Doctoral studies at the Faculty of Law of the University of Zenica are organized with the aim of educating legal personnel of high scientific potential (doctors of legal sciences). The doctoral study program is focused on the development of general research competencies achieved through study selection, building confidence in researching a suitable scientific phenomenon with the use of insight and observation, systematization of its elements, selection and use of relevant and optimal literature, and within those research actions and procedures, adequate application of scientific and methodologically reliable principles and criteria for the purpose of generating research results and drawing grounded conclusions.
The program is intended for the professional and scientific development and improvement of current lawyers and enables potential candidates to develop at the highest level of this field in science, administration, commercial and judicial institutions and other activities, since the program concept provides numerous orientations and specialized educational material adapted for the successful performing of appropriate jobs, specific tasks, or functions. The study program strongly promotes the development of individual research abilities and skills of the candidate, without an excessive or bloated workload; respecting diversity and ensuring an individualized education that meets the specific needs of each candidate in his/her own maturation.
The doctoral study of the Faculty of Law of the University of Zenica strongly promotes interdisciplinarity, so that candidates have the option of choosing compulsory subjects from all doctoral study courses of the Faculty of Law of the University of Zenica, as well as elective subjects within the doctoral studies of any organizational unit of the University of Zenica.
The main goals of the doctoral study are:
- promoting scientific excellence and original scientific contribution as a result of independent research;
- educating specialized researchers for the development and application of scientific methods and achievements in the field of legal sciences;
- training legal professionals to acquire competencies in the field of commercial law for faster and easier inclusion in modern economic trends;
- training researchers for independence in initiating and leading research intentions and projects;
- developing legal practitioners more expeditiously so that they are more prepared for work within state structures and conscientiously accept part of the legal responsibility in the development of various programs and projects;
- that lawyers educated with this degree are better prepared for the field of direct international cooperation, for coordination with regional and world higher education institutions, and for the transfer of knowledge and technical assistance in the field of education and scientific research work;
- that the results of its accomplishments serve as a function of long-term planning, ensuring the improvement and development of the University’s own teaching staff and personnel potential;
- encouraging a positive educational climate in the development of scientific research work at the University of Zenica.
Curriculum and Program of Study for the Third Cycle of Studies (Doctoral’s)
Doctoral thesis
Doctoral studies are studies for obtaining the academic degree of Doctor of Science and represent the highest level of formal education. The competent bodies are the council of the organizational unit and the Senate of the University, which propose or appoint the committee for the evaluation and defense of the project, doctoral dissertation, and mentor. A mentor is a person appointed by the study council in an academic title, full or associate professor, who guides the doctoral student during the preparation of the doctoral dissertation. In certain cases, the candidate can have two mentors, if the topic requires it. A doctoral student is a person enrolled in a third-cycle study within the University/organizational unit, who attends the study in the manner determined by the University Statute and other rules.
The goal of the doctoral study is to train the candidate to acquire specialist knowledge in the narrower field of study within which the candidate is preparing a dissertation (doctoral thesis), to use scientific methods and research techniques in the narrower field of research, to creatively solve complex problems from practice, i.e. training for further scientific research work.
The word dissertation comes from the Latin word dissertatio which means “discourse”, “explanation” or “detailed discussion”. Previously, the dissertation represented a kind of thesis that formed the core of the promotion, however, the meaning of the word changed over time and today it represents a scientific work that generally has several hundred pages. The dissertation is the most important part of the promotion process and must contain an independent contribution to science. The entire promotion procedure leads to the oral defense of the work, i.e. some kind of oral exam. When the candidate meets all the requirements, i.e. he passes the written exams, receives a positive opinion from the mentor and the committee and finally publicly defends his work, the promotion procedure ends and the faculty awards him the degree of Doctor of Science.
Unlike an undergraduate exam or a master’s or graduate thesis, a dissertation is an independent scientific work that, as a rule, is characterized by the growth of knowledge based on research. As a rule, doctoral studies last 3 years.
