About the PhD School

Welcome to the PhD School in the Faculty of Law. We are an institution dedicated to nurturing advanced research and academic excellence within the field of law. Our PhD programme equips students with specialized academic knowledge and research qualifications at the highest international level, serving as the cornerstone for the careers of our graduates within academia and beyond.

The Faculty of Law offers research expertise spanning a comprehensive array of disciplines within the field of law. The PhD school is an integral part of a vibrant academic environment that caters to a wide range of research interests, often cutting across conventional legal fields.

A PhD degree is an advanced research degree earned through the successful completion of a three-year PhD programme. The programme includes an individual research project that culminates in the writing, under expert supervision, of an original PhD thesis. The thesis is assessed by an international committee of academic experts and must be publicly defended before the degree can be awarded.

Our PhD programme extends beyond the individual research project and PhD thesis. It is a transformative journey that not only advances scientific maturity but also develops independent scholars who will significantly contributes to the evolution, revitalization, and dissemination of knowledge within their respective field.

As participants in our programme, your work and presence within our academic community will foster the ability to engage in nuanced knowledge exchange with both the academic community and the broader public. The cultivation of international and interdisciplinary networks is a cornerstone of our philosophy, enabling you to form collaborations that transcend geographical and disciplinary boundaries. 

In essence, the PhD School in Law offers 3 years of academic opportunity to redefine boundaries, both personal and intellectual. We invite you to embark on the PhD education with the expectation of engaging in rigorous scholarship, creative intellectual discovery, and the forging of lasting academic connections. A PhD degree stands as an indelible token and as a process that will shape and propel you forward on your academic and professional journey.

Management and administration

The PhD School in Law is headed by Associate Dean for Research, Astrid Kjeldgaard-Pedersen. By delegation from the Dean, she has the overall responsibility for the PhD programme. The research, academic training, and working conditions of PhD students are organised by an appointed PhD Coordinator, who is a faculty staff member. PhD 'Coordinators also facilitate information and knowledge exchange between PhD-students, faculty and department management, and PhD administration. In addition to the PhD School, all PhD students are members of one of the faculty’s research centres.  

See list of PhD Coordinators.

The PhD School is supported by an elected PhD Committee, consisting of academic staff and PhD students from the respective departments. 

The PhD Administration is a joint administration for the PhD schools at the faculties of Humanities, Law, Social Sciences and Theology at the University of Copenhagen.