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• Law jobs (17)
• PhD positions in International Law (12)
• Professor positions in International Law (3)
• Assistant / Associate Professor positions in International Law (3)
• Researcher positions in International Law (2)
• Management / Leadership positions in International Law (1)
• International Law jobs in Belgium (11)
• International Law jobs in Netherlands (2)
• International Law jobs in Luxembourg (1)
• International Law jobs in United Arab Emirates (1)
• International Law jobs in Iraq (1)

Search results (17)

PhD Candidate: The Law and Policy of EU External Climate Action

Employment 1.0 FTERequired background Research University DegreeOrganizational unit Faculty of LawApplication deadline 15 May 2024Are you passionate about environmental protection on a global scale? And do you aspire to make a tangible impact in s...

Doctoral fellow - Department of European, Public and International Law

Last application date Jun 14, 2024 00:00Department RE22 - Department of European, Public and International LawContract Limited durationDegree Master’s degree in LawOccupancy rate 100%Vacancy type Research staffJob descriptionThe Maritime Institute...

2024 New Year Famous Universities and Enterprises PhDs Recruitment and Cooperation Video Matchmaking Meeting

1、 Event Introduction In the Chinese New Year of 2024, Juqi Consulting collaborated with the Famous universities and enterprises club to organize global PhDs visits to well-known Chinese enterprises and universities, coordinating job recruitment a...

PhD researcher in (Multi-Disciplinary) Legal Research in the Field of Migration

1 - Working at the VUBFor more than 50 years, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has stood for freedom, equality and solidarity, and this is very much alive on our campuses among students and staff alike.  At the VUB, you will find a diverse collectio...

Dean, College of International Studies - Expat Accepting Applications

The dean will be the principal academic and administrative representative of the College of International Studies. This position is in charge of designing and executing academic and budgetary initiatives, recruiting professors, students, and admin...

PhD Candidate Law and Digital Technologies (0.8-1.0 fte)

Vacancy number 14834Job type PhD positionsHours (in fte) 0,8-1,0External/ internal ExternalLocation LeidenPlaced on 30 April 2024Closing date 19 May 2024 18 more days to applyPhD Candidate Law and Digital Technologies (0.8-1.0 fte)Vacancy Number: ...

Research professor in International Public Law (BOFZAP)

KU Leuven is a research-intensive, internationally oriented university that conducts both fundamental and applied scientific research. It has a strong inter- and multidisciplinary focus and strives...

Research professor - open to all scientific fields (Open BOFZAP)

The KU Leuven announces the vacancy of full-time academic positions as 'research professor' that are open to all research profiles from the various scientific fields. These positions are intended f...

Assistant/Associate/Full Professor/Professor of Practice - Strategic and Security Studies

National Defense College (NDC) of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) invites applications from qualified candidates for multiple full-time, open rank, faculty positions supporting the ongoing growth of the National Defense College as a premier institu...

PhD Fellowships: MSCA-DN Understanding Latin American Challenges: Trade

The Leuven Centre for Global Governance Studies (GGS) is an inter-faculty interdisciplinary research centre of excellence of the Humanities and Social Sciences at the University of Leuven which con...

PhD Fellowships: MSCA-DN Understanding Latin American Challenges: Human Rights

160 Assistants with temporary mandates

The Catholic University of Louvain (UCLouvain, Belgium) is recruiting 160 assistants with temporary mandates.Candidates must have a graduate degree (Master’s or higher) and must have graduated with distinction (or equivalent).The complete list of ...

Doctoral scholarship holder human rights and international law

Let’s shape the future - University of AntwerpThe University of Antwerp is a dynamic, forward-thinking, European university. We offer an innovative academic education to more than 20000 students, c...

Doctoral researcher (PhD) in Law

The Department of Law of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance of the University of Luxembourg is looking for a PhD candidate to conduct research in Law.Your Role...The doctoral researcher will...

Coördinator (27144)

   →  Apply before 02/05/2024 (DD/MM/YYYY) 23:59 (Brussels Time)   →  Faculty of Law and Criminology     →  Department: RE22 - Europees, Publiek- en Internationaal Recht   →  Occupancy rate: 10%   →  Number of positions: 1       →  Type of employm...

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Online PhD in International Law and Treaty Law

Quick access, program type, school / institute.

Online (Asynchonous)

USD 169 per credit hour

Scholarships

Full (officials of PS); 15% off (ECOWAS and IGOs)

This highly specialized PhD program offers in-depth and comprehensive coursework in international law.

It is one of the world’s only two doctoral programs in this field offered by an intergovernmental organization constituted under international law (the other being offered by the European University Institute and it is a PhD in Law more generally, with a European emphasis).

EUCLID (Pôle Universitaire Euclide | Euclid University), an international intergovernmental organization with a university mandate, offers to select students from the general public an external (distance or online) degree program called the EUCLID DILT which is a full PhD in International Law and Treaty Law.

In terms of academic progression, EUCLID’s intention is to offer a credible path leading from the LLM (24 credits) to the MSc (additional 12 credits) and finally to the PhD (another 25 credits of coursework or directed studies, followed by the dissertation).

As a public non-profit institution, EUCLID is able to offer affordable, low-tuition programs.

Academic Presentation

This specialized PhD in international law program focuses on the actual practice of States and intergovernmental organizations, rather than the advancement of academic knowledge for its own sake.

It has primarily been designed to be used by professional diplomats working for EUCLID Participating States and can be considered an excellent route to pursue a career within governmental bodies, international law firms, academia, iNGOs and international organizations.

Thanks to its low tuition and institutional relationships, it is designed to be of special interest to African and Small States students.

Within certain parameters, the curriculum is customizable, with elective courses focusing on:

• Law of International organizations
• European law
• Human rights law
• Treaty drafting and case studies.

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Note: to consult the current and official curriculum/list of courses from the EUCLID CMS database, please visit: EUCLID Available Degree Programs and follow the program link.

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Department of Law

Doctoral studies.

More than one hundred teachers are engaged full-time in teaching and research at the Department of Law. As a doctoral candidate at our department, you will therefore be part of a dynamic and international research environment.

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, but doctoral students are also expected to study some obligatory courses and hold mandatory seminars. Depending on the type of employment, other department duties, such as teaching, may be required as well.

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 will advance into an independent researcher, while you develop your critical and analytical stance and are educated in the scientific traditions. By improving your theoretical proficiency and methodological skills, you will learn how to ask questions, reason, structure, analyse and reflect over your thesis topic.

Doctoral Studies in Legal Science

Legal science is the scientific study of legal and judiciary systems and involves the process of analysing and systematising the law, as well as making contributions to its development. Legal Science also examines the origins and developments of the law, its philosophical aspects, as well as the relationship between legal systems and other societal phenomena.

Research areas at the faculty

The Faculty of Law enjoys a leading position in Sweden and international prominence in Child Law, Intellectual Property Law, Commercial Law, Law and Information Technology and Penal Law, but virtually all fields of law are represented:

• Jurisprudence
• Private Law (General Private Law, Labour Law, Law of Associations, Family/Child Law, Land Law, Insurance Law, Intellectual Property Law, Marketing Law, Maritime Law)
• European Integration Law
• Financial Law
• Public International Law
• Private International and Procedural Law
• Environmental Law
• Procedural Law
• History of Law
• Law and Information Technology
• Criminal Law

Programme syllabus

Doctoral studies pertain to a Degree of Doctor (PhD) of Legal Science or a Degree of Licentiate of Legal Science. The programme consists of 240 higher education credits (credits) for a doctoral degree and 120 credits for a licentiate degree.

Your duties as doctoral student at SULaw

As a doctoral student at SULaw, you are expected to:

• Write a thesis, normally in the form of a monograph that should not exceed 300 pages
• Participate in the mandatory welcome day (applies only to newly admitted doctoral students)
• Participate in the Faculty of Law's annual research day
• Present your dissertation at three mandatory seminars
• Participate in four method courses - two compulsory and two electives - of 7.5 credits each (a total of 30 credits)
• Submit an individual study plan each year
• Submit documentation for activity and financing information periodically, and inform about any changes.

Some doctoral students, depending on their type of employment (see below “Terms of employment”), may also have to:

• Perform some form of departmental service
• Submit a report of their teaching obligation twice a year.

About admissions

Admissions to the doctoral programme take place once a year. Applications must be submitted during the admission period, that closes on March 1.

If 1 March is a Saturday or a public holiday, the closest following business day is applicable. Thereafter, the application is processed by the Research Committee that decides on admission. Information about approvals will be announced at the latest by the end of June. The programme starts on 1 September.

The Research Committee accepts as many candidates as can be employed as doctoral students at the Department of Law. The number of employed doctoral students varies according to the budget situation. Candidates who hold sufficiently high standard but are not offered a doctoral employment can nonetheless be accepted to the LL.D program on the condition that the candidate secures suitable external funding and submits it to the head of department, who will need to approve it. The candidate has until the next admission period to confirm that an acceptable external financing exists. The project description must be identical to that which was submitted in March.

Supervision

In connection to the admission to doctoral studies, the Department Board appoints a main supervisor with the scientific competence corresponding to that of an associate professor, as well as a co-supervisor with the relevant competence. One of the supervisors must be an employee of the Faculty unless special circumstances lead the Research Committee to decide otherwise. If for some reason, the supervisor cannot perform the supervisory duties, the Research Committee shall, if possible, appoint a successor. If it is impossible to find a successor within the Faculty, an external supervisor can be appointed.

Meet our PhD students

What is it really like to be a doctoral candidate? What are the advantages and disadvantages? And what are the best tips our PhD students have for you if you're interested in undertaking doctoral studies? Find out in a serie of interviews on the link below!

Read interviews with our PhD students

Application

Below is some important information about the formal requirements to apply for doctoral studies, as well as practical guidance on how to prepare your application.

• Entry requirements

Please note that the entry requirements must be met by the deadline for applications.

General entry requirements

In order to meet the general entry requirements to doctoral studies, the applicant must have completed a university degree with completed courses equivalent to at least 240 university credits, of which 60 credits must be at an advanced level, or otherwise have acquired equivalent knowledge in Sweden or elsewhere.

Specific entry requirements

The specific entry requirement is a completed juris kandidat/juristexamen (masters of laws) degree or the equivalent. Eligibility can also be granted to applicants who, through professional experience or other training, are deemed to have acquired competence equivalent to that necessary to conduct studies at the post-graduate level, both in terms of academic skills as well as legal knowledge relevant to the research area.

A successful applicant is also to have very high command of Swedish and good knowledge of English, or alternatively, very high command of English.

Candidates with foreign diplomas should ensure that they meet the requirement for special eligibility. In order to satisfy the special entry requirements, students may have to pass exams in subjects selected by the prospective supervisor and the Research Committee.

• How to apply

Apply for the PhD student position through Stockholm University's recruitment system.

For correct consideration, it is important that your application is complete , and that the documentation contains correct and relevant information. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement, and that it is submitted before the deadline.

The following documents must be included in the application:

• Cover letter
• CV – degrees and other completed courses, work experience and a list of degree projects/theses
• Research proposal describing the intended project – including research question, theoretical framework, method and material, how the project is intended to be conducted and a literature review that indicates the scientific added value of the intended project
• Degree certificates and grades confirming that you meet the general and specific entry requirements (no more than 6 files)
• Letters of Recommendation (no more than 6 files)
• Degree projects/theses (no more than 6 files)

The selection among eligible candidates is based on their deemed capacity to carry out studies at doctoral level. This is assessed on the basis of the following criteria, as stipulated by the Faculty of Law:

• the applicant's general competence,
• the doctoral research proposal, and
• the viability of the proposal.

When assessing the qualifications of the applicant, the Research Committee reviews previous studies and grades (including the quality of the individual work, the ability to express oneself orally and in writing, the applicant´s documented knowledge of their subject proposal), references, relevant experience (professional and other), interviews, and finally the applicant’s written motivation of their research proposal.

In the assessment of the applicant's academic performance, particular attention is paid to their written work and whether it demonstrates an ability to present and develop an argument in a clear and logical fashion, as well as an ability to carry out independent critical thinking and analysis. Creativity, self-initiative and independence as well as work capacity are also taken into account.

Admission Regulations for Doctoral Studies at Stockholm University

For details information about the specific assessment of the research proposal, see below.

Research proposal

When considering applications, the Research Committee attaches substantial weight to the research proposal that the candidates submit with their application. Candidates should therefore pay particular attention to how they formulate their research questions.

Instructions

The proposal should be written in Swedish or English and shall not be longer than 5-10 pages of typewritten text. It shall not contain any bibliography and yhe number of footnotes shall be kept to a minimum.

The applicant is expected to be able to fit their proposal into the research tradition. Thus, the proposal should show how the project relates to earlier research. In this connection, it should be set out how urgent the project may be assumed to be, and in what way the project can be assumed to contribute to the advancement of knowledge.

It is worth noting that a research proposal in law may incorporate different perspectives, depending on the research issue. The perspective taken is related to the method to be used in the study. The approach in scholarly works on legal matters may take the perspective (the list is not exclusive) of:

• Legal Dogmatics
• Law and Sociology
• Law and Economy
• Law and Philosophy
• Transdisciplinary considerations
• Legal comparisons

There is no template for how the research proposal should be presented, since the proposal itself will indicate the applicants’ ability to formulate legal presentations of problems.

Assessment criteria

The Research Committee bases its assessments of the proposal on the following general criteria:

• its originality, incl. its theoretical framework as well as its relevance in relation to previous research,
• the clarity of the methodology in relation to the research issues,
• its contribution to expanding relevant knowledge in the field, and
• its feasibility.

Another relevant aspect for the assessment of research proposal is the extent to which applicants have succeeded in limiting their research proposal to a specific area of investigation. In this context, a number of issues are important, including the following:

• Whether the research issues belong to the field of jurisprudence, in the sense that a legal approach to such issues provides a coherent framework for research.
• Whether the scope of the proposal is appropriately limited, so that the proposed research can be completed within four years of LL.D. studies.
• Whether the framework of the proposed research is set out as clearly and concisely as possible. This need not involve a totally exhaustive discussion of all aspects of the proposed research, however, as some aspects of research may be adjusted and amended as the candidates’ LL.D. studies progress.

Terms of employment

In accordance with the Higher Education Ordinance (ch. 5 §7), appointment to a doctoral studentship shall apply for an indefinite period, however no longer than until a specified date and never for a period extending more than one year after the award of a PhD. At most, a person may be employed as a doctoral student for five years. Any renewal of the employment takes place with a maximum of two years at a time.

More about the length of employment

The employment may be extended for a maximum of two years at a time. However, the total period of employment may not exceed the equivalent of four years of full-time study. Exceptions may be granted in circumstances such as leave due to illness, parental leave, for service in the total defense or for positions of trust within student and trade union organizations.

For questions about the employment, contact Vladimir Vesovic .

Salaries are regulated by a local collective agreement for Stockholm University ( Villkorsavtal-SU - in Swedish only) in accordance with the Agreement on General Salary and Benefits ( Allmänna löne- och förmånsavtalet ). Salary trend is based on the proportion of the requirements for the doctoral degree that has been achieved during the employment period and follows a scale ( doktorandstege ) specified in the collective agreement (Chapter 3).

The Department of Law has internal guidelines for the application of that scale, namely that doctoral students receive a salary supplement of SEK 2,000 from step 2 onwards. This applies to those studying full time. If a doctoral student teaches e.g. 20%, this amount is reduced accordingly.

SULaw’s guidelines for re the application of the salary scale for doctoral students (in Swedish)

Departmental duties

Doctoral students should primarily devote themselves to their own education, but may engage in departmental duties such as teaching, examination, essay supervision and general administration. Doctoral students with a five-year employment are also expected to fulfill a teaching obligation, where 20% of their time must be devoted to some form of departmental duty.

SULaw’s needs govern the form of departmental duty to be undertaken, but doctoral students will decide how the work should be set up together with their supervisor. The certificate of employment will state the exact distribution in percent between research and teaching/administration.

Teaching and pedagogy courses for doctoral students

According to the Rules for education and examination at postgraduate level ( Regler för utbildning och examination på forskarnivå , in Swedish only), doctoral students teaching at undergraduate and advanced level must have previously completed a course in pedagogy and teaching within higher education or have otherwise acquired equivalent knowledge. The course Professional development 1 (Universitetslärarutbildning 1, or UL 1 in Swedish), given at the Center for the Advancement of University Teaching ( CeUL ), is recommended as corresponding education.

Doctoral Courses

In addition to the dissertation, it is mandatory to study method courses of 30 credits. Beginning in the autumn 2015, Juridicum has offered two obligatory and four optional method courses of 7.5 credits each. The mandatory courses are given each autumn term and the optional according to a rolling schedule (see below). Four of the courses (including the two obligatory) are in English and two in Swedish.

Course Offer

Mandatory courses:  .

• HT23: Philosophy of Social Science , 7,5 credits Course manager: Torben Spaak Language: English   
• HT23: Fundamental Concepts in Law , 7,5 credits Course manager: Teresa Simon Almendal Language: English

Optional/Creditable course:  

• VT24: Law and Legal Research beyond the Nation State , 7,5 hp Kursansvarig: Pål Wrange Språk: Engelska  
• VT25: Global Legal Research and Information Management: Legal Scholars and New Technologies (GRiM) , 7,5 hp Kursansvarig: Liane Colonna Language: English  
• VT25: Strategy, creativity and research ethics , 7,5 hp. (Strategi, kreativitet och forskningsetik) Course manager: Frantzeska Papadopoulou Language: Swedish  

Registration

Registration for the fall courses (fall 2023) May 15 to August 7, 2023

Registration for the spring courses (spring 2024) October 7 to December 15, 2023

Please contact Johanna Hale ( [email protected] ) if you want to study any of these courses.

Do you still wonder about some aspects of Doctoral Studies at the Faculty of Law? Check our FAQ!

FAQ Doctoral Studies

Associate professor

• Visiting address

Södra huset: Building C Room C914

• Responsibility

Responsible for doctoral education when it comes to academic content, implementation etc.

Administrator of doctoral studies

Södra huset: Building C Room C 894

• Responsiblity

General information about doctoral studies and the doctoral courses

Last updated: February 19, 2024

Source: Department of Law

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Last updated: April 17, 2023

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International Legal Studies Post-Graduate Fellowships

The International Legal Studies (ILS) Post-Graduate Fellowships are designed to improve participants’ understanding of international and/or transnational law by supporting recent HLS graduates who will be clerking or interning at an international or foreign regional/supranational court or tribunal. It is expected that up to one or two ILS Post-Graduate Fellowships will be awarded for 2024-2025.  Please note that this is separate from the Law School’s support for positions at the International Court of Justice; for more information regarding support for ICJ clerkships, please see the International Court of Justice Judicial Fellows Programme web page.

Applications for the 2024-2025 ILS Post-Graduate Fellowships are due on Friday, January 12, 2024.

Eligibility

• The 2024-2025 ILS Post-Graduate Fellowships are open to HLS graduates from the classes of 2021-2024.
• Applicants should not have previously been employed as clerks or legal interns in the court/tribunal where they are proposing to work.
• The ILS Post-Graduate Fellowship is available to applicants seeking positions that would otherwise be unfunded. Applicants who have secured positions with stipends of less than $1,000/month may also be considered for the ILS Post-Graduate Fellowship.
• The ILS Post-Graduate Fellowship is designed to fund an eligible position of nine months or longer with a grant in the amount of up to $40,000. Positions of six to eight months will also be considered, with concomitantly reduced funding. Placements of less than six months in duration will not be considered.
• Positions in U.S. or foreign national courts are not eligible for funding.
• The award of funding is contingent upon a nominee securing a qualifying internship or clerkship by April 15, 2024. ( Note : if the stated hiring timeline of a particular court is such that a position cannot be secured by this deadline, applicants may petition the Post-Graduate Fellowship Committee for an extension. Petitions should include documentation regarding the court’s stated application and hiring timeline, as well as an expected start date for the clerkship. )

Applications

All application materials should be submitted via email to the ILS Post-Graduate Fellowship program (c/o International Legal Studies – [email protected] ) by no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, January 12, 2024.

The following application components should be submitted as one PDF file:

• the ILS Post-Graduate Fellowship Application cover page
• relevant experience, background, and skills pertinent to international and/or transnational law, and language proficiency
• professional goals
• the host court or tribunal
• the work (including any specific projects) that the applicant expects to undertake
• the type of supervision the applicant expects to receive at the court or tribunal
• a current CV/resume
• a letter from the host court or tribunal indicating a commitment to hosting the applicant, and duration of the position*; additional details may be requested at a later date

* Note : applicants who have not yet secured a position/commitment letter must instead include an addendum (of no more than 250 words) to their statement of interest, describing the specific steps they have taken to secure a position with the court or tribunal. 

Applicants must also submit:

• An official Harvard Law School transcript. Official transcripts must be sent directly from the Office of the Registrar. Students can order their official transcript online by going to https://hls.harvard.edu/dept/registrar/transcript-requests/ and selecting the “Online Transcript Ordering System.” Transcripts should be sent directly to [email protected] .
• Two letters of recommendation, at least one of which must be from a Harvard Law School professor. Recommenders should email their letters directly to [email protected] .

Please note that interviews may be required for shortlisted candidates.

Selection Criteria

Factors considered by the Selection Committee will include:

• strength of the application in demonstrating how the proposed clerkship/internship aligns with the applicant’s career plans
• applicant’s HLS academic performance, relevant background, experience and skills, and commitment to international and/or transnational law

Notification of Award(s)

The Selection Committee will review applications and make determinations by early February.  Award notifications will be sent shortly thereafter.

Reporting Requirements

Selected candidates will be required to submit two reports detailing their experience as ILS Post-Graduate Fellows, one due at the halfway mark of their clerkship/internship, and one due upon its completion.  Fellows should also report their employment plans following the period of their Fellowship.

Travel Policy

Please note that the award of the ILS Post-Graduate Fellowship and associated funding will be contingent on the ability of recipients to adhere to all Harvard University travel policies.

For More Information

Please contact International Legal Studies at [email protected] .

Meet the 2023-2024 ILS Post-Graduate Fellow

Francisco Balbín LL.M. ’23 will bring his professional experience and the knowledge he has gained at HLS to his nine-month placement at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

And read an update from Anoush Baghdassarian ’22 , the 2022-2023 ILS Post-Graduate Fellow, about her work at the International Criminal Court.

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Graduate programs, phd in politics and international affairs.

The doctoral degree in politics and international affairs is an interdisciplinary program designed to prepare students to teach at the university and college levels and to conduct high-level research in the academic and nonacademic sectors. It combines a broad focus on international relations, comparative politics, American politics, and political theory with a critical understanding of institutions, rights, citizenship/identity, governance, global policy, and justice. Students work closely with faculty to frame their dissertation research and to advance their knowledge of their chosen fields of specialization. The program’s interdisciplinary approach to a variety of global issues provides a rich and open-ended opportunity to research current and past problems, movements, and transformations in politics.

We welcome your interest in our doctoral program. The department's deadline for fall admission is January 5. The School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies only admits for the fall semester. Students must apply online through the Office of Graduate Admissions. For a listing of the admission requirements, students should consult the Graduate Catalog . 

*Effective starting with the 2023-2024 admissions cycle, GRE test scores are no longer required for applications to our doctoral program in Politics and International Affairs*

*International students should review the Office of Admissions International Students website for additional information and requirements.

*International students are also encouraged to contact the Office of International Services for information on visas, international travel, etc. 

PLEASE NOTE: International students whose native language is not English and who want to be considered for a teaching assistantship must show proficiency in spoken English even if their TOEFL has been waived for admission to a graduate program. More information on the TOEFL requirement can be found under Admission Requirements in the graduate catalog.

Program Requirements

For the Doctoral Degree in Politics and International Affairs degree requirements, students should consult the Graduate Catalog. Students should adhere to the requirements within the Graduate Catalog under which they were admitted.

• Degree Requirements Beginning 2023-2024 Catalog

*Students can elect another catalog following the one they were admitted under. More information on this policy, and other policies, can be found in the Graduate Catalog.

*Students must request approval from the graduate director for any course not pre-approved and listed under the degree in the Graduate Catalog.

Additional information on program requirements:

Student can also select POS 6933/6747 Advanced Topics in Quantitative Political Analysis or another graduate course approved by the graduate director for the methods requirement. The Capstone Seminar will be conducted with doctorial students in Sociology and History and focus on dissertation proposal. 

Research Fields

The Doctorate in Politics and International Affairs specializes in the following four fields of research:

International Relations In the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies, the International Relations (IR) faculty focuses on four areas of study: international relations theory, global political economy, international security, and human rights. We stress the importance of cutting-edge scholarship in our teaching of the graduate seminars as well as bridging the many emergent gaps in theory and practice in the various subfields that comprise International Relations, including American foreign policy, international ethics, global governance, and international law and organizations. One of our central aims is to advance innovative applications of the central theoretical perspectives (and their variant strands) in International Relations, namely, realism, liberalism, critical theory, constructivism, Marxism, international political theory, and gender. These applications involve in-depth theoretical and empirical analysis of key global issues, such as Asian security, moral accountability, the enforcement of human rights, immigration, and political and economic inequality. The International Relations faculty have published numerous books and peer-reviewed articles on these issue areas. These include monographs on the political tensions on the Korean Peninsula or North Korea’s nuclear arms buildup, the political cosmopolitan character and shifting dynamics of the International Criminal Court (ICC), hegemony and inequality in the global political economy, and China’s rapidly increasing support of intervention in African states. Together our published research emphasizes the production of critical theoretic knowledge, or the advanced methodological analysis of the contradictions and tensions informing the substantive debates in International Relations. This not only requires the particular mastery of concepts, methods, and claims but also an open-ended and historical understanding of the changing social forces shaping the behavior of states and the relations among global and local actors. It is this scholarly approach that we adopt to train our graduate students specializing in international relations, particularly as they advance their dissertation research and empirical knowledge of the global and regional contexts of problems and issues. One of the outcomes we strive for, then, is to encourage our doctoral students to develop rigorous theoretical and contextual analysis from which they can devise solutions and prescriptions to global issues.

Comparative Politics Comparative Politics in the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies is committed to theory-driven, empirical research from an interdisciplinary perspective that is situated in a political, historical, cultural, and economic context.  The Comparative Politics faculty employ a variety of methodological approaches from both the social sciences and humanities, which utilize qualitative and quantitative research methods to study the patterns of similarities and differences. In particular, we conduct comparative and case study research to inquire into these patterns and to develop our theoretical propositions. One of our aims is to produce knowledge about the changing social, political, and legal conditions affecting the lives, development, cultural practices, and customs of underrepresented peoples. In meeting this aim, our research focuses on several themes of comparative politics, including social movements, democracy/democratization, citizenship, decolonization, genocide, hegemony, race and identity, development, legal systems and customary law, social justice, and indigenismo or the political ideology focusing on the changing relations of state and local peoples. Much of our published research draws creatively on social, critical, and political theory to advance knowledge of the laws, changing social relations, and attitudes in several countries, which includes Brazil, Ecuador, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Iran. Our research strengths lie in the areas of race and citizenship, social movements theory, human security and law (or legal custom) in Eastern Africa, indigenous rights in various Latin American countries, and security relations in the Middle East. With these thematic foci, we encourage graduate students to create and develop their own research by selecting a region of the world as their emphasis and adopting theoretically informed research and comparative methods that allow them to analyze the changing social and political conditions in the countries of this region.

American Politics The study of American Politics in the doctorate program in politics and international affairs provides a comprehensive overview as well as an in-depth analysis of American politics. Our faculty focus on various aspects of American politics, including theoretical foundations, federalism, institutions (Congress, the executive branch, the bureaucracy, the judiciary), political behavior (political parties, the media, interest groups, social movements, and elections), and public policy (foreign and domestic), and employ a range of methodological approaches such as historical development, legal doctrine, institutional rules, and quantitative analyses of the behavior of political actors and the mass public, to advance the student's research skills.  Our core class, Seminar in American Politics, for instance, surveys the key foundations, institutions, and behavior in American politics, introducing students to both qualitative and quantitative methodological approaches for analyzing and testing the changing trends and outcomes in American politics. Special topics courses provide opportunities to gain in-depth knowledge on new research on a range of themes, including political development, the social bases of politics, and the global impact of American politics. The faculty in American politics have made important contributions in the areas of race and ethnicity, the judiciary, the presidency, Florida government, civil liberties, health care, environmental justice, economic inequality, and animal rights. Our strengths lie in economic inequality, animal rights, the Presidency, Judicial Behavior, Race and Ethnicity, and State and Local Government. In these specific areas, we have published several cutting-edge books and articles in leading peer-reviewed journals, which examine the emergence and implementation of nonhuman animals' regime of rights, the changing directions of the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank and its impact on world politics, and alternative strategies for natural disasters in the United States. Our scholarship is thus distinctive for the ways in which it addresses American government and politics in a global context. This is how we seek to train our doctoral students on the rapidly changing, nuanced linkages between local, state, federal and global institutional politics.  

Political Theory Political Theory introduces students to the core normative issues in the study of political science. These normative issues provide the bedrock assumptions on which much of the study of political science depends. For example, while nearly everyone agrees that democracy is the best form of government, why do we place such faith in it? In addition, the long tradition of political thought offers multiple versions of democracy, each with its own strengths and limitations. How are we to identify the best version for our needs? Similarly, while we might extol non-violence in politics, is it always the best path for political movements? How are we to justify its alternatives? Clarifying our moral commitments, sharpening our conceptual tools, and outlining pathways for transforming theoretical knowledge into action requires philosophical, historical, and conceptual capabilities. The political theory faculty at the School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies trains students to develop these capabilities. To that end, political theory classes not only familiarize students with many of the canonical texts that were read by generations of prominent political thinkers (from Aristotle to Martin Luther King Jr), they also teach students to read these texts critically and with an eye towards contemporary political developments. As such, training in political theory is a critical supplement to graduate work at School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies. The faculty’s expertise in feminist theory, postcolonial theory, the role of emotions in politics, environmental political thought, and Indian political thought complements the terminal degrees offered in American Politics, Comparative Politics, and International Relations.

Financial Assistance 

Most of our successful applicants qualify for funding offered by the department or the Office of Graduate Studies. Funded doctoral students will receive a graduate assistantship that includes:

• a stipend for the academic year (9 months)
• a tuition waiver (not including school fees)
• the option of health insurance mostly paid by the department (the student only pays a small amount towards insurance).

All applicants for the doctoral degree are considered for a graduate assistantship - they do not need to complete a separate form.

The graduate assistantship is guaranteed for four years but is based on maintaining satisfactory annual academic progress. It requires each student to work 20 hours per week, in which case the student would be first assisting professors of the department with their teaching and class preparations and later, after having passed the doctoral comprehensive exams and completed teacher training seminars, teach a class at the University of South Florida. 

Please visit the graduate assistantships page for further information. The department also provides funding for conference travel or the presentation of research at conferences upon approval.

Information on eligibility for graduate assistantships can be found on the Graduate Assistantships Resource Center website. 

We also strive to fund our students in the fifth year, though this funding is not guaranteed. Depending on additional funds that become available, students may have the opportunity to extend their graduate assistantship to one, possibly two academic semesters. Students in the fifth year are also encouraged to seek external funding. For more information on this, please consult our Graduate Resources Page .

Outstanding candidates may also be nominated by the school’s director and/or graduate committee for prestigious and highly competitive university fellowships, including the Presidential Doctoral Fellowship , the Dorothy Auzenne Fellowship , and the University Graduate Fellowship. There is also the opportunity for minority students to be awarded a McKnight Fellowship, which provides annual tuition up to $5,000 for each of three academic years, plus an annual stipend of $12,000. The program also offers travel grants and other forms of financial support. For additional information on this fellowship opportunity, please visit the McKnight Fellowship's informational page.

• Politics and International Affairs Doctoral Handbook 2022 - 2023
• School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies Graduate Resources
• Independent Study / Directed Research Contract
• Office of Graduate Studies Forms
• Dissertation Proposal Approval Form
• Admission to Doctoral Candidacy Form
• Graduate Student Supervisory Committee Appointment Form
• Dissertation Checklist
• Electronic Thesis & Dissertation Certificate of Approval Form
• Comprehensive Exam Reading Lists
• Research Conference Travel Award Request
• Dissertation Defense Announcment

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For further information or questions about the PhD in Politics and International Affairs, please fill out this form . 

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So, you want to do a PhD in international law?

I’ve become frustrated recently at the lack of practical information for those contemplating PhD level study, especially in my own field. Information about the practical pitfalls, perils and joys of further study. So I decided to write a series of blog posts on the topic, pointing to relevant resources. (This is aimed at graduate students in the English speaking Commonwealth: Europe, the US and elsewhere I can’t necessarily vouch for.)

This will be a longish post, and you probably think: ‘Ah, this will be about writing a killer application to my preferred school!’ Yes, that will be covered briefly. But first, grab a seat, we need to share a few home truths – and ask some hard questions.

What’s my motivation?

If you do want to do a PhD in international law the first question to ask yourself is: ‘ Why ?’

I was rather offended when an economist friend (himself with a PhD) asked me this in Cambridge pub towards the end of my LLM. But it remains an important question. The three typical answers are: (a) ‘because I want to, I feel I’m not done studying and learning’; (b) ‘I want to become an academic’; (c) ‘I’ve got good marks in law up ’til now, I’ve no other career plans, so this seems like the next thing – and worst case scenario, I’ll just teach, right?’

The only good answer is (a). If your answer includes (b), there’s some further information you really need. If your answer is (c), this is probably a terribly bad idea.

Here’s several things few people will tell you straight out.

(1) As more PhDs come onto the employment market, a PhD is increasingly necessary for an academic post but it is not sufficient. At least 50% of PhD graduates do not go on to academic jobs, and in a squeezed university sector many jobs will not be well-paid or secure . (We’ll come to what you do need to secure an academic post later, but it includes both merit and luck.) So, idea (c) is deeply flawed. A PhD does not entitle you to teach. An academic career is not a fall-back plan, it’s highly competitive . There are some reasons to be slightly more optimistic in Law as a field (see later posts), but most PhD graduates will not go on to academic careers.

(2) Doing a PhD is going to be hard. A former LLM student wrote to me recently. She has started a PhD at an excellent university and has a wonderful supervisor. ‘I had no idea how hard this would be,’ she wrote. We’ll come back to why – and how to cope – in a later post. Completion rate statistics are notoriously unreliable for graduate students, but probably 30% of PhD candidates in the UK (across all fields) do not complete . (Numbers in the US and Canada are as bad or worse.)

(3) A PhD has a measurable economic cost to you. At best it has an earnings premium of 3% over a one-year master’s degree . However, even if you’re lucky enough to have a scholarship, three or (likely) four or more years of foregone income is a big setback by the end of a working life. Essentially, you are becoming more qualified in order to earn less.

So, doing the maths, even if admitted to a PhD programme, your chances of completing the PhD and finding an academic post are about 35% at best.  The remaining 65% who do not complete or find an academic post may carry a crippling sense of failure for things which are generally not their fault. (Again, more on this in the next post in this series.)

Undeterred? Fine, let’s talk about your proposal and where you should send it.

  Writing an application and a research proposal

The admissions committee will be interested in the following things in roughly this order: your grades (including evidence of writing a substantial dissertation), your research proposal, your references, your work experience, your personal statement. All are important, but a great personal statement or fabulous work experience with UN agencies will not compensate for a bad proposal.

Most UK PhD programmes now require a prior one-year LLM including a written dissertation. At UCL our minimum requirement is a good Merit level LLM with a Distinction in the dissertation. (Australians take note: UK marking scales usually stop at ‘Distinction’ so read this as meaning ‘High Distinction’ in Australian terms.) This LLM dissertation mark is vital.

On references: you need referees who can speak to your research potential. Ask academics who know your work to write references, not the most senior people you’ve had contact with. A reference that speaks in detail about your LLM dissertation-writing is worth more than a few sentences from your Dean.

Alright, let’s talk about the all-important research proposal. Here are the things a good proposal must do:

(1) Identify ‘a gap in the literature’. Your PhD has to either ask a question that has not been asked before, or bring a new angle on an existing field. This can be done in a number of ways but you have to explain why this is something that has not been done before.

Here’s where your LLM studies help. Do you recall thinking: ‘There must be a book on X?’ but not finding it? Or, ‘Yes this article is great, but why doesn’t it deal with Y?’ Or, ‘Everyone seems to agree on Z, but surely there’s something not very convincing about that proposition … ’ Or, ‘Huh, there’s an interesting comparison between how the World Trade Organisation deals with these environmental issues and proposals before the UNFAO.’ Any of these thoughts might be the core of a PhD topic.

Other important attributes are:

(2) methodology (how will you go about this? do you need to acquire skills you don’t have, e.g. statistics?);

(3) realistic scope (e.g. can you really survey all internationalized or ‘hybrid’ criminal tribunals’ sentencing practices in the time available?);

(4) a clear grasp of the existing literature (a provisional bibliography of six or seven items clearly isn’t enough); and

(5) a provisional argument or goal – what do you think this study will reveal? What are your reasoned views (subject to further research)?  If you don’t have an argument, you don’t have a proposal.

Finally: get feedback on your proposal. Ask former teachers to comment, friends from the LLM – or better friends who have gone on to PhD programmes themselves. E-mail an advanced draft to possible supervisors to ask for comments. (The worst they can do is never answer.)

Where should I apply?

You’ve come up with an astonishingly good proposal on sentencing practices in international criminal tribunals, distinguishing what you will do as different from the two major books in the field. You also know the University of Camford has an incredibly prestigious law school, so you want to send it there. However, if Camford has no international criminal lawyers you are wasting your time. Even if they do, and you’re proposing use of statistical methods in a proposal to a Faculty where no one does empirical legal studies, you are also likely wasting your time. Worse, if they admit you and have no relevant specialists, how can your project succeed?

(1) Do your research first. Nothing makes an application look less promising than the fact the candidate hasn’t bothered looking at the website, but has just assumed a good Faculty can offer supervision in anything.

(2) Don’t change your proposal to fit the Faculty. You have to live with this project for three years, you have to do all the work. Why pitch something you’re not interested in?

(3) Never, ever write to a member of Faculty asking for them to suggest a topic for you, or asking how you could change your topic to fit their research interests.  As above, do write to potential supervisors asking if they have time to comment briefly on your proposal.

(4) An uncomfortable truth is not all PhDs are created equal (for an exaggerated account see this US piece ). A school with a world-renowned reputation is clearly going to help your CV and employment prospects more than study elsewhere. Certainly, some Faculties in less well-known universities may have centres for excellence in specific fields. But doing a PhD at a university without a strong research profile is a definite risk when you go looking for a first academic job.

Essentially: apply to a good Faculty that can support your topic. If you got a Distinction in your LLM research dissertation, speak to your dissertation supervisor/examiner. They will be in a good position to discuss ideas and options. There is an obvious advantage in applying to law schools where you are already known from undergraduate or graduate study.

Why have I been rejected?

You have a great proposal, references and marks. Why would a good school not take you? Well, PhD recruitment is different to other programmes. A PhD student is a big responsibility for a supervisor, and your proposal needs to be close enough to their own expertise that they can competently supervise it. Further, most universities will need to find a second supervisor for you, someone who’s specialism is at least a broad fit for the topic. Finally, there is a limit to how many PhD students a supervisor can responsibly take on. Big names in your chosen field may well be fully ‘booked up’, possibly for years. Hard as it may be to believe, it’s not personal. It’s often not a rejection of you: it may be a question of fit or timing.

OK, you’ve decided to do this. You’ve written your application. You’ve got an offer of a PhD place. But you still have no idea what you’ve let yourself in for. Next up: surviving and thriving during a PhD.

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Kevin Jon Heller says

August 22, 2012

Great post, and I look forward to the others. But I question [3], about the value added by a PhD. I doubt whether the research in the article you link to can be so easily applied to international law. You only discuss academic positions, but many students who want careers in international law will compete for other jobs -- in government, with NGOs, at tribunals, etc. I think it is safe to say (based on anecdotal evidence regarding our graduates) that a PhD makes it far easier to get a full-time paid position outside of academia than an LLM, not only because there are far fewer candidates with a PhD, but also because completion evidences the kind of ability to do research and write than employers seek out. I also think that the value of a PhD will only increase as the number of international criminal tribunals decreases -- we are only four or five years away from the ICC being the only international criminal tribunal in town.

As for the financial cost, there is a saying in the US that if someone isn't paying you to do a PhD, you shouldn't be doing it. I think that is good advice, unless you're rich and can easily afford to finance your own education. But if you do have a fellowship, I think the value added by a PhD more than justifies the extra time -- especially if you can complete it in three years. (Which many of our PhDs do.) Two extra years isn't that long, especially if you are doing the kind of networking -- publishing essays, attending conferences, etc. -- that will facilitate finding a good position inside or outside of academia afterward.

Douglas Guilfoyle says

Thanks for the comment! Despite the length of my reply, I don't think we're miles apart on this. It's about an assessment of the odds and what you think the relevant comparison is.

Your point on value-add is certainly reasonable.

I agree we have to treat all data on employment outcomes with caution. And I do note above that there is more reason to be optimistic about the availability of academic sector jobs in Law than some disciplines (a theme future posts will cover).

However, I think we need to hold two possible outcomes apart: (1) the odds of getting a job in academia or international law more broadly; and (2) lifetime earnings - irrespective of the sector you work in.

Does a PhD in international law help get regarding (1)? Certainly. I'm not arguing it doesn't, but it's certainly no guarantee. Public international law jobs remain highly competitive.

Does a PhD necessarily boost lifetime earnings (my point (2))? I'd suggest no, not necessarily.

Even if you get a job in (1), many international law/academic jobs are not necessarily as well-paid as commercial sector alternatives. (For every well-paid academic or international civil service role, there are many underpaid contract research or NGO roles, etc etc).

Alternatively, if you don't secure an international law related job, are you likely to get a significant pay 'bonus' for a PhD over a Masters? The general answer seems to be 'no'.

You might, in looking for employment outside (1), be advantaged with a PhD over job applicants with an LLM - but LLM students have a head start of several years looking for jobs (and earning money). I suspect that any difference largely washes out over the long run.

Also, I'm not sure there's *any* hard data suggesting PhDs get a significant salary 'bump' for the fact of having a PhD in the general employment market outside their field of specialism. (Some, of course, may but there's not a lot of evidence general employers 'get' the transferable skills of a PhD.)

In addition, the difference in years of lost earnings between the two qualifications isn't usually 2 years - it's 3 or 4. An LLM is now normally expected for entry into a PhD and relatively few students complete the PhD in less than 3 years.

I thus think it's fair to warn students that over a lifetime, the difference in *earnings* between a PhD and LLM is not likely to be much and may come out not in your favour.

You're right: the difference in career prospects is certainly different, but a job in your preferred sector will remain highly competitive and is not guaranteed.

On your second point: I largely agree. A PhD is a big risk to undertake self-funded.

I am somewhat less optimistic that publishing, attending conferences, networking etc helps secure jobs outside academia one would not otherwise have had a shot at (compared with an LLM student who spent that time working or interning, networking, etc). But, in making any of these assessments the question is 'compared to what?' - and we have more anecdote than data on this.

Anyway, career development will be a recurring theme in these posts over future weeks, and I hope you'll continue to prod me any time you think I'm being overly pessimistic.

ranjeed says

August 23, 2012

I am not sure about this statement: "I also think that the value of a PhD will only increase as the number of international criminal tribunals decreases — we are only four or five years away from the ICC being the only international criminal tribunal in town."

The ICC will need people with practical background. And they will be easy to find with all the tribunals shut down. With the last ASP in mind, the ICC will lack resources and there will be dozens of qualified lawyers who left ad hocs and hybrids for many, many years to come. Starting a PhD in the international criminal law these days with the ambition to get a job with the ICC seems a bit naive to me.

August 24, 2012

I concur with Ranjeed on the need for the ICC to hire people with practical background as opposed to academic one. The ICC judiciary had an (un)fortune of having people from highly academic backgrounds work as legal officers - we know how that turned out. They spent days writing 50 pages memos and submissions on minor procedural issues - which often got scuttled on appeals. 700+ pages Lubanga judgment on two minor counts is also an indication of what academic graphomania leads to. A waste of court's time and money. People forget that the ICC is not a university or any other academic institution - it is a COURT. Guilt or innocence with an utmost expediency is all that matters.

Stuart Ford says

I think Kevin's point was that as the other tribunals shut down there will be a glut of former tribunal personnel competing for the ICC slots. It is in this situation that a PhD might help you out vis a vis these ex-tribunal folks, most of whom will not have a PhD. I must say that having been on some hiring committees at a tribunal that (generally) all those with PhDs made it past the first cut. Obviously most still got cut at the second or third stages, but it certainly seemed to help get you through the initial stage of cutting down the 700 CVs to the 50 or so you intend to seriously consider.

Stuart made my my point perfectly. I was thinking not about current tribunal employees, but about the new graduates who are going to have to compete with them once they are cut loose from other tribunals. I think having a PhD will be one important way for new graduates to distinguish themselves.

Dapo Akande says

August 26, 2012

Many thanks for this post. I agree with much of what you have to say and I am sure many will find your points particularly helpful in thinking about whether to embark on the Phd enterprise. I do disagree with you on one issue though. In your section on the motivation for doing a Phd you list three possibilities, including (b) ‘I want to become an academic’ but then say that (a)[‘because I want to, I feel I’m not done studying and learning’] is the only good answer. However, I think (b) is also a good answer. I do agree with your point that having a Phd is not sufficient for embarking on an academic career. But it is now close to being a necessary condition.

It has long been the case that a PhD was necessary for an academic career in most disciplines and even in law in continental europe. In most English speaking countries, law stood out as an exception - PhDs were usually not required. But in England that is changing [has changed?]. It is not long ago that most people starting out as academics in law would not have had PhDs but no longer. It is now the norm that most people starting out academic careers in law today will have a PhD and also that a PhD will be sought by those hiring for that stage of career.

Even in the US I suspect that things are changing. They certainly seem to be changing at the top ranked law schools, many of which now require PhDs for entry level positions. Usually, these will be PhDs in a discipline other than law but there is still this noticeable trend to go for those with PhDs rather than those without.

August 27, 2012

I think the last statistic I saw for US entry-level law school hiring was that 30-40% of new hires now have a PhD. Since there are very few US law schools that offer PhDs in law (although I think Opinio Juris noted that a couple of US law PhD programs are in the works) most people here get their PhD's in Economics or Political Science, but we are seeing PhD's in other topics, including Sociology, Anthropology and others. We are also seeing more SJD's which are more like a PhD than an M.Phil (at least as I understand it).

September 3, 2012

Thanks for you comment. I may be overstating my case somewhat.

However, I simply wanted to make the point that if one is doing a PhD solely for reasons of (b) (becoming an academic), the odds of disappointment are high.

For example, I am not sure I would recommend to anyone that they undertake a 3-4 year training course with a 65% chance of it not leading to the job they wanted.

Obviously any number of factors may shave these odds up or down in individual cases - but we have to acknowledge the fact that many PhDs who want academic posts will not get one or will only get quite insecure posts.

In my view, (b) is a good reason - but only so long as it is coupled with (a).

International Law

International law is broad and diverse: this briefing aims to give an overview of the different areas of work, jobs, skills and ways to start to gain experience.

We take as a principle that ‘international law’ refers to either public or private international law as areas of practice; this briefing does not cover being a qualified lawyer overseas.

Public international law

Traditionally, Public international law deals with the law governing relations between nations. With the rise of human rights acts, it now also concerns how states treat their own citizens.  It includes:

• International Human Rights Law
• International Environmental Law
• International Trade Law
• International Boundary Disputes
• Law of the Sea
• International Criminal Law
• Law of Armed Conflicts

Employers include:

• National governments (e.g. the Government Legal Service)
• Intergovernmental organisations (e.g. United Nations, European Union, Council of Europe)
• International Criminal Tribunals and Courts
• NGOs (e.g. Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, JUSTICE, Friends of the Earth)
• Private law firms with a public international law practice area. A good list can be found at  Chambers’ top ranked firms
• Armed Services

Private international law / International business law

Traditionally, this deals with the legal issues which arise in cross-border transactions between individuals, corporations and organisations (sometimes this is referred to as ‘conflict of laws’).  This area includes:

• Taxation, Financial Securities and Banking Law
• Business Arbitration, Trade Transactions, Corporate Governance and Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A)
• Intellectual Property and Competition Law
• International Arbitration

To find potential employers, search for firms with relevant practice areas (e.g. ‘M&A’ or ‘International Arbitration’) on the  Chambers & Partners  website.

Public / Private divide?

In an increasingly globalised world, the division between public and private international law is becoming blurred.  Top corporate law firms describe their public international law practices as serving the relationship between nation states and private corporations (for example in investor-state dispute or advisory work). Lawyers increasingly take their skills with them as they move between public and private areas of work, with many training in the private sector at the start of their career.

Types of Job

Researching, publishing and teaching, having studied higher degrees (usually a doctorate) in an international law specialism.

A practising solicitor/barrister (other titles exist outside the jurisdiction of England and Wales eg Attorney ) working in relevant practice areas to international law.

Paralegal / Legal assistant

Supporting lawyers in their work, such as drafting documents and collecting, analysing and summarising information. Could go on to study as a Chartered Legal Executive to become a ‘fee earner’, or pursue qualification as solicitor/barrister.

Project officer / assistant

Working within an organisation with a link with international law, often an NGO or intergovernmental body. Providing administrative, project management or field work support to a project which relates to the field, not working in a legal capacity. Projects could range from awareness campaigns to research work, to direct support for beneficiaries (e.g. refugees).

Support roles

Every organisation, whatever their cause or values, has a range of support roles, which keeps everything working smoothly: from finance, to marketing, to HR, to IT, to senior management.  Direct-entry roles exist within most organisations to support these departments.

Providing similar support roles to a legal assistant in some cases, but usually also face-to-face advice for clients (e.g. prisoners, immigrants and asylum seekers).

Policy advisor / analyst

Working in an organisation with a remit for advocacy – seeking to question, analyse and propose solutions to policy and political agendas.

Entry Points

There is no one route in to a career in international law, and it’s worth remembering that there are roles for those who are not qualified lawyers too, particularly in supporting functions within the same employer, which can be more instantly attainable.

Requirements for entry

To work as a public international lawyer you will usually need:

• Qualification as a lawyer in a legal jurisdiction
• Relevant language skills
• Relevant international experience (e.g. an overseas seat as part of a training contract, YPP programme, a traineeship with an intergovernmental body and possibly more experience too.)

A Masters-level law degree (e.g. LLM, BCL or MJur) in a relevant area can be helpful, particularly for academic or EU roles, but this can be substituted for by relevant professional experience for those that move later into these areas.

To work as a private international lawyer you will usually need:

• Relevant experience with an international practice area (e.g. relevant seats during your training contract)
• Relevant language skills, if required

Qualifying as a lawyer

Full details are available within our advice for  Solicitor  or  Barrister  routes, but it’s worth pursuing international law options where you can: if you’re taking a law undergraduate degree at Oxford, the final year option of public international law, or other related topics such as International Trade, Human Rights Law, EU Law could be helpful. If you don’t have a legal undergraduate degree, research your postgraduate (GDL) course providers to see which allow you to take international law options in addition to the core subjects. If you don’t have an undergraduate degree, a masters degree in law  could be beneficial when competing against those educated in lengthier legal training.

If you have already studied or are studying a law degree/ GDL your LPC (solicitors) or Bar Course (barristers) is the next step in your training, followed by a training contract (solicitors) or pupillage (barristers). This vocational stage of qualifying is unlikely to be as highly specialised around your interests, as very few chambers take on  only  human rights cases, and you will be required to work in different practice areas for your training contract.  However, both Pupillages and Training Contracts provide a solid base in legal knowledge and skills and will leave you with a professional qualification which might be extremely useful for you to deploy whilst you are looking for international law roles more suited to your interests, post qualification. However, it also means that an interest in the law itself, not just the cause, is essential. Gaining a broad understanding of the law in different contexts eg private practice firms and government departments can also be very helpful in giving you a very solid understanding of legal knowledge and concepts.   Remember, if working on other areas of law isn’t something that will motivate you, it might be worth considering working in the field, but not as a lawyer (look for vacancies in project support, communications, policy, and research to explore other ideas).

Changes to Qualification as a Solicitor: the Solicitors Qualifying Exams (SQE 1 & 2)

The Solicitors Regulation Authority  (SRA) has introduced a new system for qualification as a solicitor and this will ultimately replace the current route (of Qualifying Law Degree/GDL + LPC + Training Contract). The new route began to be phased in from September 2021. For all those who have already started their law journey ( ie started a law degree, LPC or training contract) there is the opportunity to remain within the existing system to qualify - so long as the relevant courses still exist.  

From Sept 1st 2021 (unless you fall into one of the transitioning cohorts), to qualify as solicitor you will need:

• A degree (or equivalent)
• To have passed SQE 1 (legal knowledge & application of it) and SQE 2 (practical legal tasks)
• To have completed 24 months of legal work experience
• To be of satisfactory suitability and  character

Please see the  Solicitors  briefing and the SRA  for full details.

LLM or equivalent

A LLM degree (or equivalent legal Masters-level course) is sometimes sought for public international law roles. However, it’s worth remembering that those who wish to work as lawyers will usually pursue their initial legal qualification and work to develop excellence in their professional work first, and then might choose to return for LLM study later in their career. This allows more time to develop as a professional and gain experiences which will enhance your learning, and crystalise professional interests which could inform the choice of masters course itself.   If you choose to take an LLM, it’s worth researching funding options and scholarships available, for example the  Hauser Scholars Programme  provides funding for 10 students to undertake legal masters courses at New York University School of Law.

Skills and Experience

Skills needed.

Skills will vary depending on the exact job, but common attributes which are sought in job postings include:

• Demonstrable interest in law as applied/relevant to other jurisdictions
• Strong legal professional skills, such as research, drafting, advocacy
• Flexibility and adaptability (either to work in a firm which also serves other practice areas, in a different role or to work in challenging environments)
• Strong cultural awareness to function within a multi-national environment
• An analytical mind and good judgement
• Language skills are an asset, particularly for intergovernmental organisations who often require proficiency in their working languages, e.g. French and English for the UN

Getting experience

This section illustrates some potential sources of internships, work experience and volunteering. Vacation schemes and mini pupillages are also available in UK law firms and chambers, and these are not listed here.

• Also see our related information for work experience advice for other sectors, e.g. Solicitors, Barristers, International Organisations, Charities and Government and Public Services.
• Remember to save your search for work experience and internships on  CareerConnect  to receive email alerts.
• The  Bonavero Institute here in Oxford also offers a number of opportunities including:  The Summer Fellowship Programme (graduate students with a previous law degree from all faculties/departments and final year undergraduate law students), The Samuel Pisar Travelling Fellowship in Human Rights  (Law Faculty only), and the Turpin and Millar Scheme. Deadlines for applications are usually at the end of February each year

Intergovernmental organisations

• African Union  –  offers internships 
• Council of Europe Traineeships
• European Court of Human Rights traineeships
• The European Union offers traineeships in many parts of its organisation for e.g. The European Parliament and the Court of Justice
• Organisation of American States: Internships
• Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe: Internships
• UN: Careers  – Information on all UN opportunities  -  internships, volunteer roles and the YPP. 
• World Trade Organisation: Internships
• International Court of Justice: Judicial Fellowship Programme (previously the University Trainee Programme) - candidates are nominated by their universities
• International Criminal Court
• Institute of Migration: Internships

Professional associations

• International Bar Association  – offers internships for undergraduates postgraduates and newly qualified lawyers in London/The Hague
• American Society of International Law: Internships  – Washington DC based internships
• The European Law Students’ Associations: Student Trainee Exchange Programme  – for practical legal work experience ranging from 2 weeks to 2 years in length.

Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs)

• Advocates for International Development  –  shares jobs, internships and trustee positions that link the legal and development sectors
• Aire Centre  – Advice on Individual Rights in Europe – regularly offers internships
• Amnesty International: Careers  – Human rights charity with sporadic volunteering and internship opportunities advertised (expenses paid)
• British Institute of Human Rights: Vacancies  – volunteering and internships occasionally listed
• Centre for Constitutional Rights: Jobs  – US-based internships
• Demos  – (Historically) Summer Legal Internships available
• European Council on Refugees and Exiles: Vacancies  – Brussels-based internships
• FIDH  – volunteering opportunities
• Human Rights Watch: Jobs  – voluntary internships, paid fellowships (for recent graduates of law schools) and employment
• International Crisis Group  – offers internships around the world
• Just For Kids Law   – organisation focused on young people to ensure their legal rights are respected and promoted - volunteer opportunities
• REDRESS: Internships  – UK based internships
• Women’s Link Worldwide

Academic & research institutions

• BIICL Opportunities

Local voluntary work in Oxford

• Oxford Legal Assistance  – for undergraduate law students

Funding for work experience 

Internships and summer jobs are governed in the UK by National Minimum Wage law, which means that if you are carrying out activities that class you as a “worker” by the employer, then you should be paid. Full details of  Employment Rights and Pay for Interns  are published by the government.

If you are undertaking a learning and development opportunity such as a micro-internship, or volunteering for a charity or statutory body, or shadowing or observing, then you may not be eligible for the National Minimum Wage. The organisation may reimburse you for your travel and/or lunch expenses, but they aren’t obliged to do so.

Opportunities which are offered outside the UK will be subject to domestic law and regulations which may differ from the UK.

Funding internships & study

• The  Arthur C Helton Fellowship  programme.
• The Human Rights Lawyers Association offers  bursaries
• The  Australian and New Zealand Society of International Law (ANZSIL)  provide financial support for people undertaking unpaid internships in international organisations or NGOs. You must be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.
• Hauser Scholars Programme  at NYU School of Law
• Future Legal Mind Award
• Commonwealth distance learning scholarship  – for citizens from low/middle income Commonwealth countries
• Check with the Embassies, High Commissions and businesses in the regions that you are going to for further possible sources.
• The Inns of Court provide funding for their barristers to undertake internships during or just after the pupillage year. See the Inns’ websites for more details.
• The Times Law Award
• Graham Turnbull Essay Competition
• Bar Council Law Reform Essay Competition
• Hogan/Smoger Access to Justice Essay Competition
• Junior Lawyers’ Division Essay Competition (Law Society)
• UKELA (UK Environmental Law Association) Andrew Lees Essay Prize
• Marion Simmons QC Essay Competition
• Commonwealth Law Student Essay Competition
• Check with your college as you may be able to apply for travel grants or other financial aid for work experience.

Our information on  Postgraduate Study in the UK  and the  USA   will also be useful in searching for funding opportunities for further study.

Getting a Job

There’s no ‘one way’ to work in international law, and so you might like to start by reading about the experiences of those who have already found employment within the field. Consider which profiles align most closely with your interests and ambitions, and what you could learn from their routes in:

• Current international law faculty members at Oxford,  by name  and on the  Public International Law webpage .
• Sign up for the  Law Society’s International updates
• Follow the  Oxford Human Rights Hub blog
• Other professional association websites (see ‘Professional Associations’ below).

Advertised roles

• Check websites for the organisations mentioned throughout this overview regularly – their vacancies may be picked up by websites listed under ‘External Resources’, but many will only actively place opportunities on their own pages.
• Sign up for email alerts from vacancy websites, including our own  CareerConnect .
• Be aware that some opportunities (such as the YPP at the United Nations) function as ‘competitions’ – different roles and different nationalities are welcomed each time the competition window opens, and those that are successful are placed on a list from which departments can offer employment. Most are employed within a year or so, but being successful in the competition is no guarantee of employment, and from application to contract is rarely a speedy process!

Unadvertised roles

• Build your network of contacts and your knowledge of topical issues through joining student associations and clubs with an international law focus such as  The European Law Students’ Association  (ELSA) or  Young Legal Aid Lawyers . Take part in mooting events. Not all jobs in this sector will be advertised, so speaking with your tutors and practitioners can help you to find out about both full time and internship positions. As your career develops, the ability to network successfully will be very important.
• It is also often possible to make speculative approaches for work experience – decide which geographical area you would like to work in and the sort of work you are keen on and then contact the relevant organisations that operate there.

External Resources

Sector information.

• Oxford Human Rights Hub  – facilitates the exchange of ideas and resources through it’s website, blog, seminars and conference.
• Human Rights Careers  – information on different areas of work, how to gain relevant skills and has a jobs blog with current vacancies.

Directories of firms & organisations

The following directories promote firms, their lawyers and their specialist practice areas and are aimed at helping clients searching for specific firms and legal expertise. They can also be useful to give an additional perspective to your research of law firms/chambers.

• Chambers and Partners  – Research firms and rankings within preferred practice areas
• Legal 500  – Research firms within preferred practice areas
• HG: Practice Areas  – A useful summary of key firms and other organisations around 260 practice areas

Sector vacancies

Please see the sites mentioned in the work experience list of this briefing and details of pupillages and training contracts in the “Training Contract and Pupillage Handbook” published by lawcareers.net .   General legal job boards (such as Legal Week, The Lawyer, Law Society Gazette Jobs) do occasionally carry public international roles, but they’re rare. It’s more common to see roles listed directly on organisation websites. Use the organisations and associations mentioned here to find post-qualification and other supporting roles.

• EuroBrussels  – Covers vacancies in EU institutions and law firms operating in Brussels, as well as NGOs, political organisations and think tanks
• EPSO  – Competitions for permanent roles and recruitment for temporary posts within the EU
• Government Legal Profession
• W4MP  – Work for an MP, a job site for those with an interest in the policy and government roles
• Idealist  – Global job site, particularly strong for NGO roles
• Devex: Jobs  and  Devnet Jobs  – search by keyword for law-related vacancies within the development field
• Guardian: Jobs  – Occasional vacancies for law/rights related work
• Human Rights Careers
• LinkedIn Jobs
• Law Society of Scotland
• Law Society of Ireland
• Law Society of Northern Ireland
• European Law Students’ Association
• International Law Students Association
• International Bar Association
• Law Society of England and Wales: International Law  – Contains information, news and articles on international law.
• Solicitors Regulation Authority
• Human Rights Lawyers’ Association
• Bar Council  – A full list of the specialist Bar associations.
• Legal Action Group
• Legal Aid Practitioners Group
• Immigration Law Practitioners Association
• Young Legal Aid Lawyers

Further Reading

You may find these books useful reading material  

• EU Competition Law , Ariel Ezrachi
• Careers in International Law , ed. Salli A Swartz
• Careers in International Law: A guide to Career Paths in International Law , D Wes Rist
• A Guide to International Law Careers , Anneke Smit & Christopher Waters
• International Law , Vaughan Lowe
• EU Law , Ewan Kirk
• EU Law 2013/2014 Q&As , Nigel Foster

Student Guides

The following guides and directories, which are written entirely with students in mind, offer extensive websites for all those looking to deepen their research on legal careers

• TargetJobs Pupillages Handbook
• TargetJobs Law
• lawcareers.net Training Contract & Pupillage Handbook
• All About Law for Training Contracts and Vacation Schemes
• Chambers and Partners Student Guide
• The Lex 100
• The Lawyer 2B

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Recruiters are keen to have a diverse workforce, and many will have policies and processes that are proactive in recruiting students and graduates from diverse backgrounds. An increasing number of recruiters are offering traineeships, internships and insight events that are aimed at specific groups and many are being recognised for their approach to being inclusive employers.

Try the following to discover more about the policies and attitudes of the recruiters that you are interested in:

• Read their equality, diversity and inclusion policy
• Search their website to see if they have any specific staff networks
• Look for external accreditation such as whether they are a  Disability Confident employer , a  Stonewall Diversity Champion  or part of the  Mindful Employer charter promoting mental health at work
• Check to see if they are partnering with organisations such as Rare Recruitment , SEO London , MyPlus Students' Club , EmployAbility or one of the many other organisations that are working for specific communities
• Explore what they do to celebrate diversity on their Facebook and Twitter pages

The UK Equality Act 2010 has a number of protected characteristics to prevent discrimination due to your age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or beliefs, sex or sexual orientation. For further information, visit the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s webpage on the Equality Act and the Government’s webpages on discrimination .

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GENEVA GRADUATE INSTITUTE

Chemin Eugène-Rigot 2A Case postale 1672 CH - 1211 Geneva 1, Switzerland +41 22 908 57 00  

[email protected] + 41 22 908 58 98  

MEDIA ENQUIRIES

[email protected] +41 22 908 57 54  

[email protected] + 41 22 908 57 55

INTERNATIONAL LAW

Master & phd programmes, learn not only how to practice international law, but how to think about it, master in international law (120 ects)  .

• Two-year programme providing in-depth training in international law as well as the tools and approaches necessary for rigorous legal analysis
• Rich, diverse  faculty
• Comprises compulsory  courses , optional seminars and an original research dissertation in the second year
• Includes complementary courses in other disciplines (economics, history, political science, anthropology and sociology) 
• Aimed at those who wish to pursue either a  PhD  or a career in research.
• Offers an additional one-year  LL.M.  with the Executive Education Programme and specialised joint degrees with the University of Geneva and Georgetown Law School

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR MASTER

PHD IN INTERNATIONAL LAW (60 TO 78 ECTS)  

• Designed for outstanding  students  with a strong commitment to international law and a proven ability to carry out independent  research .
• A highly stimulating, intellectual environment.
• Research supervision covers a wide range of topics.
• Students  receive extensive intellectual support throughout their research, via formal supervision, specialised doctoral seminars and a wide range of events.
• Access to Digital Skills workshops for comprehensive training in relevant technological tools and methodologies.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PHD

MEET THE FACULTY

Alice PIRLOT

Assistant professor, international law, faculty associate, centre for finance and development.

Andrea BIANCHI

Director of studies, professor, international law.

Andrew CLAPHAM

associate PROFESSOR, INTERNATIONAL LAW

Co-director, ll.m in international law, faculty associate, center for international environmental studies.

Fuad ZARBIYEV

Professor, international law, co-director, ll.m. in international law, faculty associate, global governance centre.

Janne NIJMAN

Faculty associate of the global governance centre.

Joost PAUWELYN

Co-director of the centre for trade and economic integration.

Maria Neus TORBISCO CASALS

Senior research fellow, albert hirschman centre on democracy, senior research fellow, international law, adjunct professor, international law.

Neha MISHRA

Nico KRISCH

Head, international law department, faculty associate, albert hirschman centre on democracy.

Paola GAETA

Vincent CHETAIL

Director, global migration centre, president of the board, geneva academy of international humanitarian law and human rights, advisory faculty, global governance centre.

Zachary DOUGLAS

Gian Luca BURCI

Senior visiting professor, international law, academic advisor, global health centre, director, joint graduate institute/georgetown llm in global health law and governance.

Georges ABI-SAAB

Honorary professor, international law.

Jean-Michel JACQUET

Honorary professor, international law.

Lucius CAFLISCH

Marcelo KOHEN

Emeritus professor, international law.

Nicolas MICHEL

Peter HAGGENMACHER

Our student body.

The Geneva Graduate Institute is home to students from all over the world. Roughly   1,000 students from 100 countries are enrolled in our various programmes. 

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

The Graduate Institute strives to support talented scholars from around the world. Affordable tuition fees and financial aid enable our MA and PhD students to complete their studies with less pressure.

90% of our students find work within four months of graduation. An international law degree from the Geneva Graduate Institute opens the door for students to embark upon a career not only in the field of international law, but also in political affairs, diplomacy and a variety of other fields, both in the public and private sector. Students will have the opportunity to garner valuable legal writing and research skills that are highly sought after in the job market.

A COSMOPOLITAN INSTITUTION  

The Graduate Institute is a specialised school serving a very diverse community in the heart of International Geneva: nearly 20-25% of people in the Swiss city are connected to an international institution. The Institute’s close ties with the international community are reflected in the five social science disciplines taught here, all imbued with a global perspective. 

PhD position in the department Law & Markets

Introduction.

Driven by its ambition to expand its position as a leading research institute in Europe, Erasmus School of Law is recruiting a PhD researcher (5-years), with 20% teaching tasks.

Job description

Driven by its ambition to expand its position as a leading research institute in Europe, Erasmus School of Law Department Law & Markets, is looking for a PhD researcher (fulltime).

The overarching mission of the Department of Law & Markets is to develop and deliver cutting-edge, high-quality research and teaching on legal institutions shaping markets and their implications for sustainability and socio-economic justice. The research group specifically studies legal and societal problems generated in the complex dynamics of international, European and domestic laws regulating trade, industry, investment, money, and more generally markets. The focus is on how to make the law in any form socially, environmentally and financially sustainable, how to deal with technological innovation on an inclusive basis and how to combine private and public interests responsibly. Researchers have different profiles, including public law, international and EU law, legal theory, and commercial law, and the Department is keen on multidisciplinary research. 

The Department is responsible for a considerable part of the bachelor and master curricula of Erasmus School of Law. Specifically, Law & Markets provides bachelor teaching in, constitutional and administrative law, international and European Union law, jurisprudence, legal philosophy and commercial law. Furthermore, Law & Markets is responsible for 6 Master programmes including in public law, international and European Union law and commercial law. Most of the bachelor teaching is in Dutch, while most of the master teaching is in English.

PhD position: Equitable Climate Finance Governance  

As the climate crisis intensifies, the role of the financial sector in addressing the costs of mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage from climate change has grown. Public policy and legal attention largely focus on the design of ‘green’ financial responses, where a markets-led logic based on the commodification, assetisation and financialisation of ‘climate’ prevails. Here, the role of the state and public actors is to design climate finance markets and provide investment ‘incentives’ to private investors.

This approach facilitates important shifts in the legal identity, authority and agency of public and private actors; in the construction and prioritisation of vulnerabilities to be addressed, and in the articulation of the human-nature relationship for governance. Implications for climate governance include prioritising the spaces and activities with the most capacity to generate financial return over those where action is most urgently needed; narrowing the framing of possible responses to opportunities for financial returns over more plural values and diverting governance attention away from actions necessary to address the primary causes and locations of climate change.

Your research will critically examine a dimension of law, institutions and governance in this climate finance landscape, such as a specific financial sector or instrument; a level of governance or governance actor(s); scientific or technical dimensions to financial governance, a combination of these, or otherwise.

We especially encourage theoretically-informed research. Doctrinal, empirical, inter-disciplinary, socio-legal, comparative or other methodologies (and combinations of these) are welcome.

Climate finance; financialisation; assetisation; law and governance; legal theory

Co-supervisor: Dr. Siobhán Airey, first supervisor: Prof. dr. Alessandra Arcuri

Job requirements

We are looking for candidates who:

• hold a master’s degree in Law or other discipline relevant for this PhD position;
• can demonstrate scientific research skills;
• have excellent oral and written skills in English (requirements: see application format)
• candidates capable of teaching in Dutch are particularly encouraged to apply.

Teaching will be in the Department of Law & Markets; the particular teaching tasks will be decided on the basis of the expertise of the candidate as well as the needs of the Department, and may be in the areas of Dutch constitutional and administrative law, international and European law, jurisprudence and legal philosophy and commercial law.

Teaching tasks will be mostly in Dutch if the candidate is Dutch-speaking; teaching in English may also be part of the tasks.

Current master students are welcome to apply. However, appointment will only be possible if the master’s degree has been obtained before the start of the employment contract. You can apply without having proof of obtaining your master’s degree, however, bear in mind that proof of a master’s degree is a formal requirement for employment and has to be delivered at least 3 weeks before the start date of the contract

Employment conditions and benefits

An internationally oriented and varied job in an enthusiastic team, with good working conditions in accordance with the Collective Labor Agreement for Dutch Universities (CAO NU).

The position starts with a temporary employment contract for 18 months. This probationary period consists of an educational programme, offered by Erasmus Graduate School of Law, and individual research and entails an evaluation of the progress of the research after one year. In case of a positive evaluation, the contract will be extended. In the remaining 42-month period PhD researchers focus on their research and the completion of their thesis, next to the teaching tasks. In both phases structured guidance is provided by the thesis supervisors and a doctorate committee composed of senior researchers and one of the PhD coordinators of Erasmus Graduate School of Law. Every PhD candidate is supervised by two or three (co-) supervisors.

The start date of this position is 1 October 2024 and you will be based at Erasmus School of Law, Department Law & Markets in Rotterdam. In accordance with the conditions applied at Erasmus University Rotterdam as indicated in the Collective Labour Agreement (CAO NU) of the Dutch universities, the salary is based on the P-scale, with a minimum of € 2770 and a maximum of € 3539 gross per month, on a fulltime basis. Every PhD candidate starts in step 0 of the P-scale.  

Next to that, we offer you:

• Everything you need for a good work-life balance : the option to work from home in consultation with your manager, 41 days of paid leave with a 40-hour contract, 8% holiday pay and an 8.3% end-of-year bonus, and a significant discount on a subscription for our on-campus sports centre !
• Sustainable, inclusive and diverse work environment with an open culture, where you can be yourself and we pay attention to each other and to the world around us. Make the most of our bicycle budget, or join networks such as Young@EUR , FAME , QuEUR, or Young Erasmus Academy .
• Time and space for your development in the broadest sense: d evelopment days and a personal career budget , foreign exchange opportunities with most costs paid by EUR, and free access to our university library .
• Good pension with ABP that EUR contributes 2/3rds towards, discounts on various collective insurances with Zilveren Kruis Achmea, Loyalis, and Allianz, and compensation for travel, working from home and home internet use.
• Are you currently combining your job with parenthood, or do you want to do so in the future? EUR offers partially paid parental leave and fully paid additional birth leave for partners , and our campus features a daycare . 

Erasmus University Rotterdam aspires to be an equitable and inclusive community. We nurture an open culture, where everyone is supported to fulfill their full potential. We see inclusivity of talent as the basis of our successes, and the diversity of perspectives and people as a highly valued outcome. EUR provides equal opportunities to all employees and applicants regardless of gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, functional impairment, citizenship, or any other aspect which makes them unique. We look forward to welcoming you to our community.

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) is an internationally oriented university with a strong social orientation in its education and research, as expressed in our mission ‘Creating positive societal impact’. EUR is home to 3.700 academics and professionals and almost 33.000 students from more than 140 countries. Everything we do, we do under the credo The Erasmian Way – Making Minds Matter. We’re global citizens, connecting, entrepreneurial, open-minded, and socially involved. These Erasmian Values function as our internal compass and create EUR’s distinctive and recognizable profile. From these values, with a broad perspective and with an eye for diversity, different backgrounds and opinions, our employees work closely together to solve societal challenges from the dynamic and cosmopolitan city of Rotterdam. Thanks to the high quality and positive societal impact of our research and education, EUR can compete with the top European universities. www.eur.nl .

Faculty / Institute / Central service

Erasmus School of Law employs 500 members of staff and is attended by around 5000 students. Erasmus School of Law offers bachelor programmes in Law, Tax Law and Criminology. Next to that, Erasmus School of Law offers a wide variety of master programmes and several postgraduate tracks. At Erasmus School of Law, the fundamental premise of academic research is that law cannot be considered in complete isolation or as an end in itself. It is embedded in an economic and social context that shapes law. At the same time, law shapes society and defines economic relationships. In line with this vision, the mission of Erasmus School of Law is to carry out innovative research on the function of law in its economic and social context. The overarching theme of Erasmus School of Law is therefore 'Where law meets business': Erasmus School of Law is all about the interplay between law, practice and society. Both research and teaching at Erasmus School of Law have a strong social and business orientation. Erasmus School of Law is committed to promoting international and interdisciplinary research, as evidenced by its participation in various international research collaborations.

Additional information

Please find more information about Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam , Erasmus School of Law and  Erasmus Graduate School of Law  on the websites.

Deadline for application is 10 June 2024.

Applicants are invited to submit a set of application files (in English):

• EGSL application form including a research proposal (max 2000 words), merged in 1 document,
• motivation letter,
• CV (max 2 pages),
• copy Master’s diploma and transcripts

The application form and more information can be found on the EGSL website . Please apply via the Erasmus University’s application portal.

Interviews will be held between 24 June and 5 July 2024. Please be aware that invitations for interviews will be send a very short time before, so make sure you are available in this week. If there are days/times in these weeks that you are not available, please inform EGSL ( [email protected] ) about this before the application deadline. We will try to take this into account. 

Additional information about the vacancy can be requested by contacting the Erasmus Graduate School of Law office via [email protected]  or via the co-supervisor ( [email protected] ). 

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Doctoral degree: PhD at the Faculty of Law

The Faculty of Law in Oslo is the oldest and largest educational and research institution within the field of law in Norway. Here you can work with some of Europe’s best researchers within the fields of law and participate in exciting research projects.

• Why choose this PhD programme?
• Application and admission
• Programme structure
• Study and research abroad
• Courses and seminars
• Supervision and the mentoring scheme
• Thesis, evaluation and public defence

Resources and tools

For all phd candidates.

• Welcome letter new PhD candidates
• Progress reports
• Midway assessment
• Library resources
• Ph.d. on track
• Research ethics
• Rules and regulations

For doctoral research fellows employed at the University of Oslo and the Faculty of Law

Information on pay, leave, illness and extension of the study period can be found on the University of Oslo’s For employees web pages . The faculty also has its own pages for research fellows (in Norwegian).  

For PhD candidates with external funding

• Extension, doctor’s certificate and leave of absence

About the PhD programme

• 3 years full-time studies and research
• educational component worth 30 credits and doctoral thesis
• public trial lecture and defence
• approximately 15 doctoral candidates undertake a public defence each year at the Faculty

Do you have questions concerning the organized research training at the Faculty of Law?

Notifications

All relevant notifications will be sent to you by the Faculty via e-mail.

Dr. Philos. degree

Another route to a doctoral degree.

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Prospective international PhD students

You are a postgraduate, have earned a university degree from an international higher education institution, and plan to do your doctoral studies at the faculty of law at universität hamburg..

To obtain a doctorate, students at the Faculty of Law conduct independent research and present their work in a doctoral dissertation. At the end of their studies, doctoral students must defend their doctoral dissertation in an oral examination. Generally, doctoral students can either create an individual plan or pursue studies within a structured program. General information on doctoral opportunities offered at Universität Hamburg can be found here .

Individual doctoral studies continue to be the most common form of obtaining a doctorate in Germany and at the Faculty of Law at Universität Hamburg. In this model, doctoral students work largely independently on their dissertation topic under the supervision of a professor. This allows for a great deal of freedom and flexibility, but also requires a significant degree of personal initiative and responsibility. Before beginning their studies, doctoral students first look for a supervising professor for their dissertation topic. Supervision is based on an individual agreement between the doctoral student and professor.

At the Faculty of Law at Universität Hamburg, students may also obtain a doctorate in a structured doctoral program. In these programs, the doctoral students and their research are integrated into a wider academic framework. These doctoral degree programs at the Faculty of Law at Universität Hamburg have an interdisciplinary and in some cases an international focus. They offer a framework for doctoral students to discuss their research and a broad range of opportunities for students to acquire additional qualifications in the field. Doctoral students in structured programs are often supervised by teams made up of several professors involved in the program.

The Albrecht Mendelssohn Bartholdy Graduate School (AMBSL) developed its curriculum based on the Faculty's two key research areas (research area 1: National and international market economy and governance—legal regulation under the conditions of economization and globalization; research area 2: The limits of law—the legal challenges of social and technological change). Research projects within structured doctoral training are not limited to the Faculty's key research areas, but may focus on any areas within law and its subdisciplines. The AMBSL helps applicants find suitable supervisors for their research project.

For more information about the Albrecht Mendelssohn Bartholdy Graduate School of Law and funding opportunities, please visit their website .

The European Doctorate in Law and Economics (EDLE) is an international doctoral program offered jointly by Universität Hamburg, the University of Bologna, and Erasmus University Rotterdam. The objective of the program is to train doctoral students at the highest academic level in the field of law and economics. Prospective doctors of law will be in the position to competently participate in academic discourse in this research field. More information about the European Doctorate in Law and Economics can be found here . ( http://www.edle-phd.eu/ )

The research training group The Economics of the Internationalisation of the Law focuses on the application of methods and concepts of economic analysis to international law and the way this interacts with national legal norms. More information on The Economics of the Internationalisation of the Law research training group can be found here (in German only).

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PhD Candidate Law and Digital Technologies (0.8-1.0 fte)

to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No Offer Description PhD Candidate Law and Digital Technologies (0.8-1.0 fte) Vacancy Number: 14834 Elaw, the Center for Law and Digital Technologies

Apply now PhD Candidate Law and Digital Technologies (0.8-1.0 fte) Vacancy Number: 14834 Elaw, the Center for Law and Digital Technologies at Leiden University, is looking for a PhD candidate in Law

PhD Studentship in Law and/or Criminology

Supervisors: To be determined depending on the candidate Project Overview We are currently inviting applications for a funded PhD studentship in any area of law and/or criminology. The School of Law

PhD Position Impact of Demographic and Societal Developments on Police Operations

thorough understanding of this complex and continuously changing reality is crucial. As a PhD candidate at TU Delft, you will develop dynamic systems models to capture these developments and uncertainties

PhD Studentship in EU Migration Law

The School of Law and Government at Dublin City University invites applications for its four-year fully funded PhD programme, starting in September 2024. Outstanding PhD candidates will be offered

Doctoral researcher ( PhD ) in Law

position within a Research Infrastructure? No Offer Description The Department of Law of the Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance of the University of Luxembourg is looking for a PhD candidate to conduct

PhD student Law of Persons

out as a joint PhD within the Centre for Government and Law of UHasselt (www.uhasselt.be/core ) and the research group Personal Rights and Property Rights of UAntwerp (https://www.uantwerpen.be/en

Research Excellence PhD Studentship - Royal Docks School of Business and Law

Reference: PHD003-24 University of East London – Research Excellence PhD Studentship (fee waiver) The University of East London (UEL) invites applications from highly qualified and motivated students

PhD Candidate: The Law and Policy of EU External Climate Action

policies that safeguard our planet's future? If so, join the Department of International and European Law as a PhD candidate! In light of escalating environmental challenges and mounting calls for action

global scale? And do you aspire to make a tangible impact in shaping policies that safeguard our planet's future? If so, join the Department of International and European Law as a PhD candidate! In light

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