At Dalhousie University in Halifax, Canada, PhD in Law is offered as a doctorate in Law programme. The programme runs for 5 years, delivered on campus. Tuition for international students is CAD 10,832 per year (CAD 7,338 per year for local students).
At a glance
Degree:Doctorate
Field:Law
Duration: 5 years
Delivery: On Campus
Local tuition: CAD 7,338 / year
International tuition: CAD 10,832 / year
Information for the 2027/28 academic year · Last reviewed September 2026 ·
Program details
Overview
This is a thesis-based doctoral program in law at Dalhousie University's Schulich School of Law, delivered full-time and in person in Halifax. Rather than being coursework-heavy, the program centers on independent, original research that candidates develop and defend as a thesis under the guidance of a faculty supervisor, drawing on the school's faculty and library resources. Standard completion takes five years or longer. Research areas available to students include health law, law and technology, marine and environmental law, international business law, criminal justice, legal theory, and Indigenous law. Admission requires meeting the Faculty of Graduate Studies' general minimums together with program-specific requirements, with a separate pathway described for international applicants. The program is highly selective and suits candidates aiming for careers as law professors, legal policy analysts, corporate advisors, or researchers, with graduates going on to work in academia, research institutes, government, international organizations, law firms, and advocacy organizations.
Requirements
Minimum GPA:3.70 / 4.33
Admission Requirements: Dalhousie's PhD in Law normally requires the equivalent of a Dalhousie A- average (3.7 on the 4.3-point scale) at the JD level, plus a completed master's degree in law, with established scholarly publication credentials on the applicant's CV considered an asset. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to conduct independent research and submit a preliminary thesis proposal of about 3,000 words covering the research question, literature review, methodology and theoretical approach. Those whose first language is not English must submit a minimum overall IELTS score of 7.5 or a TOEFL score of 600 (paper-based), 250 (computer-based) or 100 (iBT). Two academic reference letters are required, and admitted students must complete a minimum of one full academic year (12 months) in full-time residence.
Application Details
Application Deadline:Dalhousie's live Dates and Deadlines page still shows the September 2026 entry cycle as of mid-September 2026, not the 2027 cycle. For that cycle, Bachelor of Science (Nursing), Bachelor of Health Sciences, Bachelor of Science (Medical Sciences) and Bachelor of Social Work close February 15, 2026; the Bachelor of Environmental Design Studies (Architecture) closes March 1, 2026; and the Health Sciences post-diploma option closes June 15, 2026. All other undergraduate programmes are considered on a rolling, space-available basis for both domestic and international applicants, with no separate international closing date published; May 15, 2026 is only the deposit and English-proficiency deadline, not an application deadline. Dalhousie has not yet published September 2027 entry dates. These are institution-wide dates; this programme publishes no deadline of its own.
