Doctoral studies are intended to educate new researchers in order to enable them to conduct independent research in academic institutions and elsewhere. As a doctoral candidate you should advance into an independent and critically analysing researcher while you are being educated in the scientific traditions. By improving your theoretical proficiency and methodological skills you should learn how to ask questions, reason, structure, analyse and reflect over your thesis topic.

Doctoral studies in law consist of four years of full-time studies, leading to a Doctor of Laws Degree (LL.D). Most time is devoted to the writing of a thesis, normally in the form of a monograph that should not exceed 300 pages. In addition, two obligatory courses (see "Doctoral courses" in the menu) as well as the presentation of the research topic in seminars is required.

The Faculty can only approve doctoral candidates for which there is sufficient financial support. Research studies are either financed through an employment contract with the Department of law or by external funding. The employment is held for the period of time equivalent to full-time study at licentiate/doctoral level. Research students may be required to carry out teaching activities, in which case their employment period can be extended to five years, depending on their teaching load. The employment contract is issued for one year at a time with the prospect for continuance as long as the research studies are performed in a satisfactory manner.

In case of external funding, the grant has to cover the costs for the whole period of research studies, i.e. four years in case of doctoral studies and two years for the licentiate level.

Further information about research studies at the Faculty of Law can be found in the Syllabus for the PhD Programme. 

Information about research studies can also be found at the website of the Swedish National Agency for Higher Education.The interests of the doctoral and licentiate candidates are actively promoted by the Doctoral Candidate Council.