Programme Structure

The PhD in Law, Commerce and Technology programme is a direct PhD programme with a normal candidature period of five (5) years and a maximum candidature period of seven(7) years. It emphasizes the interdisciplinary study between law, business, and technology. In particular, students can choose to specialize in either of its two tracks, Law and Commerce, or Law and Technology.

  • The Law and Commerce track: focuse on the study of legal and regulatory responses to business, commercial or financial activities.
  • The Law and Technology track: focuse on the study of legal and regulatory responses to technology developments.

Both tracks are open to students working on topics involving the three-way interaction of law, commerce and technology. PhD students are supposed to determine and declare their tracks no later than the beginning of Year 2.

The curriculum consists of foundation courses, elective courses, a PhD Qualifying Examination (QE), and a PhD dissertation. The coursework and the number of course units are listed below.

Structure Summary 

  • Foundation courses (6 Credit Units)
  • Elective courses (6 Credit Units)
  • Completion of PhD Dissertation (28 Credit Units)
YearCourses
1 & 2
  • Foundation Courses (6 CUs)
    • Law in a Commercial Context (1 CU)
    • Essential Technology for Lawyers (1 CU)
    • Applied Econometrics for Social Science Research (1 CU)
    • Methods for Empirical Business Research (1 CU)
    • Introduction to Interdisciplinary Research (1 CU)
    • Literature Review and Research Proposal Workshop (1 CU)
  • Elective Courses (6 CUs)
    • Students are required to take a minimum of three elective courses offered by an SMU school other than YPHSL.
    • Students in the Law & Tech track are required to take a minimum of two elective courses at SMU School of Computing and Information Systems (SCIS), which can be counted toward the three electives required to be taken outside YPHSL.
    • Elective courses outside YPHSL are likely to be corporate finance, financial accounting, business management, industrial organizations, political economy, behavioral science and computer science etc.
  • Prepare Dissertation Proposal
  • PhD Qualifying Examination (QE)
3
  • Work on Dissertation
  • Attend at least one high-quality conference (Years 3 & 4)
4
  • Overseas Exchange Programme, internship or fellowship
  • Complete Dissertation and Oral Defence

Programme Schedule

YearTerm 1Term 2Term 3Remarks
1
  • Foundation Courses
  • Elective Courses
  • Foundation Courses
  • Elective Courses
  • Prepare Dissertation Proposal
  • Complete Foundation & Elective courses
2
  • Foundation Courses
  • Elective Courses
  • Foundation Courses
  • Form Dissertation Committee
  • Prepare Dissertation Proposal
  • Prepare Dissertation Proposal
  • Pass PhD Qualifying Examination (QE) (deadline)
  • Complete Foundation & Elective courses
  • Sit for, and Pass the QE
3
  • Submit Written Dissertation Proposal
  • Form Dissertation Committee (deadline)
  • Approval of Dissertation Proposal
  • Conduct Dissertation Research
  • Conduct Dissertation Research
  • Approval of Dissertation -Proposal (with special permission)
  • Conduct Dissertation Research
  • Submit Written Dissertation Proposal
  • Possible Oral Defence of Dissertation Proposal 
  • Get Approved by Dissertation Committee
  • Conduct Research
  • Attend High-Quality Conference
4
  • Conduct Dissertation Research
  • Conduct Dissertation Research
  • Submit Written Report of Completed Dissertation Research
  • Oral Defense of Completed Dissertation
  • Revise and Re-submit Dissertation Report
  • Oral Defence 
  • Possible Overseas Exchange
  • Attend High-Quality Conference