Law, Ph.D.

COURSE OVERVIEW

When you join our thriving community of postgraduate research students, you’ll become part of a supportive and friendly environment where we are dedicated to understanding some of society’s most challenging issues.

A research degree in Law gives you the chance to pursue a project based around your own passions and interests, leading to a qualification which can open the door to an academic career or boost employment prospects in a range of other fields.

Your research degree will typically last from three years (full-time) to six years (part-time) for a PhD, or two years (full-time) to four years (part-time) for an MPhil.

We have a wide range of expertise, and we invite applications in the following areas:

• Common, Contract and Commercial Law - particularly Comparative Law of Obligations, Securities, Company Law, IP Law and use of IP assets in securing funding for small and medium sized businesses, E-contract Law, Company Law, Equity Law, Law and Technology; and World Trade Law.
• Maritime Law - in particular Transport Law, Environmental Protection, Ship Building, Collisions, Law of the Sea, Marine Insurance, Salvage and Enforcement of Maritime Claims.
• Oil and Gas Law – especially Investment Treaties, Liability Regimes and Investment Arbitration.
• Public Law across domestic, regional and international levels including: Administrative Law; Medical Law, Children’s Rights; Constitutional Law; Devolution; Economic Law; Environmental Law (including Land-use Planning and Nature Conservation); European Union Law; Gender and the Law; Human Rights Law; Investment Law; Minority Language Rights; Multilevel Governance; Socio-economic Law; and Public Procurement Law.
• Criminal Law and the Law relating to Terrorism, Cyber Terrorism and Counter Terrorism.

Career Opportunities

Having a PhD demonstrates that graduates can work effectively in a team, formulate, explore and communicate complex ideas and manage advanced tasks. Jobs in academia (eg postdoctoral research, lecturing), education, government, management, the public or private sector are possible. Examples include administrators, counsellors, marketing specialists, and researchers.

The Postgraduate Research Office Skills Development Team offer support and a training framework for example in creating a researcher profile based upon publications and setting up your own business. The Swansea Employability Academy assists students in future career opportunities, improving CVs, job applications and interview skills.