Course detail
Description
While graduate research opportunities are organised through The Dickson Poon School of Law, you may well find that your work is related to research undertaken at one of the research centres associated with the School. These centres enjoy strong international and national reputations and contribute to legal and wider public debates on important issues of today. The Dickson Poon School of Law is home to Centre of European Law; Transnational Law Institute; Centre for Politics, Philosophy & Law; Centre of Medical Law and Ethics; Centre for Technology, Ethics, Law and Society; Centre for Climate law and Governance and Centre of Construction Law.
Candidates should identify and approach their potential first supervisor before applying. Applications from candidates without a named, agreed supervisor from The Dickson Poon School of Law will not be considered. Please refer to the directory to identify academic or research area.
The majority of our research students are full-time; however, we are able to offer study on a part-time basis in exceptional circumstances. To apply for part-time study, please choose the full-time route via the application portal and be prepared to make a case at your interview.
Course study environment
The Dickson Poon School of Law provides the training to help our researchers achieve excellence, world class facilities in which to do so and the opportunity to contribute to teaching at King’s
Our researchers are an integral part of the King’s community and fully participate in the life of the School. They join our academic staff in the premises in Somerset House East Wing. In addition to a dedicated suite of offices, our doctoral researchers have access to the Maughan Library, British Library of Economics and Political Science and the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. Our dedicated Information Specialist for Law helps to ensure that each of our researchers has access to the materials they need to complete their projects.
The Dickson Poon School of Law has over fifty academic staff members as well as visiting professors and lecturers with practical experience. Each of our doctoral researchers is assigned two supervisors – a primary supervisor who oversees the research project and a second supervisor who provides complementary expertise.
Research students are invited to attend and participate in staff seminars. The Graduate Legal Research Society represents the students and organises educational and social events. Research students have access to the Maughan Library where they have a dedicated work space. Students also have access to the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies Library, Senate House Library, and the British Library of Political and Economic Science at the London School of Economics. Our facilities are aimed at supporting research at the highest level.
Postgraduate training
We provide research students with the skills and training they will need for their future careers. Supervisors are able to advise you on various lectures, seminars and training that will benefit you. The School offers a series of research methodology seminars presented by our academic staff who draw on their own research experiences to help our researchers develop their projects. Students are also encouraged to give work-in-progress presentations to staff and other students in order to develop their presentation skills and to obtain ongoing feedback on their work.
The Centre for Doctoral Studies offers a vast range of in-house courses that are available to all research students. Students interested in pursuing an academic career may attend the King's Academy to develop their skills and knowledge base in the areas of learning and teaching.
Doctoral researchers are the School’s first port of call to assist our staff in teaching on the undergraduate and taught postgraduate programmes. Every researcher is encouraged to complete the Graduate Certificate in Academic Practice which is provided by the King’s Academy. Our researchers put what they learn into practice by serving as Visiting Tutors on our LLB, LLM and MA degrees. New teachers are mentored by existing staff members and teaching is audited to ensure that skills are passed on. Our teaching is research-led which helps our researchers learn to teach.
Joint PhDs - Benefits of collaboration
Joint PhDs - Subjects/specialisms available for joint study
Head of group/division
Our programmes are overseen by the Director and Deputy Director of Doctoral Studies, Prof Eva Pils and Dr Aruna Nair, supported by the Vice Dean for Research, Prof Tanya Aplin.
Contact for information
Further literature
Further literature link(s)