Law PhD

'It's been great doing a PhD at Surrey's School of Law. The intellectual engagement afforded me by both my fellow PhD students and the faculty has been incredibly valuable for my work. I feel privileged to be part of such a tight-knit group of friendly and helpful scholars of law.' --Simon Palmer, Law PhD Student

'I have found my entire experience on the Doctoral Programme to be immensely positive. My initial enquiries prior to my formal application were met with enthusiasm and since being accepted on the programme l have been closely assisted and supported by my supervisors and the other members of the Postgraduate Research Studies team. A PhD can be a daunting and lonely undertaking at times but it has been most reassuring to know l can access the support, advice and feedback of a friendly and motivated team to ensure l can overcome any hurdle and continue to make good progress with my research.' --Jason de Mink, Law PhD student

Our PhD in Law aims to train the next generation of legal thinkers, law reformers, policy advisors, political activists, and academics. The School of Law's  emphasis on combining theory and practice makes us unique in the UK, and a world-class centre for deep and creative legal research. 

Surrey’s specialisms in law offers you the opportunity to explore a diverse range of areas. We have particular research strengths in legal philosophy and legal theory, neuroscience and law, criminal law, Roman legal history, environmental law, health sciences and law, artificial intelligence and law, finance law and ethics, human rights law, European law, and public international law. Our unique concentration of expertise in legal philosophy and legal theory is largely unparalleled worldwide. 

Our academic staff are internationally recognised for their research and are experienced legal practitioners, providing consultancy to law firms, governments, non-governmental organisations and businesses around the world. As a School of Law doctoral student, you’ll be part of this thriving community of researchers engaged in a wide range of projects, and – depending on your area of study – will be able to join a subject or research group, as well as participating alongside academic staff in the activities of the School of Law. 

The School also enjoys excellent links with local, national and international legal communities. You’ll benefit from stimulating roundtables seminars, workshops and lectures delivered by distinguished academics, eminent judges and law practitioners. 

We are ranked 58th in the Times Higher Education World Rankings 2022 for Law. The School of Law is ranked 6th in the UK for research outputs with more than half of its research outputs rated world-leading (4*) by the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021. The University as a whole is now also ranked in the top 20 in the UK by REF for the overall quality of research outputs – research papers and other published works.

Through a variety of approaches, from doctrinal to philosophical, contemporary to historical, single jurisdiction to comparative, we will help you challenge ideas, hone your skills and develop the hallmarks of a leading researcher. You will work on a structured, supervised programme of research in one of the areas of law in which we have expertise.

You’ll be able to develop your teaching skills, as well as the ability to think theoretically and provide innovative practical solutions to legal problems. We encourage our postgraduate research students to present work and discuss ideas in both formal and informal settings. We can also support you intellectually and financially to present and exchange ideas and discuss your research in international fora.

At the end of your time as a PhD researcher at Surrey you’ll be expected to submit an extended thesis for examination. This thesis will demonstrate your ability to pursue scholarly research which makes an original contribution to knowledge. You will be required to answer questions on your thesis and your research in a viva voce examination.

Your final assessment will be based on the presentation of your research in a written thesis, which will be discussed in a viva examination with at least two examiners. You have the option of preparing your thesis as a monograph (one large volume in chapter form) or in publication format (including chapters written for publication), subject to the approval of your supervisors.

The professional development of postgraduate researchers is supported by the Doctoral College, which provides training in essential skills through its Researcher Development Programme of workshops, mentoring and coaching. A dedicated postgraduate Careers and Employability team will help you prepare for a successful career after the completion of your PhD.