cambridge phd law candidates

Third-Culture Lawyer

Interview with Anna Lukina, PhD Candidate in Law, University of Cambridge

I had the pleasure of meeting Anna Lukina at Harvard Law School, when I was a J.D. student and she was an LLM candidate. We were both taking Justice Elena Kagan’s seminar on the U.S. Supreme Court. In this Substack post that follows The Third-Culture Lawyer ’s exploration of JD vs. MD programs , Anna has kindly offered to share her wonderful insights on what it’s like to be a PhD Candidate in Law at the University of Cambridge.

Anna has had an inspiring academic journey. She got her BA in Law and BCL from Oxford, then joined us in Cambridge, Massachusetts as an LLM candidate at Harvard. She then moved to the UK Cambridge for her PhD program. Anna’s research interests include legal theory, legal history, and public law, and she is currently working on a project entitled ‘ Towards a Jurisprudence of Evil Law ’.

Q: Thank you so much, Anna, for agreeing to share your insights and advice with the readers and myself! First of all, how and when did you decide to apply to the PhD program, and what drove your passion for the subject?

A: I am honored to share my journey and give some advice in this interview! I have wanted to pursue a career in academia since high school where I developed an interest in jurisprudence, legal history (especially Soviet legal history) and public law. I credit reading around the topic, participating in subject Olympiads, and being assigned an essay on the Soviet Procuracy during the Great Terror by my history teacher for nudging me towards that career path. Animated by these research interests, I have completed my Bachelor degree in Law and two Masters’ programs in the same subject before starting my PhD.

Q: What advice would you give for those who are considering to pursue a PhD program?

A: The first thing one should realize is that a PhD is a big commitment, so I think you should choose to do it if you firmly want to pursue a vocation in research and/or teaching. A lot of skills the PhD gives might be relevant to other careers, but they can be gained elsewhere. If you are not sure whether you would be interested in writing a doctoral thesis, I advise you to do a research Masters or a Masters with a significant research component first to ‘test the waters’. If you, for instance, really enjoyed working on an undergraduate or a Masters’ dissertation, a PhD program is the right place for you. One other very important advice I have is choosing your PhD subject area and topic. It should be something you are very interested in as you will be spending 3-5 years researching it and writing 100k words on it.

Q: That’s all wonderful suggestions. Can you please share with us your current PhD project?

A: My current PhD project is entitled ‘Towards a Jurisprudence of Evil Law’. It looks at ‘evil’ legal systems, such as Nazi Germany, Stalinist Soviet Union, and slavery in the antebellum United States from a legal-theoretical and a legal-historical perspective. In a way, it stems from my long-standing interest in atypical legal systems, that is, those that are not liberal democracies – what is usually assumed to be the case in most jurisprudential inquiries. Coming from an authoritarian country myself, I believe that looking at more examples of law than that will improve our understanding of the nature of law at large.

Q: Can you please tell us more about the role of the supervisor vs. the institution for those choosing PhD programs?

A: I am a firm believer in that, when choosing PhD programs to apply to, one needs to prioritize the supervisor over the institution, even though it is definitely great if they both match your expectations. After all, it is your supervisor who you are going to spend most of the time with in the 3-5 years of your PhD and who will be acting as your primary mentor in areas beyond your work on the thesis. Unless it is specifically forbidden by the program, it is a good idea to reach out to potential supervisors to see if any of them would want to support your application and get a rough idea of how they are to work with. The reasons why I chose to do my PhD under my supervisor were the close match of our research interests, his willingness to support my application and even look at early drafts of my dissertation chapters before I officially accepted a PhD place, and his thoroughness and, at the same time, kindness (a rare combination!) with which he approached my work.

Q: I’m sure readers are also keen to read more about your thoughts on the PhD application process itself and the various components of the application. Please give us an overview, especially given your academic background both in the UK and US that can bring comparative perspectives.

A: The PhD application process is highly specific to each country, institution and program of study, but my applications for law PhDs in the UK and the US shared some common features. Usually, the program requires a research proposal, a cover letter (or personal statement), a CV, and two or three (preferably academic) references.

The research proposal is probably the most important part of your application. You have to not just think of an interesting idea for your research, but also read around the field, formulate a good research question (or even multiple questions), and delimit the scope of your inquiry so the project is manageable. This is not a small feat, so I suggest you start working on your proposal early and go through various iterations.

Your cover letter should be tailored to the specific program you are applying for. It is not a mere restatement of your CV, but an opportunity for you to highlight why (i) you are a good fit for the program and (ii) the program is a good fit for you. As a result, you should do research not only for the proposal, but also for the cover letter.

A PhD applicant’s referees are usually those who know them in an academic – and, in some exceptional cases, in employment – capacity. Instead of hunting for big names in your field, reach out to the potential referees who know you best.

Do not feel dismayed if not everything goes as planned. I have applied for PhDs in two consecutive cycles. In my first round, I sent in applications for only two programs and got rejected by both. While it was, without doubt, devastating at the time, this experience made me consider a wider range of schools, ultimately landing me in my current PhD program. ‘Rejection is redirection’ may sound trite, but it was definitely true in my case.

Q: Thank you so much for sharing these details and your personal experience! In terms of financial considerations, do PhD students typically receive funding?

A: There is usually some, albeit limited, funding for PhD students. Research your desired program – sometimes you are automatically considered for certain awards, and sometimes you have to apply for scholarships separately. There is also some funding for continuing PhD students, including travel grants for fieldwork (if needed) and attending conferences.

Q: That’s helpful to know. Next, please tell us more about what the PhD program itself is like. How is it structured? What are the main aspects you focus on? I’m sure there are differences across countries and would love to hear more about your perspectives.

A: In the UK, unlike in the US, you start writing your dissertation straightaway. At the end of the first year there is usually an examination or a mini viva. For that, at least at Cambridge, you have to submit a ‘first year paper’, which is usually covers a chapter or several chapters of your dissertation, a thesis plan, and a ‘personal progress log’. The examination is not as scary as it sounds – as long as you submit your work on time, it is there to help you in your future research rather than to test you. You are also taught a research methods class (in my experience, it was very relaxed and involved different faculty members coming to talk about their research) and required to present your ‘first year paper’ before the rest of the cohort.

After the first year examination is over, you have to proceed with the thesis for the next 2 or 3 years at your own pace before the final submission of your thesis and the final viva (the real scary one!). This requires a lot of self-discipline, as you should structure your own time. I meet with my supervisor every 2 weeks and always try to produce some writing in advance. This allows me to hit my writing goals and not to (at least more than occasionally) procrastinate. In addition, I think you will need an agenda or a calendar (either physical or online) as well as a to-do list for each day (it can be scribbled anywhere) – it makes me remember all the tasks I have set to myself and, even more importantly, reflect on what I achieved each day.

Q: I have heard from other PhD friends about the teaching, publishing, and conference presentations sides of the PhD experience. Please tell us about your experience and observations. For one, I’m really impressed by your wealth of teaching experience.

A: It is expected, especially in the current state of the academic job market, to work on side projects alongside your thesis and to keep on with publishing and speaking at conferences. However, it is important not to make oneself too overwhelmed – every extra item on your agenda should be carefully weighed against the main goal of the PhD, or producing a good thesis. The publishing process is often hard and demoralizing – sometimes academics spend months and even years to find a good home for their research. One should keep this fact in perspective when trying to navigate this terrain – all, even the most accomplished, scholars struggle with the peer review process. If possible, seek advice from your supervisor or other academic mentor – they have been in the game more than you and will definitely be able to help you with this endeavor.

To gain experience and credence for the future, it is also good for a PhD student to do some teaching. UK universities do not require a teaching component and leave it to PhD students to apply for vacancies. Sometimes teaching is secured through more informal channels, so do not be afraid to ask around even if there are no explicitly advertised positions. So far, I have not done any teaching at Cambridge, but have taught Jurisprudence to students at Harris Manchester College, Oxford. I am also a Professor at the Free University Moscow, a charity helping to promote academic freedom by serving as a platform for high-level online seminars. It was a unique opportunity since I was able to design two of my own courses, ‘The Fundamentals of Anglo-American Legal Theory’ and ‘Soviet Law, Its Origins And Development (1917-1948)’. To me, teaching was definitely challenging and even stressful at first but ultimately extremely rewarding. In preparation, I suggest reflecting on which teachers and professors you liked or disliked and why and then planning your classes accordingly. My goal when teaching is to make sure my students get key takeaways from the week’s material and leave the class less confused than before (even when you are teaching legal philosophy!). As long as you put enough work in to further this goal, your students will appreciate the effort.

Another important component in one’s PhD journey is service. Acting in editorial and peer review roles for journals, sitting on subject committees, organizing conferences, and many more such things is going to help you further develop as a scholar. For example, I was one of the organizers of the Wolfson Research Event, a transdisciplinary student-led research conference at my college, which was a great opportunity to promote the academic vocation amongst participants and attendees as well as learn how to plan conferences. I also am a co-convenor of the Cambridge Legal Theory Discussion Group, which keeps me up to date with recent research in the field. Finally, I work for ‘Dorogie Kollegi’ (‘Dear Colleagues’), a helpline for Ukrainian, Russian, and Belarusian students and academics who want to relocate to the West to further pursue their studies and research. This helps me to give back to the scholarly community in difficult times of the war waged against Ukraine and political repressions in Russia and Belarus.

Q: I have heard that the PhD experience being often described as a dauntingly solitary endeavor. PhD programs are demanding and intense — for example, I read Weike Wang’s novel Chemistry that explores various challenges PhD students face. What are some suggestions that you have?

A: A PhD student should not forget about their well-being while trying to juggle it all. One thing no one tells you about doing a PhD is how lonely it is. I have always been an introvert, so I thought I would not mind the solitary aspect of a research career, but I ended up struggling with it from time to time. One way to manage this aspect of doing a PhD is to read and write in libraries / coworking spaces or maybe even form a writing workshop. In addition, a proper work-life balance is important – do not forget to pencil in a coffee (or a video game session) with friends when you work on your schedule. Looking after one’s mental health while studying can and should go beyond these comparatively trivial things, if necessary. I have been struggling with my mental health for around 8 years now and have recently been diagnosed with Bipolar disorder. Getting treatment is one of the reasons why I am able to do my PhD, so I urge everyone to reach out to others for help if they are struggling.

Q: Thank you again, Anna, for all your candor and insights! Any final food for thought for our readers as we conclude this Substack piece?

A: Overall, doing a PhD is, without doubt, one of the best things that has ever happened to me. Still, it is a very big decision and an extremely arduous process to go through, both when applying for a program and doing your thesis. I hope this post has covered this in enough detail and nuance for you to properly consider a PhD journey of your own. Good luck!

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The degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the University's principal research degree for graduate students and is available in all faculties and departments.

A Cambridge PhD is intellectually demanding and you will need to have a high level of attainment and motivation to pursue this programme of advanced study and research.

In most faculties, a candidate is expected to have completed one year of postgraduate study, normally on a research preparation master's course, prior to starting a PhD.

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The Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) is Harvard Law School’s most advanced law degree, designed for aspiring legal academics who wish to pursue sustained independent study, research and writing. In recent years we have created a vibrant intellectual community of young scholars from around the world, most of whom will secure teaching positions in their home countries, the U.S., or third countries. We typically have around 60 S.J.D. candidates (most of whom are in residence) representing 25-30 countries, drawn primarily from among Harvard’s top LL.M. graduates. Ultimately, candidates are expected to produce a dissertation that will constitute a substantial and valuable contribution to legal scholarship.

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University of cambridge: law, doctor of philosophy - phd, full-time, 3 years starts oct 2024.

The PhD in Law may be awarded after three to four years of full-time study or five to seven years of part-time study (including a probationary period) of supervised independent research on the basis of a thesis not exceeding 100,000 words exclusive of bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. Students are appointed a principal supervisor by the Faculty's Degree Committee as well as an adviser as the second point of contact for academic advice. If the project is interdisciplinary, a second supervisor may be appointed. It is a requirement of the first year of study that students attend, in term-time only, the research training classes provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme. While individual arrangements may vary considerably, PhD students may normally expect to receive one-to-one supervision once a month during the early stages of their research. Meetings may be less frequent thereafter.

A PhD thesis must take due account of previously published work on the subject and must represent a significant contribution to learning, through, for example, the discovery of new knowledge, the connection of previously unrelated facts, the development of new theory or the revision of older views. A PhD research proposal of between 2,000 and 3,000 words in length should be submitted at the time of application for consideration and approval by the Faculty's Degree Committee. Candidates are initially registered for the Certificate of Postgraduate Study in Legal Studies and are required to attend the classes provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme, which aims to provide an introduction to advanced research techniques and methods in law and cognate disciplines.

Towards the end of May of their first year (or second year if registered part-time), candidates are required to submit three items for a progress review: a personal progress log, a 15,000-word thesis, and a short explanation of the proposed topic of the PhD. The work is formally assessed (normally by two teaching members of the Faculty) and students must attend an oral examination.

After this examination, the assessors' reports, along with a recommendation from the supervisor(s), are considered by the Faculty's Degree Committee whose members then decide whether the candidate be upgraded to doctoral status. The PhD registration date is normally backdated so as to include the period spent working on the Certificate.

Part-Time, 5 years starts Oct 2024

Full-time, 3 years started oct 2023, part-time, 5 years started oct 2023, full-time, 2 years starts oct 2024.

The MLitt in Law may be awarded after two years of supervised research (or a proportionally longer period if undertaken on a part-time basis) and following examination of a thesis not exceeding 60,000 words inclusive of footnotes but exclusive of appendices, bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter. An MLitt thesis must take due account of previously published work on the subject and must represent a useful contribution to learning. Candidates for the MLitt are registered in the first instance for the Certificate of Postgraduate Study in Legal Studies which provides training in legal research.

It is a requirement of the Certificate that candidates attend the weekly classes (during term time only) provided by the Faculty's Research Training and Development Programme that offers instruction on research techniques and advice on matters such as getting work published and obtaining academic jobs. Candidates are required to submit, normally towards the end of May of their first year (or at a proportionally later date for part-time candidates), three items for a progress review: a personal progress log, a 15,000-word thesis, and a short explanation of the proposed topic of the MLitt. The work is formally assessed (normally by two teaching members of the Faculty) and candidates must attend an oral examination.

After this examination, the assessors' reports, along with a recommendation from the supervisor(s), are considered by the Faculty's Degree Committee whose members then decide whether to register the candidate for the MLitt Degree. The MLitt registration date is normally backdated so as to include the period of time working on the Certificate.

Part-Time, 3 years starts Oct 2024

Full-time, 2 years started oct 2023, part-time, 3 years started oct 2023.

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PhD & research masters

Preparing you for an exciting and rewarding academic career with our fully-funded PhD programme. Join one of our 4 research masters programmes, each an integral part of a route to the PhD.

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• Prepare you for an exciting and rewarding academic career in a world-leading business school.  
• Enable you to research independently and contribute to important ongoing debates. 
• Empower you to impact society through your research and deep engagement with business.  

Masters + PhD structure

Our PhD programme at Cambridge Judge Business School, starts with one of our 9-month research masters degrees, followed by a PhD degree of 3-4 years.  

From the start of your masters degree, you’ll join one of 8 PhD pathways. Each leads you to specialise in a particular discipline of Management Studies.

Explore our pathways

Hello, I’m Professor Jennifer Howard-Grenville, and I’m the [former] director of our PhD programme here at Cambridge Judge Business School. I’m glad you’re exploring the possibility of a PhD. And we’d like to tell you a little bit about how our programme works. The goal of the PhD is to train students who are aiming to become research oriented faculty members at one of the world’s leading business schools. We also aim to help you develop your own independent research and contribute to lively academic debates in the field of management and business.

Finally, it’s important in our programme that you develop research that has an impact on society through your deep engagement with real world business and organisational problems. It’s really important to know that we operate a little differently from some other programmes, and we do not have direct entry to our PhD programme. This is because the PhD is part of a five-year programme of study, which begins with one of our master’s degrees, either the MPhil or the MRes degree.

On your MPhil or MRes year, you’ll learn essential theories and methods needed to conduct research for PhD. As well, you will have a chance to explore if a PhD in a career as a research academic is the right one for you. When you complete an MPhil or an MRes with us, we also get to know you and you get to know us, meaning that in the first year of your PhD, you hit the ground running conducting research, while you also learn some additional essential methods and research literatures.

We will work closely with you as a PhD student to mentor you and developing your research skills and identity. Our PhD and research master’s students also benefit from the fact that Cambridge Judge Business School is a vibrant place for wider scholarly exchange. In addition to our own leading faculty members who regularly publish with students in top journals in their fields and who hold senior editorial positions with those journals, we also regularly host visitors from around the world who are doing cutting edge research. We hope this helps you consider if you will be a strong fit for our research programmes.

View video with transcript

Financial support

All PhD and Master of Research students, as well as some MPhil research students, receive full funding through University or departmental scholarships.

Students in the 4th year of their PhD receive funding conditional on their progress.

We offer scholarships for UK and EU research students, funded by the UK’s Economic and Social Science Research Council (ESRC). The wider University of Cambridge offers additional funding sources for domestic and international students.

Find out more about funding your PhD

Undertaking a PhD is a life defining choice, explore the reasons to choose CJBS for your PhD:

Quality of supervision

Complementary training, colleges & environment, research & skills funding, resources for phds, social activities.

From the start of your research masters degree, you’ll join one of 8 PhD pathways. Each leads you to specialise in a particular discipline of Management Studies.

Prerequisite masters programme:

• Either MPhil in Finance
• or Master of Research (MRes)
• Either Master of Research (MRes)
• or exceptionally the Cambridge MPhil in Economic Research
• or Master of Research (MRes) (for students with a Cambridge MPhil in Economic Research)
• Either MPhil in Strategy, Marketing and Operations
• Either MPhil in Innovation, Strategy and Organisation

Strategic Management PhD pathway

• or  MPhil in Strategy, Marketing and Operations
• or  Master of Research (MRes)

Research masters

Cambridge Judge Business School offers 4 research-oriented masters programmes, each an integral part of a route to the PhD. Each masters programme covers essential pathway coursework.

• The 3 MPhil programmes are for students without a prior research masters degree. Which MPhil you take will depend on your research interests and background.
• The Master of Research (MRes) programme is the foundation year of the PhD for students who have a masters degree which provides a strong grounding for research in a subject relevant for management research, and with evidence that they have the calibre and prior training to undertake a research-focused degree.
• Prepares students for a PhD in Management Studies (Finance) or a research career in finance.

Learn more about the MPhil in Finance

MPhil in Innovation, Strategy and Organisation (ISO)

• Prepares students for a PhD in Management Studies.
• Emphasis on qualitative research methodology (involving fieldwork in which the researcher observes and analyses behaviours in organisations).

Learn more about the MPhil in ISO

MPhil in Strategy, Marketing and Operations (SMO)

• Prepares students with prior degree-level quantitative training for a PhD in Management Studies.
• Emphasis on quantitative research methodology (involving the design and analysis of laboratory experiments, the statistical analysis of natural experiments or large archival datasets, or the game-theoretic modelling of managerial decision processes).

Learn more about the MPhil in SMO

Master of Research in Management Studies (MRes)

• Offers a tailored suite of courses for students who already have significant research training at masters level relevant to their chosen PhD pathway.
• Is intended for students who wish to pursue a PhD at Cambridge Judge Business School.

Learn more about the MRes

Developing the next generation of academics

Where do you envision your PhD taking you? Be inspired by our PhD alumni who work in some of the most respected universities and business schools around the world.

News and insights from our PhDs

Learn more about our doctoral students' research and activities.

Three strategies to make waste management greener

Study co-authored at Cambridge Judge calls for reducing export-burden asymmetry for different qualities of waste to reduce environmental harm.

New book on how to hardwire sustainability

A new book by Dr Armen Papazian, a PhD graduate of Cambridge Judge Business School, takes a new look at sustainability and finance.

Adopting AI: tips for managers implementing change

Firms are wrestling with how to convince staff to use artificial intelligence (AI) and other new technologies. A study led at Cambridge Judge, focusing on social comparisons among employees, cautions against a false dichotomy between full and no adoption.

Learn more about the application process and deadlines

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PhD in Law (Cambridge)

Posted Jan 12, 2022 15:51

I have applied for Ph.D. in Law at Cambridge. Does anyone have an idea when I should expect the result?

Posted Jan 17, 2022 13:20

I applied as well, have an interview today. Previous years received offers in mid- to late-Feb, and rejections came in March.

Posted Jan 17, 2022 13:52

Did you apply for Law or other subject?

Posted Jan 17, 2022 17:57

applied for law.

Posted Jan 17, 2022 18:31

Posted Jan 17, 2022 18:48

Nah, I wouldn't honestly say that - my interview was extremely harsh and the two professors seemed kind of skeptical that it was viable, so I'm a bit unsure what that means for me... If your proposal is clearly original, they might not even bother interviewing you as you'll be a shoo-in? Not sure when we'll know though tbh. Just applied on deadline day though, they don't review in order of who applied when

Posted Jan 17, 2022 18:52

Thank you for sharing your honest views! 

Posted Jan 18, 2022 11:04

Last year I received an offer for the PhD in mid-March, without having been invited for an interview prior or having any indication really. It’s a long process with very little transparency. But it’s no time to despair, we’re really just at the beginning of it. 

Posted Jan 18, 2022 11:10

Posted Jan 19, 2022 17:05

Hey, I've applied to the PhD too. Have not got an interview mail as of yet, and I'm super nervous. I think interview mails go out till mid feb, but with people receiving interview mails already, I do feel quite nervous and anxious! Any updates on how the interviews went, what to expect, what needs to be highlighted, etc? Also, what is the objective criterion for selection? Is it only the proposal + CV?

Posted Jan 19, 2022 17:12

Posted Jan 20, 2022 20:24

They're really just interested in the proposal, it's all just proposal-specific. They weren't really interested in my CV or motivations.

Posted Jan 20, 2022 20:31

Posted Jan 25, 2022 00:58

Had my interview earlier today.  They pitched the easiest underarm throws and I still managed to whiff them. I'm not /too/ worried, since they seemed to like the proposal and I understand it's more a way to ascertain if you'd be a good fit for the department, but it certainly hasn't done me any favours.

[Edited by Flumbo on Jan 25, 2022]

Posted Jan 25, 2022 08:23

Posted Jan 25, 2022 08:24

Posted Jan 25, 2022 15:01

My surname begins with M, but I think it's more a question of when the degree committee meets. I know they meet on Wednesdays and only once a month, so either they met last Wednesday or (more likely, to have completed as many interviews as possible before deciding) tomorrow. Maybe we'll get decisions in the next week.

Posted Jan 31, 2022 04:09

Hope I can help with a few clarifiers: 1. Time until invited for an interview is not decided by chronology (e.g., time of submission or surname, etc.). It is usually attributed to the time it might take to find an available supervisor (or even reach them), but those who get interview offers substantially later might be in that position because they didn’t want university funding or were ranked too low for central funding (ref. #2). An interview is not a requirement for admission - especially if the supo/uni already know you. Nevertheless, they seem to require one for the majority of applicants.  2.  Re when interviews are normally called, this tends to be during the first 2-4 weeks of Jan. The only truly important deadline for those hinging on Gates/Cambridge Trust/Research Council funding would be the internal deadline that they set for submission of their internal ranking of the candidates. You either will or won’t be nominated for central funding (it’s unknown how many are usually nominated, but it seems to be less than half of those who get offers). Whether they feel an interview is required or not for their internal ranking, the deadline tends to be early ~ around end-January (I think it is normally the second last week of January, which in this case would be by 21 Jan). If they need an interview and ask for one after this internal funding deadline, this tends to indicate (nothing is ever 100% though) that you have not been nominated for central funding. Still lots of college funding instead though (Caius tends to be the best bet for law PhD funding), and they might not prioritise you before their central nomination deadline if you already have secured some other funding.  TL;DR: If you have an interview after late January, you are likely to be out of the central funding competition already, but approx. half of the funded offers are external or college funds anyway. 3. Interview questions depend completely on the individual supervisor. Some might try to test weaknesses in the proposal or some related knowledge. Others might be more interested in a general chat (they do have to live with meeting you fairly regularly for 3+ years after all). It will usually be about the proposal to address any concerns about it, though. Even profs who have shown considerable scepticism towards a project have ended up ranking candidates highly enough for them to receive funding in the past.  4. Re the question about their selection criteria: at least for their internal ranking, word is that at least at some point they apparently rated you 0-10 in academics, proposal and references each, giving a potential total of 30 points. Who knows what they do now, but a version of it probably remains the criteria now. 5. Hard to say exactly when the first batch of offers are sent, but the first offers tend to come around early-mid February. They’ll have to go through PAO first once approved by the degree committee, which can take a while. The next wait after the formal offer would be for the colleges (takes from a few days to over a month, depending on the college you apply to). Cambridge Trust will send out most of the funding offers relevant to law fairly soon after that (I vaguely remember most Trust offers for law already being settled by March last year). People randomly get Trust offers as late as June/July - usually whenever someone decided to not accept their offer/go to a different uni. You can easily keep track of who receive funding offers from the Trust on the Cambridge Trust webpages, which updates once or twice a week during the funding allocation. College funding is not as transparent.  6. Rejections tend to come a bit later on in the process - normally after the first (the one most likely to get their first choice college offer and funding) and second batch of offers are sent out. Expect them around March, but some that are on the borderline might be hanging in there for longer. There are occasionally some very late offers way after that, which usually indicate that the applicant  got waitlisted (unlike Oxford, Cambridge’s waitlist is not as transparent). Waitlisting is more or less guaranteed to not be a funded offer, unless you can grab something from college or externally.

[Edited by Gobbledygook on Feb 06, 2022]

Posted Jan 31, 2022 14:39

Hope I can help with a few clarifiers: 1. Time until invited for an interview is not decided by chronology (e.g., time of submission or surname, etc.). It is usually attributed to the time it might take to find an available supervisor (or even reach them), but those who get interview offers substantially later might be in that position because they didn’t want university funding or were ranked too low for central funding (ref. #2). An interview is not a requirement for admission - especially if the supo/uni already know you.  2.  Re when interviews are normally called, this tends to be during the first 2-4 weeks of Jan. The only truly important deadline for those hinging on Gates/Cambridge Trust/Research Council funding would be the internal deadline that they set for submission of their internal ranking of the candidates. You either will or won’t be nominated for central funding (it’s unknown how many are usually nominated, but it seems to be less than half of those who get offers). Whether they feel an interview is required or not for their internal ranking, the deadline tends to be early ~ around end-January. If they need an interview and ask for one after this internal deadline, this tends to indicate (nothing is ever 100% though) that you have not been nominated for central funding. Still lots of college funding instead though (Caius tends to be the best bet for law PhD funding), and they might not prioritise you before their central nomination deadline if you already have secured some other funding. 3. Interview questions depend completely on the individual supervisor. Some might try to test weaknesses in the proposal or some related knowledge. Others might be more interested in a general chat (they do have to live with meeting you fairly regularly for 3+ years after all). It will usually be about the proposal to address any concerns about it, though. Even profs who have shown considerable scepticism towards a project have ended up ranking candidates highly enough for them to receive funding in the past.  4. Re the question about their selection criteria: at least for their internal ranking, word is that at least at some point they apparently rated you 0-10 in academics, proposal and references each, giving a potential total of 30 points. Who knows what they do now, but a version of it probably remains the criteria now. 5. Hard to say exactly when the first batch of offers are sent, but the first offers tend to come around early-mid February. They’ll have to go through PAO first once approved by the degree committee, which can take a while. The next wait after the formal offer would be for the colleges (takes from a few days to over a month, depending on the college you apply to). Cambridge Trust will send out most of the funding offers relevant to law fairly soon after that (I vaguely remember most Trust offers for law already being settled by March last year). People randomly get Trust offers as late as June/July - usually whenever someone decided to not accept their offer/go to a different uni. You can easily keep track of who receive funding offers from the Trust on the Cambridge Trust webpages, which updates once or twice a week during the funding allocation. College funding is not as transparent. 

Posted Feb 03, 2022 11:37

Just found this. I got my interview invitation on 13 Jan and had the interview on 21 Jan. The application has been under review by the department since.

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The PhD in Sociology offers a world-class programme of research study in sociology supervised by experts in their respective fields. The Department of Sociology at the University of Cambridge is ranked first for Sociology in the  Guardian's Best Universities league table  and first for Sociology in the  Complete University Guide League Table 2024 . And the  QS World University rankings  list our departments as 2nd out of over 500 Sociology Departments across the world in 2023.

In the first year you are encouraged to take research methods courses offered by the Department and the  Social Science Research Methods Programme (SSRMP)  to build the methodological grounding of your individual research projects. 

The Department also offers a programme of seminars covering transferable skills such as academic writing, presentation skills and in-depth information about how to progress the PhD and the academic career. PhD students are supported by their supervisor and a faculty adviser.

Watch our open day video

The Programme

The course aims to provide all students with the skills they need to be professional researchers and academics. There is an organised programme of courses for first-year PhD students, which has three major components:

• Basic academic and research skills, designed to provide the essential tools of academic work
• The core training programme, which covers issues of social science research in general
• Issues of research specific to particular disciplines or areas of interest, and research design, including the integration of methodological, theoretical and substantive issues

The standard period for PhDs is 3-4 years full-time or 5-7 years part-time.    Click here for further information about part-time PhD studies .

Meet our Candidates

What you can do with your phd.

Students who complete graduate programmes in Sociology have the opportunity to develop the analytical and writing skills to help them succeed in academia but also in careers such as health and social care, marketing and public relations, politics, and education, amongst others.

Postgraduate Prospectus

The PG prospectus details all the courses on offer at Cambridge, as well as introducing the different Colleges and describing the admissions process.

The Department of Sociology University of Cambridge Free School Lane Cambridge CB2 3RQ

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Admissions Enquiries

For further details about the PhD course please contact the Graduate Administrators : Ms Charlotte Dove and Mrs Faith Payne

The Institute of Criminology has a worldwide reputation for excellence in both teaching and research. PhD candidates benefit from close links with the Institute's six dedicated research centres, providing them with unrivaled opportunities and the support to develop as independent researchers, while being part of an integrated community of criminologists working at different levels and through multidisciplinary approaches. The Cambridge PhD is a structured, yet flexible course of study, which supports individual development for becoming a professional researcher. It will help students develop the core skills needed by an arts, humanities or social sciences professional researcher of the future, which are valued by both academic and non-academic employers. By the end of the programme, candidates will have acquired the skills, experience and knowledge to undertake postdoctoral work (research and teaching) or another related professions.

PhD in Criminology Course

Training, support and development programme .

The Institute runs a comprehensive training, support and development programme for its PhD students. Frequent seminars are designed to develop research skills, technique and thinking. While you are likely to be starting the PhD course with a background of suitable research training which you undertook before admission, e.g. through your Masters or MPhil degree, during your time at Cambridge you can broaden this as much as you wish with the number of different opportunities available. You are advised to discuss your training needs with your supervisor and record any training undertaken.

• Researcher Development Programme: The School of Arts and Humanities organises a Researcher Development Programme covering a range of topics from PhD skills training, to language training and writing and editing skills.
• Social Sciences Research Methods Programme (SSRMP): The Social Sciences Research Methods Programme is an interdisciplinary initiative offering high-quality research methods training to postgraduate students. The courses offered by the SSRMC cover skills relevant across the social sciences in a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods, from basic training to advanced statistical analysis.​
• Seminars and Events: The Institute holds weekly seminars and events, and PhD students are strongly encouraged to participate in the wider research culture of the Institute. These include the 'Brown Bag' seminars (aimed at criminologists at all levels of career progression within the Institute), guest speaker seminars and MPhil teaching seminars.
• Personal and Professional Development: The University's Skills Portal provides information on the transferable skills PhD students may wish to cultivate and enhance, and lists training opportunities available across the University, together with links to useful resources outside the University.
• The Language Centre supports the teaching and learning of languages throughout the University and is an excellent resource for academic purposes, whether you need to improve your language skills to help with your research or before undertaking fieldwork.

Supervisors and PhD Research Topics

If you are confident that your proposed research is a good fit with your nominated supervisor, we recommend that you contact them in advance. If no potential supervisor is expressly stated in your application, the Admissions Panel will try to match applicants with willing supervisors based on academic interests and area of expertise, but there is no guarantee that this will always be possible.

If you have any questions about whether your topic is a good fit with your potential supervisor’s interests, you may email them, attaching both a CV with details of the degrees you have taken and the marks you have obtained, and a brief research proposal (1-2 pages max).

• Include in the main text of your message a short statement about your background (what you have studied so far, your degree result or grade average, any relevant experience) and research interests.
• Indicate why you wish to work with that member of staff, in particular (not just Cambridge in general), and what you can bring to the research group. Demonstrate your awareness of their research and how it aligns with your research interests.
• It is helpful to include information on your funding situation and plans.
• There is no need to attach references or transcripts.

Please be aware that our PhD supervisors receive large numbers of enquiries, and therefore cannot give detailed feedback on your proposal.

Postgraduate PhD applicants are required to nominate a supervisor as part of their application. 

Please consult the list below to see which members of staff are available to supervise PhD students starting in October 2023. Availability depends on several factors, including sabbatical leave arrangements, contractual arrangements, and the number of students already being supervised by each member of staff. Each listing includes a few words outlining research/supervision interests. When choosing your nominated supervisor, it is important that there is some overlap with your own research interests or approach. You can find more detailed information by clicking through to supervisors’ research profiles. If you have any questions about whether your topic is a good fit with your potential supervisor’s interests, you may email them, attaching both a CV with details of the degrees you have taken and the marks you have obtained, and a brief research proposal (1-2 pages max). Also:

Please note: No preference will be given to applicants who have made informal contact before applying. Please be aware that our PhD supervisors receive large numbers of enquiries, and therefore cannot give detailed feedback on your proposal.

The application portal for 2024/25 is now live.

Academic requirements, new admissions.

We expect (full-time and part-time) PhD applicants from outside the University of Cambridge to have a  Master's degree, with a distinction or close to distinction or equivalent, preferably in a social science discipline although applicants from other disciplines will also be considered.

Continuing from MPhil to PhD (current Cambridge students)

Both the Institute's MPhil courses provide excellent preparation for doctoral study, and many of our MPhil students choose to stay at Cambridge to pursue a Cambridge PhD. However, we do recommend that current MPhil students considering applying to study for a PhD should complete the MPhil in Criminological Research.  Continuation from the MPhil course is subject to a MPhil student achieving at least 74% overall. 

How to Apply

Full-time and part-time applications for the PhD in Criminology must be made through the University's Postgraduate Admissions Office Applicant Portal . Only applicants have access to their application(s) on the application portal. The Institute is not able view (or amend) an application until it is complete.  Please note the following:

Completing your online Application Form (Full-time and Part-time applicants)

When will i receive a decision.

• Full-time and part-time PhD applications are considered on a rolling basis (as they are received) up until each Term's application deadline.
• We aim to assess and make a decision for all applications within twelve weeks of receiving a complete application form (which includes two academic references).  As part of the decision making process, you may be invited to attend an interview with your prospective supervisor and another members of the admissions panel. Interviews maybe conducted in person, or via Zoom / Teams. [ Part-time applications : If the department decides to make you an offer the applicant will also be interviewed by their proposed supervsior to establish a five-year research plan, which will set out your attendance requirements for training and seminars, frequency of supervisions and progress stages.]

Admission Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

The Postgraduate Admissions Office has a comprehensive list of Frequently Asked Questions relating to the applications process. Please refer to these while making your application and throughout the process of applying.

Funding your Studies

If you wish to be considered for University based funding you must submit your PhD application in full by 4 January 2024, or 11 October 2023 if you are a USA citizen resident in the USA and wish to be considered for Gates funding .

The Postgraduate Admissions website provides full details on  course fees and living costs, and their finance overview tool will help you calculate your costs. They also provide information on possible funding opportunities at Cambridge University, and there is also a  funding search tool   which will help you identify possibly funding opportunities.

The Institute also has several funding opportunities, details of which can be found on our  funding page .

Institute of Criminology Sidgwick Avenue Cambridge CB3 9DA T: +44 (0)1223 335360 F: +44 (0)1223 335356 E: [email protected]

Contact: [email protected]

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Twelve doctoral candidates lobby on Capitol Hill

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Twelve doctoral candidates traveled from the Ithaca campus and Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City to Capitol Hill April 17 for the annual Cornell Ph.D. Student Advocacy Day.

Students engaged in meetings with members of Congress and their staffs to discuss how federal funding impacted their ability to access graduate education and advance their doctoral research. They also met with Graduate School alumni and others with experience working as policy fellows with various agencies and organizations.

Read more on the Graduate School website .

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The Cambridge Master of Law

The LLM course, with its rich historical traditions, attracts students of the highest calibre, from both common law and civil law jurisdictions. It is intended for those wishing to pursue further legal studies after completing their first degree in law, including those who are considering an academic career or intending to practise law and those taking a career break seeking to broaden their intellectual horizons.

Full details concerning the LLM for those considering applying are available on the LLM website .

Further information

The University Graduate Studies Prospectus is available from the University website.

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