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The University of Helsinki offers doctoral degrees as the primary postgraduate research degree, but postgraduate students can also choose to complete a research-oriented licentiate degree. At present, the right to pursue such a licentiate degree cannot be separately applied for, but the degree can be completed by those granted the right to complete a doctoral degree. Exceptions to the above include specialist licentiate degrees, whose completion provides graduates with certain professional qualifications (e.g., in law). Specialist licentiate education differs from postgraduate research education and, thus, always has separate degree requirements. These instructions apply to the completion of a research-oriented licentiate degree.

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General information on licentiate degrees.

The number of research-oriented licentiate degrees has continuously declined, with the licentiate degree turning into an “interim” degree typically completed when the progress of the student’s dissertation has proved difficult or uncertain due to, for example, the student’s personal life situation or other changed circumstances.

A research-oriented licentiate degree consists of a licentiate thesis as well as the compulsory studies required for a doctoral degree. Similarly to the doctoral dissertation, a licentiate thesis can also be a monograph or an article-based work. However, the scope of a licentiate thesis is significantly less extensive than that of a doctoral dissertation.

Licentiate thesis

A licentiate thesis must demonstrate its author’s ability to independently and critically apply scientific research methods in his or her own field. The research workload is less heavy than that of a doctoral dissertation, but a licentiate thesis must meet the same scientific standards as a dissertation. A licentiate thesis may be a scholarly work on a single topic or a collection of scholarly publications on a single topic and a summarising report. A master’s thesis or another thesis included in a second-cycle degree cannot as such be accepted as a licentiate thesis or its part.

An article-based licentiate thesis typically consists of one to three academic articles and a summarising report. The objectives, methods and results of the thesis must be outlined in the summarising section. Co-authored publications may be included if the author’s independent contribution to them can be demonstrated. The author must submit to the faculty a report on his or her contribution to co-authored publications. The report must be delivered when submitting the thesis for examination.

In accordance with the University’s principles of open publishing, licentiate theses must be published in the University’s open digital repository (E-thesis) after they have been examined.

Examination and grading of licentiate theses

The faculty council grades licentiate theses on the scale of pass with distinction, pass, fail.

The faculty council appoints a minimum of two examiners for licentiate theses at the proposal of the student’s coordinating academic. The examiners must have completed a doctoral degree. The examiners are subject to the same rules of disqualification as the preliminary examiners and opponents of doctoral dissertations. The examiners must submit, either jointly or separately, a written reasoned statement on the licentiate thesis, including a grade proposal, within two months of accepting the task. Before the thesis is assessed, the author must be provided with the opportunity to object to the examiners’ statements. If either or both of the examiners propose in their statements that the thesis be rejected, the author can ask for the assessment procedure to be suspended. This will terminate the examination process, which can later be started again once the required revisions have been made to the thesis.

Once the faculty council has decided on the thesis grade, the author receives detailed instructions concerning graduation from the faculty’s doctoral student services.

Transition period in licentiate studies

As of August 2020 (or earlier if the student has already transferred to the new degree system), studies included in a licentiate degree must be completed in accordance with the curriculum of the student’s doctoral programme. Doctoral-programme curricula now require the completion of a total of 40 credits of studies, rather than the previous 60 credits. The studies are divided into the 30-credit module of discipline-specific studies and the 10-credit module of transferable skills studies. Further information on the degree structure of your doctoral programme can be obtained from its course catalogue in Sisu .

The same rules on the expiry of studies in the new degree system apply to both licentiate and doctoral degrees. A degree cannot include studies or modules completed more than 10 years prior to the time of graduation. Read more in the instructions related to the expiry of studies .

If a postgraduate student completing a licentiate degree has completed all the postgraduate studies required in the old degree system (i.e., 60 credits), and these have been registered as a module, the expiry of studies is calculated from the date of completing the module. In other words, individual courses included in the module do not expire even if they were completed more than 10 years earlier. If some studies defined as compulsory in the new curriculum of the doctoral programme (e.g., research ethics) are missing from the 60-credit module, the student must complete such studies in addition to the 60 credits he or she has already completed.

Submission of a licentiate thesis for examination

The commencement of the examination of a licentiate thesis is largely governed by the same instructions and timetables as those applying to the commencement of the preliminary examination of a doctoral dissertation. Any faculty-specific specifications or exceptions regarding the examination of licentiate theses and the preliminary examination of doctoral dissertations can be found below. If you do not find instructions specific to your faculty on this page, this means that such instructions do not exist. The faculty-specific instructions for submitting a doctoral thesis for pre-examination are available under the theme Preliminary examination .

Also bear in mind:

• You must always be registered as an attending student throughout the examination process, until the completion of your degree.
• As a rule, all the studies required for a degree must have been completed and registered by the time you submit your thesis for examination.
• Similarly to a dissertation manuscript, a licentiate thesis must also be submitted for analysis to the Urkund plagiarism recognition system before the thesis is submitted for examination.
• Acquaint yourself with the timetables for the submission of doctoral dissertations for preliminary examination well in advance, as they also apply to the submission of licentiate theses for examination.

Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry

The faculty-specific instructions: In an article-based licentiate thesis all the articles should be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. At least one article must be published or accepted for publication, and the rest have to be submitted for publication.

An article included in a licentiate thesis can later be included as a separate article in a doctoral dissertation. 

The thesis is submitted for examination to the Faculty's doctoral student services. Please use the forms and follow the instructions given on submitting a doctoral thesis for pre-examination in the faculty of agriculture and forestry. Don't forget to state on the form that the manuscript you have submitted is a Licentiate thesis. Note, that the abstract following the title page of a licentiate thesis must be drawn up on the university's abstract form .

Before the licentiate thesis can be approved and graded, the student must present his or her research at a licentiate seminar, during which the examiners and other interested parties will present their commentaries.  After this, the examiners will write their statement.

Faculty of Arts

Unlike doctoral dissertations, which allow the author to choose the format of the accompanying abstract, the abstract following the title page of a licentiate thesis must be drawn up on the university's abstract form.

Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences

The faculty-specific instructions: In an article-based licentiate thesis the articles should preferably be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals or be manuscripts that have been refereed and accepted for publication. A thesis may also include manuscripts not yet approved for publication. Also systematic review articles comparable to original publications may be included in a thesis. An article included in a licentiate thesis can later be included as a separate article in a doctoral dissertation.

The number of articles included in an article-based Licentiate thesis varies depending on the candidate's independent contribution to the articles and the scientific quality and scope of the package that they form (the thesis as a whole).

For justified reason, same co-authored articles can be included in a Licentiate thesis of more than one candidate. Especially in such case, the candidate’s own distinctive research perspective must be clearly demonstrated in the summary section of the dissertation. The matter of including same co-authored article in a thesis of more than one student is decided by the Faculty Council on a case-by-case basis with consideration given to the clarification of author contributions.

The thesis is submitted for examination to the Faculty's doctoral student services. Please use the forms and follow the instructions given on submitting a doctoral thesis for pre-examination in the faculty of biological and environmental sciences. Don't forget to state on the form that the manuscript you have submitted is a Licentiate thesis. Note, that the abstract following the title page of a licentiate thesis must be drawn up on the university's abstract form .

Faculty of Educational Sciences

When you are ready to submit your thesis manuscript for examination, submit the following documents in good time to the faculty’s postgraduate student services:

• Contact details form
• Your Licentiate thesis as a single pdf-file to the address: [email protected] . The manuscript must included a Finnish-language and an English-language abstract . I n the case of an article-based thesis, the file must include a summarising report and original articles. The file is named: lastname_lic.pdf . It is possible to use PDF-Xchange Tools or PDF-Xchange Editor programmes installed on University workstations to compile the materials. If the manuscript is too large to be sent by email, please use Funet Filesender .
• At the same time, submit a report on the share of independent work , which is signed by the supervisor in addition to you. This report should be written in the language used in the study. For article-based Licentiate theses, the report must clarify the share of independent contribution by article. For monographs, the share of work by the doctoral student and others (e.g., the supervisor or external experts) in the planning of the study, the collection and analysis of the material as well as the use of information technology and the graphic design of the thesis should be clarified.

Faculty of Medicine

The scope of a licentiate thesis is approximately half of what a doctoral dissertation would cover, and is subject to the same general regulations. 

An article-based thesis typically includes two separate articles and a summarising report. The scope of the report is approximately half of what the equivalent section of a doctoral dissertation would cover. As a rule, the articles included must have been published in high-level international peer-reviewed journals or academic publication series. One of the articles must have been approved for publication. At least one of the articles must feature the licentiate student as the first author.

A monograph submitted as a licentiate thesis is a scholarly work issued under the name of the thesis author alone and based on the previously unpublished results of independent research. A monograph submitted as a licentiate thesis must meet scholarly criteria equivalent to an article-based thesis.

Once completed, licentiate theses are submitted for examination to the faculty’s doctoral student services. In addition to the thesis manuscript, submit to doctoral student services a proposal for the appointment of thesis examiners using this form (in Finnish), an abstract drawn up on the university's abstract form as well as any other required enclosures.

Faculty of Science

The proposal for the examiners of the Licentiate thesis should be sent to the Faculty's doctoral student services using the attached form (in Finnish). An abstract, drawn up on the the university's abstract form , must be included in the thesis after the title page.

Faculty of Social Sciences

The layout of Licentiate theses submitted for examination must correspond to the instructions (in Finnish) given on the layout of Master's theses.

An abstract must be included in the thesis, drawn up on the university's abstract form .

The thesis is submitted for examination to the Faculty's doctoral student services. Please use the forms and follow the instructions given on submitting a doctoral thesis for pre-examination (including the instructions on the Urkund-check). Don't forget to state on the form that the manuscript you have submitted is a Licentiate thesis.

Faculty of Theology

Unlike doctoral dissertations, which allow the author to choose the format of the accompanying abstract, the abstract following the title page of a licentiate thesis must be drawn up on the university's abstract form .

Publishing the Licentiate thesis

Once the Licentiate thesis has been approved at the Faculty Council, it will be published in the University’s open digital repository (E-thesis). The Faculty can, for well-grounded reasons, grant the student a special exemption to forego the electronic publication. In these cases, you must provide the University library with one printed, bound and covered copy of the thesis. For more information on the practices and regulations related to special exemptions, please see the instructions related to publishing a doctoral thesis .

Once you have received a confirmation that your Licentiate thesis has been approved, send the thesis as a single pdf-file to [email protected] . Attach also a scanned copy of a filled-in and signed publishing contract form .

• Faculty of Law
• University of Helsinki
• Email [email protected]
• Website http://www.helsinki.fi/law

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• Law, Governance and Space

Doctoral defense of Evangelos Thiani, MDiv, 18 May 2024: Diakonia is a fundamental part of traditional Orthodox theology that has been ignored – The study of Transformative Philanthropic-diakonia of the African Orthodox Church of Kenya

University of eastern finland cancels tarja cronberg’s honorary doctorate, global waste management challenges unite researchers in finland and nigeria, tearing up the rule book: russia’s war on ukraine and its consequences, sustainability and circular economy morning coffee session, (de)colonizations in global borderlands research seminar.

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Doctoral Programme in Law

The Doctoral Programme in Law of the UEF offers high-standard and interdisciplinary oriented doctoral studies that prepare doctoral students for both academic research career as well as various legal expert tasks in working life. The Doctoral Programme in Law offers the following degrees: Doctor of Law and Doctor of Philosophy. The programme is available in English for both international and Finnish postgraduate students.

The head of the doctoral programme is senior lecturer Seita Romppanen, the academic coordinator is senior lecturer Outi Ratamäki, and the administrative coordinator is university teacher Hanna Partinen. Contact information can be found below.

Research areas in the doctoral programme

The UEF Law School conducts high quality research in all represented disciplines. The Law School has a strong tradition of multidisciplinary research and wide cooperation with other fields of science. Research is continuously developed in order to create an even stronger national and international profile as a research unit.   Research at the UEF Law School places strong emphasis on international cooperation and networking. The following research areas are particularly emphasised as strengths of the Law School:

• Climate-, Energy and Environmental Law

Welfare Law

• Empirical Juridical Research

In addition to these research areas, doctoral students can pursue doctoral degree in other disciplines, such as criminal law, administrative law and commercial law.

Doctoral Researchers

Doctoral researchers are awarded with the degree of either Doctor of Law (LL.D.) or Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.).

The major subject can be chosen from the following disciplines: administrative law, constitutional law, commercial law, criminal law, environmental law, European law, family and inheritance law, financial law, general jurisprudential studies, international law, lab

• Administrative law
• Jaakko Seppänen (LL.D.), 2023: ( Tomi Voutilainen, Matti Turtiainen )
• Sanna Rantahalvari (LL.D.), 2023: Kunnallisen itsehallinnon oikeushistoriallinen tarkastelu  ( Matti Muukkonen, Toni Malminen )
• Sara Sairanen (LL.D.), 2022: Maahantulon rajoittaminen yhteiskunnan häiriötilanteissa ja poikkeusoloissa ( Matti Muukkonen, Eeva Nykänen, Pauli Rautiainen )
• Juuso Ouli (LL.D.), 2022: Vastuu yleisen tietosuoja-asetuksen rikkomisesta eräissä liiketoiminnan muutostilanteissa – lainopillinen tutkimus tietosuoja-asetuksen rikkomisesta seuraavan vastuun kohdentumisesta erityisesti liiketoiminnan kaupan ja konkurssimenettelyn yhteydessä ( Tomi Voutilainen ) 
• Juha-Matti Kiviluoto (LL.D.), 2022: Hallintomenettelyn laillisuustakeet − erityisesti riittävän ja asianmukaisen selvittämisen sekä perusteluvelvollisuuden kannalta ( Matti Muukkonen )
• Tuomas Huokuna (LL.D.), 2022: Päämiehen oikeus yksityisyyteen edunvalvojan tiedonsaantioikeuden rajoittajana ( Matti Muukkonen, Katja Karjalainen )
• Saanareetta Virikko (LL.D.), 2021: Luottamuspula kunnanjohtajan irtisanomisperusteena suomalaisessa kunnanjohtajajärjestelmässä ( Matti Muukkonen, Tomi Voutilainen )
• Heidi Hernetkoski (LL.D.), 2021:  Yleisiin taloudellisiin tarkoituksiin liittyvät palvelut kunnan näkökulmasta ( Matti Muukkonen, Samuli Miettinen )
• Klaus Järvinen (LL.D.), 2021:  Hallintotuomioistuimen selvittämisvelvollisuus ja virallisperiaate: Tutkimus hallintotuomioistuimen selvittämisvelvollisuuden laajuudesta kansainvälistä suojelua ja oleskelulupia koskevissa asioissa ( Tomi Voutilainen, Matti Muukkonen )
• Helinä Tiura-Virta (LL.D.), 2020: Henkilötietojen käsittely poliisissa yleisen järjestyksen ja turvallisuuden ylläpitämisen yhteydessä ( Tomi Voutilainen )
• Mika Koponen (LL.D.), 2020: Hallinto-oikeuksien yhdenmukainen ratkaisumenettely ampuma-aseasioissa ( Matti Tolvanen, Heikki Kallio )
• Meri Sariola (LL.D.), 2019: Tiedonhallinta kunnassa - kunta informaatio-oikeudellisen sääntelyn kohteena ( Tomi Voutilainen, Matti Muukkonen )
• Kreeta Pölönen (LL.D.), 2019: Lapsen oikeus oppimisen tukeen ( Suvianna Hakalehto, Anssi Keinänen )
• Tuomas Hassinen (LL.D.), 2019: Viranomaisten roolit kyber- ja informaatiovaikuttamisen alalla sekä kohteena että aktiivisena toimijana ( Tomi Voutilainen )
• Sari Korhonen (LL.D.), 2019: Oikeudellisen tiedon saavutettavuus ( Tomi Voutilainen )
• Virve Valtonen (LL.D.), 2018: Opetushenkilön harkinta perusopetuksen ojentamistilanteessa (Pauli Rautiainen, Suvianna Hakalehto)
• Ulla Peltola (LL.D.), 2017: Perusopetuksen ja varhaiskasvatuksen valvonta erityisesti elinkeinovapauden näkökulmasta (Suvianna Hakalehto, Pauli Rautiainen)
• Hannu Toivonen (LL.D.), 2016: Julkisen hankintayksikön vaikutusmahdollisuudet lähetettyjen työntekijöiden palkkatasoon (Tomi Voutilainen, Marjo Ylhäinen)
• Isamaria Mäkiaho (Ph.D.), 2016: Julkisten ICT-palvelujen tuotanto - oikeudelliset reunaehdot (Tomi Voutilainen, Kalle Määttä)
• Anu Koivuluoma (LL.D.), 2015: Kunnan harkintavalta (Ulla Väätänen, Mirjami Paso )
• Jarkko Pesu (LL.D.), 2014: Innovaatioiden tukeminen – valtion tukea vai julkista hankintaa? (Tomi Voutilainen, Matti Turtiainen)
• Maria Ovaska (LL.D.), 2012: Poliittinen virantäyttö kunnallishallinnossa ( Tarmo Miettinen, Ulla Väätänen )
• Tommi Oikarinen (D.Sc. (Admin.)), 2012: Julkisen hallinnon tietohallinnon ohjauksen säädösperusta ja sen vaikuttavuus (Tarmo Miettinen, Tomi Voutilainen)
• Anne Korhonen (D.Sc. (Admin.)), 2008: Työntekijöiden yhdenvertaisuus epätyypillisissä työsuhteissa (Tarmo Miettinen)
• Janne Kovanen (D.Sc. (Admin.)), 2008: Vaihtoehtoinen riidanratkaisu, hybridilausekkeet (Soili Nystén-Haarala, Tapio Määttä)
• Terhi Peuhkuri (D.Sc. (Admin.)), 2007: Toiminnanharjoittajan riskienhallinta muuntogeenisten elintarvikkeiden tuotantoketjussa (Soili Nystén-Haarala, Tapio Määttä)

Commercial Law

• Eetu Huhta (LL.D.), 2020:  Intermediary liability in the European Digital Single Market ( Katja Weckström, Péter Mezei )
• Ndimyake Mwalugaja (LL.D.), 2018: Strengthening Climate Smart Agriculture and Food Security through Ecofeminism Approach: A study on Tanzanian rural women and marginalized groups ( Katja Weckström, Eeva Nykänen )
• Denis Galkin (LL.D.), 2017: Verkkopalvelun palvelun tarjoajan oikeudellinen asema ( Tomi Voutilainen, Matti Tolvanen )
• Juliet Ogbodo (LL.D.), 2016: The Need for Intellectual Property Rights in ECOWAS: Consequences for The Economic Partnership Agreements and Lessons to Be Learnt from The EU (Katja Weckström, Yeukai Mupangavanhu)
• Joonas Huuhtanen (LL.D.), 2015: Kehittyvät digitaaliset markkinat - Aineellisia esineitä koskevat normit sähköisessä ympäristössä (Katja Weckström)
• Sirpa Leväinen (LL.D.), 2015: Haja-asutusalueen valokuituverkon omistamisen oikeudelliset kysymykset (Katja Weckström)
• Kaisa Varis (LL.D.), 2013: Julkisen osakeyhtiön johdon toimivalta ja yhtiöoikeudellinen yhdenvertaisuusperiaate (Antti Kolehmainen, Matti Turtiainen)
• Onerva-Aulikki Suhonen (LL.D), 2008: Comparative Analysis of Breach of Contract and Remedies Undet the CISG and Japanese Contract Law (Soili Nystén-Haarala)

Constitutional Law

• Elina Lindström (LL.D.), 2023: Hallituksen esitysten hyödyntäminen poliittisessa argumentaatiossa ja retoriikassa sekä eduskunnan päätöksenteossa ( Maija Dahlberg, Anssi Keinänen )
• Juho Saloranta (LL.D.), 2017: Yritysvastuun mustat aukot - Miten saada yritykset vastaamaan ihmisoikeusvelvoitteistaan? ( Mikko Rajavuori, Outi Ratamäki )
• Johannes Alaranta (LL.D.), 2003: Papin uskonnonvapaus (Pauli Rautiainen)

Criminal Law

• Noora Halmeenlaakso (LL.D.), 2023: ( Tarja Koskela, Elisa Silvennoinen, Julia Korkman )
• Noora Juntunen (LL.D.), 2023: ( Heikki Kallio, Elisa Silvennoinen, Mikko Aaltonen )
• Anna Ovaska (LL.D.), 2023: ( Mikko Aaltonen, Giulio Calcara )
• Juha Määttä (LL.D.), 2023: Rikosvastuun kohdentaminen työturvallisuusrikoksissa - Tutkimus vastuun kohdentamisesta tyypillisissä ja epätyypillisissä työntekemisen muodoissa ( Heikki Kallio, Reima Kukkonen )
• Marko Piipponen (Ph.D.), 2022: Rikostutkimuskeskus  –  Suomalaisen teknisen rikostutkimuksen pioneeri 1926–1954 ( Mikko Aaltonen, Miikka Vuorela )
• Annikaisa Kevätmetsä (LL.D.), 2022: Osallisuuden vaikutus rangaistuksen mittaamiseen törkeissä huumausainerikoksissa ( Matti Tolvanen, Heikki Kallio )
• Linnea West (LL.D.), 2022: Lapsi asianomistajana – oikeusturva silloin kun esitutkintaa ei toimiteta tai toimitetaan vain osittain ( Matti Tolvanen, Elisa Silvennoinen )
• Jussi Karkkulainen (LL.D.), 2021: Tavoitetahallisuus volitiivisen tahallisuuden teoriana ( Matti Tolvanen, Heikki Kallio ) 
• Anu Puustinen (LL.D.), 2020: Seksuaalirikoksiin liittyvät ongelmakohdat samaa sukupuolta olevien välillä ( Matti Tolvanen, Heikki Kallio )                        
• Kirsi Huotari (LL.D.), 2020: Kustannusperusteinen syyttämättäjättäminen ( Matti Tolvanen, Mikko Aaltonen )                          
• Janne Ripatti (LL.D.), 2019: Urheilukilpailun manipulaatio rikollisena toimintana ( Matti Tolvanen, Heikki Kallio )
• Pasi Tuominen (LL.D.), 2019: Ajopiirturimanipuloinnin rikosoikeudellinen ja kriminaalipoliittinen ulottuvuus ( Matti Tolvanen, Heikki Kallio )
• Tuija Saloranta (LL.D.), 2019: Miten raiskausrikos tapahtuu? - Onko tekijällä merkitystä? ( Matti Tolvanen, Jussi Pajuoja )
• Jussi Kyllönen (LL.D.), 2019: Jutun palauttaminen siviiliprosessissa ja hallintoprosessissa ( Matti Tolvanen, Tuula Linna )           
• Antti Hamari (LL.D.), 2016: Yksityisen turvallisuusalan toimijoiden rikosoikeudellinen vastuu ja suoja - Tutkimus vartijan ja järjestyksenvalvojan työväkivallan, tehtävien ja toimivaltuuksien suhteesta rikosoikeudellisen suojan ja vastuun sääntelyyn (Matti Tolvanen, Jyri Paasonen)
• Petteri Jartti (LL.D.), 2016: Rikosoikeudellisten seuraamustietojen säilyttäminen ja luovuttaminen (Tomi Voutilainen, Matti Tolvanen)
• Jonne Rinne (LL.D.), 2015: Rikosoikeudellinen tutkimus sisäpiirintiedon julkistettuisuudesta sekä informaation hyödyntämisestä arvopaperimarkkinakaupoissa (Matti Tolvanen, Mika Launiala)
• Mona-Kristiina Martiskainen (LL.D.), 2015: Työturvallisuusrikoksen tunnusmerkistö ja soveltamiskäytäntö (Matti Tolvanen, Heikki Kallio)
• Petri Tolppa (LL.D.), 2015: Sairauden vaikutus testamentin pätevyyteen (Matti Tolvanen, Antti Kolehmainen)
• Seppo Immonen (LL.D.), 2015: Poliisin lupahallinnon mahdollisuudet aseturvallisuuden kehittämisessä (Matti Tolvanen, Aarne Kinnunen)
• Juha Leinonen (LL.D.), 2015: Poliisimiehen vapaa-ajan toimimisvelvollisuus - Tutkimus poliisimiehen toimimisvelvollisuuden oikeudellisista rajoista (Matti Tolvanen, Veijo Tarukannel)
• Antero Seppä (LL.D.), 2012: Alukseen kohdistuva täytäntöönpano (Matti Tolvanen, Tuula Linna)
• Kaj-Erik Tulkki (LL.D.), 2010: Rikoksen uusiminen rangaistuksen koventamisperusteena (Matti Tolvanen, Anssi Keinänen)

Criminal Law and Prodecural Law

• Mia Kilpeläinen (D.Sc. (Admin.)), 2010: Vankeusrangaistuksen täytäntöönpano (Matti Tolvanen, Anssi Keinänen)

Environmental Law

• Otto Bruun (Ph.D.), 2023: ( Annalisa Saravesi, Seita Vesa )
• Catherine Hall (LL.D.), 2023: ( Harro van Asselt, Sebastian Oberthür )
• Niklas Löther (Ph.D.), 2023: ( Yulia Yamineva, Sebastian Oberthür )
• Marika Teini (LL.D.), 2023: ( Aleksi Heinilä, Ismo Pölönen )
• Samuel Alemayehu (Ph.D.), 2023: The Human Right to Water in Transboundary Water Law Context: Examining the Interplay between Human Rights Law and International Water Law ( Antti Belinskij, Tuula Honkonen )
• Francisca Gallegos Aguirre (LL.D.), 2023: Hydrogen certification schemes ( Kim Talus, Sirja-Leena Penttinen )
• Heikki Salonen (LL.D.), 2022: Äänimaiseman ympäristöoikeudellinen sääntely ( Ismo Pölönen, Aleksi Heinilä ) 
• Kärkkäinen Anni (LL.D.), 2022: Ympäristövaikutusten seuranta ja kehittämistarpeet kaivossektorilla ( Ismo Pölönen, Aleksi Heinilä )
• Catherine Hall (Ph.D.), 2022: The Role of Sectoral Clubs in Global Climate Governance: An Investigation into the Legal Implications of Climate Clubs ( Harro van Asselt, Sebastian Oberthür ) 
• Thiago Borma Chagas (LL.D.), 2021: Making financial flows climate-consistent through the application of cyberlaw principles and related legal constructs ( Harro van Asselt, Charlotte Streck )
• Paula Leskinen (LL.D.), 2021: Oikeuden rooli ilmastopolitiikan valtavirtaistamisessa ( Antti Belinskij, Kati Kulovesi )
• Nicola Sharman (LL.D.), 2021: Enhancing the legitimacy of multilateral decision-making related to climate change through public participation: the role of procedural environmental rights and the Aarhus Convention ( Harro van Asselt, Kati Kulovesi )
• César Soares de Oliveira (Ph.D.), 2021: One sea, five legal regimes? A study of environmental problems produced by legal boundaries in the UNCLOS ( Niko Soininen, Timo Koivurova )
• Francesco Venuti (Ph.D.), 2021: A comprehensive legal framework on Nature-based Solutions for urban biodiversity and climate resilience in the EU ( Niko Soininen, Christopher Raymond )
• Antti Jukka (LL.D.), 2021:  Extended Producer Responsibility for the European Circular Economy ( Harri Kalimo, Anssi Keinänen )
• Minna Ojanperä (LL.D.), 2021: Pellon käyttö ja maaperän hiilensidonta. Mahdollisuudet ja rajat ympäristö- ja ilmasto-oikeudellisessa sääntelyssä ( Antti Belinskij, Seita Romppanen )
• Anita Kittery (LL.D.), 2020: Contamination with pharmaceutical products in the environment: The Evolution of EU pharmaceutical legislative and regulatory frameworks ( Mirella Miettinen, Sabaa Ahmad Khan )                        
• Janika Gummerus (LL.D.), 2020: Asian selvittäminen ympäristönsuojelulain mukaisissa hallintolainkäyttöasioissa ( Niko Soininen, Antti Belinskij )
• Arja Halinen (LL.D.), 2020: Ympäristövastuullisuus ja ympäristövaikutusten hallinta kaivostoiminnassa ja malminetsinnässä ( Ismo Pölönen )
• Tatu Hocksell (LL.D.), 2019: Incentivizing negative emission in the EU's climate legislation ( Kati Kulovesi, Harro van Asselt )
• Raihanatul Jannat (LL.D.), 2019: Role of transnational climate law in in enhancing socio-economic resilience of rural women through gender based adaptation: case studies from Bangladesh and the Finnish Arctic ( Yulia Yamineva, Seita Romppanen )
• Otso Myrsky (LL.D.), 2019: Osittamisrajoitusten tila ja tulevaisuus - lainopillinen tutkimus maankäytön suunnittelun ja kiinteistönmuodostamisen rajapinnoista ( Tapio Määttä, Matti Niemi, Kimmo Malin )
• Suvi-Tuuli Puharinen (LL.D.), 2017: Vesienhoidon ympäristötavoitteet ympäristönkäyttöhankkeiden jälkivalvonnassa ( Antti Belinskij, Niko Soininen )
• Riku Anttila (LL.D.), 2017: Hyvä merimiestaito ja -tapa ( Tapio Määttä, Matti Tolvanen )
• Amanda Nikkilä (LL.D.), 2017: Sopeutuvan sääntelyn mahdollisuudet suometsien kestävässä käytössä ( Antti Belinskij, Niko Soininen )
• Juha Perho (LL.D.), 2016: Ympäristövaikutusten arviointitulosten hyödyntäminen ympäristöluvasta päätettäessä – tutkimus uudistuva YVA-lain vaikutuksista ympäristölupaharkintaan (Tapio Määttä, Ismo Pölönen)
• Sara Kymenvaara (LL.D.), 2016: Low-emission Transport Fuels - Regulatory Potential in the Multi-Level Governance of Climate Change (Kati Kulovesi, Harro van Asselt)
• Arto Hietaniemi (LL.D.), 2016: Käyttöoikeussääntelyn rajat vesioikeudellisessa päätöksenteossa (Antti Belinskij)
• Saara Österberg (LL.D.), 2015: Kaivosten ympäristövaikutusten hallinnan innovatiiviset ratkaisut ympäristöoikeudessa (Ismo Pölönen, Jukka Similä)
• Laura Leino (LL.D.), 2014: Korvaavat toimenpiteet luonnonsuojelun keinona (Ismo Pölönen, Antti Belinskij)
• Jussi Airaksinen (LL.D.), 2013: Ympäristönsuojelulain 2013 uudet sääntelyinstrumentit ja niiden soveltaminen (Tapio Määttä, Ismo Pölönen)
• Kimmo Huttunen (D.Sc. (Admin.)), 2012: Metäsalueiden käytön suunnittelu- ja ohjelmaohjauksen oikeusvaikutukset ympäristöpäätöksenteossa (Tapio Määttä, Ismo Pölönen)
• Hanna Partinen (LL.D.), 2006: Suunnittelutarvealue ( Tapio Määttä, Kimmo Malin )
• Tero Laakso (D.Sc. (Admin.)), 2004: Metsärikossääntely ja sen vaikuttavuus (Tapio Määttä, Matti Tolvanen)
• Susanna Wähä (D.Sc. (Admin.)), 2001: Kunta ympäristöviranomaisena (Tapio Määttä)

European Law

• Markus Sairanen (LL.D.), 2023: EU´s post crisis legislative approach for accelerating the energy transition ( Kaisa Huhta, Seita Vesa )
• Alexander Glapiak (LL.D.), 2021:  Regulation in low-carbon Europe — hydrogen production and transmission ( Kim Talus, Penelope Crossley )
• Lolita Cigane (Ph.D.), 2021: The European Union’s openness to 3rd country lobbyists: a blessing or a peril? The role of Russia in the development of EU energy law- and policy-making ( Emilia Korkea-aho, Kim Talus )
• Sébastien Noel (LL.D.), 2020:  Towards a relaxation on Subsidies rules for renewable energy in EU's new generation Preferential Trade Agreements ( Harri Kalimo, Moritz Wüstenberg )
• Katariina Särkänne (LL.D.), 2017: Euroopan unionin autonominen asema investoijien ja valtioiden välisessä riitojen ratkaisussa ( Kim Talus, Nikos Lavranos )

Dayann Obeng-Darko (LL.D.), 2016: On the Rules and Regulations of Electricity Production from Renewable Energy Sources: A Comparative Examination Between Ghana and the European Union (Kim Talus, Tapio Määttä)

Family and Inheritance Law

• Kaisa Näkki (LL.D.), 2021:  Muistisairauksien monet muodot — tutkimus edunvalvonnan tarpeen arvioinnista ( Anna Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, Eino Solje )
• Laura Saloranta (LL.D.), 2021: Avoliittolain hyvityssäännökset ( Antti Kolehmainen )
• Marko Mykkänen (LL.D.), 2016: Päämiehen etu holhousoikeuden järjestelmässä (Antti Kolehmainen, Suvianna Hakalehto)

Financial Law

• Saga Eriksson   (Ph.D.), 2022: EU sustainable finance policy and legislation: Towards creation of green markets and agency ( Matti Turtiainen, Yulia Yamineva, Mikko Rajavuori )
• Saku-Matti Koponen (LL.D.), 2015: Holding-yhtiörakenteen verotus ja rakenteen sivuuttaminen verotuksessa (Marianne Malmgrén)
• Kimmo Nieminen (LL.D.), 2015:  Vähennysoikeus arvonlisäverotuksessa - erityisesti kulujen kohdistus ja vähennysten jakaminen (Erkki Kontkanen, Petri Saukko)

General Jurisprudential Studies

• Jenni Laine (LL.D.), 2022: Ihmisarvo, yhdenvertaisuus ja jokaisen oikeus hyvään opetukseen – Kriittinen tarkastelu perusopetuslain 18 § mukaisesti toiminta-alueittain opiskelevan oppilaan oikeudellisesta asemasta ( Pauli Rautiainen, Maija Aalto-Heinilä )
• Martina Nyman (LL.D.), 2021: Korkeimman oikeuden äänestysratkaisut oikeuslähteinä: Eriävien mielipiteiden funktiot ja oikeudellinen argumentaatio ( Maija Dahlberg, Mirjami Paso )
• Hanna-Maria Niemi (Ph.D.), 2016: Mitkä ovat ihmisarvoisen elämän edellytykset? - käsitteen oikeudellinen ja filosofinen analyysi (Toomas Kotkas, Maija Aalto-Heinilä)

International Law

• Alice Bisiaux (LL.D:), 2023: ( Annalisa Savaresi, Joana Setze )
• Maiju Mähönen (LL.D.), 2023: The role of the Court of Justice of the European Union in holding the EU institutions accountable for the enforcement of climate law ( Kati Kulovesi, Annalisa Savaresi )
• Jaqueline Pinto (LL.D.), 2023: In search for cross-sectoral coherence: an emerging regulatory framework for hydrogen ( Kim Talus, Sirja-Leena Penttinen )
• Katri Varis (LL.D.),2023: Role of science in EU climate law and policy ( Kati Kulovesi, Yulia Yamineva )
• Moritz Petersmann (Ph.D.), 2022: Fit for governing modern wicked problems? International science-policy interfaces under scrutiny ( Niko Soininen, Yulia Yamineva )
• Vandson dos Santos Galdino (LL.D.), 2022: The role of the right to a healthy environment in climate litigation in Latin America ( Annalisa Savaresi, Harro van Asselt )
• Vilja Johansson (LL.D.), 2021: Just transition – an emerging legal concept guiding the justness of climate policies ( Kati Kulovesi, Harro van Asselt )
• Ama Opoku Acquah (LL.D.), 2020:  The Fiduciary State Shareholder in the Sub-Saharan African Petroleum Industry and Fundamental Rights of Citizens ( Kim Talus, Oyetade Oyewunmi )
• Tuomas Palosaari (LL.D.), 2019: National Disruptions Caused by Informal International Law ( Harro van Asselt, Antto Vihma )
• Adrián Martinez Blanco (LL.D.), 2019: The Right of Public Participation in International Climate Change Law: A Critical Analysis ( Harro van Asselt, Kati Kulovesi )
• Eleanor Mateo (LL.D.), 2018: The Internet of Things in the Circular Economy: Reconciling Environment, Data and Trade under the WTO in the digital age ( Harri Kalimo, Kati Kulovesi )
• Veera Pekkarinen (Ph.D.), 2017: Global Regulation of Methane ( Kati Kulovesi, Harro van Asselt)
• Patrick Toussaint (LL.D.), 2017: Reification in international climate law: A critical analysis of the role of legal constructs in realizing equity and justice under UNFCCC regime ( Harro van Asselt, Kati Kulovesi )
• Outi Manninen (LL.D.), 2016: Material scope of the access and benefit-sharing system under the Nagoya Protocol: Implications of evolutive interpretation for the understanding of the key concepts ( Kati Kulovesi, Ismo Pölönen )                     
• Reza Maddahi (LL.D.), 2014: International Legal Regime of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) Technology (Kati Kulovesi, Kim Talus)
• Karl Upston-Hooper (LL.D.), 2013: Where Two Worlds Collide: Emission Reduction Purchase Agreements, the Evolution of the Dialectic Relationship of Private Contracts and International Environmental Law at the Heart of the Global Climate Regime (Kati Kulovesi, Kim Talus)
• Max Lindholm (LL.D.), 2023: ( Marjo Ylhäinen, Johan Bärlund )
• Rahma Hersi (LL.D.), 2021: Choice or access? An ethnographic study of Finnish Somali women’s rights to pursue higher education & employment ( Marjo Ylhäinen, Sanna Mustasaari )
• Mira Karppanen (LL.D.), 2021: Työlainsäädännön kehittämiskohteita alustatalouden työoikeudellisten kysymysten valossa ( Marjo Ylhäinen, Anssi Keinänen, Emilia Korkea-aho )
• Maija Moisio (LL.D.), 2020:  Osallisuus. Työoikeudellinen tutkimus osallisuudesta ja sen ilmenemismuodoista oikeusteoreettisena konstruktiona ja työoikeudellisina käytäntöinä ( Marjo Ylhäinen, Maija Aalto-Heinilä )
• Jenni Varis (LL.D.), 2016: Asiantuntijan toimintavapaus (Marjo Ylhäinen, Outi Ratamäki)
• Maria Mustajärvi (LL.D.), 2011: Työntekijän osaamisen ylläpidon ja kehittämisen oikeudellinen sääntely (Mirjami Paso, Tarmo Miettinen)

Legislative Studies

• Lisa-Maaria Keskinen (LL.D.), 2023: ( Anssi Keinänen, Niko Vartiainen )
• Minna Mattila (Ph.D.), 2022: In the dawn of better regulation: The chameleonic intermediaries in regulatory processes ( Anssi Keinänen )
• Esa Iivonen (LL.D.), 2022: Lainsäätäjän perus- ja ihmisoikeuksiin perustuva velvoite edistää lasten yhdenvertaisuuden toteutumista varhaiskasvatuksessa ja koulussa ( Suvianna Hakalehto, Virve Toivonen )
• Sebastian De Caro (LL.D.), 2021: Pelastuslain uudistus – Empiirinen oikeustutkimus pelastusviranomaisen päätöksenteosta, valvonnasta sekä pelastuslain uudistuksen vaikutuksista ( Anssi Keinänen, Veli-Pekka Hautamäki )
• Joel Karjalainen (LL.D.), 2021:  Tiedon hyödyntäminen säädösvalmistelussa ( Anssi Keinänen )
• Outi Örn (Ph.D.), 2021:  Kesyt, sotkuiset ja pirulliset lainvalmisteluhankkeet ( Anssi Keinänen, Petri Uusikylä, Harriet Lonka )
• Tapio Räty (LL.D.), 2020: Sijaishuollossa olevan lapsen oikeus palveluihin, hoitoon ja huolenpitoon – miten lapsen oikeusturva toteutuu ( Anssi Keinänen, Jussi Pajuoja, Eeva Nykänen )
• Risto Tuominen (LL.D.), 2018: Lailla vai asetuksella - Kansallisten asetusten rooli osana lainsäädännön toimeenpanoa Suomessa (Anssi Keinänen)
• Laura Rinne (LL.D.), 2017: Lainsäädännön jälkikäteinen arviointi ja seuranta osana laadukasta lainvalmistelua ( Anssi Keinänen )
• Satu Pentikäinen (LL.D.), 2017: Yhteisöoikeudellisen lainsäädännön tavoitteiden toteutuminen kotimaisessa lainvalmistelussa - Sääntelyteoreettinen näkökulma ( Kaisa Sorsa, Anssi Keinänen )
• Ville Pulkkinen (LL.D.), 2016: Pelastaa ja valvoo - empiirinen tutkimus hyvän valvonnan toteuttamisesta pelastustoimessa (Anssi Keinänen, Veli-Pekka Hautamäki)
• Miikka Vuorela (Ph.D.), 2015: Eduskunnan valiokunnat vallankäyttäjinä (Anssi Keinänen, Matti Wiberg)
• Dzmitryieva, Aryna (LL.D.), 2014: Agenda Setting in the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation (Anssi Keinänen, Vadim Volkov)
• Sami Rusanen (D.Sc. (Admin.)), 2012: Kiinteistönhoitopalveluiden kilpailuttaminen julkishallinnon turvallisuuskriittisemmissä kiinteistöissä (Matti Tolvanen, Anssi Keinänen)
• Juha Kreus (D.Sc. (Admin.)), 2011: Tietoturvallisuusoikeus (Anssi Keinänen, Sirpa Virta)
• Vesa Ellonen (D.Sc. (Admin.)), 2011: Yksityisen turvallisuusalan rajapinnat (Anssi Keinänen, Matti Tolvanen)

Procedural Law

• Enni Alm (LL.D.), 2023: ( Mika Launiala, Outi Ratamäki )
• Susanne Karlsson-Elonheimo (LL.D.), 2023: Lainvastaisesti hankittujen todisteiden hyödyntämiskieltojen ja hyödyntämiskieltoharkinnan problematiikkaa rikosprosessissa ( Mika Launiala, Antti Tapanila )
• Sami Nevalainen (LL.D.), 2023: Poliisin ennalta estävän toiminnan sääntely ( Mika Launiala, Mikael Lohse )
• Hilla Viljamaa (LL.D.), 2022: Näytön arviointi kansainvälistä suojelua koskevissa muutoksenhakuasioissa ( Mirjami Paso, Tarja Koskela, Tuomas Kuokkanen)
• Outi Leppäjoki (LL.D.), 2022: Tuomiovallan siirto ja rikosprosessin keventäminen - rattijuopumusten siirto poliisin sakkomenettelyyn lainopillisesta ja empiirisestä näkökulmasta ( Mikko Aaltonen, Matti Tolvanen, Heikki Kallio )
• Asko Keränen (LL.D.), 2021: Asianajajien valvonta Suomessa ( Matti Tolvanen, Kai Kotiranta )
• Hannu Moilanen (LL.D.), 2021: Velkajärjestelyn yleis- ja erillistäytäntöönpanon väliset oikeudelliset siirrännäiset ( Matti Tolvanen, Mika Launiala )
• Jasmin Heiskanen (LL.D.), 2020: Prosessilajien välisestä oikeusvoimavaikutuksesta ( Mirjami Paso, Mika Launiala )
• Marko Forss (LL.D.), 2020: Vapautensa menettänyt lapsi – miten lapsen etu toteutuu poliisi-, esitutkinta- ja pakkokeinolain vapauteen kohdistuvia toimivaltuuksia sovellettaessa ( Mika Launiala, Suvianna Hakalehto )
• Tuomas Ikonen (LL.D.), 2018: Salaisella pakkokeinolla saadun ylimääräisen tiedon käyttäminen ( Matti Tolvanen, Heikki Kallio )
• Jussi Kyllönen (LL.D.), 2018: Jutun palauttaminen siviiliprosessissa ja hallintoprosessissa ( Matti Tolvanen, Tuula Linna )

Property Law     

• Anna Oksanen (LL.D.), 2023: (Mia Hoffrén, Matti Ilmari Niemi)
• Valtteri Laukkanen (LL.D.), 2016: Kiinteistön myyjän pidättymisoikeuden sivullissitovuus (Matti Ilmari Niemi, Tomi Voutilainen)

Social Welfare Law

• Lauri Tanner (LL.D.), 2023: Terveyden- ja sairaanhoidon johtaminen ja valvonta osana riittäviä terveyspalveluja ( Eeva Nykänen, Samuli Saarni )
• Tanja Valkonen (LL.D.), 2022: Iäkkäiden henkilöiden oikeus vammaispalveluihin – Erityiskysymyksinä vammaispalvelulain toissijaisuus, lain 8 c §:n 3 momenttiin sisältyvä ikääntymisrajaus ja asian selvittäminen hallintoprosessissa ( Eeva Nykänen, Anna Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen )
• Niina Gråsten (Ph.D.), 2020: Vammaisuus oikeudellisessa ajattelussasosiaalioikeus ( Eeva Nykänen, Pauli Rautiainen )
• Oskari Korhonen (LL.D.), 2018: Lääkärinlausunto sosiaalioikeudellisessa päätöksenteossa ( Toomas Kotkas, Pauli Rautiainen )
• Jutta Kinnunen (LL.D.), 2015: Potilaslain muistutusmenettely potilaan oikeusturvana (Toomas Kotkas, Ulla Väätänen)
• Tiia Tamlander (LL.D.), 2015: Syy-yhteyden käsite lakisääteisessä tapaturmavakuutuksessa (Toomas Kotkas, Katja Weckström)
• Iryna Ptashnyk (LL.D.), 2013: Legality of organ transplantation anf right to organ transplantation as an initial part of the right to health care (Toomas Kotkas, Maija Aalto-Heinilä)
• Katri Harjuveteläinen (LL.D.), 2023: ( Anna Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, Eino Solje, Maija Dahlberg )
• Minni Teerikangas (Ph.D.), 2023: ( Mikko Aaltonen, Anna Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, Kaijus Ervasti )
• Alex Berg (Ph.D.), 2022: Neuro-Ethics and Law: Socio-Legal Perspective to Legal Rights and Access to Justice of People with Neurodegenerative Diseases ( Anna Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, Kaijus Ervasti )
• Henna Nikumaa (Ph.D.), 2019: Muistisairas ihminen autonomisena toimijana - oikeudellisen toimintakyvyn tukeminen ( Anna Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen, Antti Karisto )

How to apply?

Degrees and subjects.

The Doctoral Programme in Law offers the following degrees: Doctor of Law and Doctor of Philosophy.

The major subject of the degrees Doctor of Law and Doctor of Philosophy may be one of the following:

• Commercial law
• Constitutional law
• Criminal law
• Criminology
• Environmental law
• European law
• Family and inheritance law
• Financial law
• General jurisprudential studies
• International law
• Legislative studies
• Procedural law
• Property law
• Welfare law

Eligibility for doctoral degree studies

An eligible applicant for the right to pursue doctoral degree in law (LL.D.) must have completed an LL.M. degree or some other masters' degree corresponding to it. The degree must include at least 120 ECTS legal studies.  Furthermore, in the evaluation of the application attention will be paid to the quality of the research plan, the applicant's success in prior studies (especially in regard to the merits and grade of his/her master's thesis), and possible publishing activities.

The right to pursue doctoral degree in philosophy (Ph.D.) can be granted based on a Master’s degree in another discipline, provided that the applicant is deemed sufficiently competent to pursue postgraduate studies in law. In the evaluation of the application attention will be paid to the quality of the research plan, the applicant's success in prior studies (especially in regard to the merits and grade of his/her master's thesis), possible publishing activities and experience of professional duties supporting his/her intended research. An applicant is required, in addition to the requirements mentioned above, to prove that his/her degree gives him/her the capabilities to participate in postgraduate studies in Law and that his/her language skills are sufficient for participating in the postgraduate studies.

The applicant's master's thesis should have been awarded by a grade of 3/5 or cum laude approbatur or higher. This requirement may be waived if the applicant demonstrates his/her eligibility by other means, e.g. by an outstanding research plan or by extensive publishing activity.

Applying and admission requirements

The applicant applies for the right to pursue doctoral studies online in Studyinfo portal. 

Application attachments: 

• copy of the basic university degree certificate, and other documents which may affect the granting of a study right
• a transcript of earlier academic records
• a research plan
• the consent from the supervisor
• researcher’s curriculum vitae (please see instructions and template )

The application time for spring 2024 is from the 1st of March to the 30th of April. Interviews will be organized on the 14th of May at 8:00 a.m. (Finnish time) onwards. The applicant must participate in the interview in order to be selected for the doctoral programme.

From the 1st of August year 2023 the application deadlines in each academic year are the last weekdays of October and the last weekdays of April.

Before submitting an application, an applicant must contact a professor or other main supervisor of the UEF Law School who represents the applicant's field of research and inquire the professor's or other supervisor’s willingness to act his/her supervisor in case the application is later accepted. When first contacting the potential supervisor, the applicant must present his/her research plan to the supervisor.

The UEF Law School only admits applicants whose research interests correspond to those of a member of the staff and to whom adequate supervision can thus be provided. The list of potential main supervisors can be found on the website of the doctoral programme in law.

The applicant must indicate the supervisor's consent to act as a supervisor by enclosing a print of an email to the application where the supervisor gives his/her consent to act as the applicant's supervisor. Only after having received the consent from the supervisor, the applicant can submit the application. The email must state that the supervisor has read the research plan and pledged to act as the applicant’s supervisor, if the applicant is granted the right to study for a doctorate in philosophy or law.

The recommendation of the law school is that professors and other main supervisors take on a maximum of two new students per semester. When following the recommendations, the number of active supervisees as well as the resources available can be considered. 

The applications of applicants who fill the eligibility for postgraduate studies are evaluated based on the following:

• Especially the research plan; but also
• Success in previous studies
• Other experience supporting the research: previous research or scientific publications, international orientation and knowledge of languages needed in the research, working as a researcher, acquired funding or financing plan.

Evaluation of the research plan and interviews

As the research plan is the central document in the evaluation of the applicant's competence to conduct scientific research, it is important to draw up the research plan as carefully and well as possible. Sufficient time should be allocated for writing the research plan. It should also be noted that the research plan is an independent document written by the applicant. However, the supervisor who has agreed as to act as the applicant's supervisor may provide the applicant with appropriate guidance. The actual supervisory guidance will begin after the applicant has been admitted to pursue the doctoral studies at UEF Law School in the doctoral programme in law and registered to the university.

The standard length of a research plan is approximately ten pages, and it must detail the following:

• Background of the research project, the significance and scientific relevancy of the chosen topic, and previous research on the topic.
• Research question and general objectives of the research project. 
• Research methods and data, and if necessary, a plan for collecting relevant research data and methods of analysis;
• Reflection of the ethical perspectives associated with the research and its execution; for example, good scientific practice, evaluation of data privacy impacts, ethical considerations regarding data management and collection;
• A work plan and plans for subtasks; particularly in case of doctoral dissertations consisting of articles, it is important to describe in detail the parts from which the study consists and which serve as the basis for reporting.
• Tentative schedule and funding plan.
• Publication plan.
• An assessment of the potential uses and the social significance of the research results.

Research plan template

The board of UEF Doctoral Programme in Law evaluates the applications received and drafts a proposal on the eligible candidates to the faculty.

The scientific quality of the research plan is evaluated based on the following criteria:

• originality of the research topic and clarity and ambition of research objectives (research problem, research tasks, and scientific, societal, and practical significance of the research topic);
• theoretical or legal framework, concepts and mastery of research literature;
• research methods and the connection between research questions and methods (the research plan should demonstrate that the applicant understands the methods used to address research questions);
• If necessary, a plan collecting relevant research data and methods of analysis;
• feasibility of the research plan;
• schedule, publication, and funding plans;
• Reflection on the potential ethical perspectives associated with the research and its conduct; for example, following good scientific practices, assessing the impact on data privacy, and assessing ethical questions regarding data management and collection;
• structure and content of the plan;
• coherence of the research plan.

Before drawing up the statement, the board of the doctoral programme in law interviews individual applicants as a rule. The interview focuses on the discussion about the applicant’s research plan. In the interview, the applicant can be given suggestions to improve their research plan.

Interviews are held on pre-set interview dates, which are announced on the doctoral program’s website. The secretary of the Board will contact the applicant to be interviewed about the exact interview time. The applicant must participate in the interview in order to be approved for the doctoral programme.

Processing of the application in the Board and in the faculty

Based on the application and the interview the Board can:

• Support the application;
• Decide not to support the application.

The Dean will decide on the study right, appoint the supervisors and accepts the research plan. For each doctoral candidate at least two supervisors are appointed. One of the supervisors must be a professor or docent at the University of Eastern Finland. Alternatively, a person who has equivalent scientific competence to a professor or a docent and is a member of the staff at the faculty can be appointed as a supervisor.

The dean's decision will be sent by the faculty to all applicants by email.

Major subjects and supervisors

Administrative law Tomi Voutilainen Suvianna Hakalehto Matti Muukkonen

Commercial law Katja Weckström Matti Turtiainen

Constitutional law Maija Dahlberg

Criminal law Matti Tolvanen Mikko Aaltonen Heikki Kallio Tarja Koskela

Criminology Mikko Aaltonen

Environmental law Ismo Pölönen Niko Soininen Antti Belinskij Harri Kalimo Sebastian Oberthür Outi Ratamäki

European law Emilia Korkea-aho Kim Talus Mirjami Paso Kaisa Huhta

Family and inheritance law Antti Kolehmainen

Financial law Mika Nissinen

General jurisprudential studies Niko Soininen Maija Aalto-Heinilä Mirjami Paso

International law / international environmental law Kati Kulovesi Harro van Asselt Harri Kalimo Annalisa Savaresi

Labour law Marjo Ylhäinen

Legislative studies Anssi Keinänen Virve-Maria Toivonen

Procedural law Matti Tolvanen Mika Launiala

Property law Matti Ilmari Niemi Mia Hoffrén

Social law Eeva Nykänen Pauli Rautiainen Welfare law Eeva Nykänen Anna Mäki-Petäjä-Leinonen Kaijus Ervasti Pauli Rautiainen

Funding doctoral studies

The right to pursue doctoral studies does not include funding or a contract of employment or teaching tasks at the University. However, full-time doctoral students need funding to cover their costs of living and potential research costs (travel costs, research material etc.). Funding options should be discussed with the supervisor already when planning to apply for a doctoral study right and creating a research plan.

Doctoral studies can be funded for example by a scholarship, by working as a researcher in a research project, by working as a doctoral candidate at the University of Eastern Finland (doctoral student position), or by studying part-time while at work. Doctoral students apply for funding themselves.

Read more about funding options of doctoral studies on Kamu Student handbook.

Application period

You can apply to the Doctoral Programme in Law two times a year. Application deadlines are the 31st of October and the 30th of April. Applying for the doctoral programme is done via Studyinfo.fi online service.

What is Studyinfo.fi?

Studyinfo is the official national admissions portal with all the up-to-date information about study programmes leading to a degree in Finland.

Apply via Studyinfo

Fill in the online application for the programme at the studyinfo portal., requirements for the doctoral dissertation, requirements for the doctoral dissertation, faculty of social sciences and business studies.

The doctoral dissertation demonstrates the doctoral researcher’s in-depth knowledge of the field of research, related fields and the philosophy of science. Furthermore, the dissertation demonstrates his/her ability to apply the methods of scientific research in practice, both independently, and critically in his/her field of research as well as independently to generate new information.

Forms of the dissertation

One of the following can be accepted as a doctoral dissertation:

• a separate piece of research (monograph). A monograph is a work based on the research project by the doctoral researcher. It is a coherent and independent study and should contain the data and methodology and the results as a whole.
• an article-based dissertation. An article-based dissertation shall contain at least two peer-reviewed articles accepted for publication and one manuscript accepted for the review process. Peer review refers to an assessment process carried out by the scientific community where an article or part of a collection of articles undergoes an advance assessment by an independent expert. The review must be verifiable. The other articles may be manuscripts to be published. An article electronically pre-published by a scientific series is regarded as published. In case the articles are joint publications, a doctoral candidate must be mainly responsible for at least two of them. If the publications include collaborative work, a doctoral candidate must present a written account of his/her own contribution to those publications when requesting a public examination. A joint publication may be included in a maximum of two different dissertations.

In Business Studies, an essay-based dissertation can also be approved. An essay-based dissertation comprises at least three published or unpublished independent manuscripts dealing with the same set of research problems. Some of these manuscripts may be scientific articles or other publications and unpublished essays.

It is recommended to publish in national and/or international scientific journals, series or monographs, which are specialised in publishing scientific research results, have an editorial board comprising experts and hold ISSN or ISBN numbers (e.g. the Finnish JUFO Publication Forum classification levels 1 – 3, see  Publication Forum for more information).

In addition to the articles or essays, the dissertation must include an introduction.

The language of the doctoral dissertation is Finnish, English or another language accepted by the Dean responsible for postgraduate education.

Evaluation criteria of doctoral dissertations

The general quality of a doctoral dissertation shall be assessed according to the following criteria in particular:

• Relevancy of the research task and the appeal of the research problem: Assessment emphasises the innovativeness and scientific relevancy of the research task.
• Level of sophistication and the management of methods necessary for research: Assessment pays special attention to the skills necessary for complementing the research task. Sophistication means both adequate expertise in the field of research and the student’s general knowledge and understanding of the academic subject and the area of research.
• Practical implementation of the research project: Assessment focuses on the functionality of the structure of the study, the delimitation of the scope, the degree of sophistication in finishing and the stylistic aspects.
• Results of the research project, their novelty, validity and importance: In the field of law, results of a research project cannot often be distinguished from other elements of research, as this is a matter of different interpretations and their justification. This further highlights the importance of overall assessment.
• The author’s ability to defend the research project in public: An integral part of a presentation of a doctoral dissertation or a licentiate thesis is that the author is able to defend appropriately the work in public. A licentiate thesis or a doctoral dissertation may be approved if it meets the minimum requirements of each criterion.

Doctoral dissertations are graded using the following grading scale: rejected, approved and approved with distinction.

Structure of the doctoral studies

The degrees include 30 ECTS of studies supporting the research project and professional competence. The aim is to provide doctoral researchers with an in-depth knowledge of the scientific basis of jurisprudence, theoretical foundations and research methods, so that they are well prepared to write a licentiate thesis or a doctoral dissertation.

The personal study plan specifies the courses which can be included in the Doctor of Law or Doctor of Philosophy degree. The total extent of the degree is 30 ECTS. 5-10 ECTS are to be taken from the courses of general transferable skills studies and 20-25 ECTS from studies that provide theoretical and methodological skills as well as in-depth studies of the doctoral researcher's field of research. In addition, a doctoral dissertation must be written.

Studies must be completed and registered as completed before the doctoral dissertation is submitted for preliminary examination.

General transferable skills studies 5-10 ECTS

• Orientation to doctoral studies 1 ECTS
• Research Ethics 1 ECTS
• 5312109 Teaching and professional tasks
• 5312112 Developing Legal Learning 2 ECTS
• 5012030 How to write a successful research grant proposal 1 ECTS
• General transferable skills studies organised by UEF Doctoral School 
• Studies in the Training Programme in University Pedagogics
• Courses supporting general competence in the national doctoral curriculum (Doctoral courses in Finland)
• YUFE - Academic Courses supporting 

Completion of general transferable skills studies is approved by the supervisor.

Studies in the discipline and the field of research 20-25 ECTS

Studies in the discipline and the field of research aim to familiarise doctoral researchers with scientific writing, theoretical and methodological issues in jurisprudence, and the different stages and career paths of a researcher. Studies in the discipline and the field of research support the development of scientific thinking and the ability to carry out independent research. They also aim to develop the capacity of doctoral researchers to work as legal experts within and outside the university. 

Depending on the number of general transferable skills studies, 20-25 ECTS of studies in the discipline and the field of research must be completed. The number of studies in the discipline and the field of research must be sufficient to meet the total of 30 ECTS for the degree.

Compulsory courses

• Legal research skills and career development 5 ECTS 
• 5312105 Participation in Law School’s Doctoral Seminar 5 ECTS or YO00CY56 CCEEL Research Group 5 ECTS
• Theoretical and methodological studies,10 ECTS of the following:
• 5311918 Philosophy of Human Rights 5 ECTS
• 5311922 Philosophy of Law 5 ECTS
• 5311936 Advanced Comparative Law 5 ECTS
• YO00CR48 International Legal Theory 5 cr
• 5311407 Introduction to Empirical Juridical Research 5 ECTS
• Or other methodological studies provided by the Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

Optional courses

• 5312107 Publications
• Other activities supporting doctoral studies (new course)

Doctoral dissertation

Personal study plan must be prepared in cooperation with the supervisor within three months from the beginning of the study right.

The supervisor provides guidance in matters related to the content of the dissertation and doctoral studies.

General guidance for the doctoral studies:

• Head of the doctoral programme Anssi Keinänen
• Academic coordinator of the doctoral programme Outi Ratamäki

Applying process, graduation and administration of the doctoral studies:

• Administrative coordinator of the doctoral programme Hanna Partinen

Instructions and forms for doctoral studies

You can find information for different phases in the doctoral education on Kamu Student handbook :

• Doctoral education at the University of Eastern Finland
• Starting doctoral education
• Doctoral curriculum and study requirements
• Internationalisation in doctoral education
• Guidance and support in doctoral education
• Support for doctoral research
• Funding of doctoral education
• Wellbeing of doctoral researcher
• Permission for public examination and pre-examination of doctoral dissertation
• Publishing of doctoral dissertation

Travel and start-up grants for doctoral researchers

Travel and start-up grants for doctoral researchers will be applied for using a common application form. The application period for travel and dissertation start-up grants for doctoral researchers will be continuous. These grant applications are intended for doctoral researchers who are not employed by the University of Eastern Finland (including part-time work for grant-funded researchers). 

Travel grants may be awarded for study, seminar and conference trips for faculty´s doctoral researchers. The application form and detailed application instructions are available in Kamu: Travel grants - UEF Kamu

Start-up grants are available to faculty´s doctoral researchers for 1-3 months to start their doctoral research. Start-up grants are awarded within a maximum of six months of being granted the right to pursue postgraduate studies. The application form and detailed application instructions can be found in Kamu:

Funding options for doctoral researchers - UEF Kamu

News and events

Dissertations in law, doctoral defence of aryna dzmitryieva, ma, llm, 9.2.2024: russian legal culture in the courts and the judiciary: a socio-legal analysis, doctoral defence of mykola iakovenko, m.sc.(pol), 21.8.2023: novel study suggests improvements securing the gas supply in the eu and energy community gas sectors, doctoral defence of laura tammenlehto, m.sc.(admin), 28.4.: the nordic criminalizations regarding copyright and trademark infringements are in need of revision, doctoral defence of rosemary mwanza, ll.m., 12.12.2022: right to a healthy environment is not necessarily a regulatory panacea for corporate environmental damage, doctoral defence of giulio calcara, ll.m., 11.11.: interpol has favoured effectiveness in cooperation over safeguarding rights and interests of individuals subject of cooperation, doctoral defence of shih-yun wu, m.v.sc., 26.8.: new study sheds light on animal welfare legislation and how it influences on society in taiwan.

All dissertations

Upcoming examinations in Law

Suvi-tuuli puharinen, m.sc. (admin.), doctoral dissertation in environmental law, joensuu.

All examinations

Follow us on Twitter!

The UEF Law School and the Doctoral Programme in Law on Twitter: UEFLawSchool.

Further information on the doctoral programme

Deputy Head of Department

Law School, Faculty of Social Sciences and Business Studies

seita.​vesa​@uef.fi

+358504423430

Outi Ratamäki

Senior university lecturer.

outi.​ratamaki​@uef.fi

+358504651592

Hanna Partinen

University teacher.

hanna.​partinen​@uef.fi

+358504780055

The Board of the Doctoral Programme in Law

Anssi Keinänen

anssi.​keinanen​@uef.fi

+358504422582

Maija Aalto-Heinilä

University lecturer.

maija.​aalto​@uef.fi

+358504420611

Marjo-Riikka Ylhäinen

Associate professor.

marjo.​ylhainen​@uef.fi

+358503247589

Heikki Kallio

heikki.​kallio​@uef.fi

+358504660820

Maija Dahlberg

maija.​dahlberg​@uef.fi

+358504423352

Kaisa Huhta

kaisa.​huhta​@uef.fi

+358505947271

Jarkko Pesu

jarkko.​pesu​@uef.fi

+358505285413

Jussi Karkkulainen

jussi.​karkkulainen​@uef.fi

+358503232096

Employment as a doctoral researcher

The University of Helsinki (UH) annually allocates funding to doctoral programmes for salaried positions (employment contract).  

The next application period for salaried positions will be on 29.08.-14.09.2023.   

Salaried doctoral researcher positions are aimed at enabling full-time work on doctoral dissertations and doctoral studies, with the goal of completing a doctoral degree in four years. The exact duration of employment, its’ start and end dates are determined in the employment contract.  

The salary and other further details concerning the employment relationship are available in the call for applications (available when the call is open). 

You can apply for a salaried position in a doctoral programme if you are currently a doctoral student at the University of Helsinki or are planning to pursue a doctoral degree.  

If you already have a doctoral study right at the University of Helsinki, you can apply for a salaried position, if you have not yet spent a total of four years with a UH funded doctoral researcher salary. 

Please read your doctoral programme’s instructions below. 

Applications for a salaried position in a doctoral programme are submitted by completing the application form and enclosing the required attachments.  

If you do not yet have the right to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of Helsinki, you can apply for the right in the September study right call or in the spring at the latest. Please note that this may result in your employment beginning later than 1 January 2024.  

If you are offered a salaried position, you must apply and be awarded the right to pursue a doctoral degree in your doctoral programme within the six-month trial period.  

Please note that you may apply for a UH-funded doctoral candidate position from a maximum of two doctoral programmes. If an applicant has submitted more than two applications, the two most recently dated will be considered and reviewed. 

If you already have the right to pursue a doctoral degree at the University of Helsinki, you may also apply for a salaried position from another doctoral programme that suits your research profile.  

 If you receive a salaried position from another doctoral programme, you will need to change your doctoral programme. This means that you may need to reapply for study right if your faculty or target degree changes. This application should be made in the spring at the latest. Please note that this may affect the start date of your potential employment. If you are applying for a salaried position in more than one doctoral programme, please complete a separate application form for each one.  

You will find more instructions on applying from the doctoral programme specific instructions below. 

On these pages you will find information on how to use the recruitment system.  

Further information can be requested by writing to  phd-positions(at)helsinki.fi  

The steering committee of the Doctoral Programme in Language Studies has decided to nominate the following applicants for funded doctoral researcher position for the period of 2024–2027:

• Noora Ahola
• Mithun Banerjee
• Roosa Pöllänen

The programme congratulates the successful candidates and wishes to thank all applicants.

Doctoral Programme in Law (4 yrs)

Doctoral Programme in Law covers all disciplines of law and is responsible of the doctoral training as a part of the University of Turku Graduate School (UTUGS) .

The doctoral programme is offered by the Faculty of Law . The Faculty of Law at the University of Turku is a modern research and education community. Generating new knowledge through research is one of the Faculty's top priorities. Key areas of research are constitutionalism, basic and human rights research as well as the legal research of economic changes. Currently, there are approximately 100 postgraduate students in the Doctoral Programme in Law. The programme gives qualification for multidisciplinary doctoral dissertation research.

Application for the Doctoral Programme in Law is open twice per year. Maximum 15 docotral researchers will be selected to the programme yearly. The application form is open during application period.

According to the Government Decree on University Degrees (1039/2013) Section 21, the objective of postgraduate studies is that the student 1) becomes well-versed in his/her own field of research and its social significance 2) gains knowledge and skills needed to apply scientific research methods independently and critically and to produce new scientific knowledge within his/her field of research; 3) becomes conversant with the development, basic problems and research methods of his/her own field of research; 4) gains such knowledge of the general theory of science and of other disciplines relating to his/her own field of research as enables him/her to follow developments in them; 5) gains sufficient communication and language skills and other necessary skills in order to work in extensive and demanding expert and development roles and in international collaborative settings.

A postgraduate degree provides an additional qualification for several different legal expert positions. These include, in addition to the traditional academic teaching and research positions, for instance, jobs in national and international legislative drafting, judge and prosecutor posts as well as specialist jobs in public administration, economic life and legal aid.

Web Pages of the Doctoral Programme in Law

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Meet the Class of 2024: Mark Sayre

The area of law that interests graduating 3L Mark Sayre could change significantly between the time he takes his final exams and the time he begins as one of Pierce Atwood’s newest attorneys later this summer. 

In fact, it most likely will, and Sayre is counting on it. 

The ever-shifting nature of privacy law, specifically as it relates to artificial intelligence (AI), is what attracted Sayre to Maine Law and its nationally ranked information privacy program. 

Before Maine Law, Sayre worked in the insurance industry as an actuary, work irrevocably tied to algorithms, data, and the encroachment of AI capabilities. He said there were a lot of people making technical decisions without a legal background and vice versa. He had the technical expertise and decided that with a legal background he could leverage both skills to more effectively  guide the use of AI in industries like insurance. 

“It’s the rapidly evolving landscape of AI that really draws me to it,” he explained.”I’ve spoken to a lot of lawyers who began their careers when the GDPR (Europe’s comprehensive privacy law) was first coming on the scene and it dramatically accelerated their career. There was this brand new law that everyone was struggling to interpret, which provided early career lawyers with a unique opportunity to quickly differentiate themselves.” 

Sayre’s commitment to privacy law was only deepened by his experiences at Maine Law. In addition to the curricular offerings and mentorship of faculty, he said experiences like Moot Court and externships with the International Association of Privacy Professionals and Match Group broadened his horizons and reinforced his choices. 

For the last two years Sayre participated in Moot Court competitions, the Helsinki Information Law Moot Court last year and the Bryant-Moore Civil Rights Competition, hosted by Howard University School of Law in 2024. Sayre and his teammates advanced to the Quarterfinal Round and also took home the award for Best Brief. 

“In both years when I did Moot Court, the best part was all of the people from the community that came in to help coach and mock-judge our practices,” he added. “To me, that’s indicative of the Maine Law community and the state’s legal community, which is why I am excited to practice in the state.” 

Although Sayre isn’t from Maine, he said it’s felt like home since he relocated here in 2020. Between its proximity to Boston, concentration of higher educational institutions, including The Roux Institute, and tight-knit legal community, Sayre said Portland is an ideal place to begin his legal career. 

“I’m excited to see what opportunities there are for AI and cybersecurity work in the coming years,” he continued. “I think Portland has the potential to become an even greater legal hub for these issues.” 

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University of Virginia School of Law

Following a Dream Once Deferred, Graduating Student To Join Marine Judge Advocates

Graduating student Lauren Leonard ’24 will attend Marine Officer Candidate School this summer to become a judge advocate. Photo by Julia Davis

When it comes to military service, some hear the clarion call, and answer. Lauren Leonard ’24 heard the clarinet call of the U.S. Marine Band.

The daughter of two clarinet players who met in the band, Leonard has spent the past two years getting physically and academically qualified to join the Marines as an officer. She will become a lawyer in the Marine Corps after she graduates from the University of Virginia School of Law on May 19.

“As musicians, my parents didn’t have to go through basic training — they entered as staff sergeants, were paid to play at functions and got to travel the world,” Leonard said. “I played the trombone and wanted to do it professionally, too, but my dad would always tell me, ‘Music is an extremely tough road, and unless you get a living-wage job, you’ll be struggling your whole life.’ I think he wanted me to follow my passion without the financial hardship.”

There is evidence suggesting that law was, in fact, her passion. As a child, she had to create a project illustrating her self-identity using the letters of the alphabet. For L, she listed “Lawyer.”

Lauren Leonard, Lawyer.

She deferred that dream after undergraduate school because she graduated from the University of Washington at the tail end of the Great Recession, and every lawyer she knew discouraged her from following their path at the time.

Instead, she worked as a paralegal for several years — including at the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., and as a victim’s advocate in Washington state — and first approached the Marines about joining as an officer more than 10 years ago.

A woman she met during the process set her up with an enlisted Marine as his date to the Marine Corps Ball. She ended up marrying Sgt. Peter Leonard.

Once her husband’s enlistment was up, he left the Marines for civilian life. She and Peter were “comfortable” with their new life in Seattle, but “not entirely happy,” she said.

“We both didn’t want to continue on a life trajectory just because of a sunk-cost fallacy,” Leonard said. “I want to be happy, and I only get this one life.”

So she studied for the LSAT at night and crossed her fingers for an acceptance letter from the University of Virginia, which she had visited while working at the FTC. Her husband followed her to Charlottesville and attended Piedmont Virginia Community College to pursue an engineering degree.

Once she started her first year here, she realized she didn’t have to set aside either of her dreams.

“I’ve wanted to be a lawyer and a Marine at different times in my life, but I had never considered being both,” Leonard said. “The local recruiting office reached out to the Law School to see if any students were interested in becoming a Marine judge advocate, and I realized this is my chance to chase two dreams at once.”

She started working with an officer selection officer here, attending fitness events and CrossFit classes. The OSO helped her obtain an age waiver because she’s over 29.

However, she would still need to pass the physical fitness tests before being considered for Officer Candidates School, where candidates work for 10 weeks to earn the title of Marine. That would mean at least three pullups, running three miles in under 27 minutes and being able to hold a full-body plank for at least a minute.

“When I started, I couldn’t even do one pushup, let alone a pullup,” she said. “But that’s the thing: You shouldn’t let where you start dictate what you’re capable of.”

It took her about three months of practicing with reverse pullups and weightlifting to achieve her first true pullup.

Now she can do 10.

Leonard also runs the three-miler in about 26 minutes — a five-minute improvement from her start — and can hold a plank for three minutes and 45 seconds.

“Marine officers are badasses, leaders and mentors,” Leonard said. “I thought, ‘Why can’t that be me?’ Pursuing this path helped me see myself differently and believe that I am capable of more.”

A classmate and friend, Rose Genaris ’24, called Leonard’s journey “incredibly inspiring” to watch.

“I had not known a more resilient individual in my life until I met her. Lauren possesses a rare combination of intellect, empathy and integrity that sets her apart,” Genaris said. “And as she pursues her dream, I have full confidence that Lauren will not only change the world for the better but will also do so with kindness and compassion. She is truly someone that I am honored to call a friend.”

Even if the Marine Corps hadn’t worked out, Leonard was determined to continue working in the public interest. She is a fellow in the  Program in Law and Public Service , and she took Law and Public Service, and her Public Interest Law and Advocacy Skills with Professor Annie Kim ’99 .

“Lauren is going to be an excellent public service attorney in whatever field she chooses because of her integrity, tenacity and empathy for others,” Kim said. “As a Marine, Lauren will no doubt be an advocate for justice and a source of inspiration for women following in her footsteps.”

Leonard sought out opportunities to learn about both sides of criminal law, working as an intern at the Albemarle County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and being part of the  Innocence Project Clinic .

“The criminal justice system can do a lot of harm to people — it can ruin lives — so for those of us who are interested in prosecution, exposure to the defense side is a valuable reminder that we are dealing with humans,” Leonard said. “Until there is an alternative model of the justice system, remembering the humanity in all people is part of the answer to preventing mistakes and bad prosecutions.”

Leonard is excited that the Marine Corps offers “opportunities and a lifestyle that not many lawyers get,” including exposure to different areas of the law, travel and even learning self-defense.

More important, she said, “I get to be a part of something bigger than myself and serve an organization that brought my parents together and helped me meet my husband.”

Because of her husband’s own history in the Marines, he tagged along to the fitness events and other weekend Marine functions. When the OSO noticed his athleticism, he asked the former enlisted Marine if he would be interested in rejoining the corps and attending officer training.

He’ll get to wear his officer dress blues, for the very first time, to her graduation.

Founded in 1819, the University of Virginia School of Law is the second-oldest continuously operating law school in the nation. Consistently ranked among the top law schools, Virginia is a world-renowned training ground for distinguished lawyers and public servants, instilling in them a commitment to leadership, integrity and community service.

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Xavier University anti-Israel protesters dodge charges under 1953 law created to target Ku Klux Klan

F elony charges were dropped against a Xavier University student and graduate who took part in an anti-Israel protest on campus — which threatened to put them behind bars for up to 18 months under an obscure law originally meant to target members of the Ku Klux Klan.

Julia Lankisch, a Xavier grad, and Sophia Dempsey, a current student, both 22, were arraigned Monday in Hamilton County for trespassing while dodging charges of conspiracy while wearing a disguise, a little-known law that dates back to 1953, Fox 19 reports.

Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost had threatened to bring felony charges against student demonstrators just days before Lankisch and Dempsey allegedly covered their faces while protesting the war in Gaza on campus Saturday morning as part of the XU Free Palestine group.

Yost warned the university that a violation of the “Prohibition Against Conspiracy While Wearing a Disguise Law” is a felony punishable by six to 18 months in prison and up to a $5,000 fine.

“In the first place, students should protest within the bounds of the law and not commit crimes,” Yost wrote in a letter sent to Ohio’s public colleges last week. “In the second place, they should own their advocacy and avoid wearing masks.”

Yost’s office did not immediately respond to The Post’s request for comment.

The XU Free Palestine group said Lankisch and Dempsey were “peacefully protesting” the war in Gaza outside the school’s Cintas Center when they were arrested almost immediately.

Xavier officials said the two demonstrators were taken into custody for staging a protest away from the designated area the school had set aside for the group.

“Per our policy, Xavier University Police requested that both individuals relocate to the appropriate demonstration area,” the university said in a statement. “This request was ignored, and police notified the protestors that if they did not relocate, they would be arrested.

“After the student and civilian continued to ignore law enforcement, both were arrested and placed into custody without incident,” officials added.

Following Yost’s warning that protests could be hit with charges meant to target the Klan, the Columbus branch of the NAACP slammed the attorney general for equating college protesters with the notorious white supremacy group.

“I think it’s out of line. I think it’s really insincere. I think it’s extremely disrespectful to Black people,” NAACP branch president Nana Watson told NBC 15 .

So far, no one arrested in demonstrations in Ohio have been charged with the felony.

Rawls College of Business

Master of science in human resource management.

The Master of Science in Human Resource Management (MS-HRM) at Rawls College is a part-time lockstep program designed to meet the strong demand from companies and organizations for human resource professionals to recruit and retain talent in an increasingly tight labor market. The MS-HRM bridges theory with practice in all areas of staffing and performance management, human resource information systems, people analytics, compensation and benefits, leadership and ethics, and others while also providing the business context in which human resource management operates. This program is currently designated THECB Approval Pending.

program highlights

Flexible part-time format, 100% online.

Complete coursework from anywhere with our 100% online curriculum

Optional Synchronous Meetings

Attend synchronous meetings with instructors for more personalized instruction.

Designed for Working Professionals

Apply classroom knowledge directly to your work experience without the need for an internship.

Career-Defining Curriculum

The MS-HRM will help you prepare for professional careers in HRM through in-depth training in areas of HRM specialization with an emphasis on HR analytics. Throughout the program, you will gain an understanding of HRM issues and practices, examine ethical and legal HRM issues, enhance analytical reasoning and project management skills, develop strong communication and relationship management skills, and much more.

Core classes include foundational building blocks for today's business leaders:

Managing Organizational Behavior and Organizational Design

Human Resource Management

Negotiation and Conflict Management Skills

Human Resource Information Systems & Analytics

Employment Law & Labor Relations

Talent Acquisition & Management

Compensation & Benefits

International Human Resource Management

Individual Differences & Belongingness

Strategic Human Resource Management Capstone

program format

The Rawls College MS-HRM is a 30-credit-hour, 10-course program. The 100% online format is designed to be accessible for working professionals, allowing them to apply their classroom knowledge directly to their unique work experience. This is a part-time lockstep program designed to be completed in two years.

View sample degree programs »

Our management faculty members are passionate about helping you achieve your educational and professional goals. Our faculty integrates insights from their own research and professional experiences into the curriculum to ensure you can connect course topics to real-world scenarios.

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supporting your success

Rawls Career Management Center

Whether you are looking to switch careers or advance on your current path, the Rawls Career Management Center (CMC) is dedicated to supporting your success. The staff in the CMC can help you explore professions and industries, learn strategic career advancement techniques, and connect you with top employers.

Georgie G. Snyder Center for Business Communication

The Georgie G. Snyder Center for Business Communication (CBC) is dedicated to helping the Rawls College of Business community develop communication skills that lead to academic, professional, and personal success. Through consultations, workshops, microcredentials, and other services, we support Rawls students and faculty in “achieving excellence in business through excellence in communication.

Techsan Connection

The Techsan Connection is a free, online platform for Texas Tech alumni. Through the platform, alumni can apply to jobs, reconnect with fellow classmates, network with industry professionals and volunteer to mentor current students.

The admission process is the first step toward earning your degree. We will work closely with you to ensure your application process is personal, simple and successful.

Admission Requirements

Successful MS-HRM students come from all educational backgrounds but must have a bachelor's degree. Our program is designed to meet the needs of professionals looking to expand their skills within HRM.

A complete application consists of the following items to be received by the noted deadlines:

Unofficial Transcripts

Applicants must submit unofficial transcripts from any degree-awarding college or university, as well as any post-secondary institution attended.

Applicants must submit a detailed current resume, indicating professional work experience—including start and end dates (month and year) for each position held. Provide accomplishments and skills acquired, including managerial experience.

Letter of Recommendation

Applicants are required to submit a letter of recommendation. The letter should provide specific examples and anecdotes that illustrate your professional and/or academic potential.

Applicants must write an essay outlining their personal experiences, career goals, past challenges, any other relevant information they'd like the admissions committee to consider.

Application Deadlines

This program is pending approval by The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). The initial application period will open once program is approved.

There's no better time to apply for the MS-HRM program. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.

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[email protected] 806.742.3184

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Professional mba weekend classes.

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Where: Rawls College of Business

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Where: Center for Business Communications Room 139

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Father-Son Classmates Graduate From Texas A&M School of Law

David Lawson and his son Shannon naturally share many of the same qualities, like a witty sense of humor, natural curiosity and an ability to not take themselves too seriously. They recently added to the list of things they share in common – graduates of Texas A&M University’s School of Law.

The Lawsons, who earned their degrees this May, say it all began with a text message.

Shannon, 49,  was scrolling on his phone while waiting for a flight one day in 2022 when he came across an ad for the law school’s Master of Legal Studies (MLS) program with an emphasis in Cybersecurity Law and Policy . Shannon, who serves as chief information security officer for the City of Phoenix, was intrigued by the idea. Designed for non-lawyer professionals who don’t intend to practice law, the degree would give him legal expertise that would build on his background in cybersecurity.

Shannon had done cybersecurity work for the U.S. Navy, the state of Alaska and regional areas in Southern California. He and David had a combined 70 years of experience in the cybersecurity and information technology fields, and both father and son shared dreams of one day attending law school. So, Shannon texted his father.

“I always wanted to go to law school, but nothing ever aligned for me to do it,” Shannon said. “This program allowed me to tie (my degree) to cyber in a field that is high demand, low density.”

David, 75, was also attracted to the idea. He had been retired for nine years after a 45-year career in information technology. As chief information officer for West Jersey Health System and vice president of professional service at AllScript, he oversaw some of the nation’s most cutting-edge information and security systems. In retirement, David found himself dissatisfied with the slow pace of living, and still had an interest in expanding his skillset.

The father-son pair both decided to enroll in the MLS program, becoming online classmates in January 2023. Shannon did his studies from his home in Phoenix, and David from the Sarasota, Florida area.

Despite the distance, the Lawsons often shared notes and compared grades. And in the spirit of friendly competition, they pushed each other to see who could complete assignments first.

“We thought we had a clear idea of what would happen while going through this program. What ended up happening was that my dad would always be ahead of me in every class, which was understandable,” Shannon said. “I was working full-time, and I have a 10-year-old. So, my plate was full.”

For his part, David appreciated the accountability he received from Shannon. It also helped him adjust to the demands of going back to school.

“This program helped open a side of me that I always knew was there,” David said. “You’ve got to think and write, think some more, and then write some more. When you get older, people talk about the importance of exercising your mind. If you want to activate your brain, try going to law school.”

Throughout the program, the Lawsons learned new, innovative approaches to their craft. They also developed a fondness for their legal courses, particularly contract law, legal writing and alternative dispute resolution.

“The law classes were my favorite,” David said. “In my 40-plus years in the IT area, I was familiar with contracts, arbitration, negotiations and things like that. However, having taken these law classes, I am now able to better communicate with others in the room. When the attorneys talk, I now know how to talk and use the language that they understand. Just being able to speak their language is incredibly important.”

Shannon said he was also able to directly apply his new skills to his career.

“The law classes really made me more curious,” he said. “There was immediate applicability to the job that I’m in now because I work with procurement, the legal team and human resources for personnel investigations. It gave me the ability to use specific legal language to better participate in those conversations at work — which was awesome.”

For Shannon, this is his third master’s degree.

“I think it’s extra special that my dad and I were able to do it together,” he said. “I think it’s great because this opportunity doesn’t really present itself very often, and everything lined up perfectly at the right time.”

As the Lawson reflect up on their accomplishment and plan their next joint adventure, Shannon said their next venture will likely be “much tamer,” per his mother’s request.

“My mom told me to stop giving my dad ideas,” he joked.

This article by Justin Ikpo originally appeared on the School of Law website .

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