This program is designed for students who wish to become legal researchers as well as those who desire to make use of the results of technical research in their work, including lawyers, business legal staff, and civil servants. It provides students with the training, skills, and methodology needed to conduct research in law.

Academic Requirements

Please note that according to NTU Regulations, Ph.D. students are required to complete their degree within 7 years.

A: Dissertation Supervisor Application Requirements

Students should submit their choice of dissertation supervisor and the topic of the dissertation to the office before the end of the second month in the second academic year, and they can only apply for the degree examination at least one year after they have actually submitted the dissertation supervisor.

1. The supervisors should be professors of our college, andthe topic of the dissertation should be the supervisor’s specialized or related area.
2. Students who wish to engage adjunct professors as the dissertation supervisor should at the same time engage full-time professors to joint instruct as well. 

 B: Credits Requirements

1. Students are required to obtain at least 18 credits towards their graduation.
2. The credits can ONLY be obtained from courses with M code (for graduate students), or U code (shared by graduate students and senior undergraduates). Those of other undergraduate courses without U code, second foreign language courses, selected readings of foreign language jurisprudence and dissertation writing will NOT be counted towards graduation.
   ※Please note that "U courses" can only be recognized up to 6 credits.
3. Credits from courses offered by other colleges can be accepted with a maximum of 4 credits, and must be approved by the supervisor and closely related to the content of the dissertation proposed.

 C: Academic Subject Examination

1. Application deadline: before the mid-term week of every semester.
2. Students should attach an application form and a transcript of academic records.
3. Dissertation supervisor should assign two LL.M. degree courses given by our college as examination subjects.

D: Ph.D. Candidacy

At least one semester before the application of oral defense, students must apply to be doctoral candidates by submitting the following documents:

1. Transcript of academic records (with the required 18 credits finished)
2. Copy of supervisor application form
3. Certification of passing the academic subject exam
4. List of published essays and copies of them. The list must consist of 
   a) at least 2 essays published in a journal with peer review, or
   b) at least 1 essay published in a journal with peer review and 1 essay in academic seminar
5. Certification of attendance at dissertation seminar in our college
6. Certification of attendance of at least 10 academic activities held by our college 
7. Evaluation of the applicant’s plan on dissertation by the supervisor

E: Dissertation Proposal

1. Students should submit their dissertation proposal for a review at the semester before the oral defense. Please note that the following documents should be attached while applying for the review:
   a) Certification of at least 2 essays published in a journal with peer review, and 
   b) Certification of substantial assistance in teaching or academic research
2. After our office receives the proposal, the dissertation supervisor shall invite two faculty members—one faculty member in our college and one non-NTU-affiliated faculty member—with complementary and relevant expertise to form a Steering Committee and review the dissertation proposal.
3. Ph.D. candidates should write their dissertation drafts in accordance with the opinion of the Steering Committee.

 F: Submission of Dissertation Draft

Before the semester that students plan to graduate, Ph.D. candidates must select “Dissertation (Ph.D.)” in the NTU Course selection system.

Please note that students are required to study for at least four semesters in order to receive a doctoral degree, which means the oral defense can only take place after the fourth semester of the study.

1. Dissertations written in a foreign language would be accepted, subject to the approval of the Course Committee. An abstract written in Chinese should be submitted together with the dissertation on the oral defense if the dissertation is written in a foreign language.
2. Ph.D. candidates should submit the following documents to the office within five days after the semester starts:
   a) Two copies of the dissertation draft approved by the supervisor, and
   b) The electronic file of an 5000 word abstract
3. A committee will be gathered to review the dissertation and the abstract, and to decide whether the Ph.D. candidate is entitled to defend his/her dissertation. If the committee decides not to grant the qualification, the candidate has one chance to revise the dissertation draft in three months and hand it in for review again. If he/she still fails to pass the review, then he/she will have to wait until the following semester.

G: Seminar and Oral Defense of Dissertation

1. Application
   
   1. Deadline:
      Fall semester: November 30
      Spring semester: April 30
   2. Please go to myNTU website to enroll in the “Online Application System for the Oral Thesis/ Dissertation Defense”, print out the application form and have it signed by the supervisor, and then hand it to the office with your academic transcript.
      
      
2. Dissertation Seminar
   Before the oral defense, the Ph.D. candidate must host a dissertation seminar, in which the dissertation is discussed and given advice openly. The minutes of the seminar will be a requirement of graduation.
   
   1. Deadline:
      Fall semester: December 15
      Spring semester: May 15
      
   2. Students should announce the dissertation seminar 2 weeks before the seminar takes place, and must submit the minutes and the QA record of their seminar afterwards. Please note that the minutes have to be signed by more than 7 participants, and the QA record must be at least one-page long.
      
      
3. Nomination of Oral Defense Committee
   Ph.D. candidates must discuss the composition of the Oral Defense Committee with the supervisors. The nomination list must be submitted to office and will be examined by our college.
   1. Deadline:
      Fall semester: December 15
      Spring semester: May 15
   2. The committee has to be composed of five to seven examiners, including the dissertation supervisor. 
      
      
4. Oral Defense of Dissertation
   
   1. Deadline:
      Fall semester: January 31
      Spring semester: July 31
      
   2. Please have the Invitation stamped by the office, take the Official Letter of Appointment, and hand them to the Oral Defense Committee together with the oral defense version thesis two weeks before the oral defense.
   3. On the day of the oral defense, please arrange one person to collect the receipt, the payment for the Committee, the transcript, and the dissertation revision confirmation form from the office. The Acceptance Certificate shall be prepared by students themselves.
      
      
5. Revocation of the Oral Defense
   If the defense cannot be held within the regulated time, please revoke the defense. 
   
   1. Deadline:
      Fall semester: January 31
      Spring semester: July 31
   2. Please note that the student has to pass the oral defense within two attempts, or he/she will be disqualified from pursuing the degree. If the student applies online and does not revoke it, but the oral defense does not take place in that day, it will be considered as failing one chance. 
      

H: After the Oral Defense of Dissertation

1. Graduation Procedures
   1. Students who successfully passed the oral defense should complete the following graduation procedures before the designated date:
      1. Upload the dissertation to the library website 
      2. Hand in three copies in print (1 hardcover and 2 paperbacks) to the library 
      3. Return the keys of research chamber and dorm
   2. After all the procedures are done, students could take the certificate of degree from the Office of Academic Affairs. In the graduation ceremony in the second semester of the year of graduation, students could also receive the tassel turning.
      (The graduation ceremony date each year might be different, please mind the email sent from the office.)
      
      
2. Graduation Postponement Application
   Students who passed the oral defense but wish not to graduate in the semester should complete the application form, have it signed by the supervisor, and hand it to the office. 
   1. Deadline:
      Fall semester: January 31
      Spring semester: July 31
   2. In this situation, please DO NOT hand the dissertation to the library nor upload the dissertation file online.
   3. Please note that in the expected graduation semester, students should visit “Online Application System for the Oral Thesis/ Dissertation Defense” again, and click “Application Form for those who passed the thesis/dissertation defense” to apply for starting the graduation procedures.

For further information about the Ph.D. Academic Regulation, please walk in the administration office!