question and produce a thesis. For the MPhil you are required to write a thesis of up to 60,000 words and up to 80,000 for the PhD.
Our Research Degrees attempt to achieve a balance between individual study, academic supervision, and participation in a communal, scholarly learning environment. As a research student, you will be a vital part of our research culture and we will encourage you to fully participate in the life of the Law School.
Teaching and learning
You will attend a research methods and theory course and meet with your supervisor at least once a month throughout your degree.
Each year postgraduate research students get the benefit of, feedback and presentation opportunities, skills workshops as well as a series of ‘masterclass’ events led by world-leading researchers. These workshops and events support a self-critical assessment of research methods and techniques and allow you to learn from others working in your field. In addition, you will be invited to attend research seminars, public lectures and other training opportunities with the Law School and across the University.
General entry requirements
Minimum requirements
A good Master's degree (or equivalent) in Law or a related subject plus a strong research proposal. Those with a good first-class undergraduate degree may also be considered for entry.
English language requirements
You can find out more about our English language requirementsLink opens in a new window. This course requires the following:
- Band B
- Overall IELTS (Academic) score of 7.0 and minimum component scores of two at 6.0/6.5 and the rest at 7.0 or above.
International qualifications
We welcome applications from students with other internationally recognised qualifications.
For more information, please visit the international entry requirements pageLink opens in a new window.
Academic References
We typically ask for one academic reference for taught courses.
You will be asked to include an email address for your referee(s) when submitting your application and we will contact them for you.
View our guide to academic references.Link opens in a new window
Additional requirements
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.
Our research
Eleven research clusters:
- Contract, Business and Commercial Law
- Comparative Law and Culture
- Development and Human Rights
- Gender and the Law
- International and European Law
- Law and Humanities
- Legal Theory
- Governance and Regulation
- Empirical Approaches
- Migration
- Arts, Culture and Law
The Law School’s research is rooted in the twin themes of law in context and the international character of law.
Explore our research areas on our Law web pages.Link opens in a new window
Find a supervisor
Find your supervisor using the link below and discuss with them the area you'd like to research.
Explore our School of Law Staff Directory where you will be able see the academic interests and expertise of our staff.
You are welcome to contact our staff directly to see if they can provide any advice on your proposed research, but will still need to submit an application and meet the selection criteria set by the University before any offer is made.
You can also see our general University guidance about finding a supervisor.
Research proposals
You should make contact with a potential supervisor before submitting your application.
You will be required to submit a Research Proposal with your application. This should be 2000-2500 words (MPhil or PhD) or 1000-1500 words (LLM by Research), and contain the following:
- 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
Find out more about our research proposal requirements on our websiteLink opens in a new window.
Tuition fees
Tuition fees are payable for each year of your course at the start of the academic year, or at the start of your course, if later. Academic fees cover the cost of tuition, examinations and registration and some student amenities.
Find your research course fees
Fee Status Guidance
We carry out an initial fee status assessment based on the information you provide in your application. Students will be classified as Home or Overseas fee status. Your fee status determines tuition fees, and what financial support and scholarships may be available. If you receive an offer, your fee status will be clearly stated alongside the tuition fee information.
Do you need your fee classification to be reviewed?
If you believe that your fee status has been classified incorrectly, you can complete a fee status assessment questionnaire. Please follow the instructions in your offer information and provide the documents needed to reassess your status.
Find out more about how universities assess fee status
Additional course costs
As well as tuition fees and living expenses, some courses may require you to cover the cost of research trips in the UK and overseas. In addition, you should consider the more general costs below:
- Access to research material that is not available via university resources
- Printing and binding a personal copy of your dissertation
- Robe hire for your degree ceremony
Scholarships and funding
Scholarships and financial support
Find out about the different funding routes available, including; postgraduate loans, scholarships, fee awards and academic department bursaries.
Living costs
Find out more about the cost of living as a postgraduate student at the University of Warwick.
School of Law
From the first intake of students back in 1968, Warwick Law School has developed a reputation for innovative, quality research and consistently highly rated teaching. Study with us is exciting, challenging and rewarding. Pioneers of the 'Law in Context' approach to legal education, and welcoming students and staff from around the world, we offer a friendly, international and enriching environment in which to study law in its many contexts.
Get to know us better by exploring our departmental website.Link opens in a new window
Our Postgraduate courses
How to apply
Please note that all Law MPhil/PhD applicants should include a Personal Statement answering the following questions:
- Briefly outline how your existing academic and/or professional experience prepares you for postgraduate study (please include relevant methodological training and/or experience) (250 words max).
- Briefly outline why Warwick Law School is the best place for you to conduct your research (250 words max).
How to apply checklist
Our how to apply checklist helps you prepare for your application.
I'm ready to apply
Learn more about the Applicant Portal.
Application deadlines
Warwick Law School now operates two admission rounds for MPhil/PhD applicants. Admissions 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. Admissions 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.
Admissions Round 1
Admissions open in Autumn 2025. The deadline for applications is 12 December 2025. 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. Find out more information about the administration of relevant scholarshipsLink opens in a new window. The departmental deadline of 12 December 2025 is in place to give the department time to process applications before scholarship selections and nominations take place.
Admissions Round 2
Admissions open in Autumn 2025. The deadline for applications is 5 June 2026. In some circumstances, with the support of the proposed supervisor, applications after this deadline might still be considered. If you wish to apply after 5 June 2026, please contact the Law School Director of Postgraduate Research to discuss your application before submitting it. Any applications submitted after 1st August 2026 will not be considered.
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.
Explore ways to connect with us
We understand how important it is to visit and explore your future university before you apply. That's why we have put together a range of online and in-person options to help you discover more about your course, visit campus, and get a sense of postgraduate life at Warwick. Our events offer includes:
- Warwick hosted events
- Postgraduate Fairs
- Live chats
- Talk and Tours
- Department events