Programme Description

The Law Faculty of the Georg-August University Göttingen welcomes the application of students pursuing a doctorate degree in the fields of international law, European law and comparative law and intending to write their doctoral thesis in English.

The objective of the six semesters programme is to prepare students for a successful legal career in academia and international practice. By providing courses for academic research and additional skills the programme will help students to gain an in-depth understanding of international law in general and their field of specialization in particular. The University of Göttingen and the Institute of International and European Law have a strong tradition in international law which dates back to 1737. Today, the Institute covers research in many fields of international law, such as general international law, human rights law, international economic and environmental law, European law and international criminal law. The doctoral candidates will be fully integrated into the academic life of the Institute of International and European Law and will benefit from and contribute to the intellectual exchange there.

While conducting their research studies doctoral students can rely on guidance offered by the dedicated and experienced members of the programme committee, who are involved both in theory and practice in their respective fields. A structured approach which includes constant feedback through discussions, evaluation of preliminary conclusions and presentations will help doctoral students on their way to accomplish their research project and ensure profound academic results.

Additionally, the Programme is part of the Göttingen Graduate School of Social Sciences (GGG), which is a unique platform to explore methodological and interdisciplinary approaches and to develop managing and organizational skills invaluable for the future professional life of the doctoral candidates. Moreover it offers the doctoral students a variety of professional courses for the development of academic skills such as, for instance, writing and publishing in English language. Further information about the graduate school is available on the GGG website.