DPhil in Criminology
About the course
The DPhil Criminology is offered as either a full-time three to four year degree, or a part-time six to eight year degree. The DPhil entails researching and writing a thesis of between 75,000 and 100,000 words under the guidance of at least one supervisor who will be an acknowledged authority on your chosen topic. After three or at most four years, or no later than eight years for the part-time pathway, you are expected to submit your final thesis.
As a first-year full-time student, or in your first two years as a part-time student, you will follow courses of instruction in criminological research methods to develop your research skills, unless you have acquired sufficient methods training on a master's degree.
The Criminology DPhil programme is offered by the Centre for Criminology to develop academic and transferable skills. You must complete both modules during your DPhil and you can choose which term/academic year it would be most useful for you to take each.
Module One, Intellectual Foundations will help you think theoretically about criminological research and engage with the intellectual foundations of criminology in order to assist you in developing theoretical and conceptual frameworks for your own projects.
Module Two, Professional Development will help you with your professional development and to give you opportunities to present your own work ‘in progress’ and learn to critique the work of your peers.
The Faculty of Law and Social Sciences Division also offer skills training as appropriate to different stages of the graduate career. There are also opportunities to access advanced and specialist research methods training.
The areas in which members of the Centre for Criminology may be able to offer supervision include:
- policing and security
- crime and the family
- border control and the criminalisation of migration
- the death penalty
- the politics of crime and justice
- youth justice
- sociology of punishment
- psychology, law and criminal justice
- crime, risk and justice
- victims
- prisons
- restorative justice
- race and gender in crime and justice
- miscarriages of justice
- crime, criminology and social/political theory.
Members of the Centre for Criminology are unable to supervise:
- corporate and white-collar crime
- cyber-crime and security
- desistance
- organized crime
In addition to the DPhil Programme and methods training, you will be encouraged to attend the Oxford criminology and informal research seminars organised by the centre and get involved in the various criminology discussion groups. Research seminars bring you and other students together with academic and other research staff in the department to hear about ongoing research and provide an opportunity for networking and socialising.
You will have the opportunity to attend a variety of skills training sessions and you may be required to successfully complete research methods training provided by the centre, as a condition of your transfer/admission to DPhil student status. There are also opportunities to access advanced and specialist research training provided through the Social Sciences Doctoral Training Centre. The Social Sciences Division also organises an academic and professional development programme covering a range of relevant generic transferable skills which you will be encouraged to attend.
You will be encouraged to attend the Oxford criminology and informal lunchtime seminars organised by the centre and you will also have the opportunity participate in the criminology discussion group, criminological research workshops, and other relevant discussion groups which are held during term time. You will also have access to seminars organised by the Faculty of Law as well as other faculty discussion groups.
Attendance
The course can be studied full-time or part-time with both modes requiring attendance in Oxford. Full-time students are subject to the University's Residence requirements. Part-time students are required to attend course-related activities in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year.
The full-time programme is studied over three to four years. The part-time programme has the same requirements, but is studied over six to eight years.
Although there will be no requirement to live in Oxford for part-time research students, you must attend the University on a regular basis (particularly in term-time) for supervision, study, research seminars and skills training. This is also to ensure a comprehensive integration into the faculty's and University's research culture and with your full-time peer groups. In addition, you will sometimes meet with your supervisors online.
As a part-time student you will be required to attend classes in research methods (unless completed as part of the MSc Criminology and Criminal Justice), doctoral seminars, supervision meetings and other obligations in Oxford.
There will be some flexibility in the dates and pattern of attendance which will be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor. Attendance will be required during and outside of term-time on dates to be determined by mutual agreement with your supervisor. You will have the opportunity to tailor your part-time study and skills training in liaison with your supervisor and agree your pattern of attendance.
Resources to support your study
As a graduate student, you will have access to the University's wide range of world-class resources including libraries, museums, galleries, digital resources and IT services.
The Bodleian Libraries is the largest library system in the UK. It includes the main Bodleian Library and libraries across Oxford, including major research libraries and faculty, department and institute libraries. Together, the Libraries hold more than 13 million printed items, provide access to e-journals, and contain outstanding special collections including rare books and manuscripts, classical papyri, maps, music, art and printed ephemera.
The University's IT Services is available to all students to support with core university IT systems and tools, as well as many other services and facilities. IT Services also offers a range of IT learning courses for students, to support with learning and research.
As a new full-time DPhil student you will be offered a desk at the Centre for Criminology, however it may not be possible to accommodate every student who requests a desk, and the centre cannot guarantee the availability of workspace in future years.
Within the Faculty of Law, there is a dedicated graduate reading room available in the Bodleian Law Library.
You will have access to the Bodleian Law Library and Bodleian Social Science Library (in addition to other University libraries, and the centrally provided electronic resources). Training on how to use the library’s legal and journal database is jointly provided by the Faculty of Law and the Bodleian Law Library.
Supervision
The allocation of graduate supervision for this course is the responsibility of the Centre for Criminology and it is not always possible to accommodate the preferences of incoming graduate students to work with a particular member of staff. Under exceptional circumstances a supervisor may be found outside the Centre for Criminology.
It is expected that you will have the opportunity to have at least two supervisions in each term (or for part-time students, at least one each term) and students and their supervisors may have other online or in person contact in addition to this, especially when the student is preparing for ‘milestone’ assessments.
Assessment
All students will be initially admitted to the status of Probationer Research Student (PRS). Within a maximum of four terms as a full-time PRS student (eight terms for part-time pathway), you will be expected to apply for, and achieve, transfer of status from Probationer Research Student to DPhil status. This application is normally made by the third term for full-time students (sixth term for part-time pathway) and involves submitting a research outline and a substantial piece of written work. These are assessed by two members of the Centre for Criminology, who will also interview you about your work. A similar exercise then takes place in your sixth term (twelfth term for the part-time pathway) when you will apply for Confirmation of DPhil status to show that your work continues to be on track.
After three or at most four years (no later than eight years for the part-time pathway), you are expected to submit your original final thesis. Your thesis of between 75,000 and 100,000 words will be read by two appointed examiners who conduct an in-depth oral examination with you, known as a viva voce. On the basis of their report, you will either be awarded the DPhil Criminology or referred back to make revisions to the thesis.
Graduate destinations
Recent graduates of the DPhil Criminology have pursued careers in the following areas:
- professional careers in criminal justice agencies and the law
- university research and teaching in academic criminology and law schools
- research careers
- government departments
- voluntary organisations in the crime and justice field.
Changes to this course and your supervision
The University will seek to deliver this course in accordance with the description set out in this course page. However, there may be situations in which it is desirable or necessary for the University to make changes in course provision, either before or after registration. The safety of students, staff and visitors is paramount and major changes to delivery or services may have to be made if a pandemic, epidemic or local health emergency occurs. In addition, in certain circumstances, for example due to visa difficulties or because the health needs of students cannot be met, it may be necessary to make adjustments to course requirements for international study.
Where possible your academic supervisor will not change for the duration of your course. However, it may be necessary to assign a new academic supervisor during the course of study or before registration for reasons which might include illness, sabbatical leave, parental leave or change in employment.
For further information please see our page on changes to courses and the provisions of the student contract regarding changes to courses.
Entry requirements for entry in 2025-26
Proven and potential academic excellence
The requirements described below are specific to this course and apply only in the year of entry that is shown. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
Please be aware that any studentships that are linked to this course may have different or additional requirements and you should read any studentship information carefully before applying.
Degree-level qualifications
As a minimum, applicants should hold or be predicted to achieve the following UK qualifications or their equivalent:
- a master's degree with an average mark of 67% or above; and
- a first-class or a strong upper second class (usually a minimum weighted average of 67%) undergraduate degree with honours.
The qualifications above should be achieved in one of the following subject areas or disciplines:
- law
- sociology
- politics
- economics
- social policy
- psychology
- history; or
- another social science or humanities subject relevant to criminology.
For applicants with a degree from the USA, the minimum overall GPA that is normally required to meet the undergraduate-level requirement is 3.6 out of 4.0. However, selection of candidates also depends on other factors in your application and most successful applicants have achieved higher GPA scores.
If your degree is not from the UK or another country specified above, visit our International Qualifications page for guidance on the qualifications and grades that would usually be considered to meet the University’s minimum entry requirements.
GRE General Test scores
No Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or GMAT scores are sought.
Other qualifications, evidence of excellence and relevant experience
Applicants will normally have:
- a broad, deep, advanced, and integrated understanding of a subject relevant to criminology such as law, sociology, economics, politics, psychology, social policy or history;
- outstanding analytical abilities, the ability to separate speedily the relevant from the irrelevant, and the ability to develop and sustain complex arguments under pressure; capacities for accurate observation and insightful criticism, including willingness and ability to engage with other social science disciplines; originality and creativity of thought, open-mindedness, and capacity for lateral thinking; excellent powers of synthesis and economy of thought;
- willingness and ability to express highly complex ideas clearly and effectively in English, with a particular eye to finesse and economy and an aspiration to professional standards of style and organisation in scholarly writing.
Potential applicants should identify any relevant publications which may enhance their application. Publications are not expected. They may, in certain circumstances, advantage an application but it is appreciated that the opportunity to publish may vary considerably depending on factors such as the stage the student has reached in their graduate career and the structure of the course(s) they have studied. Consequently, a lack of publications will not be assessed negatively.
English language proficiency
This course requires proficiency in English at the University's higher level. If your first language is not English, you may need to provide evidence that you meet this requirement. The minimum scores required to meet the University's higher level are detailed in the table below.
| Test | Minimum overall score | Minimum score per component |
|---|---|---|
| IELTS Academic (Institution code: 0713) | 7.5 | 7.0 |
TOEFL iBT, including the 'Home Edition' (Institution code: 0490) | 110 | Listening: 22 Reading: 24 Speaking: 25 Writing: 24 |
| C1 Advanced* | 191 | 185 |
| C2 Proficiency† | 191 | 185 |
*Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Advanced English or Cambridge English: Advanced (CAE)
†Previously known as the Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English or Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE)
Your test must have been taken no more than two years before the start date of your course. Our Application Guide provides further information about the English language test requirement.
Declaring extenuating circumstances
If your ability to meet the entry requirements has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic (eg you were awarded an unclassified/ungraded degree) or any other exceptional personal circumstance (eg other illness or bereavement), please refer to the guidance on extenuating circumstances in the Application Guide for information about how to declare this so that your application can be considered appropriately.
References
You will need to register three referees who can give an informed view of your academic ability and suitability for the course. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the types of reference that are required in support of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Supporting documents
You will be required to supply supporting documents with your application. The How to apply section of this page provides details of the supporting documents that are required as part of your application for this course and how these will be assessed.
Performance at interview
Interviews are not normally held as part of the admissions process, though prospective supervisors may contact you for an online meeting to discuss your research plans before the Admissions Board meets to review applications. Further details regarding informal enquiries can be found on the Centre for Criminology website.
Offer conditions for successful applications
If you receive an offer of a place at Oxford, your offer will outline any conditions that you need to satisfy and any actions you need to take, together with any associated deadlines. These may include academic conditions, such as achieving a specific final grade in your current degree course. These conditions will usually depend on your individual academic circumstances and may vary between applicants. Our 'After you apply' pages provide more information about offers and conditions.
In addition to any academic conditions which are set, you will also be required to meet the following requirements:
Financial Declaration
If you are offered a place, you will be required to complete a Financial Declaration in order to meet your financial condition of admission.
Disclosure of criminal convictions
In accordance with the University’s obligations towards students and staff, we will ask you to declare any relevant, unspent criminal convictions before you can take up a place at Oxford.
Evidence of ability to study for employed part-time applicants
If you are applying for part-time study and are currently employed, you may be asked to provide evidence that your employment will not affect your ability to study and that you can commit sufficient time to fulfil all elements outlined in the course description. You may be asked to provide details about your pattern of employment and provide evidence to show how you will fulfil your commitment to make time available to study, to complete coursework, and attend course and University events and modules.
Other factors governing whether places can be offered
The following factors will also govern whether candidates can be offered places:
- the ability of the University to provide the appropriate supervision for your studies, as outlined under the 'Supervision' heading in the About section of this page;
- the ability of the University to provide appropriate support for your studies (eg through the provision of facilities, resources, teaching and/or research opportunities); and
- minimum and maximum limits to the numbers of students who may be admitted to the University's taught and research programmes.
Law
Oxford’s Faculty of Law, one of the largest in the UK, offers you the opportunity to study alongside some of the best law graduates of your generation, under the direct supervision of some of the world’s leading legal scholars.
The Law Faculty is fortunate to have outstanding library facilities provided by the Bodleian Law Library. The library has reader workstations, and provides access to legal databases. There is a Graduate Reading Room, a large seminar room, IT rooms and small ‘discussion rooms’ for private study or group work.
The Law Faculty building houses a café/study space and the Faculty organises many academic events intended for graduate students (mainly in the form of ‘discussion groups’), some of which are available online.
Adjacent to the Law Faculty building is the Social Science Library, one of the University of Oxford's busiest lending and reference libraries, supporting staff and students in the Social Sciences Division. It offers a wide range of workspaces as well as borrowing services, printing and IT facilities, and research support.
Centre for Criminology
Pursuing an innovative programme of criminological research and delivering high quality education.
The Centre for Criminology is an embedded unit of the University’s Faculty of Law. The centre is dedicated to pursuing an innovative programme of criminological research and to delivering high-quality graduate education in criminology. It has a vibrant programme of research, aimed principally at fostering and developing clusters of research activity around the following substantive themes:
- Criminalisation
- Justice
- Punishment
- Security
- Victimisation
The Centre’s work across these areas is intersected by orientations and intellectual commitments that speak to the distinctive collective character of criminological research in Oxford. These are:
- a research focus that investigates these topics internationally and globally, and in many jurisdictions across the global north and global south;
- a conception of criminology comprised of productive dialogue between empirical enquiry and social theorising, and critical normative theorising about systems of police, criminal justice and punishment and their alternatives;
- an overarching interest in the relation of police, criminal justice and punishment to the production of social and political subjectivities (around race, gender, membership etc);
- an approach to exploring questions of order, crime and justice that is attuned to the politics of knowledge production and experiments with ‘new’ methodologies (visual, digital, de-colonial); and
- a commitment to engaging closely with practitioners, policy-makers and diverse publics with a view to using criminology to help build a better politics of order, justice and control.
These approaches to the study of crime and criminal justice inform teaching and doctoral supervision in the centre. They create an intellectually stimulating and collaborative environment to pursue your study in criminology.
Centre for Socio-Legal Studies
At the forefront of multidisciplinary research into the nature and role of law in society.
The Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (CSLS) brings together scholars with diverse academic backgrounds and ambitions, who pursue their own research topics and are also encouraged to collaborate widely and develop multifaceted research programmes. Researchers address fundamental questions about the nature of law, its relations with morality, religion, and justice, and its role in regulation, government and community, the nature of rules and legalistic thought, the development of laws, legal systems and legal cultures, and the social character of the rule of law.
The CSLS welcomes students who wish to pursue research in any aspect of socio-legal studies, broadly defined. The centre's staff have a range of expertise in socio-legal research and methodologies and draw on a range of cognate fields, including anthropology, jurisprudence, political science, regulation studies, economics and sociology. Supervision can be offered in most areas of social-legal studies.
The CSLS has a community of around thirteen full-time research staff and thirty-three graduate research students. Links with leading scholars in Oxford’s Faculty of Law and throughout the University enhance the breadth of the centre’s research and the resources made available to students.
Bonavero Institute of Human Rights
Fostering world-class research in human rights law.
The Bonavero Institute of Human Rights, is dedicated to fostering world-class research in human rights law, to promoting public engagement in and understanding of human rights issues, and to building valuable conversations and collaborations between human rights scholars and human rights practitioners.
The Institute, a research centre within the Faculty of Law, is based at Mansfield College, Oxford. It seeks to provide opportunities for students at the University of Oxford to explore current issues in human rights, and to think about the application of human rights law in practice.
Courses offered by the faculty
Funding
For entry in the 2025-26 academic year, the collegiate University expects to offer over 1,000 full or partial graduate scholarships across a wide range of graduate courses.
If you apply by the January deadline shown on this page and receive a course offer, your application will then be considered for Oxford scholarships. For the majority of Oxford scholarships, your application will automatically be assessed against the eligibility criteria, without needing to make a separate application. There are further Oxford scholarships available which have additional eligibility criteria and where you are required to submit a separate application. Most scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic merit and/or potential.
To ensure that you are considered for Oxford scholarships that require a separate application, for which you may be eligible, use our fees, funding and scholarship search tool to identify these opportunities and find out how to apply. Alongside Oxford scholarships, you should also consider other opportunities for which you may be eligible including a range of external funding, loan schemes for postgraduate study and any other scholarships which may also still be available after the January deadline as listed on our fees, funding and scholarship search tool.
Details of college-specific funding opportunities can also be found on individual college websites:
Please refer to the College preference section of this page to identify which of the colleges listed above accept students for this course.
For the majority of college scholarships, it doesn’t matter which college, if any, you state a preference for in your application. If another college is able to offer you a scholarship, your application can be moved to that college if you accept the scholarship. Some college scholarships may require you to state a preference for that college when you apply, so check the eligibility requirements carefully.
Further information about funding opportunities for this course can be found on the faculty's website, and the Centre for Criminology website.
Costs
Annual fees for entry in 2025-26
Full-time study
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £10,290 |
| Overseas | £29,350 |
Part-time study
Fee status | Annual Course fees |
| Home | £5,145 |
| Overseas | £14,675 |
Information about course fees
Course fees are payable each year, for the duration of your fee liability (your fee liability is the length of time for which you are required to pay course fees). For courses lasting longer than one year, please be aware that fees will usually increase annually. For details, please see our guidance on changes to fees and charges.
Course fees cover your teaching as well as other academic services and facilities provided to support your studies. Unless specified in the additional information section below, course fees do not cover your accommodation, residential costs or other living costs. They also don’t cover any additional costs and charges that are outlined in the additional information below.
Continuation charges
Following the period of fee liability, you may also be required to pay a University continuation charge and a college continuation charge. The University and college continuation charges are shown on the Continuation charges page.
Where can I find further information about fees?
The Fees and Funding section of this website provides further information about course fees, including information about fee status and eligibility and your length of fee liability.
Additional information
Full-time study
There are no compulsory elements of this course that entail additional costs beyond fees (or, after fee liability ends, continuation charges) and living costs. However, please note that, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.
Part-time study
Please note that you are required to attend in Oxford for a minimum of 30 days each year, and you may incur additional travel and accommodation expenses for this. Also, depending on your choice of research topic and the research required to complete it, you may incur further additional expenses, such as travel expenses, research expenses, and field trips. You will need to meet these additional costs, although you may be able to apply for small grants from your department and/or college to help you cover some of these expenses.
Living costs
In addition to your course fees and any additional course-specific costs, you will need to ensure that you have adequate funds to support your living costs for the duration of your course.
Living costs for full-time study
For the 2025-26 academic year, the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student is between £1,425 and £2,035 for each month spent in Oxford. We provide the cost per month so you can multiply up by the number of months you expect to live in Oxford. Depending on your circumstances, you may also need to budget for the costs of a student visa and immigration health surcharge and/or living costs for family members or other dependants that you plan to bring with you to Oxford (assuming that dependant visa eligibility criteria are met).
Living costs for part-time study
Your living costs may vary depending on your personal circumstances but you will still need to cover your cost of living on a full-time basis for the duration of your course, even if you will not be based in Oxford throughout your studies. While the range of likely living costs for a single, full-time student living in Oxford is between £1,425 and £2,035 per month, living costs outside Oxford may be different.
Part-time students who are not based in Oxford will need to calculate travel and accommodation costs carefully. Depending on your circumstances and study plans, this may include the cost of a visitor visa to attend for short blocks of time (assuming that visitor visa eligibility criteria are met).
Further information about living costs
The current economic climate and high national rate of inflation make it very hard to estimate potential changes to the cost of living over the next few years. For study in Oxford beyond the 2025-26 academic year, it is suggested that you budget for potential increases in living expenses of around 4% each year – although this rate may vary depending on the national economic situation. For further information, please consult our more detailed information about living costs, which includes a breakdown of likely living costs in Oxford for items such as food, accommodation and study costs.
College preference
Students enrolled on this course will belong to both a department/faculty and a college. Please note that ‘college’ and ‘colleges’ refers to all 43 of the University’s colleges, including those designated as societies and permanent private halls (PPHs).
If you apply for a place on this course you will have the option to express a preference for one of the colleges listed below, or you can ask us to find a college for you. Before deciding, we suggest that you read our brief introduction to the college system at Oxford and our advice about expressing a college preference.
If you are a current Oxford student and you would like to remain at your current Oxford college, you should check whether it is listed below. If it is, you should indicate this preference when you apply. If not, you should contact your college office to ask whether they would be willing to make an exception. Further information about staying at your current college can be found in our Application Guide.
Full-time study
The following colleges accept students for full-time study on this course:
Part-time study
The following colleges accept students for part-time study on this course:
Before you apply
Our guide to getting started provides general advice on how to prepare for and start your application. You can use our interactive tool to help you evaluate whether your application is likely to be competitive.
If it is important for you to have your application considered under a particular deadline – eg under the January deadline in order to be considered for Oxford scholarships – we recommend that you aim to complete and submit your application at least two weeks in advance. Check the deadlines on this page and the information about deadlines and when to apply in our Application Guide.
Application fee waivers
An application fee of £20 is payable for each application to this course. Application fee waivers are available for the following applicants who meet the eligibility criteria:
- applicants from low-income countries;
- refugees and displaced persons;
- UK applicants from low-income backgrounds; and
- applicants who applied for our Graduate Access Programmes in the past two years and met the eligibility criteria.
You are encouraged to check whether you're eligible for an application fee waiver before you apply.
Readmission for current Oxford graduate taught students
If you're currently studying for an Oxford graduate taught course and apply to this course with no break in your studies, you may be eligible to apply to this course as a readmission applicant. The application fee will be waived for an eligible application of this type. Check whether you're eligible to apply for readmission.
Do I need to contact anyone before I apply?
Supervision is arranged by the department at the point of admission and you do not need to contact potential supervisors before an offer is made. However, the Centre welcomes informal enquiries from potential applicants to the DPhil. The person you contact will not be able to help you with the proposal, but they will be able to advise you on whether they are, in principle, able to supervise your proposed project. You are encouraged to visit the relevant departmental webpages to read any further information about your chosen course. Further details regarding informal enquiries can be found on the Centre for Criminology website.
Completing your application
You should refer to the information below when completing the application form, paying attention to the specific requirements for the supporting documents.
For this course, the application form will include questions that collect information that would usually be included in a CV/résumé. You should not upload a separate document. If a separate CV/résumé is uploaded, it will be removed from your application.
If any document does not meet the specification, including the stipulated word count, your application may be considered incomplete and not assessed by the academic department. Expand each section to show further details.
Proposed field and title of research project
Under the 'Field and title of research project' please enter your proposed field or area of research if this is known. If the department has advertised a specific research project that you would like to be considered for, please enter the project title here instead.
You should not use this field to type out a full research proposal. You will be able to upload your research supporting materials separately if they are required (as described below).
Proposed supervisor
It is not necessary for you to identify a potential supervisor in your application.
Referees:
Three overall, academic preferred
Whilst you must register three referees, the department may start the assessment of your application if two of the three references are submitted by the course deadline and your application is otherwise complete. Please note that you may still be required to ensure your third referee supplies a reference for consideration.
Academic references are strongly preferred, provided by individuals familiar with the applicant's academic performance but a professional reference will be accepted as long as you also provide two academic references. It is recommended that at least one reference is from your current course supervisor/tutor. Part-time applicants can submit two professional references but should also include an academic reference where possible.
Your references will support exceptional academic motivation; capacity for sustained and intense work; developed ability to organise time and set own agenda for study; and an intrepid attitude towards investigation and learning.
Official transcript(s)
Your transcripts should give detailed information of the individual grades received in your university-level qualifications to date. You should only upload official documents issued by your institution and any transcript not in English should be accompanied by a certified translation.
More information about the transcript requirement is available in the Application Guide.
Research proposal:
A minimum of 1,000 words to a maximum of 2,000 words
Your proposal should give details of the topic you propose to investigate, why it is legally or sociologically significant, and how you would carry out the research. It should also reflect the research interests and expertise of academics in the centre (see the list of areas in which members of the centre are able to offer supervision in About the Course). The proposal should be written in English, and the word limit does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.
It will be normal for your ideas subsequently to change in some ways as you investigate the evidence and develop your project. You should nevertheless make the best effort you can to demonstrate the extent of your research question, sources and methods at the time of application.
Your proposal should focus on the proposed research project rather than personal achievements, interests and aspirations. However, you can make reference to any directly relevant personal achievements, interests or experiences that speak to the feasibility of the proposed project and to your motivations for research.
This will be assessed for:
- the coherence of the proposal
- the originality of the project
- understanding of the proposed area of study
- the ability to present a reasoned case in English
- the feasibility of successfully completing the project in the time available for the course
- preliminary knowledge of research methods
- your ability to commit sufficient time to study and fulfil all elements outlined in the course description if you are applying for part-time study.
Written work:
Two essays, a maximum of 2,000 words each
Academic essays or other writing samples from your most recent qualification, written in English, are required. Applicants for part-time study may include a report, or sections of a report, or other relevant document, they have written in their professional roles. Extracts from longer pieces are welcome but should be prefaced by a note which puts them in context and it should be indicated with square brackets which elements have been omitted from the original piece of work.
Ideally the works should relate to the proposed area of study. The word count does not need to include any bibliography or brief footnotes.
If possible, please ensure that the word count is clearly displayed on the document.
This will be assessed for a comprehensive understanding of the subject area, an understanding of problems in the area, an ability to construct and defend an argument, your powers of analysis and powers of expression.
Start or continue your application
You can start or return to an application using the relevant link below. As you complete the form, please refer to the requirements above and consult our Application Guide for advice.
Apply - Full time Apply - Part time Continue application
After you've submitted your application
Your application (including the supporting documents outlined above) will be assessed against the entry requirements detailed on this course page. Whether or not you have secured funding will not be taken into consideration when your application is assessed. You can find out more about our shortlisting and selection process in our detailed guide to what happens next.
Find out how to manage your application after submission, using our Applicant Self-Service tool.