Emphasis on research methodology
All incoming PhD students receive extensive training in research methodology through a course that has been especially designed to help students cope with the challenges of contemporary legal research, in particular those arising with respect to intra-and inter-disciplinarity.
Prospective PhD students who do not have extensive prior experience with research methods or do not have a degree in law are strongly encouraged to enroll for an initial year on either of the school’s two Master by Research (MRes) programmes (MRes in Law; MRes in Socio-Legal studies). These have been designed with a view to the individual needs of legal research and consist of a one year-long compulsory course, introducing students to key methods and traditions of legal thinking, combined with elective courses from the taught masters curriculum in law and other social sciences.