Law

Description

The Doctoral School of Social Sciences of Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań offers opportunities to study and conduct scientific research in the international, as well as in the national and regional dimension. The school educates doctoral students in the discipline of social sciences: social and economic geography and spatial management, communication and media studies, political science and public  administration, law, sociology, pedagogy and psychology. The study program covers four semesters, during which doctoral students conduct interdisciplinary scientific seminars, scientific methods of scientific research, scientific workshops, methods of scientific work in a scientific discipline, soft skills workshops and specialist lectures. Program in Polish and in English.

Discipline: Law

Legal Sciences Graduate Centre allows doctoral students to acquire knowledge, skills and competences in legal sciences; it gives the opportunity to prepare a dissertation constituting the basis for obtaining the degree of doctor in social sciences in the discipline of legal sciences.

Legal sciences are included in social sciences and include the so-called legal dogmatics, general law sciences and historical and legal sciences.

Within the framework of detailed legal sciences (legal dogmatics), issues of law validity and interpretation within various branches of law and social engineering issues related to the achievement of the intended social goals are addressed. The branches of law include: civil (substantive and procedural) law, criminal (substantive and procedural) law, and administrative (substantive and procedural) law). 

In general law sciences, reflection on formal and real aspects of legal phenomena is undertaken within the framework of law theory, philosophy of law and methodology of legal sciences. These sciences deal with, among others, the ways of knowing the law, determining what the law is, the rules of its exegesis and the axiology of law.

Historical and legal sciences are the history of law and the history of political and legal doctrines. They examine the history of political systems and legal systems as well as the development of political and legal ideas and their influence on the formation of legal institutions.

Selection Committee:  

Recruitment:

    Schedule of  the Doctoral School enrolment procedure: 

Recruitment fee

The recruitment fee is 75 EUR.

Form of the selection procedure

One stage procedure.

Language of the selection procedure, including interviews:

Polish or English language. 

Required documents:

Candidates applying based on exceptional academic achievements must include a scan of the following:  

1) For first-cycle graduates: the diploma and supplement. 

2) For students completing the third year of a unified master’s programme: a certificate indicating their academic average from years 1 to 3, along with a transcript. 

Candidates educated outside Poland must additionally submit: 

1) A scanned copy of their higher education diploma and supplement for both first- and second-degree qualifications (Bachelor’s and Master’s), in the original language and a certified translation into English or Polish.

2) A scanned copy of their passport (for foreign applicants). 

 Evaluation criteria

 1. A minimum grade of "very good" or equivalent from a second-cycle (master’s) or unified master’s degree diploma (5 points). Candidates applying on the basis of exceptional scientific achievements (e.g., grant awarded under the “Pearls of Science” competition) will also receive 5 points. 

2. Evaluation of up to three documented scientific achievements submitted during registration in the IRK system, assessed according to the detailed criteria of the candidate's accomplishments (maximum of 20 points). 

3. Assessment of other documented activities, based on up to three achievements indicated by the candidate, as per the specific criteria for the discipline (maximum of 5 points). 

4. The outcome of the interview, which assesses: 

a) The candidate’s knowledge and competencies relevant to their intended research, including discipline-specific expertise. 

b) Research methodology appropriate to the chosen discipline. The interview has a maximum duration of 30 minutes and awards up to 50 points. 

5. Evaluation of the research project prepared for admission, or in the case of recruitment tied to a grant project, the author’s concept for implementing the project (maximum of 20 points). Assessment focuses on: 

a) Formulation of the research objective and presentation of the research problem. Page 6 of 9 

b) Originality of the research idea and approach to solving the research problem. 

c) Methodology suited to the indicated discipline. 

d) Awareness of the current state of research, supported by a basic bibliography. 

e) The project’s significance for the development of the chosen discipline. 

Condition of admission to the Doctoral School 

Each candidate may be awarded a maximum of 100 points in the selection procedure.A candidate will be admitted to a doctoral school if he or she is awarded a sufficient number of points awarding a place on the ranking list, within the limit of candidates for a given scientific discipline; the candidate must also obtain at least 60 points from the entire selection procedure.

Education Program

Education at the doctoral school lasts 8 semesters. Education at the Doctoral School is offered on the basis of a framework curriculum and an individual research plan and ends with the submission of a doctoral dissertation.

The framework curriculum at the doctoral school includes a catalogue of modules of compulsory classes, elective compulsory classes and optional classes. It also:

1)    defines their schedule

2)    defines the way in which the classes are taught

3)    defines how learning outcomes are verified. 

Education begins on 1st October, 2025.

Supervisors

A doctoral student works under the supervision of a supervisor or supervisors, or a supervisor and auxiliary supervisor, who will be appointed by the Deputy Rector at the request of a doctoral student (within 3 months of the start of his or her studies at the Doctoral School).

Scholarships

Each doctoral student receives a scholarship in the amount of PLN 3466.9  gross for the first two years of studies (before the mid-term evaluation) and PLN 5340.9 gross  for two years following mid-term evaluation (maximum 4 years). Disability allowance: PLN 1040.07 gross.

The amount should be reduced by 11,26% due to ZUS (social insurance) contributions.

Rules of admission to doctoral schools of Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań in the academic year 2025/2026, Appendix to Resolution No. 46/2024/2025 of UAM Senate of 27 January, 2025.