Supervisors
Learn about faculty available to supervise this degree.
Please note: additional supervisors may be available. Contact the program for more information.
Program overview
The PhD program in Law gives qualified students the opportunity to engage in sustained research in an area of interest to them, under the supervision of our diverse, energetic faculty members.
The Faculty of Law includes endowed chairs in natural resources and business law. Our graduate programs in energy and environmental law are world-renowned. We have experts in a wide variety of areas of law, including international environmental law, internet and cybersecurity law, business law, and legal theory and history.
The Faculty of Law is a home of the Journal of Environmental Law and Practice and for our acclaimed law blog, ABlawg.
Completing this program
- Core Courses: Graduate seminar in legal research and methodology, graduate seminar in legal theory, and independent, supervised research.
- Thesis/Dissertation Proposal
- Written Field of Study Examinations
- Oral Candidacy Examination
- Completion of Original Thesis/Dissertation: Approximately 300 pages in length.
Outcomes
The PhD program is for students passionate about research and writing in a focused area of law, and who may be interested in an academic or research career.
A PhD in law is usually considered a final degree; some graduates go on to post-doctoral research.
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Accepting Inquiries -
Accepting InquiriesLaw and technology; artificial intelligence and law; environmental impact of new and emerging technologies -
Accepting InquiriesSecurities, Financial Market Regulation, Fintech -
Accepting InquiriesTechnology and Intellectual Property Law; Legal Theory & Philosophy
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Accepting InquiriesHealth law and policy, tort law
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Accepting Inquiries
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Accepting InquiriesTechnology and the law
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UnavailableClimate Change Law -
Accepting InquiriesCriminal law, national security law
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Accepting InquiriesNatural resources law and regulation
Admission requirements
GPA
Typically at least 3.30 GPA on a 4.0 point system.
Minimum education
An LLM or other relevant and appropriate master's degree.
Work samples
Writing sample required.
Documents
- Applicants must provide a 10-page statement describing their research interests and propose a dissertation project.
- A C.V.
- Writing Sample: Should be approximately 10-30 pages long. It must be your own original writing. It should be reasoned scholarly or professional work that serves to demonstrate to a committee of professors that you have a well-developed capacity for writing, analysis and research. It may be published or unpublished. Do not submit writing that you co-authored with someone else: application files relying on co-authored work will be treated as incomplete. Do not submit any material that is confidential or to which others might have claims of privilege, e.g. confidential or privileged memoranda prepared for clients or employers.
Reference letters
Two academic.
Test scores
None
Supervision and Funding
Applicants must identify a potential supervisor in their application.
English language proficiency
An applicant whose primary language is not English may fulfill the English language proficiency requirement in one of the following ways:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL ibt) score of 97.
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 7.0 (minimum of 6.5 in each section).
- Pearson Test of English (PTE) score of 68, or higher (Academic version).
- Canadian Academic English Language test (CAEL) score of 70 (70 in some sections – up to the program, 60 in all other).
- Academic Communication Certificate (ACC) score of A- in one or two courses (up to the program), “B+” on all other courses.
- Cambridge C1 Advanced or Cambridge C2 Proficiency minimum score of 191.
- Duolingo English Test and obtaining a minimum score of 135* (with no sub-score below 115*). (temporary until Fall 2024 intake).
*Please contact your program of interest if you have any questions about ELP requirements
Deadlines
For Fall 2023 admission:
- December 31, 2022 - application deadline
- January 8, 2023 - deadline for submission of supporting documents and reference letters
If you're not a Canadian or permanent resident, or if you have international credentials, make sure to learn about international requirements
Learn more about this program
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Related programs
If you're interested in this program, you might want to explore other UCalgary programs.
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