Type of course

Course content

This course consists of three parts:

The first part on the apprentices’ examination in Law includes the quality requirements to be fulfilled to be granted a PhD degree in Law. Further, it includes issues regarding choice of research methods, supervision, and practical information regarding research stays abroad and administration/organisation of the workday of a researcher. The research questions and interest of knowledge of the students are decisive for their methodical approach.

The students will be informed about where and how they may seek help for practical arrangement of their work and research stays abroad, what assistance is offered by the University Library and be offered training in use of electronically based sources of information and use of information and communication technology necessary to administer their research projects.

The second part consists of an introduction to Scandinavian legal thinking/methods. This will enable the students to participate in the seminars of the other courses in the PhD programme.

The third part deals with the role of legal science, the legal researcher and ethics. In particular, the role of the legal researcher in relation to other members of the legal profession, such as judges and lawyers, is investigated. A key question is what role a legal researcher can and should have.

The PhD students will also discuss the ethical standards for researchers and legal research.

Objectives of the course

Knowledge:

After completing the course, the students shall have acquired:

• Advanced knowledge on the criteria of science and the requirements for awarding the PhD degree in Law

• Advanced knowledge on different methodological approaches in legal science

• Advanced knowledge on Scandinavian legal thinking/methods

• Advanced knowledge on the role of law and legal researchers in society and have reflected on ethical issues related to this and other themes

Skills and general competencies:

After completing the course, the student will:

• Have a broadened perspective on the choice of legal methods

• Be able to identify and reflect on ethical dilemmas met by the legal researcher

Language of instruction and examination

Teaching methods

The teaching method is a reading seminar of one and a half days’ duration with brief introductions from the students and lecturers, followed by discussions.

Attendance during the teaching and active participation in the discussions are compulsory. The term active participation means that the students must briefly present their dissertation and attempt to link the various themes to their own research topic during the discussions.

In addition, it is expected that all the students present articles for discussion during the seminar teaching, in line with the guidelines for the reading seminar.

Assessment

The grade for this course is expressed as pass/fail.

There is no formal examination in this course. To put this into context, after completing the courses, the students must submit one or more works that will be assessed for the PhD degree in Law by an assessment committee appointed by the faculty.

Recommended reading/syllabus