Doctor of Philosophy - Law

Melbourne Law School aims to admit outstanding graduates from a wide variety of countries and to provide them with a world class experience in undertaking a graduate research degree. The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree requires you to undertake a substantial piece of independent and original research under academic supervision. The research thesis is examined externally by scholars with international standing in the research field of the thesis topic.

Minimum qualifications Applicants are normally required to have completed at least a four-year honours degree at H2A standard from an Australian university, or a qualification or combination of qualifications considered by the RHD Committee to be equivalent. Minimum level of academic achievement Applicants should have achieved an overall H1 (80-100%) or H2A (75-79%) grade in the relevant honours or Masters degree.

An extract from the relevant University handbook (or website) for your Master degree, that clearly states:

• the normal duration of the course and
• the structure of the course (e.g. 2 years full-time, minimum of 24 points of which 18 points are a research project.

Relevance of the degree The completed degree must be in an area that is relevant to the intended PhD, including sufficient specialisation such that the applicant will have already developed an understanding and appreciation of a body of knowledge relevant to the intended PhD. Evidence of research ability Applicants are normally required to have completed a research project/component that accounts for at least 25% of their year's work at 4th year or at Masters level. Currency of applicant's knowledge of the discipline The applicant's degree(s) and/or professional experience must demonstrate that their knowledge of the discipline in which they plan to undertake their research higher degree is current. English language requirements: