Research Degrees erasmus+

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Pursue rigorous, independent doctoral research. in the areas of law and governance. within the EPLO’s international academic environment.

Program Research Degrees

Language English

Duration 36 months

Mode On-Premise or Online

Location(s) Rome, Athens, Cascais, Online

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This program is offered at ELGU Athens and ELGU Rome campuses.

In your application you will be asked to select the campus of your preference.

The ELGU PhD is a degree program lasting a minimum of 3 years which enables students to conduct independent research in the fields of Legal Research, Governance Studies, or on an interdisciplinary topic. It is supported by the expansive ELGU International Faculty network of over 100 legal and governance scholars and practitioners worldwide, the ELGU’ Partner Universities across Europe and the world, and the EPLO. Importantly, students of the program will be granted access to attend EPLO events on key themes in EU law and governance and to interact with renown EU leaders and decision-makers. Students graduate with a clear understanding and awareness of the most up-to-date scholarly research, as well as a solid professional network to support them in their career after the ELGU.

Full time residency is not a requirement for this degree, but students may be required to attend several training sessions throughout the program which will be held at the EPLO premises in Greece. The first training session which normally takes place on January every year will introduce students to advanced research methods, while consecutive sessions focus on tutoring and teaching skills. Students are also expected attend classes, seminars, and lectures, as designated by their supervisors, and to be actively involved in presenting their research findings at conferences throughout Europe and the greater world. Upon completion of the program students will deliver up to a 100,000 word thesis.

While this program encourages mobility and flexibility, students are expected to be devoted full time to their PhD studies. Students that are employed should be able to demonstrate balance work and study and be able to deliver their thesis within the established period of time.

Program Benefits

The ELGU PhD program is a modern program of the highest academic standard, which has been designed with flexibility and mobility in mind. Successful applicants will be assigned a supervisor, based upon their academic interests, from the renowned International Faculty Network of the ELGU.

The International Faculty Network is comprised of professors and practitioners from throughout the world, which enables students to conduct research on a wide-range of topics, in many countries and in roughly 10 languages.*

*Dependent upon the availability of a suitable supervisor

The structure and content of the program can be found below:

Courses

Year 1

Students admitted as Probationary Research Students (PRS)
Attend 2 week orientation program in mid October at Sounion(25 hours of classes in research methods, statistical methods, presentation preparation, public speaking)
Assign supervisor and devise work program
Attend classes and conferences as determined by supervisor
Meetings with supervisor
Qualifying Test (10,000 word paper on research proposal, Title, Draft Outline)

Year 2

Successful students from 1^st year progress from PRS to PhD status
2-day training on ‘How to be a tutor’ at Sounion (optional)
Assist in undergraduate and postgraduate tutorials of the ELGU (for resident students)
Attend classes and conferences as determined by supervisor
Attend PhD Conference (Year 2 or 3)
PhD Students submit confirmation Test

Year 3

Tutorship
Attend classes and conferences as determined by supervisor
Attend PhD Conference (Year 2 or 3)
Students granted leave to supplicate
Delivery of Thesis
Thesis Defense

Admissions Requirements and Procedures

Academic Requirements

Students from all over the world may be admitted following a rigorous application process. Prospective students for the PhD should have a first or second class master’s degree in law, political sciences, or in a relevant field of the social sciences. High caliber students with a background in a different field of studies or a particularly competitive profile with evidence of relevant professional experience and long-term dedication to the field will also be considered. Due to the international nature of the program, degree equivalencies will be determined by the Faculty Board.

Language Requirements

All taught elements of the program will be conducted in the English language. As a result, students originating from non-English speaking countries must evidence their level of English language skills in accordance with the following:

TOEFL Internet based, Score of 90 or above
IELTS, 6.0
Duolingo, 95
Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency, Grade B or above
Any other internationally recognized test with equivalent marks
Students intending to conduct their research in a language other than English must demonstrate their level of the relevant language skills.

Application

Students from all over the world are admitted following a rigorous application process which consists of two-phases. Students must first submit their application form and once they have done so, candidates considered for admissions will be invited to an interview.

To apply for a program, students must first review the application form and its requirements to ensure the collection of appropriate material. By the time they have gathered all documentation they should proceed with payment of the one-time application fee either at the relevant online portal or via a bank transfer. Students should always add their surname, initial letter of their first name and course/degree title in the deposit description.

Students can then proceed with their application, which can only be conducted online and submit it along with the supporting documentation, listed below. All support documents must be in electronic format and uploaded to be sent with the application.

The 2 reference letters should be emailed directly from Referees to PhD admissions at PhD@elgs.eu.

A successful application must include:

A completed online Application Form in English (please refer to the degree Admission tab for full details)
Uploaded scanned Passport or ID with photo
Uploaded scanned most recent Undergraduate/Postgraduate degree
Uploaded Certificate of Proficiency in English
(if a non-native speaker, scanned and uploaded TOEFL 83, Cambridge Proficiency grade C, IELTS 6.0, Duolingo 90 or equivalent)
Uploaded Certificate of Proficiency of language that thesis will be written in, if non-native speaker
Personal Statement (400 words) - with Scholarship request if applicable
Two (2) Reference Letters contacts: if employed one must be from current employer (to be sent directly from Referee to relevant program email)
Research Proposal - 1,000 words for MSt, MPhil and 1500 words for PhD
Two Academic writing samples on relevant topic (Master’s thesis accepted)
Registration fee proof of payment (non-refundable)

Deadlines

Tuition and Aid

Tuition and Fees for PhD students for this Academic year is as follows:

Application fee of 50€
Tuition fee per year for full time students 15,180€ per year
Accommodation fees as per availability and request

All students must be able to provide evidence of sufficient funding to cover the cost of their tuition fees throughout the duration of the program. If you have obtained funding from an outside source, please indicate this in your application. Please note that there are a limited number of scholarships available each year, which are select based upon merit.

Scholarships

In the event that you are interested in being considered for a scholarship, please submit a scholarship request in the amount of 400-600 words.