MSc Socio-Legal Studies

Programme overview

This programme will develop your knowledge and understanding of interdisciplinary approaches to the study of law and legal phenomena. It provides sound research training if you are planning to progress to a PhD or career in socio-legal research through the study of different research methodologies across the social sciences and law. You will pursue independent, in-depth study of socio-legal topics, and engage in lively debates in a thriving research culture across social sciences and law.

The range of units offered makes this master's programme suitable for graduates from any discipline who have an interest in the way law may work in society.

Careers

The MSc in Socio-Legal Studies offers useful preparation for a number of careers, for example in academia, often after the completion of a doctoral degree. The emphasis on practical research training, on the ability to plan, research and write a sophisticated dissertation, and on the ability to think in broad theoretical terms about law in society provides an ideal introduction to academic research.

The skills of research and writing, which are central to the programme, are also excellent preparation for working for an NGO, or for another organisation that works for legal or social change. A third possibility is working within government, again through the development of rigorous research training skills and the ability to engage in broader social understanding.

Finally, some students choose to enter the legal profession, carrying with them a broader understanding of the way law operates within society.