Robert Russo
Job Title
Lecturer
Employer
Peter A. Allard School of Law, University of British Columbia
Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD)
Overview
The PhD in Law is designed to provide advanced training for outstanding graduate students who have already obtained a Master of Laws (LLM) degree or its equivalent. The PhD is a research-intensive degree that prepares graduates for opportunities in law teaching, legal research, policy development, public and governmental service, and the practice of law.
The degree requirements include course work, comprehensive exams, a dissertation proposal and defence, a dissertation, and an oral dissertation exam. Working closely with a supervising faculty member, a student in the PhD program is expected to produce a book-length piece of original legal scholarship and of publishable quality.
The PhD provides an opportunity for focused study in a chosen field of law. It does not, of itself, qualify a holder for entry to the legal profession in British Columbia or any other certification for legal practice.
Quick Facts
Program Enquiries
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Contact the program
Contact the program
Meet a Representative
PhD Funding Opportunities
Date: Wednesday, 31 August 2022Time: 10:00 to 11:00
Join Dr Julian Dierkes, Associate Dean, Funding and Shane Moore as they talk about funding opportunities for PhD's at UBC. Dr Dierkes will provide an overview of the different awards and scholarships available to incoming PhD students.
This session will cover:
- Overview of PhD funding at UBC
- PhD minimum funding guarantee
- UBC Awards database
- Advice on writing funding proposals and applications
- Q&A
Who is this webinar for?
This webinar is for those who are applying to PhD programs at UBC and are interested in learning more about internal and external funding opportunities.
Admission Information & Requirements
1) Check Eligibility
Minimum Academic Requirements
The Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies establishes the minimum admission requirements common to all applicants, usually a minimum overall average in the B+ range (76% at UBC). The graduate program that you are applying to may have additional requirements. Please review the specific requirements for applicants with credentials from institutions in:
Each program may set higher academic minimum requirements. Please review the program website carefully to understand the program requirements. Meeting the minimum requirements does not guarantee admission as it is a competitive process.
English Language Test
Applicants from a university outside Canada in which English is not the primary language of instruction must provide results of an English language proficiency examination as part of their application. Tests must have been taken within the last 24 months at the time of submission of your application.
Minimum requirements for the two most common English language proficiency tests to apply to this program are listed below:
TOEFL: Test of English as a Foreign Language - internet-based
Overall score requirement: 100
Reading
25
Writing
25
Speaking
25
Listening
25
IELTS: International English Language Testing System
Overall score requirement: 7.0
Reading
7.0
Writing
7.0
Speaking
7.0
Listening
7.0
Other Test Scores
Some programs require additional test scores such as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the Graduate Management Test (GMAT). The requirements for this program are:
The GRE is not required.
Prior degree, course and other requirements
Prior Degree Requirements
Completion of either an LLB or JD and a Masters degree.
Document Requirements
Additionally to the required documents please submit: C.V. or resume Dissertation Proposal: PhD degrees in the Allard School of Law at UBC are dissertation-based degrees involving original research. Dissertation (PhD) proposals form an important part of the admissions process and help to guide the assignment of supervisors and supervisory committees. A proposal should outline a research project that could reasonably lead to a dissertation that makes an original scholarly contribution in the chosen field of legal study. The PhD dissertation proposal is approximately 10 pages (2,500 words), excluding bibliography. Clarity of expression is important. Please upload your thesis proposal under "Writing Sample". List of possible thesis supervisors: All applicants must submit a list indicating your first and second choice for a thesis supervisor, this list should be uploaded to your application form. There is no need to secure a thesis supervisor nor is it is necessary to contact potential thesis supervisors prior to submission of an application as many faculty members prefer that applications are referred by the Graduate Committee for their review.
2) Meet Deadlines
September 2023 Intake
Application Open Date
01 September 2022Canadian Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 December 2022
Transcript Deadline: 01 December 2022
Referee Deadline: 15 December 2022
International Applicants
Application Deadline: 01 December 2022
Transcript Deadline: 01 December 2022
Referee Deadline: 15 December 2022
3) Prepare Application
Transcripts
All applicants have to submit transcripts from all past post-secondary study. Document submission requirements depend on whether your institution of study is within Canada or outside of Canada.
Letters of Reference
A minimum of three references are required for application to graduate programs at UBC. References should be requested from individuals who are prepared to provide a report on your academic ability and qualifications.
Statement of Interest
Many programs require a statement of interest, sometimes called a "statement of intent", "description of research interests" or something similar.
Supervision
Students in research-based programs usually require a faculty member to function as their supervisor. Please follow the instructions provided by each program whether applicants should contact faculty members.
Instructions regarding supervisor contact for Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD)
The program will review research interests of applicants and recommend/match faculty members during the application/evaluation process. Applicants should not reach out to faculty members directly.
Citizenship Verification
Permanent Residents of Canada must provide a clear photocopy of both sides of the Permanent Resident card.
4) Apply Online
All applicants must complete an online application form and pay the application fee to be considered for admission to UBC.
Research Information
Research Facilities
Allard Hall, the home of the Peter A. Allard School of Law, was opened in 2011. The latest technology connects the Faculty with campuses, courthouses and offices around the world, and a new, state-of-the-art UBC Law Library serves as a vital academic hub for students and the legal community. Natural light, contemporary classroom designs, expanded student service spaces, a student forum space at the centre of the building, and new research spaces are all part of the new facility. The Law Library has a research collection of approximately 225,000 volumes.
Tuition & Financial Support
Tuition
| Fees | Canadian Citizen / Permanent Resident / Refugee / Diplomat | International |
|---|---|---|
| Application Fee | $110.00 | $168.25 |
| Tuition * | ||
| Installments per year | 3 | 3 |
| Tuition per installment | $1,767.18 | $3,104.64 |
| Tuition per year (plus annual increase, usually 2%-5%) | $5,301.54 | $9,313.92 |
| Int. Tuition Award (ITA) per year (if eligible) | $3,200.00 (-) | |
| Other Fees and Costs | ||
| Student Fees (yearly) | $1,057.05 (approx.) | |
| Costs of living (yearly) | starting at $17,366.20 (check cost calculator) | |
* Regular, full-time tuition. For on-leave, extension, continuing or part time (if applicable) fees see UBC Calendar.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
All fees for the year are subject to adjustment and UBC reserves the right to change any fees without notice at any time, including tuition and student fees. Tuition fees are reviewed annually by the UBC Board of Governors. In recent years, tuition increases have been 2% for continuing domestic students and between 2% and 5% for continuing international students. New students may see higher increases in tuition. Admitted students who defer their admission are subject to the potentially higher tuition fees for incoming students effective at the later program start date. In case of a discrepancy between this webpage and the UBC Calendar, the UBC Calendar entry will be held to be correct.
Financial Support
Applicants to UBC have access to a variety of funding options, including merit-based (i.e. based on your academic performance) and need-based (i.e. based on your financial situation) opportunities.
Program Funding Packages
All full-time students who begin a UBC-Vancouver PhD program in September 2021 or later will be provided with a funding package of at least $22,000 for each of the first four years of their PhD. The funding package may consist of any combination of internal or external awards, teaching-related work, research assistantships, and graduate academic assistantships. Please note that many graduate programs provide funding packages that are substantially greater than $22,000 per year. Please check with your prospective graduate program for specific details of the funding provided to its PhD students.
Average Funding
Based on the criteria outlined below, 17 students within this program were included in this study because they received funding through UBC in the form of teaching, research/academic assistantships or internal or external awards averaging $36,824.
- 1 student received a Teaching Assistantship valued at $1,324.
- 13 students received Research/Academic Assistantships. Average RA/AA funding based on 13 students was $6,162.
- 17 students received internal awards. Average internal award funding based on 17 students was $22,524.
- 5 students received external awards. Average external award funding based on 5 students was $32,333.
Study Period: Sep 2020 to Aug 2021 - average funding for full-time PhD students enrolled in three terms per academic year in this program across years 1-4, the period covered by UBC's Minimum Funding Guarantee. Averages might mask variability in sources and amounts of funding received by individual students. Beyond year 4, funding packages become even more individualized.
Review methodology
Review methodology
Scholarships & awards (merit-based funding)
All applicants are encouraged to review the awards listing to identify potential opportunities to fund their graduate education. The database lists merit-based scholarships and awards and allows for filtering by various criteria, such as domestic vs. international or degree level.
Teaching Assistantships (GTA)
Graduate programs may have Teaching Assistantships available for registered full-time graduate students. Full teaching assistantships involve 12 hours work per week in preparation, lecturing, or laboratory instruction although many graduate programs offer partial TA appointments at less than 12 hours per week. Teaching assistantship rates are set by collective bargaining between the University and the Teaching Assistants' Union.
Research Assistantships (GRA)
Many professors are able to provide Research Assistantships (GRA) from their research grants to support full-time graduate students studying under their direction. The duties usually constitute part of the student's graduate degree requirements. A Graduate Research Assistantship is a form of financial support for a period of graduate study and is, therefore, not covered by a collective agreement. Unlike other forms of fellowship support for graduate students, the amount of a GRA is neither fixed nor subject to a university-wide formula. The stipend amounts vary widely, and are dependent on the field of study and the type of research grant from which the assistantship is being funded. Some research projects also require targeted research assistance and thus hire graduate students on an hourly basis.
Financial aid (need-based funding)
Canadian and US applicants may qualify for governmental loans to finance their studies. Please review eligibility and types of loans.
All students may be able to access private sector or bank loans.
Foreign government scholarships
Many foreign governments provide support to their citizens in pursuing education abroad. International applicants should check the various governmental resources in their home country, such as the Department of Education, for available scholarships.
Working while studying
The possibility to pursue work to supplement income may depend on the demands the program has on students. It should be carefully weighed if work leads to prolonged program durations or whether work placements can be meaningfully embedded into a program.
International students enrolled as full-time students with a valid study permit can work on campus for unlimited hours and work off-campus for no more than 20 hours a week.
A good starting point to explore student jobs is the UBC Work Learn program or a Co-Op placement.
Tax credits and RRSP withdrawals
Students with taxable income in Canada may be able to claim federal or provincial tax credits.
Canadian residents with RRSP accounts may be able to use the Lifelong Learning Plan (LLP) which allows students to withdraw amounts from their registered retirement savings plan (RRSPs) to finance full-time training or education for themselves or their partner.
Please review Filing taxes in Canada on the student services website for more information.
Cost Calculator
Applicants have access to the cost calculator to develop a financial plan that takes into account various income sources and expenses.
Career Outcomes
24 students graduated between 2005 and 2013: 1 is in a non-salaried situation; for 1 we have no data (based on research conducted between Feb-May 2016). For the remaining 22 graduates:
RI (Research-Intensive) Faculty: typically tenure-track faculty positions (equivalent of the North American Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, and Professor positions) in PhD-granting institutions
TI (Teaching-Intensive) Faculty: typically full-time faculty positions in colleges or in institutions not granting PhDs, and teaching faculty at PhD-granting institutions
Term Faculty: faculty in term appointments (e.g. sessional lecturers, visiting assistant professors, etc.)
Sample Employers in Higher Education
Thompson Rivers University (2)University of Victoria (2)
University of Manitoba (2)
University of Calgary (2)
University of Hong Kong
University of Alberta
La Trobe University
University of Macau
University of British Columbia
Institute of Development Studies
Sample Employers Outside Higher Education
OneBusinessAsia GroupIndigenous and Northern Affairs Canada
Laramie County, Wyoming
Sample Job Titles Outside Higher Education
Lawyer (2)Founder, Chairman
Senior Resolution Manager
Deputy County Attorney
PhD Career Outcome Survey
You may view the full report on career outcomes of UBC PhD graduates on outcomes.grad.ubc.ca.Disclaimer
These data represent historical employment information and do not guarantee future employment prospects for graduates of this program. They are for informational purposes only. Data were collected through either alumni surveys or internet research.Alumni on Success
Enrolment, Duration & Other Stats
These statistics show data for the Doctor of Philosophy in Law (PhD). Data are separated for each degree program combination. You may view data for other degree options in the respective program profile.
Enrolment Data
| 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applications | 71 | 40 | 60 | 72 | 53 |
| Offers | 7 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 8 |
| New registrations | 7 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 6 |
| Total enrolment | 41 | 42 | 40 | 37 | 43 |
Completion Rates & Times
This program has a graduation rate of 61% based on 36 students admitted between 2008 - 2011. Based on 15 graduations between 2017 - 2020 the minimum time to completion is 3.66 years and the maximum time is 9.00 years with an average of 6.96 years of study. All calculations exclude leave times.
Disclaimer
Admissions data refer to all UBC Vancouver applications, offers, new registrants for each year, May to April [data updated: 7 April 2022]. Enrolment data are based on March 1 snapshots. Program completion data are only provided for datasets comprised of more than 4 individuals. Rates and times of completion depend on a number of variables (e.g. curriculum requirements, student funding), some of which may have changed in recent years for some programs [data updated: 19 October 2021].
Research Supervisors
This list shows faculty members with full supervisory privileges who are affiliated with this program. It is not a comprehensive list of all potential supervisors as faculty from other programs or faculty members without full supervisory privileges can request approvals to supervise graduate students in this program.
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Hutchison, Camden (Business, corporate and commercial law; Contract law; legal history)
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Joshi, Yuvraj (Constitutional and comparative law, Racial equality law, Gender and sexuality law, Critical perspectives on human rights)
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Kaushal, Asha (Cultural Difference and Law; Constitutional Law and Theory; Critical and Legal Theory; Immigration Law; Citizenship Law; international law)
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Kong, Hoi (Administrative Law; Comparative Law; Constitutional law; Environmental Law; Legal theory; Regulatory Design and Governance)
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LeBaron, Michelle (law, dispute resolution, conflict resolution, community conflict, cross-cultural conflict resolution, Cross-cultural Conflict Resolution, Law, Legal Culture and Conflict Resolution, Conflict across Worldview Differences, Creativity and Conflict, Gender and Conflict, Religion and Conflict, Teaching Innovation and Effective Teaching and Learning)
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Liao, Carol (Business Law, Corporate Governance, Sustainable Development Law, Law and Economics, Social Enterprise Law, Access to Justice)
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Lin, Li-Wen (Comparative corporate governance; Corporate social responsibility; The interdisciplinary study of corporate law and economic sociology; Law and economic development; Chinese law)
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Liston, Mary (Administrative law; Constitutional law; Public Law; Administrative Law; Jurisprudence; Rule of law; Comparative public law; Law and literature; Law and politics; Democracy; Values and norm systems; Political regimes; Indigenous law)
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MacDougall, Bruce (Law of Obligations, Sexual Orientation and the Law, Secured Transactions, Commercial Transactions)
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Mack, Johnny (legal relationship between indigenous and settler peoples in contemporary settler states, particularly Canada)
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Matsui, Shigenori (Constitutional Law, Mass Media Law, Information Law, Internet Law, Japanese Law, Law and Medicine )
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Mickelson, Karin (Environmental law)
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Moore, Marcus (Law (except legal practice and international law); Contract Law / Private Law; Regulatory Theory and Design; Socio-Economic Regulation; Sports Law & Governance; Law & Society (Law in Context))
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Parkes, Debra (Constitutional law; criminal law; Critical Prison Studies; Feminist Legal Studies; Socio-Legal Studies; Human Rights; Societal injustices through rights claims; incarceration of women; limits of prison reform; framing and adjudicating of prisoners' rights claims)
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Pavlich, Dennis (Property law, law of trusts, western idea of law, education law, condominium law in British Columbia, academic freedom, environmental justice)
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Peihani, Maziar (Banking Law; Business Law; Corporate Law; international law; Financial Law; Banking Regulation; Resolution of cross-border bank failures; Sovereign debt restructuring, and disclosure; Governance of climate-related financial risk)
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Perrin, Benjamin (Constitutional Law, Criminal Law, International Criminal Law, Victims of Crime, Human Trafficking and Child Sexual Exploitation)
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Pindell, Ngai (Property law, Affordable housing, Community development, Local government law)
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Reynolds, Graham (Copyright Law, Intellectual Property Law, property law, Intellectual Property and Human Rights, Technology and Access to Justice)
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Routh, Supriya (Law (except legal practice and international law); Asian legal studies; Human Rights; Jurisprudence, legal theory, and critical studies; Labour and employment law; law and development; Law and social justice; Law and society)
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Sarfaty, Galit (International Law, Human Rights, Regulatory Governance, Law and Development Organizational Culture, Corporate Sustainability )
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Sarra, Janis (Corporate finance, banking law, corporate governance, securities law, contracts, commercial insolvency law, economics)
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Stacey, Jocelyn (Law and legal practice; Administrative Law; Disaster Law; Environmental Law; Public Law; Regulatory and Legal Theory)
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Stewart, James (Comparative Criminal Law, Moral Philosophy, Legal Pluralism, Theory of Criminal Law, Corporate Accountability, International Criminal Justice, International Humanitarian Law, Human Rights)
Pages
Doctoral Citations
A doctoral citation summarizes the nature of the independent research, provides a high-level overview of the study, states the significance of the work and says who will benefit from the findings in clear, non-specialized language, so that members of a lay audience will understand it.
| Year | Citation |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Dr. Naef studied the challenges of regulating multinational corporations operating in fragile states. He argued that home states must take steps to control their corporate citizens abroad and showed how traditional readings of international law permit them to avoid doing so. His proposed solution lies in reconsidering customary international law. |
| 2019 | Dr. Liu examined the social and environmental performance of Chinese state-owned companies in Kenya. Findings revealed the promises and limitations of China's state-centric corporate social responsibility approach to shape Chinese companies' behaviour overseas. This research contributes to the regulation of sustainable investment in Africa and beyond. |
| 2019 | Dr. Mundorff used a wide array of historical materials and legal documents to examine the role played by the concept of "culture" in the original meaning of the Genocide Convention. He argued that current interpretations of the Genocide Convention, which exclude considerations of culture, are legally and historically untenable. |
| 2019 | Dr. Bazilli interviewed global women's activists on how transnational feminist movements use international human rights law. Her research illustrates how autonomous women's organizations address violence against women and other rights issues. Her research will be used by feminist activists in the ongoing struggle for gender equality. |
| 2018 | Dr. Prebble studied criminal offenses that overlap with one another, asking when that overlap contributes to the problem of there being too much criminal law. Using gendered violence case studies, she found that some specific criminal offences are justified because they give a name to distinct gendered harms that would otherwise not be fully recongised by the criminal law. |
| 2018 | Dr. Olyaei employed a feminist legal lens to assess the overemphasis on law and legal reform to realize gender justice. She argued that feminist strategies should critically situate themselves in specific sociopolitical contexts, concluding that feminist theories of global south are vitally important for directing the future of Iranian feminist activism. |
| 2018 | Dr. Garcia examined the law and practice of citizen participation in resource allocations in Brazil. Her research offered new data on the workings of participation in health systems. This advances our understanding about the significant role of citizens in ensuring accountable resource allocations that both improve access and support population health. |
| 2018 | Dr. Cedillo studied how national legal systems impact the interpretation of globalized standards. Using Mexico as a case study, she developed a framework for states to establish their interpretation of the term public policy using four specific factors and local legal elements. Her work guides us to engage with pluralistic perspectives in law. |
| 2018 | Parody is traditionally understood as the use of existing work to mock or evoke humour. Dr. Lai examined whether parodies infringe on copyright laws. She further defined the scope of protection that copyright law should provide for the right to parody and applied it to several jurisdictions in order to bring their copyright jurisprudences in line with their traditions of free speech. |
| 2018 | The Nansen Initiative was an intergovernmental process that addressed the challenges of cross-border disaster and climate change displacement. Dr. Okeowo examined the Protection Agenda of the Initiative and argued that it has the tendency to regulate the behaviour of states on the recognition and protection of cross-border disaster-displaced persons. |
Pages
Sample Thesis Submissions
Further Information
Specialization
Faculty Overview
Academic Unit
Program Identifier
VGDPHD-OS
September 2023 Intake
Application Open Date
01 September 2022 Canadian Applicant Deadline
01 December 2022 International Applicant Deadline
01 December 2022 Program Enquiries
Still have questions after reviewing this page thoroughly?
Contact the program
Contact the program
Departments/Programs may update graduate degree program details through the Faculty & Staff portal. To update the application inquiries contact details please use this form.
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