Course options
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Qualification
PhD/DPhil - Doctor of Philosophy
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Location
University of Oxford
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Study mode
Full time
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Start date
29-SEP-25
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Duration
3 years
Course summary
About the course
The Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) degree entails the carrying out of a research project and writing a thesis of between 75,000 and 100,000 words.
The thesis must make a significant and substantial contribution to the field of socio-legal studies. You will be expected to develop a topic that contributes to an understanding of law in society, drawing on empirical data, to a greater or lesser degree, and adopting theoretical and analytic perspectives from any social science discipline, or a combination of disciplinary perspectives.
During the first year you will attend weekly seminars convened by members of staff at the Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) on ‘Theory and Methods in Socio-Legal Research’. Part-time students will be able to tailor their study and methods training in liaison with their supervisor, and may attend the seminars over a two-year period. The seminars are intended to develop an appreciation of law as a social phenomenon, to introduce various theoretical perspectives and to consider the variety of practical empirical techniques by which research questions may be addressed.
Assessment
As a DPhil student you will in the first instance be admitted to Probationer Research Student (PRS) status. In your third term (sixth term for the part-time students), you can apply for transfer from probationary status to full DPhil status by taking a qualifying test (QT) which is assessed by two examiners. This requires you to submit a well-developed research outline plus a substantial piece of written work. A similar exercise then takes place in your sixth term, or later (twelfth term for the part-time pathway), when you report on your progress and submit a substantial part of the proposed thesis for a further assessment, which leads to a confirmation of DPhil status.
Graduate destinations
DPhil students pursue a range of career paths after completion of the doctorate. Many take up academic posts, or pursue postdoctoral research. Some enter legal practice and others develop careers in consultancies, government, regulatory agencies, non-governmental organisations and private companies.
Tuition fees
- United States
- Afghanistan
- Albania
- Algeria
- Andorra
- Angola
- Antigua & Barbuda
- Argentina
- Armenia
- Australia
- Austria
- Azerbaijan
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- Bahrain
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- Barbados
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- Belgium
- Belize
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- Botswana
- Brazil
- Brunei
- Bulgaria
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- Burma
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- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Canada
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Chile
- China
- Colombia
- Comoros
- Congo
- Congo (Democratic Republic)
- Costa Rica
- Croatia
- Cuba
- Curacao
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Djibouti
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- East Timor
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- El Salvador
- England
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Estonia
- Ethiopia
- Fiji
- Finland
- France
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Georgia
- Germany
- Ghana
- Greece
- Grenada
- Guatemala
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Honduras
- Hong Kong
- Hungary
- Iceland
- India
- Indonesia
- Iran
- Iraq
- Israel
- Italy
- Ivory Coast
- Jamaica
- Japan
- Jordan
- Kazakhstan
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Korea DPR (North Korea)
- Kosovo
- Kuwait
- Kyrgyzstan
- Laos
- Latvia
- Lebanon
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Mali
- Malta
- Marshall Islands
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Mexico
- Micronesia
- Moldova
- Monaco
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Netherlands
- New Zealand
- Nicaragua
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Northern Ireland
- Norway
- Oman
- Pakistan
- Palau
- Palestinian Authority
- Panama
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Peru
- Philippines
- Poland
- Portugal
- Puerto Rico
- Qatar
- Republic of Ireland
- Romania
- Russia
- Rwanda
- San Marino
- Sao Tome and Principe
- Saudi Arabia
- Scotland
- Senegal
- Serbia
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Singapore
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Solomon Islands
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Korea
- South Sudan
- Spain
- Sri Lanka
- St Vincent
- St. Kitts & Nevis
- St. Lucia
- Sudan
- Suriname
- Swaziland
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Tajikistan
- Tanzania
- Thailand
- Togo
- Tonga
- Trinidad & Tobago
- Tunisia
- Turkey
- Turkmenistan
- Tuvalu
- UAE
- Uganda
- Ukraine
- United Kingdom
- Uruguay
- Uzbekistan
- Vanuatu
- Vatican City
- Venezuela
- Vietnam
- Wales
- Western Samoa
- Yemen
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
£ 29,350per year
Tuition fees shown are for indicative purposes and may vary. Please check with the institution for most up to date details.
University information
University of Oxford
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University League Table
2nd
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Campus address
University of Oxford, University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford, Oxfordshire, OX1 2JD, England
Subject rankings
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Subject ranking
4th out of 109 3
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Entry standards
/ Max 221206 93%5th
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Graduate prospects
/ Max 10092.0 92%3rd
2 -
Student satisfaction
/ Max 43.05 76%55th
