Carolina Mariani - Law LLM
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Our research students benefit immensely from a vibrant research community, a supportive environment and many opportunities to engage critically with academic research and contemporary issues. They are immersed in a research culture which situates legal studies in its historical, political, social and economic context.
Kent Law School (KLS) is widely recognised as a world leader in critical and interdisciplinary scholarship including socio-legal studies, law and humanities, critical legal studies and feminist theory; and its research has been ranked second in the UK during the last round of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise by the Times Higher Education (THE).
In addition to the standard on-campus research degree, we have also developed an external research route. External research degrees are designed for those who are in the process of establishing their careers as researchers or who need to study alongside other commitments. They are ideal for individuals who are looking for an opportunity to undertake a LLM-R but may not be in a position to relocate. International students wishing to undertake their entire programme from overseas will not require immigration sponsorship and should apply as an external research student, stating this clearly in the Reasons for Study section of the application form.
You can study the LLM by Research (LLM-R) on a full-time or part-time basis. Studying for an LLM-R part-time is a rewarding and challenging experience. While everyone is different we would expect students to need two days a week to focus intensively on their LLM-R in addition to the compulsory training offered. There may also be additional periods of more intense and concentrated research and writing. We do not advise full-time working while studying for a LLM-R part-time; and suggest part-time applicants who are working to outline a plan in their application for how they intend to balance working with their LLM-R study.
Whatever your mode of study, you will be part of an active, supportive and vibrant student community, with excellent dedicated postgraduate facilities, and benefit from cutting-edge legal training taking place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays in person and online. You are usually allocated two supervisors, who give guidance about the nature of the research, the standard of work required, and about the relevant literature and sources that should be consulted. You meet with supervisors monthly, ensuring consistent and continuous support during the length of the degree.
We welcome applications for research degrees in a wide range of areas. You should accompany your application with a proposal of up to 10 pages including an outline of the research project you envisage, your proposed research questions, your intended methodology, an indicative bibliography, and a brief explanation of what your project will add to this literature. You are strongly advised to discuss your project with an appropriate member of staff (contact details on our website) or with the Director of Postgraduate Research prior to submitting your application. When preparing your proposal, you should read our 'Guide to writing a PhD or LLM by Research proposal.'
Kent Law School offers a limited number of scholarships to prospective PhD candidates. Read more about scholarship opportunities in Kent Law School on our Postgraduate Funding page.
Kent Law School (KLS) is the UK's leading critical law school. A cosmopolitan centre of world-class critical legal research, it offers a supportive and intellectually stimulating place to study postgraduate taught and research degrees.
In addition to learning the detail of the law, students at Kent are taught to think about the law with regard to its history, development and relationship with wider society. This approach allows students to fully understand the law. Our critical approach not only makes the study of law more interesting, it helps to develop crucial skills and abilities required for a career in legal practice.
You study within a close-knit, supportive and intellectually stimulating environment, working closely with academic staff. KLS uses critical research-led teaching throughout our programmes to ensure that you benefit from the Law School’s world-class research.
A first or good second class honours degree in law or a relevant subject. Particular attention will be paid to your previous experience of academic research and writing.
All applicants are considered on an individual basis and additional qualifications, professional qualifications and relevant experience may also be taken into account when considering applications.
Please see our International Student website for entry requirements by country and other relevant information. Due to visa restrictions, students who require a student visa to study cannot study part-time unless undertaking a distance or blended-learning programme with no on-campus provision.
The University requires all non-native speakers of English to reach a minimum standard of proficiency in written and spoken English before beginning a postgraduate degree. Certain subjects require a higher level.
For detailed information see our English language requirements web pages.
Please note that if you are required to meet an English language condition, we offer a number of pre-sessional courses in English for Academic Purposes through Kent International Pathways.
Duration: LLM 1 year full-time, 2 years part-time
MPhil 2 years full-time, 3 years part-time
The 2023/24 annual tuition fees for this course are:
For details of when and how to pay fees and charges, please see our Student Finance Guide.
For students continuing on this programme fees will increase year on year by no more than RPI + 3% in each academic year of study except where regulated.* If you are uncertain about your fee status please contact information@kent.ac.uk.
The University will assess your fee status as part of the application process. If you are uncertain about your fee status you may wish to seek advice from UKCISA before applying.
Find out more about general additional costs that you may pay when studying at Kent.
Search our scholarships finder for possible funding opportunities. You may find it helpful to look at both:
We have a range of subject-specific awards and scholarships for academic, sporting and musical achievement.
Search scholarships
In the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2021, 100% of our Law research was classified as ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’ for impact and environment.
Following the REF 2021, Law at Kent was ranked 2nd in the UK in the Times Higher Education.
Kent Law School is widely recognised as a world leader in critical and interdisciplinary scholarship including socio-legal studies, law and humanities, critical legal studies and feminist theory.
We place law in its wider social, political and historical contexts, and attend to a wide range of thematic and geographical areas, and are renowned in particular for our attention to the role of law in creating, challenging and perpetuating social and global inequalities.
Read more about our Research and Research Centres, and about the Staff who teach at Kent
Kent’s world-class academics provide research students with excellent supervision. The Law School is recognised for the international quality of its research, with expertise across many areas of law.
Profiles for each member of academic staff and their research interests are listed on the School’s website, and we encourage intending students to review them to identify a potential supervisor. You can also use Kent’s ‘find a supervisor’ function to search the profiles, searching by member of staff or by keyword related to your area of academic interest.
We also welcome and encourage you to contact the Law School prior to making an application; to discuss your proposed research, and to ensure that our expertise matches your research interests
Employability is a key focus throughout the University and at Kent Law School you have the support of a dedicated Employability and Career Development Officer together with a broad choice of work placement opportunities, employability events and careers talks. Details of graduate internship schemes with NGOs, charities and other professional organisations are made available to postgraduate students via the School’s Employability Blog.
Law graduates have gone on to careers in finance, international commerce, government and law or have joined, or started, an NGO or charity.
Kent has an excellent record for postgraduate employment: of Kent graduate students who graduated in 2016, 98% of those who responded to a national survey were in work or further study within six months (DLHE).
Postgraduate students at Kent Law School have access to a postgraduate computing room, study area and common room with wireless internet access. The Law School has an active and inclusive extra-curricular academic and social scene, with weekly graduate seminars, a postgraduate student group for all students, and a regular guest lecture programme organised by our research centres (which include the Centre for Critical International Law, the Kent Centre for Law, Gender and Sexuality, and the Kent Centre for European and Comparative Law).
Our Law Library has long been a leader in the development of electronic resources for legal teaching and research. The extensive and up-to-date law collection in the University’s Templeman Library is particularly strong on electronic material, and the Electronic Law Library includes numerous legal databases, which are increasingly invaluable tools for research. In addition, you can access the text of thousands of law journals online. Our law librarian is available to train you to use these resources and runs regular legal research classes with postgraduate students.
We have a dedicated postgraduate office, offering support from application to graduation. Research students benefit from a research training programme in the first year. An academic staff member acts as postgraduate research co-ordinator and runs a weekly postgraduate study group, at which students present and discuss research. The Law School provides research students with an allowance for conferences and other research expenses, and an annual printing allowance.
Staff publish regularly and widely in journals, conference proceedings and books. Recent contributions include: Modern Law Review; Social & Legal Studies; The Canadian Journal of Law & Society; Legal Studies; Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society.
Kent's Graduate School co-ordinates the Researcher Development Programme for research students, which includes workshops focused on research, specialist and transferable skills. The programme is mapped to the national Researcher Development Framework and covers a diverse range of topics, including subject-specific research skills, research management, personal effectiveness, communication skills, networking and teamworking, and career management skills.
We are now considering applications for entry in September 2023 only. Please be aware that if you apply your application will be considered on this basis.
Learn more about the application process or begin your application by clicking on a link below.
You will be able to choose your preferred year of entry once you have started your application. You can also save and return to your application at any time.
T: +44 (0)1227 823254
E: internationalstudent@kent.ac.uk
