Doctoral Academic Studies in Law
About programme
The Union University School of Law (UUSL) in Belgrade organizes and delivers a doctoral academic studies programme entitled Doctoral Academic Studies in Law Programme (SJD/PhD) of 180 ECTS lasting three academic years (six semesters) and completing lawyers’ education process. The studies have a pronounced academic and research component providing for critical assessment of achievements in the field of law. The study programme encompasses the entire legal science; it is contemporary and compatible with the PhD programme system of European academic institutions (especially as pertaining to continental law), based on creative research development in the fields of national, European, international and comparative law.
Starting from the 2021-2022 school year, the Union University School of Law in Belgrade (UUSL) will organize and implement a new accredited Doctoral Academic Studies / PhD Programme in Law (SJD). Its completion leads to obtaining an academic title of a SJD (Doctor in Law), aka PhD in Law.
The overall aim of this SJD/PhD study programme is development of legal science, critical thinking and education of professionals able to implement original and scholarly relevant research individually, contributing thus to general social development and critically assessing research of other scholars. The specific aim of this programme is to train students in legal scholarly research along the lines of contemporary international academic and scientific standards and quality parameters used in the European university-level educational institutions. The structure of the study programme reflects an effort to provide for a larger-scale generation and transmission of knowledge at the third-degree study level in the field of legal science in line with the so-called society of knowledge ideal, the one perceiving precisely PhD studies as the way and means to integrate university-level education and scientific research. Education of highly competent legal professionals – those who will expand the boundaries of the legal science in their own research, improving thus the legal practice, too – is an important social task that UUSL has been fulfilling by delivering its SJD/PhD study programme for two decades now.
Eligibility
Anyone completing a second degree university level academic studies programme in law, humanities or relevant social sciences, as well as any of the studies listed below, is eligible for the SJD/PhD:
- Master Academic Studies (MA/LLM) which, together with the prior undergraduate studies, amount to 300 ECTS credits; or
- Integrated studies amounting to min. of 300 ECTS credits; or
- The four-year Undergraduate Programme in Law with a university level law school acc. to regulations before the 2005 Higher Education Law entered into force.
A person with prior education in humanities or relevant social sciences may be enrolled into the DASL with an obligation to pass additional exams.
A person with an MA in law, humanities or other relevant social sciences may enroll the SJD under special conditions.
Priority will be given to persons with a higher average score at their prior studies, as well as proven scientific research study implementation capacity.
Curriculum
Mandatory subject: Theory of law with academic research methodology (Marko Božić, Aleksa Radonjić)
Elective subjects list – From the nine listed, the student chooses four during the first two years of DASL acc. to his/her individual research programme and topics of the doctoral thesis:
- Constitutionalisam and democracy (Violeta Beširević, Marko Božić)
- Constitutional law theory (Bogoljub Milosavljević)
- Criminal law and contemporary criminality (Slađana Jovanović, Nataša Mrvić Petrović)
- International law and the contemporary world (Tatjana Papić)
- Environmental law (Mario Lukinović, Aleksandra Čavoški)
- The right to good governance (Bogoljub Milosavljević, Jelena Jerinić)
- International trade contracts (Slobodan Vukadinović, Katarina Jovičić, Sonja Bunčić)
- Civil procedures (Nebojša Šarkić, Milena Trgovčević Prokić)
- Alternative approaches to protection of rights originating from family relations (Jelena Arsić)
- Human rights in a medical context (Violeta Beširević, Jelena Simić)
Transferrable knowledge and skills list – From the four listed, the chooses one in year one and two of his/her studies:
- Academic / scientific research study process management;
- Communication skills pertaining to academic papers publication;
- Communication capacities pertaining to conference participation;
- Critical thinking and complex problem-solving skills.
Costs
The DASL tuition fee covering all three years, aka six study semesters is 6,600 EUR. It is to be paid in annual installments of 2,200 EUR, payable in the local currency (RSD) at the middle exchange rate of the National Bank of Serbia (NBS) on the day of the payment. Besides the possibility to pay it in installments, in case the total annual tuition fee is paid at enrollment, the student is entitled to a 10 percent discount.