The Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) at CEU is a postgraduate program that gives you the opportunity to conduct independent research on your chosen topic within legal theory and practice while gaining academic experience as a student and teacher at a doctoral level.  

This program builds upon your previous law degrees with specialized training in your chosen field of expertise, providing advanced knowledge in specific jurisdictions and topics in supra-national laws. The topics, typically of comparative nature, are often related to the fields of expertise from resident faculty members, such as international dispute resolution, contemporary constitutional and human rights problems, and various regulatory challenges. You will engage in a comparative analysis of constitutional law, commercial law and civil and political rights to understand the complexity of legal practices at national and global levels. Students attend lectures by visiting scholars and international experts who provide insights on the latest research and their application to real-world case studies. 

Students of the Doctor of Juridical Science program benefit from the interdisciplinary approach practiced at CEU, which shines new light on the commonly discussed issues and challenges of theoretical and practical legal studies in the context of current events.   

How the Doctor of Juridical Science Program Works:

During the first year of the Juridical Science doctoral program, you will focus on coursework that prepares you for the comprehensive oral exam, which has to be taken no later than 15 months from the date of the original enrollment.  

By the end of the first term, you are expected to have delivered a thesis or dissertation structure proposal of your dissertation to your supervisor. The document should contain: 

• a brief introduction highlighting why the chosen topic is novel and how the thesis could be a significant contribution to the body of knowledge on the subject; 
• the preliminary table of contents; 
• identification of the main issues and problems to be analyzed; 
• identification and justification of the chosen jurisdictions; and 
• preliminary bibliography with a separate list of sources for the initial research. 

Acceptance of the dissertation structure proposal and regular attendance to all doctoral activities are required to take the comprehensive exam. Completing all requirements in the first year will formally admit the student to PhD candidacy in Juridical Science at CEU. 

Who Is This Program For:

The Doctor of Juridical Science is an advanced research program for practitioners and scholars in the field of legal studies. You will build on your existing knowledge through specialized elective courses and develop solid academic research skills to support your independent doctoral research project. Students are expected to attend CEU and external conferences, workshops and summer schools aimed at increasing subject matter expertise at the postgraduate level. Attendance and active participation in events, such as paper submissions or presenting sessions, are added to the required credits for the program and count towards your degree.  

Graduates of the Doctor of Juridical Science program have been successful in obtaining postgraduate research positions and teaching appointments at leading academic institutions all over the world. We are also proud to have senior NGO and international law firm experts among our doctoral alumni.