Program Specific Requirements
- Applicants are required to hold a Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Bachelors of Laws (LL.B.) degree as well as a Masters degree from a thesis (research) based Masters Program. Applicants should show a superior level of academic performance in a field of specialization that will support their Ph.D. research.
- Faculty Supervisor & Supervisory Committee — Applicants are asked to identify their preferred 1st and 2nd choice supervisors in their application. Applicants should review faculty profiles before applying. There is no need to secure a thesis supervisor, nor is it necessary to contact potential thesis supervisors prior to submission of an application. Many faculty members prefer to review only applications referred by the Graduate Committee.
Ph.D. students work under the supervision of a primary supervisor who is a full-time faculty member at the Allard School of Law. The supervisory committee will include at least two other faculty members. Those members can be from the Allard School of Law, another Law faculty, or from outside the discipline of law.
Letters of Reference: Applicants to the PhD Program must have their thesis (research) supervisor from their Masters Program provide a letter of reference.
General Requirements
- For applicants with Canadian or USA credentials, you must meet the minimum requirements set by the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies.
- For applicants with International credentials, your requirements vary by country. Visit the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website for a full list of general requirements for international credentials.
English Language Requirements
If your first law degree (LL.B. or J.D.) is from a university where English is not the primary language of instruction, you must take and provide the results of an English language proficiency exam with your application.
Visit the Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies website for a complete list of acceptable testing agencies.
Other Considerations
- We understand that not everyone takes the same path to graduate education. If you do not meet the requirements above, but have other significant formal training, relevant professional experience and/or possess demonstrable knowledge/expertise, you may be granted admission on a case-by-case basis. If your application falls into this category, please contact the Graduate Program at graduates@allard.ubc.ca.
- These requirements are minimums and are only one part of your application. Visit our How to Apply page to review the application process and required documents.