PhD in Law

The PhD in Law welcomes individuals interested in achieving the highest level of academic training and pursuing advanced legal studies, with a strong interdisciplinary perspective and within a dynamic international environment. The programme aims to educate scholars capable of critical thinking and innovative research in their respective fields of interest, contributing at the forefront of international academic debate. In particular, the programme seeks to develop highly qualified academic and professional profiles through a multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary educational and research pathway. Graduates are prepared both for careers in academia and university research at national and international levels, and for highly qualified positions within national and international organizations and agencies, as well as in the private and third sectors. 

First-year PhD candidates are required to complete 150 hours of compulsory coursework; second-year candidates must complete 50 hours selected from the activities designated as compulsory within the annual teaching programme. At the end of activities classified as "courses," examinations are held, followed by assessment for the award of the corresponding academic credits. A research period at prestigious foreign universities or research centers is mandatory, ranging from a minimum of three months to a maximum of six months. More than 90% of teaching activities, as well as the majority of research seminars, are conducted in English. PhD candidates are required to produce at least two publications in scientific journals. Students must submit a detailed report on their educational and research activities by the end of the first, second, and third year of the programme. For admission to the second and third year, candidates are required to present the progress of their dissertation to the PhD Board in the form of a public seminar involving the discussion of one or more topics related to the development of their research project.

Programme Objectives

The programme covers a broad range of legal disciplines, including private and comparative private law, insurance law, comparative public and European law, constitutional and administrative law, legal theory, criminal law (both domestic and international), agri-food law, and international human rights law. These disciplines are not treated as separate fields but rather interact as complementary perspectives for addressing complex contemporary challenges, including sustainability, artificial intelligence and technology law, environment and innovation, the rule of law and constitutional guarantees, human rights, law and economic relations, regulation, and global governance.

Career Opportunities and Professional Prospects

In addition to traditional legal professions and the judiciary, the main career opportunities for graduates of the PhD in Law include positions in senior public administration and government ministries, diplomatic services, leading national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs), academic research careers, and high-responsibility roles across social, socio-economic, and political sectors, as well as within institutions, public administrations, and private companies. In recent years, the increasing internationalization of both teaching activities and research topics pursued by doctoral candidates has enabled students to acquire qualifications, skills, and professional networks that support a wide range of high-level international career opportunities.

The programme also offers numerous activities designed to prepare doctoral candidates for productive professional engagement within the Third Sector. The growth of the Third Sector, combined with the expansion of research and third-mission activities related to this field within the PhD in Law, has created substantial career opportunities that build directly upon the experience gained during the programme.

Graduates of the programme in recent years have obtained research positions at Italian and international universities and research institutions. Others have pursued diplomatic careers or taken positions as officials within national and European Union public institutions, as well as international and supranational organizations and NGOs.

For detailed information, please visit http://www.phdinlaw.santannapisa.it