Law and Society (PhD)
In our PhD program, you’ll study applied legal methodology and conduct original research. You’ll work closely with your supervisor as well as experts in other disciplines, such as political science, Indigenous governance or sociology.
You’ll study for a candidacy exam and work on a doctoral dissertation. You’ll defend the culminating work in an oral defense.
| Expected length | Project or thesis | Course-based |
|---|---|---|
| 4-5 years (12-15 academic terms) | Yes | No |
Quick facts
- Program options:
- Doctorate
- Study options:
- Full-time study
- Program delivery:
- On-campus
Outcomes
Students in this program will:
- develop a deep and advanced interdisciplinary specialization within the scope of their dissertation project
- apply appropriate discipline and project specific methods
- acquire broader disciplinary knowledge
- gain the ability to understand and evaluate past and emerging research within their research field
- acquire foundational knowledge and experience for an academic or research-intensive career
- gain skills to effectively communicate disciplinary knowledge to legal community and broader public
Find a supervisor
All graduate students must have a faculty member who serves as their academic supervisor. When you apply:
- you must specify the faculty member(s) you would like to work with, and explain why
- this faculty member does not need to agree to be your supervisor before you apply, but you can reach out to faculty member(s) to seek their interest in principle
To find a potential supervisor, review the faculty contacts. When you've found a faculty member whose research complements your own, you may contact them by email.
Show me program details
Providing you accurate admission requirements, application deadlines, tuition fee estimates and scholarships depends on your situation. Tell us about yourself:
Your program details
Application deadlines
Admission requirements
Program specific requirements
Please note that the minimum language requirements for the Faculty of Law admissions are higher than the minimums set by the University of Victoria.
As part of your application, you must submit:
- A curriculum vitae
- A full dissertation proposal (five-page maximum). You can revise this proposal during your time in the program
- A sample of your research writing, e.g. a completed segment of a master’s thesis or published article
- The names and email addresses of two references. Your references should be professors or another authority familiar with your academic work
Program specific requirements
Please note that the minimum language requirements for the Faculty of Law admissions are higher than the minimums set by the University of Victoria.
As part of your application, you must submit:
- A curriculum vitae
- A full dissertation proposal (five-page maximum). You can revise this proposal during your time in the program
- A sample of your research writing, e.g. a completed segment of a master’s thesis or published article
- The names and email addresses of two references. Your references should be professors or another authority familiar with your academic work
Completion requirements
Funding & aid
Tuition & fees
Estimated minimum program cost*
* Based on an average program length. For a per term fee breakdown view the tuition fee estimator.
Estimated values determined by the tuition fee estimator shall not be binding to the University of Victoria.
Ready to apply?
You can start your online application to UVic by creating a new profile or using an existing one.
Faculties & departments
Related programs
Need help?
Contact Tiffany Gordon at gradlawadm@uvic.ca or 250-721-8913.