Doctoral research and studies after having graduated in law in Germany

I. Supervision of the project and supervision agreement

Before beginning a formal admission procedure it is necessary to conclude a written supervision agreement (Promotionsvereinbarung) between the possible future doctoral student and her or his supervisor. As prerequisite for admission, this agreement has to meet legal requirements. The agreement has to cover at least the following matters:

1. the dissertation project, time tables that are adjusted to the situation in life of the potential doctoral student; time tables have to be checked and continuously adjusted;
2. statements about an individual program for studies,
3. a reciprocal commitment to comply with standards or codes of conduct safeguaridng good research practice for academic and scientific work;
4. regulations for the resolution of disputes and
5. the times of evaluation which have to be determined at the time the dissertation is submitted.

The Faculty of Law provides a form that can be used for the preparation of the supervision agreement (Promotionsvereinbarung). The conclusion of the agreement is a necessary condition, but not a sufficient condition for admission. After completion of the agreement (Promotionsvereinbarung), registration at the portal heiDOCS is necessary before submission of the application for admission to doctoral research and studies.

II. Admission to doctoral research and studies

Rules for the admission to doctoral research and studies are laid down for different groups of potential doctoral students in Sections 4 - 9 of the Regulations for Doctoral Research and Studies at the Faculty of Law (Promotionsordnung; a university bylaw in German; abbr.: PromO).

1. Doctoral Research and Studies After Undergradiate Studies of Law within Gremany (Degree: First Juristic Examination)

The prerequisites for admission have been laid down in section 4 PromO for applicants who have completed the first juristic examination or the second juristic state examination within the Federal Republic of Germany. The prerequisites are:

a. successful completion of studies of law. Applicants mus have achieved at least the grade “vollbefriedigend” (fully satisfactory) in the first juristic examination or in the second state examination. Admission on the basis of the first juristic examination is only possible if the applicant has achieved the grade “befriedigend” (satisfactory) with at least 8 grading points both in the state examination part and in the university examination part of the examination. Applicants who completed their first juristic examination at another faculty of law and who have not been admitted to doctoral research and studies there due to their examination results are treated like applicants without fully satisfactory examination result;

b. the Latin language skills test “Latinum” and

c. studies of at least two semesters of law at the Faculty of Law at the University of Heidelberg.

The Doctoral Research Board (Promotionsausschuss) may, in justified cases of exceptions, exempt from some individual prerequisites of admission if equivalent achievements have been substantiated. The Doctoral Research Board (Promotionsausschuss) requires for such an exemption that the achievements are able to give good reason to justify the expectation that the applicant will be capable of the kind of academic and scientific work connected with a dissertation in a manner that is equivalent to the prerequisite from which the board is asked to exempt.This is examined in every individual case.

The Doctoral Research Board (Promotionsausschuss) considers a possible exemption from the requirement of the grade “vollbefriedigend” (fully satisfactory) in the final examination only, if the applicant has at least achieved the grade „befriedigend” (satisfactory) and if - on the basis of

• other achievements during studies, especially seminars, and on the basis of
• a draft of the project in the form of an essay and
• the assessment of a professor who is member of the Faculty of Law

the Doctoral Research Board (Promotionsausschuss) has sufficient reason to assume that the applicant has the aptitude for doctoral research and studies.

Exemptions from the Latin language skills test “Latinum” are only considered, if evidence of other foreign language skills is submitted, which, like the Latinum, open up access to foundations of scientific and academic work on law, especially to foundations in the history of law, philosophy of law, sociology of law or comparative law.

We recommend to discuss possible applications for an exemption in the office for doctoral research and studies with Ms. Eckert or with the academic manager of the office of the dean, Dr. Rainer Keil.

2. Doctoral research and rtudies on the basis of a German master degree in law

For the possibility of admission to doctoral research and studies on the basis of a German master degree in law section 5 PromO requires among others the equivalence of this degree with the completion of a first juristic examination with the grade “vollbefriedigend” (fully satisfactory). The Doctoral Research Board (Promotionsausschuss) has to take into account the standard period of studies (Regelstudienzeit), how narrow or wide the content of the courses was defined, kind and extent of examinations and how well the studies are able to prepare for thorough academic and scientific work in law.

III. Matriculation (enrollment) as doctoral student

For enrollment as doctoral student, please contact the office of student administration of the central university administration at Seminarstraße 2, 69117 Heidelberg. The colleagues at the student administration need you to submit a certificate of admission to doctoral research and studies. As soon as the Doctoral Research Board (Promotionsausschuss) has admitted you to doctoral research and studies, you can obtain this certificate at the office for doctoral research and studies (Ms. Eckert).