Doctoral Studies
Studying for a doctorate will involve you undertaking much more detailed research into a specific area you studied as part of your undergraduate course. At the end of the doctorate, you are expected to have made an independent, academic research contribution towards the study of law. A doctorate in law generally lasts three years. During this time, doctoral candidates work systematically and independently on a research topic which is then examined as a doctoral thesis (written dissertation) and a viva voce (presentation and discussion).
The Faculty of Law offers both individual and structured doctoral programmes. Graduates of either programme obtain the title of Dr. iur. (doctor iuris), but the study programmes vary somewhat in their parameters.
Please note that as of July 24, 2023, applications for admission to doctoral studies can only be submitted via the online tool Docata for doctoral studies at the University of Hamburg.
This also means for the further course of your doctoral procedure that you will have with Docata:
- secure online access to all information and documents for your doctoral procedure in the future.
- the ability to submit changed contact details and new information about your doctorate online.
- the ability to upload documents directly to Docata.
- the ability to receive important information about your doctoral procedure in Docata.
- the ability to submit the application for the opening of the doctoral procedure online.
- For further information on the admission as well as the entire doctoral procedure in Docata please visit Individual doctorate : Law : Universität Hamburg (uni-hamburg.de) and https://www.faq-docata.uni-hamburg.de/allgemein.html.
The Faculty also offers a series of other Master’s degree and graduate programmes (partly in conjunction with other institutes) for graduates with the German first state examination in law (or a similar course of studies at a university abroad).
