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Law academic

How to become an academic in law

Careers
Published 24 Jan, 2022  ·  6-minute read

Are you considering a career as a law academic? Or have you decided that this is the career path for you?

This article will step through some of the key things you need to know about how to become a law academic in Australia.

How to become an academic

Almost all academic jobs in Australia require you to either have your PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) or be on your way towards finishing one. This step often comes after an undergraduate program like a Bachelor of Laws (Honours). Some academic jobs will also have other requirements like teaching and leadership experience.  

When you’re tackling a PhD, it can often be completed in any field you choose – from economics, law and biochemistry, to things like engineering and medicine – as long as you have some background in that area.

However, if you want to be a law academic, you’ll need to have done your PhD in law or a related field (such as criminology). You also don’t necessarily need to be admitted as a lawyer or have had experience in legal practice. Although, if you want to research areas like the criminal trial process, it can be good to have had some exposure to practice.

Sarah Kendall with Dr Rebecca Ananian-Welsh

Getting into a PhD

Getting into a PhD can be challenging, but it’s not impossible. Most students get into a PhD by achieving at least Class IIA Honours in their Bachelor of Laws (Honours) degree. But don’t worry if you haven’t achieved this class – you can still get into a PhD program by showing that you have relevant research experience.

Examples of relevant research experience can include:

  • publishing academic articles in peer-reviewed journals
  • preparing research reports for industry, business or government
  • work experience where you can demonstrate that you have planned and executed a project with a high level of independence.

The more research experience you can show, the more likely it is you’ll get into a PhD – and the better chance you have of being awarded a scholarship for your studies, too.

Another pathway to securing a law academic job is starting a Master of Philosophy (or MPhil), which has less stringent entry requirements. From here, you can then transfer into the PhD program.

This is how Dr Joseph Lelliott started his research journey. He’s now a Senior Lecturer at the UQ Law School.

To apply for a law PhD at UQ specifically, you’ll also need to submit a research proposal. This means that you need to find a supervisor for your PhD and develop a rough idea of what you want to research.

Two law students sit at a desk in front of a computer screen

Finding a supervisor and writing your research proposal

Before starting your research proposal, you should find one (or two) academics who will agree to supervise you if you get accepted into the PhD program. You can find potential law supervisors on the Law School website.

It’s best to look for academics whose research areas align with what you want to research. You might even find that some academics advertise PhD positions through UQ websites or via their social media accounts. Approaching a potential supervisor might seem daunting, but you’ll have gotten to know academics during your time as an undergraduate at UQ Law School.

Once you’ve identified a potential supervisor, the best way to get in contact with them is to simply send an email. Alternatively, you can drop by their office during office hours (often listed on their profile page).

Dr Yvonne Breitwieser-Faria, who did her PhD on international law, believes finding the right supervisors is paramount.

“After all, you have to work with them for 3-4 years,” she says.

“The same goes for deciding on your research topic – you don’t want to spend years researching something you’re not passionate about.”

While it’s beneficial to have an idea of what interests you, you don’t need to settle on your exact research topic before approaching a potential supervisor. In fact, they’ll help you narrow down your area of interest and decide on a feasible project, as well as write the research proposal. So don’t panic if you’re not sure what to do yet.

Discover what makes a good PhD supervisor so you know what to look out for when approaching academics.

What to expect during a PhD

Sarah Kendall stands talking to a room of PhD students at a social event

Funding a PhD and supporting yourself financially

Before you apply for a PhD, it’s important to think about what kind of income you’ll have while you’re studying. It might seem daunting, but don't worry – there are many options available to you.

In particular, some students will do casual tutoring or paid research work. Most students also apply for a scholarship such as a Research Training Program Scholarship or a number of other school-funded options.

Completing a PhD is one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do, and it’s the first step you’ll have to take if you want to become a law academic.

Start your PhD application

If you’d like to discuss applying for a PhD in more detail first or want more information about pursuing a career as a law academic, get in touch with Sarah Kendall at s.kendall@uq.edu.au or learn more about the process.


About the author

Sarah Kendall is a current Higher Degree by Research (HDR) student, and president of the community UQ Legal Researchers at the UQ Law School.

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