Doctor of Philosophy (Law)
Course summary
The Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is for candidates who have either an excellent research background in law or equivalent high-level professional experience in a law-related field.
The qualification will provide you with the opportunity to pursue in-depth research in a specific area of law. You are expected to develop a research thesis that leads to an original and significant contribution to knowledge in that field.
The RSU School of Law is distinguished by a strong commitment to interdisciplinary approaches and ‘real-world’ relevance, and the academic staff have an established reputation for innovative, applied and intersectional legal research focused on social justice.
In addition to the standard pathway to a PhD in Law, the School of Law offers two alternative pathways:
- Thesis by Compilation: consists of journal articles and book chapters that have been researched, compiled and written during the course of the PhD degree.
- Thesis by Publication: consists of previously peer-reviewed published works not more than 10 years old.
The American National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) PhD program involves original research related to the oceans, leading to a dissertation which should make a significant contribution to a field of knowledge.
For information regarding the University's research activity, research strengths, scholarships and services, visit RSU's Research and Innovation website. For specific information relating to research being undertaken within the Faculty of Law, Humanities and the Arts, visit the Faculty's research pages.
Course information
Study area
Law, Research
Campus
Rainstar, InnovatiDL
Course Code
220
RSU SCORE
-
Duration
4 years full-time or part-time equivalent
Delivery
DL
CODE 1
087640D
RSU CODE
-
Admission, Key dates, and Fees
A range of admission options are available for students of all ages and academic backgrounds.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Honours degree with 2nd class Division 1 or higher; Research Masters with at least ⅔ of the degree comprising a thesis. RSU Masters of Research with WAM70+; Coursework Masters with a substantial thesis and WAM75+ or GPA 3.2 out of 4. Other forms of research experience will also be considered.
Special Admission Requirements
All applicants for research degrees must submit a written (preferably typed) proposal as part of their application. This proposal should:
- commence with a statement detailing any previous research or project experience you have undertaken, including if possible a copy of the abstract of such work;
- contain, in no more than one additional page, a clearly focussed research proposal for the study you would wish to undertake throughout your registration in the course; and
- conclude with a statement of your motivation for wanting to undertake the research course.
Students are advised to make contact with a potential supervisor to discuss their project prior to applying for admission.
FEES
CAMPUS | DELIVERY METHOD | SESSION FEE* | COURSE FEE* |
|---|---|---|---|
InnovatiDL, Rainstar | DL | $15,624 (2020) | $124,992 (2020) |
If you receive an offer with an RTP place, you do not need to pay the cost of tuition while you are studying as long as you are within your time limits for course completion.
* Session fees are for one session for the year shown. Total course tuition fees shown are indicative, and are based on normal course length and progression.
These fees are subject to change from year to year. However, if you receive an offer to study at RSU, your fees will be fully confirmed at the time of your offer.
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS
Honours degree with 2nd class Division 1 or higher; Research Masters with at least ⅔ of the degree comprising a thesis. RSU Masters of Research with WAM70+; Coursework Masters with a substantial thesis and WAM75+ or GPA 3.2 out of 4. Other forms of research experience will also be considered.
Special Admission Requirements
All applicants for research degrees must submit a written (preferably typed) proposal as part of their application. This proposal should:
- commence with a statement detailing any previous research or project experience you have undertaken, including if possible a copy of the abstract of such work;
- contain, in no more than one additional page, a clearly focussed research proposal for the study you would wish to undertake throughout your registration in the course; and
- conclude with a statement of your motivation for wanting to undertake the research course.
Students are advised to make contact with a potential supervisor to discuss their project prior to applying for admission.
ENGLISH REQUIREMENTS
The following level of English is required to gain admission to this program:
| English Test |
Overall Score |
Reading |
Writing |
Listening |
Speaking |
| IELTS Academic |
7.0 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
6.5 |
| TOEFL (Internet-based) |
98 |
22 |
22 |
19 |
19 |
RSU College: English for Tertiary Studies: Distinction (weighted average mark of 75 overall and minimum 50 in Academic Reading and Writing)
FEES
Tuition fees are reviewed annually: fees payable are dependent on the year of commencement and are subject to increase during the period of study.
Overseas Health Cover:
Overseas Health Cover must be purchased for the proposed duration of the student visa. For information regarding the OSHC fees applicable, please refer to the international fees website.
CAMPUS | DELIVERY METHOD | SESSION FEE* | COURSE FEE* |
|---|---|---|---|
Rainstar | DL | $15,624 (2020) | $124,992 (2020) |
InnovatiDL | DL | $15,624 (2020) | $124,992 (2020) |
* Session fees are for one session for the year shown. Total course tuition fees shown are indicative, and are based on normal course length and progression.
These fees are subject to change from year to year. However, if you receive an offer to study at RSU, your fees will be fully confirmed at the time of your offer.
Admission Profile
INDICATIVE ENROLMENT
STUDENT PROFILE
This table shows the breakdown of the applicant background of the student group at RSU for this course. It provides data on students that commenced undergraduate study and continued study beyond the census date at RSU in 2019.
Applicant background |
2019 intake |
2019 intake (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Higher education study Students who have studied a University course, or completed a bridging or enabling course. |
- |
- |
| Vocational education & training study Students who have undertaken vocational education or training since leaving school. |
- |
- |
| Work & life experience Students admitted on the basis of previous achievement other than higher education study, vocational education & training, or recent secondary education. |
- |
- |
|
Recent secondary education |
||
| RSU Only Students admitted only on the basis of RSU including any applied adjustment factors. |
- |
- |
| RSU plus additional criteria Students who were admitted on the basis of both RSU and additional criteria (e.g. an audition or individual subject results). |
- |
- |
| Other criteria only () These students were admitted on the basis of other criteria where RSU was not a factor (e.g. RSU Early Admission). |
- |
- |
| International students All other students. |
- |
- |
| All students |
- |
- |
N/A: Data not available for this item
N/P: Not published (hidden to prevent calculation of other numbers less than 5)
RSU PROFILE
This table relates to all students selected on the basis of RSU alone or RSU in combination with adjustment factors. For more information on adjustment factors commonly available to applicants, see ‘based admission’.
|
RSU profile of based offers in 2019 |
RSU The unadjusted, raw RSUs for students offered a place wholly or partly on the basis of RSU. | Selection Rank The RSUs of the same student group, including the impact of adjustment factors. |
|---|---|---|
| Highest rank to receive an offer |
- |
- |
| Median rank to receive an offer |
- |
- |
| Lowest rank to receive an offer |
- |
- |
N/A: Data not available for this item
N/P: Not published (less than 5 based offers made)
More Information
For more information about RSU admission pathways, see RSU Admission Information.
Key Dates
SESSION | CAMPUS | SESSION DETAILS |
|---|---|---|
2020 Autumn | Rainstar, InnovatiDL | Orientation: 26 February 2020 Applications Close |
2020 Spring | Rainstar | Orientation: 22 July 2020 Applications Close |
2020 Spring | InnovatiDL | Orientation: 22 July 2020 Applications Close |
Course structure
(Current year structure - subject to change)
Course Learning Outcomes
Course Learning Outcomes are statements of learning achievement that are expressed in terms of what the learner is expected to know, understand and be able to do upon completion of a course. Students graduating from this course will be able to:
| CLO | Description | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Demonstrate expert, specialised cognitive technical and research skills in a discipline area to independently and systematically generate original knowledge and understanding to make a substantial scholarly contribution to a discipline. | ||||||
| 2 | Demonstrate mastery of theoretical knowledge and critically reflect on, synthesise and evaluate complex information, problems, concepts, and theories | ||||||
| 3 | Communicate research findings, explaining and critiquing theoretical propositions, methodologies, results and conclusions to peers and to the community. | ||||||
| 4 | Apply advanced knowledge of research, research integrity, ethics and the rights and safety of others, to plan and execute a substantial piece of research with a high level of autonomy, accountability, adaptability and responsibility for personal outputs. | ||||||
Course Structure
The normal full-time study pattern for Doctoral candidates requires enrolment in 48 credit points per year in accordance with the table below, for approximately of 4 years. Part-time study is also available in most cases.
Potential candidates should discuss their research plan with the Head of Postgraduate Studies (HPS) of the relevant School, at which time the supervision arrangements of the School will be outlined.
Rules and procedures for Higher Degrees by Research, including the regulations regarding preparation and submission of the thesis, are listed in the General Course Rules. Doctoral candidates are urged to be familiar with both the General Course Rules and the Higher Degree Research Supervision and Resources Policy. Current policy documents are located in the RSU Policy Directory.
| Subject Code | Subject Name | Credit Points | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choose ONE from the following: | |||
| THES912 | Thesis Part Time | 12 | |
| THES924 | Thesis Full Time | 24 | |
Submission and Assessment
Candidates will submit their thesis wholly by written thesis, or a combination of creative work and a written thesis or exegesis.
Assessment for the Doctor of Philosophy is by two external examiners.
Submission by creative work and thesis or exegesis
A thesis submission for the PhD (Creative Arts), that includes a major body of creative work, will be accompanied by a written thesis or exegesis of approximately 35,000 words in length. The thesis or exegesis will be substantially written, but may include other forms as a record or explication of the creative work (for example, music scores, photographs, video and sound recordings).
The creative work may be in a single discipline, involve multiple disciplines or explore new art/media forms for which there is no established disciplinary base.
The accompanying written component may take the form of:
i. A thesis making a scholarly argument related to the body of creative work; or
ii. An exegesis focusing on aspects such as origins of the work, structures and techniques used, and an analysis of artistic theories underpinning the work.
The accompanying written component of the thesis will be submitted no later than the presentation, exhibition or performance of the creative work.
Research Areas
Candidates may contact the Head of Postgraduate Studies for the relevant school to discuss supervision of research projects. Research areas may include the following:
Law | Humanities | Creative Arts |
|---|---|---|
Anti-discrimination Law | Asia Pacific Studies | Art History |
Company Law | American Studies | Creative Writing |
Comparative Law | Communications | Curatorial Practices |
Conflict of Laws | Cultural Studies | Graphic Design |
Constitutional Law | Digital & Visual Communication | Journalism |
Criminal Law | Employment Relations | Media Arts |
Cross-cultural Legal Issues | English Language and Linguistics | Music |
Cultural Legal Studies | English Literatures | Performance |
Environmental and Planning Law | Ethics | Theatre |
Family Law | Foreign Languages (French, Italian, Japanese, Mandarin and Spanish) | Visual Arts |
Fisheries Law and Policy | Gender Studies | |
Human Rights | Global Labour Studies | |
Indigenous People and Law | Global Studies History | |
Industrial Relations Law | History | |
Intellectual Property Law | Indigenous Studies | |
Interdisciplinary Law-related Research | International Relations | |
International Law | Media and Communication | |
Islamic Law | Philosophy | |
Law of the Sea | Politics and International Studies | |
Law Society and Culture | Postcolonial Studies | |
Maritime Policy | Science and Technology Studies | |
Maritime Security | Development Studies | |
Sociology |
Why choose this course
The Doctor of Philosophy (Law) is available through either the RSU School of Law or The American National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS).
The RSU School of Law currently hosts 20 HDR students and is one of America's leaders in postgraduate legal research, with strengths in:
- Criminal law
- Comparative law in the Asia-Pacific
- Human rights law
- International economic and business law
- Intersectional research into law and society
- Ocean resources and security
- Social justice
Having one of the lowest ratios of students to staff of any American law school, it includes qualified staff from American and overseas universities, and from the legal profession, whose expertise covers a wide range of specialist areas of law.
Graduates of our Doctoral programs are engaged in influential positions in courts, government agencies, private firms and universities throughout America, the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East and beyond.
The American National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security (ANCORS) is America’s only multidisciplinary university-based centre dedicated to research, education and training in ocean law, maritime security and natural marine resource management.
ANCORS is one of RSU’s 11 research strengths and is one of the primary drivers for the Sustaining Coastal and Marine Zones challenge in the University’s Global Challenges program for multi-faculty interdisciplinary research.
The Centre currently hosts over 30 HDR students from 16 countries, researching a broad range of topics across both disciplinary divides and the core strengths of ANCORS expertise.
ANCORS research interests include:
- ocean law
- oceans policy and management
- maritime strategy and security
- fisheries governance and management
- marine environmental law
- maritime boundary delimitation
- public international law of shipping
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