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The University of Kent, Canterbury, Kent, CT2 7NZ, T +44 (0)1227 764000
Degrees by Research
Research Degrees at Kent Law School
Rated as the 6th best Law School in the UK in the most recent Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), Kent Law School has a strong research culture and an excellent research environment. We encourage postgraduate research and have a vibrant postgraduate research community.
Student Handbook
Click here to download the research student handbook
PhD Studentships and Bursaries
Click here for information about KLS studentships and bursaries
Postgraduate research can take place in any subject area which qualified Law School staff are able to supervise.
Find out more about the research interests of Kent Law School on our main Research pages.
Research students at Kent Law School are immersed in a research culture which situates legal studies in its historical, social and economic context. We are particularly proud of our electronic resources and of the training we make available to postgraduate students.
The Law School has an active and supportive student community, with excellent dedicated postgraduate facilities.
Choosing a Research Topic
The Research Proposal
Each research project is unique, requiring specialised and individual supervision of the student concerned. Because of the importance of expert supervision of research students, the Law School accepts applications only where it is clear that appropriate supervision can be provided.
Before deciding on a research topic, or finalising the proposal, we recommend that applicants make informal contact with a member of the Law School academic staff with relevant research interests.
The Role of the Supervisor
The supervisor will give guidance about the nature of the research, the standard of work required, and about the relevant literature and sources that should be consulted. Students are required to meet supervisors periodically to agree upon a schedule of work, and to produce written work for comment and discussion. We normally appoint a co-supervisor in addition to the principal supervisor, to give additional input and ensure continuity.
The Thesis
LLM in Law & LLM in Socio-Legal Studies
The thesis must show that the candidate is able to conduct an independent study, to understand its relationship to a wider field of knowledge and to organise and present the thesis in an appropriate manner. LLM theses, submitted after a one-year period of registration by full-time candidates, should be not more than 40,000 words.
PhD/MPhil
A PhD thesis should be an original contribution to knowledge or understanding of the field under investigation and be of such scholarly merit that it would justify publication. The thesis has to be between 80,000 and 100,000 words.