Doctor of Laws, postgraduate degree, University of Lapland

About this programme

The postgraduate degree offered by the Faculty of Law is Doctor of Laws (LL.D. or LLD). Pursuing an LLD degree at the Faculty of Law comprises supervised research and research training based on the student’s personal study plan (PSP). Completing an LLD degree requires self-management and a considerable degree of independent work on the part of the student. During the postgraduate studies, the student will participate in research training such as seminars and other courses and will write a doctoral dissertation. The LLD degree is designed to promote the development of independent scientific thinking and research work. The aim of postgraduate degrees is that the student - becomes well-versed in his/her own field of research and its social significance and gains knowledge and skills needed to apply scientific research methods independently and critically and to produce new scientific knowledge within his/her field of research; - becomes conversant with the development, basic problems and research methods of his/her own field of research; and - gains such knowledge of the general theory of science and of other disciplines relating to his/her own field of research as enables him/her to follow developments in them. The Doctor of Laws (LLD) degree is intended for those pursuing a career in research or as a legal expert. The normative time frame for completing a doctoral degree is four years of full-time postgraduate study (240 ECTS credits). The LLD degree is designed to promote the development of the postgraduate student’s ability to conduct in-depth analyses of legally relevant situations. Often this means formulating and investigating research questions that extend into more than one field within the discipline of law. Many issues might also require familiarity with other academic disciplines.