Doctoral Study Program

🎓 The Doctoral Programme in Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Rijeka, offers top-level academic education across all areas of legal science. This research-oriented doctoral programme stands out for its flexibility and personalised approach to each candidate.

🔍 Individualised Approach and Flexible Curriculum

From the very beginning, PhD candidates have the opportunity to design their individual study plan, selecting courses and seminars from a broad and diverse list. Courses from other national and international institutions may also be included. Even before enrolment, candidates define a preliminary research topic, ensuring the programme is closely aligned with their academic interests.

🌍 International Research and Mobility Opportunities

A strong emphasis is placed on the international dimension of the programme – including research stays at foreign institutions, participation in international conferences, and the publication of academic papers. The Faculty offers robust support through well-developed research infrastructure and participation in international projects.

👥 Mentorship and Academic Excellence

Each PhD candidate receives continuous support from a dedicated mentor. According to alumni evaluations, mentors are highly rated, with an average score of 4.91 out of 5 – a testament to their quality and commitment. The programme is limited to a small number of highly motivated candidates, allowing for close academic interaction and individualised guidance.

🌱 Career Development and Employability

Alumni surveys indicate that the PhD programme significantly contributes to both personal and professional growth, as well as competitiveness on the job market. Graduates pursue successful careers in academia, the judiciary, public administration, and the legal profession.

✅ Why Choose the University of Rijeka Faculty of Law?

• The leading choice in Croatia for PhD studies in law
• Quality confirmed through national reaccreditation processes
• Endorsed by all alumni
• High academic standards and a dynamic research community
• Strong international mobility and scientific dissemination opportunities

Join a vibrant academic community of legal scholars and start your PhD journey at the Faculty of Law in Rijeka.
👉 Learn more and apply today!

Contact:

Tel: +385 51 359 684
Email: ridoc@pravri.uniri.hr

Program Director:

Prof. Dr. Ivana Kunda
ivana.kunda@uniri.hr

Programme Secretary:

Assist. Prof. Dr. Mariza Menger
mariza.menger@pravri.uniri.hr

Academic title or academic degree obtained upon completion of the Study Program:

Doctor of Social Sciences (PhD, dr. sc. socio.)

Alignment of the study program with the corresponding qualification in the Croatian Qualifications Framework Register:

No corresponding qualification standard has been entered in the CROQF Register.

Admission requirements for the Study Program:

A doctoral program may be enrolled by a person who has completed a university integrated undergraduate and graduate study in law (univ. mag. iur.) or an undergraduate university study in law (dipl. iur.), and who:

1. meets one of the following conditions:

a) has a grade point average of 3.5 or higher in:

• a completed university integrated undergraduate and graduate study in law or an undergraduate university study in law,
• a completed postgraduate scientific master’s study in legal sciences,
• the first year of a postgraduate scientific study in law or another field, having fulfilled all first-year study obligations, or
• a completed university specialist study; or

b) has published, as a sole author or as one of two or three authors, three scientific or professional papers, at least one of which is a scientific paper recognized in accordance with applicable regulations for academic advancement in the field of law,

2. is proficient in English and at least one additional foreign language,
3. has submitted a doctoral research proposal,
4. has submitted the consent of a supervisor who has published scientific papers related to the proposed doctoral topic, including at least one supervisor from among the teaching staff of the doctoral program,
5. has submitted recommendations from two university teachers elected in the field of law or from two other distinguished legal experts, and
6. has successfully defended the doctoral research proposal before a committee for interviewing applicants as part of the doctoral program admission procedure.

The Doctoral Program Council may approve admission to the doctoral program for a person who has completed a university degree in a scientific field other than law, provided that they pass the following bridging (differential) courses with a grade point average of 3.5 or higher:

• Theory of Law and the State,
• Constitutional Law,
• General Part of Civil Law and Law of Obligations,
• Civil Procedure Law,
• Criminal Law,
• Criminal Procedure Law,
• Administrative Law,
• International Law, and
• European Law I or European Law II.

Conditions for enrollment in the next semester:

• Requirement for enrollment in the 3rd semester: passed courses and seminars
• Requirement for enrollment in the 5th semester: fulfillment of the obligation to submit and defend the doctoral dissertation topic
• Requirement for enrollment in the 6th semester: fulfillment of the following obligations:
  • participation in a doctoral conference,
  • development of research and transferable (transversal) skills,
  • preparation and delivery of a lecture within the integrated undergraduate and graduate law program,
  • preparation of a scientific paper, co-authored with the supervisor, on the topic of the doctoral research, its presentation at an international scientific conference, and its publication in an internationally recognized scientific publication (journal or conference proceedings),
  • international exchange and networking.

Learning outcomes acquired upon completion of the study program:

• to build an academic career at a higher education or scientific institution, or to perform highly specialized work in the legal profession in both the private and public sectors,
• to continue professional development at the postdoctoral level,
• to deepen critical analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of content in the field of legal sciences,
• to apply techniques and methodology and adapt the research process in the field of legal sciences,
• to independently design and conduct research in the field of legal sciences,
• to communicate and evaluate research results achieved in the field of legal sciences,
• to promote excellence in academic and professional contexts in the field of legal sciences within a knowledge-based society.

Number of available places in the program:

The enrollment quota is 25 places.

Learning outcomes acquired upon completion of the Study Program:

• to build an academic career at a higher education or scientific institution, or to perform highly specialized work in the legal profession in both the private and public sectors,
• to continue professional development at the postdoctoral level,
• to deepen critical analysis, evaluation, and synthesis of content in the field of legal sciences,
• to apply techniques and methodology and adapt the research process in the field of legal sciences,
• to independently design and conduct research in the field of legal sciences,
• to communicate and evaluate research results achieved in the field of legal sciences,
• to promote excellence in academic and professional contexts in the field of legal sciences within a knowledge-based society.

Number of available places in the Program:

The enrollment quota is 25 places.

Structure and form of study delivery:

The Study is a doctoral program lasting 3 years (6 semesters) in full-time study mode, or 6 years (12 semesters) in part-time study mode, and upon completion 180 ECTS credits are awarded.

Teaching in the compulsory course Methodology and Ethics of Legal Research is delivered according to a predefined schedule. Teaching in elective courses is delivered according to a predefined schedule or in a consultative format, depending on the number of enrolled doctoral students.

Method of completion of the Study Program:

The Program is completed by passing exams in compulsory and elective courses, completing two seminar papers, fulfilling other study requirements, and preparing and defending a doctoral dissertation.

A prerequisite for defending the doctoral dissertation is the fulfillment of all other study obligations.

List of courses

Candidates holding an integrated undergraduate and graduate law degree (mag. iur.) or an undergraduate law degree (dipl. iur.) may apply for the Programme. In exceptional cases, candidates with a university degree other than law may also apply, provided they complete and pass additional law courses. Further admission requirements include a necessary grade point average from the completed degree or published works, the development of a personal study plan approved by a potential mentor, knowledge of foreign languages, references, and a positive assessment of the interview with the candidate.

Admissions are held twice a year, at the beginning of each semester.

The Programme duration is 3 years (6 semesters) for full-time students and 6 years (12 semesters) for part-time students. The tuition fee for the entire program is 9,000 EUR, with a proportional part of the fee paid at the start of each semester.

Information on admissions is included in the call for application. Additionally, the application form, guidelines for creating a personal study plan, and the list of potential mentors are available here. For any further questions, please contact ridoc@pravri.uniri.hr.

• Call for Applications
• Application for admission to the doctoral program
• Guidelines for creating a personal study plan

Success in the doctoral program depends on various factors, among which are the approach to study obligations and communication between doctoral candidates and their mentors. To ensure both doctoral candidates and mentors are well-prepared for their roles, we have prepared two guides available for download in digital form.

• Guide for Doctoral Students
• Guide for Mentors

Following the enrollment, an orientation meeting is organized to inform doctoral students about their rights and obligations, database searches, ethical principles of scientific research, and building a personal scientific network. In addition to this institutional support, doctoral students can contact the coordinator for doctoral communication, Martina Tičić, at martina.ticic@pravri.uniri.hr for any further inquiries.

• Merlin
• Guidelines for the Preparation and Formatting of Doctoral Theses at the University of Rijeka
• Faculty logo for the cover

🔍 Series of videos The 5W and 1H of the Doctoral Research was produced in 2023 as part of the UNIRI support instrument to create online educational materials for doctoral students, and in particular for those in social and humanistic sciences:

W1: Who is a doctoral student?

H1: How to formulate the hypothesis?

W2: What topic is appropriate for doctoral research?

W3: Why choose a specific methodological framework?

W4: When to opt for comparative legal methodology?

W5: Where is the key to academic honesty?

We are dedicated to the continuous education of doctoral students and mentors to ensure a culture of academic excellence and professional development. We offer group and individual educational activities, including workshops and courses, either organised by the Faculty or in collaboration with other institutions.

Doctoral workshops for mentors are designed to help mentors assess whether they are adequately prepared to successfully supervise doctoral students, and to further strengthen the necessary skills and competencies through practical tasks.

Some doctoral workshops are intended for doctoral students to acquire general competencies and the generic and transversal skills necessary for doctoral research, writing, and dissemination in publications and at conferences. Training for doctoral candidates is organised to enhance specific skills required for successfully completing their study obligations.

• Doctoral Colloquium “Cross-Section Study of Dynamics in Dispute Resolution” 2025

• Doctoral Colloquium “Methods of Constitutional Interpretation” 2025

• Doctoral Colloquium “Modern Challenges of Legal Research” 2024

• Workshop “Who is Q? The Unique and Permanent Identifier for Researchers – ORCID” 2023
• Workshop “Science and Media” 2023
• Workshop “Formulating a Research Question” 2023
• Workshop “Writing a Monograph Review” 2023
• Workshop “Who is Q? Open Access to Scientific Information” 2022
• Workshop “Writing a Scientific Paper in English” 2019

• Workshop “Methodology and Plagiarism” 2018
• “Doctoral Workshops for Mentors” 2016 

• In accordance with Article 62(7) of the Higher Education and Scientific Activity Act (NN 119/22), the Faculty of Law makes publicly available the doctoral thesis of Karla Kotulovski titled “Non-standard Forms of Work in the Republic of Croatia: The Risk of Precariousness”. The doctoral thesis can be accessed by selecting this link.
• In accordance with Article 62(7) of the Higher Education and Scientific Activity Act (NN 119/22), the Faculty of Law makes publicly available the doctoral thesis of Matteo Cvenček titled “Perspectives of an Alternative Model for Resolving Tax Disputes in the Republic of Croatia”. The doctoral thesis can be accessed by selecting this link.
• In accordance with Article 62(7) of the Higher Education and Scientific Activity Act (NN 119/22), the Faculty of Law makes publicly available the doctoral thesis of Marina Dereta titled “Supervision over Associations in Croatian and Comparative Law”. The doctoral thesis can be accessed by selecting this link.
• In accordance with Article 62(7) of the Higher Education and Scientific Activity Act (NN 119/22), the Faculty of Law makes publicly available the doctoral thesis of Sara Madžarov Matijević titled “Theoretical Determinants and Perspectives of the Right to Information in Joint-Stock Companies”. The doctoral thesis can be accessed by selecting this link.
• In accordance with Article 62(7) of the Higher Education and Scientific Activity Act (NN 119/22), the Faculty of Law makes publicly available the doctoral thesis of Armand Demark titled “State Responsibility for Damage Caused by the Work of Courts in Croatian, European, and Comparative Law”. The doctoral thesis can be accessed by selecting this link.