The Integrated Master and PhD Programme (The 3+5 Programme)

The aim of the integrated 3+5 programme is to enable enrolment of students in a comprehensive five-year combined master and PhD studies after completing a three-year bachelor degree. This programme is designed to attract the most talented students at the early stages of their studies and give them better opportunities to develop ambitious research projects already at the master’s level.

Structure and financing

The 3+5 programme is divided into two parts: the first part is the master’s study programme (3 years), whereas the second part is PhD studies (2 years). Under the 3+5 programme, the first part is financed by study grants for up to three years (master studies). The remaining two years of the programme (PhD studies) are financed by a regular PhD salary. Upon successful completion of the master’s studies, PhD students proceed to the PhD part of the integrated programme. Students enrolled in the programme must obtain at least grade 10 for their master thesis and demonstrate compliance with the PhD plan before they are entitled to proceed with the PhD part of the 3+5 programme. Failing to do so will result in termination of participation in the programme. Foreign students enrolled in the programme have identical financial conditions to Danish students. The tuition fee and monthly study grants are financed by state scholarships and/or external funding.

Qualifications

  • Applicants for the integrated 3+5 PhD programme must have obtained a degree that corresponds to the Danish Bachelor of Laws (180 ECTS) or equivalent qualifications. Applicants must have obtained a minimum overall grade average of 8,2 or above at the Bachelor’s level in accordance with the Danish grading scale (for Danish scale). Applicants who have already completed a Master’s degree are not eligible for the integrated programme. Applicants must have obtained a Bachelor’s degree no earlier than 12 months preceding their application for the 3+5 programme.
  • Applicants may submit their application before they have earned a Bachelor’s degree, however, they should have submitted the final evaluation for their course before 1 June 2018.
  • Applicants must document an aptitude for research through the meritorious assessment of their final thesis or academic recommendations in order to show that they are capable of undertaking the demanding task of writing a PhD thesis.
  • Applicants whose native language is not English must document proficiency in English by having passed one of the recognised language tests. For IELTS a minimum score of 6,5 is required. For TOEFL a minimum score of 83 (internet-based) or 560 (written) is required. The test must be taken no earlier than two years before the application deadline. Applicants who have obtained a Bachelor’s degree in a country in which English is the official language, and applicants holding a Bachelor’s degree from one of the Nordic universities are not required to submit proof of English profiency (See https://jura.ku.dk/phd/english/applicants/language-requirements/ )

Successful PhD candidates are required to:

  • successfully complete the master’s study programme and obtain a minimum grade 10 for master thesis in accordance with the Danish grading scale;
  • actively engage in the research environment at the University of Copenhagen and abroad; participate in conferences and courses corresponding to 30 ECTS;
  • comply with the formal requirements of the PhD programme; (https://jura.ku.dk/pdf/forskningsservice/phd/PhD-programme-curriculum.pdf/)
  • contribute to teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses offered by the Faculty of Law (only after successful completion of the master’s part of the programme);
  • conduct independent and high quality research under the supervision of a senior member of academic staff at the Faculty.

Application procedure

We advise you to have the following documents ready before you begin your online application:

  • Research project proposal. This should include the following: (1) objective(s) of the research, (2) major research questions, (3) review of relevant literature, (4) methodology to be applied in the research, and (5) a timetable that plans for all course requirements to have been met within five years. The project description must elaborate on the value of the proposed research project in terms of its relevance to existing and future research in the field (maximum 6 pages excluding bibliography). The document must be in Times New Roman, font size 12, spacing 1.5 and all margins (right, left, top and bottom) of 2 cm. NB! The research project description will be assessed in light of academic qualifications obtained by applicants during their bachelor studies.
  • Curriculum vitae (maximum 2 pages).
  • Certified copies of original Bachelor’s diploma(s) and transcripts in the original language and an authorized English translation if they are issued in other language than English or Danish.
  • A certified explanation of grading scale in the original language and an authorized English translation if it is available in other language than English or Danish.
  • The name of a member of academic staff whom you wish to have assigned as your supervisor.
  • Letter of motivation that explains the choice of the Faculty of Law at the University of Copenhagen as a host institution for the proposed project and outlines how the project fits within the research priorities at the Faculty (maximum 1 page).
  • Official results for TOELF or IELTS (see https://jura.ku.dk/phd/english/applicants/language-requirements/ ).

Applications must be submitted in either Danish or English.

Additional information can be obtained by contacting the PhD Administration at phd@hrsc.ku.dk