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Postgraduate Research Degrees (PhD)
We warmly welcome applications from prospective PhD candidates interested in joining our vibrant academic environment.
We are a friendly and welcoming law school, always keen to expand our community with new and talented young researchers.
Research Expertise
PhD candidates have the opportunity to conduct their own original research under the supervision of our experienced academic faculty.
UEA Law School excels in many areas of legal and criminological research, with particular expertise in our Research Areas of Competition Law, Social Justice, International Law, Arbitration, and Information Technology and Intellectual Property Law. We offer one of the leading environments in the UK for the study of competition law and the School of Law is a key partner in the Centre for Competition Policy. Many of our researchers and postgraduate researchers are members of the renowned Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. You can find out more about our Research Areas here.
We also have strong concentrations of expertise and offer supervision in a wide range of areas including criminal law and criminology, company law, constitutional law, corporate governance, European law, human rights law, investment law, legal theory, media law, medical law, international environmental law, international refugee law, and public protest law.
To identify potential supervisors for your project, please take a look at our staff and PhD student profiles for further details of our faculty expertise.
Research Community
As a school, we aim to build a thriving community of PGR students and support a new generation of scholars and colleagues. Our research students are an integral and vital part of our research environment and we have an excellent track record in supporting our students in developing their academic careers.
UEA Law School is located in the beautiful historical building of Earlham Hall, where our PhD students are provided with workspaces. Our PhD students are given the opportunity to teach on core and elective undergraduate modules and to present their work either at our staff research seminar series or in a dedicated PGR colloquium, receiving feedback from their peers and members of academic staff to help support their development.
Career Development
We ensure that all our PhD students acquire essential professional skills for future academic or other careers. At the start of your PhD you will complete the module Research Methods in Law to prepare you for your project, and our PhD students receive dedicated support and regular feedback throughout their years of study. Extensive training opportunities are available on a wide range of topics, including research ethics, networking, writing, presentations, teaching, research software, project management and other professional skills.
Many of our former PhD students have gone on to academic careers, with recent graduates securing lectureships at University College London, Chulalongkorn University, Chiang Mai University, Deakin University, University of East Anglia, University of Keele, Lancaster University, University of Suffolk, University of Swansea, and University of New South Wales. Others have chosen alternative career paths, including working for OFGEM, the Financial Ombudsman Service and at Linklaters LLP.
SENSS Studentship opportunities
UEA Law School participates in the South and East Network for Social Sciences (SENSS) Doctoral Training Partnership. This studentship covers tuition fees for both UK and international applicants. Awards are made to candidates with the most promising research proposals.
Applications and Contacts
There are no prescribed areas of study for a postgraduate degree by research. The choice of what to study, and how to do so, is yours.
Prospective students are invited to submit research proposals on any law or criminology-based topic, but admission to the PhD programme requires acceptance from two supervisors who have relevant expertise. Our members of academic staff are pleased to be approached by prospective PhD candidates about the kinds of research they can supervise. We therefore encourage you to contact a potential supervisor before submitting a formal proposal to assess their interest and availability. Applicants who pass the review stage will be invited to interview before a final decision is taken on admission. To identify a potential supervisor please take a look at our staff’s areas of expertise and contact details here.
For general enquiries about the PhD programme in Law, please contact the PGR Team in the School of Law:
Dr Nikos Skoutaris (PGR Admissions Director) for inquiries about admissions and applying to the Law PhD program.
Dr Charmian Werren (PGR Director) for all other PGR inquiries.
MRes Social Science Research Methods
Give yourself the edge by studying at an internationally renowned centre for impactful research. Whether you’re a recent graduate with an interest in research, or are already in practice with a research question that you wish to investigate, this MRes will push you towards the forefront of your field. Throughout the course, you’ll develop the knowledge and skills you need to successfully complete a piece of Master’s level research.
Postdoctoral and Early Career Research Opportunities
The Law School welcomes expressions of interest from postdoctoral and early career researchers to join our community of researchers. For more information on Fellowships, please take a look at the UEA Research Fellowship pages.
SENSS Postdoctoral Fellowships
UEA Law School welcomes applications via the SENSS Postdoctoral Fellowship scheme, as well as any other applicable postdoctoral and fellowship funding schemes.