PhD - Doctorate in Law

The objective of the program for the Doctorate in Law is to contribute to the free development of an individual and expansion of human vision through enhancement of the existing knowledge and establishment of innovative methods in lawmaking and interpretation of legal rules. It also aims to enhance the research and teaching competencies by NQF VIII level learning outcomes.

Introduction to the basic research tools is provided in the first semester of the doctoral program through specific core course schedule (Basic Tools for Ph.D. Research). Skills gained within this framework enable students to get acquainted with the organizational tools of the PhD-research, to learn specificities of working with primary sources while incorporating secondary sources.

The primary method utilized in the program is the practice of “learning by doing,” which demands that a student submits components referred to an own doctoral thesis. Following semester provides a choice for a student: to accomplish core teaching elements (Teaching Methods I or II ), to start with professor guided research or to continue studies with the first colloquium.

The seminar is a teaching component and thus is not related to the doctoral thesis, yet the colloquium is the doctoral thesis related component and extensively reflects the parts of a dissertation. On the other hand, unlike to the professor guided research in which large scale of guidance is available, the colloquium is primarily based on independent work.

A reasonable mixture of professor guided research and independently conducted colloquium (three 15 credit component each) supports the development of those skills which are conditioned by independent or interactive work respectively. Teaching Methods II and II Seminar are electives, enabling a student to further shape his/her profile, especially when a student demonstrates the specific interest in teaching rather than in conducting additional research.