• regular/part-time/self-study

The main goal of the educational and scientific training of doctoral students in the field of legal theory is to build scientists capable of in-depth analysis of the main legal phenomena and concepts, evaluating their practical application and participating in improving the legal regulation of public relations.

One of the main tasks in the teaching process is related to the practical significance and application of the scientific developments of the PhD students, as well as gradual development of skills for studying the interdependence between the legal phenomenon and public relations and connections, correct orientation in the current scientific information and case law and the ability to perform a comparative analysis with foreign legal systems and legislation.

Training in the doctoral program is aimed at achieving the following main objectives:

• Acquisition of fundamental knowledge on the legal phenomenon and the basic legal concepts.
• Interrelation between the fundamental concepts, subject of study by the legal theory and the branch legal scientific specialties.
• Achieving highly qualified PhD students to solve scientific and theoretical problems and issues of legal practice with scientific approaches and methods.
• Building independent creative thinking and the ability to conduct independent scientific research, to develop scientific theses and new scientific ideas.
• Detailed understanding of techniques applied to research and academic studies.
• Training of highly qualified persons for research and teaching activities.

Competences

PhD students in the doctoral program acquire highly qualified scientific, linguistic, computer and Internet-based training, focused on personal and professional growth.

PhD students in the doctoral program acquire knowledge about:

• the legal phenomenon and the basic legal concepts;
• the interconnectedness between the fundamental concepts, subject of study by the legal theory and the branch legal scientific specialties;
• handling of the scientific tools;
• search, derivation and analysis of scientific and practical problems;
• the methodology of scientific research and its application through the prism of a specific scientific and practical problem;
• the method of critical analysis and synthesis of existing and new scientific ideas and theoretical positions.

PhD students in the doctoral program build skills for:

• an independent creative thinking and conducting independent research, developing scientific theses and new scientific ideas;
• a detailed understanding of the techniques used to conduct research;
• building informed assessments on complex issues concerning basic legal concepts and phenomena in the absence of complete data;
• applying a scientific approach and using scientific tools in research work;
• expansion and updating of existing knowledge in the theory of law and its interactions with other scientific branches in law;
• the methodology of teaching legal disciplines;
• presentation of ideas and conclusions justified, clear and convincing to specialists and non-specialists in the country and abroad.

Curriculum

Each PhD student and his/her research supervisor prepare an individual curriculum for training in accordance with the requirements of the general curriculum of the doctoral program.

The individual curriculum for training of the doctoral student determines: the topic of the dissertation; the distribution of all activities by years; the number of exams and the terms for their passing; the stages and terms of development of the dissertation work; attending a certain cycle of lectures and exercises; participation in seminars, conferences; pedagogical activity of the doctoral student and other issues related to the development of the dissertation.

Obligatory part of doctoral training is the special methodical and language training, which is realized through participation in specialized courses, seminars and individual work.

Compulsory subjects:

1. General theory of law
2. General doctrine of the state
3. Project preparation and management
4. Scientific and research ethics
5. Research methodology
6. Foreign language

Elective courses:

1. Theory of rule-making activity
2. Theory of judicial activity
3. Philosophy of law
4. Political science

Graduation:

1. Examinations - doctoral minimums
2. Defense of a doctoral dissertation.

Areas of professional realization

The theoretical and practical training of doctoral students provides an opportunity for realization in the specific conditions of teaching, research and expert activities such as:

• researchers in scientific research centers and specialized research units;
• teachers in universities and academies;
• consultant-experts in governmental and non-governmental organizations;
• legal experts in international organizations.