Regulations for LLM by Research Scholarships (part-time) 2025

 Scope 

This scholarship is available for part-time postgraduate research in Scots private law at the University of Edinburgh for a period of two years, leading to the degree of LLM by Research (ie by a thesis of up to 30,000 words). The Trustees wish to award a scholarship for study beginning in September 2025.
 

Eligibility

The scholarship is open to anyone who, by the start of the LLM programme, holds an honours degree in law, or an ordinary degree in law plus an honours degree in a different discipline, and who is accepted by the University of Edinburgh for the degree of LLM by Research. Further details about postgraduate study at Edinburgh may be obtained from the Postgraduate Office, School of Law  An application to the Trust may be made in advance of being accepted by the University of Edinburgh.  

Choice of topic

Applicants are free to choose their own topic. The emphasis, however, should be on legal doctrine rather than on, for example, legal theory or socio-legal issues. Historical or comparative perspectives are welcome. Two possible research projects are available (one on contract law and the other on the law of delict)  and applicants are welcome to choose, or adapt, one of those. 

Progression to the PhD

The LLM can (but need not) be used as a gateway to further study for the degree of PhD. Indeed it is often possible to treat the part-time LLM as two years of study for a PhD by switching to the PhD degree during the years spent on the LLM. For students who make this switch, funding for the full six years of the part-time PhD will often be made available by the Edinburgh Legal Education Trust.

Publication of PhD theses

Completed PhD theses are usually published as a book at the expense of the Edinburgh Legal Education Trust. So far, fourteen such books have been published. Consulting some of them will give an idea of what a PhD involves, and of the type of work that the Trustees are willing to fund. The first six books are available to download free of charge from our ELET books page

The full list of PhD theses is:

· Ross Gilbert Anderson, Assignation (2008)

· Andrew J M Steven, Pledge and Lien (2008)

· Craig Anderson, Possession of Corporeal Moveables (2015) 

· Jill Robbie, Private Water Rights (2015)

· Daniel J Carr, Ideas of Equity (2016)

· Chathuni Jayathilaka, Sale and the Implied Warranty of Soundness (2019)

· Alasdair Peterson, Prescriptive Servitudes (2020)

· Alisdair D J MacPherson, The Floating Charge (2020)

· John MacLeod, Fraud and Voidable Transfer (2020) 

· Andrew Sweeney, The Floating Charge (2021)

· Lorna J MacFarlane, Privity of Contract and its Exceptions (2021)

· Peter Webster, Leasehold Conditions (2022)

· María Paz Gatica, Fault-based and Strict Liability in the Law of Neighbours (2022)

· Patrick J Follan Trust Beneficiaries and Third Parties (2024)

Value 

The scholarship comprises fees at the home students’ rate. In addition, a limited amount of assistance may be given by the Trust in respect of research expenses. Fees will be paid by the Trust directly to the University of Edinburgh. 

Study abroad

Scholars who switch to the PhD will take part in the training programme of the Ius Commune Research School.  This involves short courses at some of the participating universities (Amsterdam, Utrecht, Maastricht and Leuven). Costs will be met by the Edinburgh Legal Education Trust. 

Career paths: destinations of previous Scholars

To date, 15 Scholars have completed PhDs funded by the Edinburgh Legal Education Trust. Of the 15:  

• 1 is a practising advocate in Scotland;
• 1 is a practising barrister in England;
• 3 are practising solicitors in Scotland;
• 1 is a practising solicitor in England;
• 8 hold lecturing positions at Scottish universities
• 1 holds a lecturing position at an English university