MD "Law"

Master Program in Law Studies

Specialty 8.03040101 - Law Studies

Qualification Granted

Master's Degree in Law Studies

Qualification Level

Master (second level of higher education)

Special Requirements for Admission

None. General conditions apply.

Special Regulations for Prior Education Recognition (formal, informal, non-certificate)

None.

Program Profile

Master's Program at the Faculty of Law, unlike similar programs at other faculties of the University, is also a one-year program and by its structure, workload and duration of courses – being similar to the Specialist's program of training: two semesters of intensive training process and a period for writing a master's thesis which is given almost twice as many credits as the thesis paper to obtain the Specialist's qualification (14 credits vs. 7.5). As noted, the structure of the courses is identical to the disciplines studies under the Specialist's training program: each course is only taught within a single semester. At the same time, the Master's program provides half (31 out of 60 credits) general mandatory subjects, including not only specialized applied courses, such as topical issues of civil law or legal regulation of information technologies - but also purely theoretical disciplines, as well as academic writing for lawyers. The main difference from the Specialist's training program is the contents of most courses and their orientation: the role of theoretical and methodological subjects is increasing, in particular, the philosophy of law, law-making theory, theory of law application and other subjects are taught. Significant is the selective block of disciplines necessary to be able to engage in future pedagogical activities. This refers to such subjects as methods of teaching in higher education, higher education pedagogy, as well as general and educational psychology. In this sense, it is necessary to take into account the fact that it is the Master program that enables further employment of its graduate as an instructor at NaUKMA or another institution of higher education. In this regard, Kyiv Mohyla Academy adopts the best practices of many universities worldwide in using the Master's program as the first stage in the preparation of teaching staff.

In total, the curriculum offers 60 ECTS credits including subjects of professional and practical training (28 credits); selective subjects (15 credits), research field internship (4 credits), and preparing a Master's qualifying thesis (14 credits).

Key Learning Outcomes

1. Knowledge in Subject Area

·competence in general theoretical issues, philosophy of law, drafting and enforcement, understanding the rule of law and problems of its fulfillment in Ukraine;
·expertise and navigation in controversial issues of civil and entrepreneurial law - within national legal traditions;
·awareness and competence regarding European law and issues of harmonization of Ukrainian legislation in the view of the country's declared policy towards European integration - in accordance with the Certificate Program "Problems of European Law";
·good understanding of issues of comparative constitutional law, comparative law studies, and international Contract Law;
·ability to apply abstract general theoretical principles and institutions of law (rule of law, the principle of proportionality, sociological law comprehension) and the current source base (practices of European Court of Human Rights, the general principles of law) to justify the practical problems in one's specific area of specialization and to settle specific application issues, as well as to provide doctrinal development of theoretical concepts.

2. Cognitive Skills in Subject Area

·ability to use professionally-profiled knowledge and practical skills in non-legal disciplines (philosophy, methodology of science, and psychology) in dealing with legal issues;
·developed critical thinking for key legal issues and doctrinal concepts, development of one's own informed positions on the problematic and ambiguous statements in legal science and practice;
·pedagogical knowledge and skills, including preparation for lectures and seminars, preparation of course syllabi, etc.;
·in an instructor's role, communication skills with other students.

3. Practical Skills in Subject Area

·ability to engage in research activities at the appropriate level using a wide array of sources, including authoritative sources from European legal tradition, as well as applying effective methods of comprehending and processing information, analyzing its validity and acceptability for use under specific doctrinal or professionally-applied conditions;
·ability to conduct legislative activity - taking into consideration the skills of enforcement of the rule of law and the rights and freedoms of humans and citizens;
·potential working efficiency in the areas of civil, commercial, corporate and contract law, as well as in the bodies of public administration;
·skills for pedagogical activities and teaching with regard to the taken methodology courses in law methodology, psychology (general and educational), and law teaching methods.

4. General Skills

·appropriate level of knowledge and fluency in Ukrainian and English legal terminology;
·ability to work effectively to systematize, process and properly format the bibliography when preparing a research paper;
·skills in the methodology of science, psychology, and pedagogy;
·skills of teaching legal theory and legal practice for high school students and university students.

Professional Profiles of Graduates and Potential Positions

Masters in Law Studies – according to their further specialization – will be focusing their professional activities on problematic aspects of law-making and law enforcement, philosophy of law and the principles of the rule of law, European law and national branches of the legal system and juridical science in general, as well as specific features of teaching legal subjects. In addition, the training of Masters implies consideration of philosophical and theoretical issues of law as the regulator of social relations and a unique socio-cultural phenomenon of humanity, of the aspects for improvement of legal matter and foundations of qualitatively different areas of law.

Considerable attention is paid to the issues of law enforcement and legal system building in accordance with the values of the ​​fundamental principle of human rights, rule of law and proportionality. The graduates from the Master's Program, after successful public defense of their qualification theses, can work in academic field, in particular, work on their dissertations to obtain the academic degree of Candidate of Sciences [PhD]; work in the field of doctrinal research into the issues of law and its individual sectors. They can work as experts of European legal system (after completing the certificated program "Issues of European Law") and they can engage in pedagogical activities in NaUKMA as any other institution of higher education.

Regulations for Examinations, Assessment and Grades

NaUKMA’s Tentative Provisions for Knowledge Assessment and Rating System for Students under Credit and Module System of Education Process

Graduation Requirements

Complete academic curriculum of 60 credits; successfully passed and defended research practice [internship]; successful defense of Master’s thesis.

Format of Education

Full-time

Head of Program

Mykola I. Koziubra, Chair of Department of General Theoretical and State Legal Sciences, Doctor of Law, Professor.