Courses and training programmes
As a PhD candidate, you invest in your professional and personal development by following an University education and training programme. The courses and trainings will help you to conduct your scientific research, write your dissertation, developing your career and gain self-insight.
Training and supervision plan
With the exception of external PhD candidates, all PhD candidates must follow a training plan that is established at the start of the doctoral process. The plan encompasses the entire doctoral process and consists of at least:
- 140 hours of academic training activities (training in the candidate’s specialism, conference attendance, etc.)
- 140 hours of training activities focusing on transferable skills (such as giving presentations, academic English, time management, career orientation, entrepreneurship), including at least one academic integrity training course.
External PhD candidates must at least take the ‘scientific integrity’ course.
The requirements for your training programme may vary by faculty and your personal situation. The costs are not for your own account. They will be reimbursed for you, as long as you coordinate your participation with your supervisor in advance. External PhD candidates must submit the course proposal to the Scientific Director or the dean before the start of the doctoral process.
For more information, see your faculty tab or view all courses for PhD candidates in our course calendar. For questions about the course offer, you can mail to hrmopleidingen@bb.leidenuniv.nl
PhD Training Programme
As a PhD candidate, PhD fellow, or contract PhD at Leiden Law School your training programme comprises three components: research skills, transferable skills, and an individual part. The mandatory training requirement for PhD researchers at Leiden Law School amounts to a total of at least 840 hours. This requirement is not applicable to external PhD researchers, but they are required to take the ‘scientific integrity’ course.
1. Research skills (at least 420 hours)
At least 420 hours should be dedicated to the acquirement and improvement of methodological knowledge and skills. There are two compulsary courses. They can only be replaced by other courses in consultation with the PhD Deans. For the remaining hours, PhD researchers are free to choose any of courses offered by the Graduate School. PhD researchers may also take courses at other Graduate Schools and/or Research Masters of Leiden University and other universities (for which costs may be involved).
Compulsory courses:
- Data Management Training (28 hours) - October 2024
- Scientific Conduct for PhDs (15 hours) - November 2024
Other courses:
- Philosophy of Science for Lawyers (140 hours) - Autumn 2024
- Quantitative Empirical Research Methods in Law (140 hours) - Spring 2025
- Qualitative Empirical Research Methods in Law (84-140 hours) - Spring 2025
- Legal Methodology (140 hours) - Spring 2025
2. Transferable skills (at least 140 hours)
At least 140 hours should be dedicated to courses in the area of transferable skills (such as giving presentations, academic English, time management, career orientation, entrepreneurship), including at least one academic integrity training course. PhD researchers can make use of the courses offered by Leiden University. PhD researchers with teaching tasks should follow the course ‘Teaching in practice’, or at least one of the 5 modules of the University Teaching Qualification (Basis Kwalificatie Onderwijs, BKO).
3. Individual part of the training
PhD researchers can follow various training courses that benefit their personal development or that offer more in-depth substantive knowledge connected to the topic of their dissertation (such as courses from Master programs, language education, Summer programmes, and conference participation).
Prices and cancellation fees
The transferable skills courses and career coaching for PhD candidates are free of charge for employed and contract PhD candidates at Leiden University and LUMC. PhD researchers do not need financial permission from supervisors to sign up. External PhD researchers are charged for the courses, and need to provide a SAP number upon registration.
If you have signed up for a course but do not show up, or if you cancel within two weeks of the starting date of the course, the HRM department will charge a €100 cancellation fee. If you need to cancel your course participation, you should do so by sending an e-mail to the HRM-department.