Master of Philosophy in Law

The Master of Philosophy in Law (MPhil) is a research degree available only as an add-on to the taught BCL and MJur degrees. Admission to the MPhil is conditional upon good performance in the BCL or MJur. Students must normally take up their MPhil places straight after the BCL/MJur, although a one-year deferral is sometimes possible. MPhil candidates must write a supervised thesis of up to 30,000 words, as well as completing a course in legal research method. The MPhil is a one-year full-time programme. (Requests for MPhil extensions beyond one calendar year are granted only exceptionally and for at most one term. Candidates who fail to submit their MPhil thesis within one calendar year will normally be transferred to the MSt programme, which allows extra time for submission.)

• More about funding for postgraduate students.

• More about the BCL and MJur taught postgraduate degrees (including admissions).

• More about the MSt research degree, which does not require a BCL or MJur first.

• Our postgraduate handbook (pdf), which explains in more detail what to expect as a MPhil student, including more details of the course in legal research method.

• General questions about life as a research student? Check out our FAQs. 

For those interested in taking their research further, the MPhil year can also double as the first year of the Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil) programme. A student intending to study for an Oxford DPhil must anyway spend a year as a 'probationer research student' and then take a 'qualifying test' to become a full DPhil student. If you are an MPhil student during this first year, you can arrange to have your proposal for DPhil work assessed at the same time as your MPhil thesis; the MPhil examination then doubles as your qualifying test. (NB it is possible to pass the MPhil without passing the qualifying test.)

The route BCL/MJur (1 year) » MPhil (1 year) » DPhil (approx. 2 further years) is regarded by the Law Faculty as the optimum route to a doctorate. The BCL/MJur year creates an ideal platform from which to launch into serious research. Despite having spent that extra year before turning to research, those who follow this route tend to reach their doctoral goal more expeditiously than others and often with less anxiety. Subject to certain regulations your MPhil thesis can be incorporated into your DPhil thesis.

• More about the DPhil and the alternative routes into it.