Asian Law Center

Ph.D. in Asian & Comparative Law

The UW School of Law is unique among U.S. law schools in offering a Ph.D. degree in Asian and Comparative Law.   Since its founding in 1972, the Ph.D. in Asian and Comparative Law has expanded in size and quality and is now a highly competitive academic program that leads in the education of future U.S. and international legal scholars and policy makers.  The program has 31 graduates, with a current class of 15, drawn from China, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United States. 

Ph.D. candidates have a supervised research experience with Law School faculty who serve on their Doctoral committees.  Due to the interdisciplinary nature of the program, many also have committee faculty drawn from other UW departments and from among leading scholars in Asian and Comparative law at other North American law schools.  Ph.D. candidates are encouraged to publish during their candidature; to present at national and international conferences; to practice classroom teaching; and to report on their research for their classmates and the Law School community.

A number of Ph.D. candidates are supported by scholarships and tuition waivers from the University of Washington, including the Graduate School Fund for Excellence and Innovation (GSFEI). The GSFEI award in 2007-09 enabled us to recruit two “Top Scholars” into the Ph.D. program. 

Ph.D. Admissions Information

Ph.D. Degree Requirements

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