The Post-graduation Program in Law aims at forming researchers with a broad mastery of their field of knowledge. It comprises a wide range of programed, advanced and individualized activities, supervised by an adviser, which include and give priority to teaching and research, always seeking the integration of knowledge. It has two terminal levels, the master’s and the doctorate, differentiated by the breadth and depth of studies. It is structured around ten areas of concentration, which link the 33 lines of research and the 147 research projects in progress.
The Program Regulations establish the following curricular structure for obtaining the degrees granted, considering the standard that 01 credit corresponds to 15 hours/class.
Academic Master’s Degree
. Maximum period of 36 months
. 98 Credits, distributed as follows:
- 40 credits must be obtained through both the approval in disciplines and special credits, and a minimum of 24 credits in disciplines must be taken. At the discretion and subject to the adviser’s consent, up to 16 credits can be obtained as special credits.
- 58 credits are attributed to the elaboration and approval of the Dissertation.
Doctorate (for those students who have a master’s degree)
. Maximum period of 36 months
. 156 credits, distributed as follows:
- 40 credits must be obtained through both the approval in disciplines and special credits, and a minimum of 24 credits in disciplines must be taken. At the discretion and subject to the adviser’s consent, up to 16 credits can be obtained as special credits.
- 116 credits are attributed to the elaboration and approval of the Thesis.
Direct Doctorate (for those students who do not have a master’s degree)
. Term 60 months
. 196 credits, thus distributed:
- 80 credits must be obtained through the approval in disciplines and special credits, and a minimum of 48 credits in disciplines must be taken. At the discretion and subject to the adviser‘s consent, up to 32 credits can be obtained as special credits.
- 116 credits are attributed to the elaboration and approval of the Thesis.
Special credits are considered in accordance with the Regulation of the PPGD:
- Complete work published in a national or international magazine that has a recognized editorial board and an adequate referential system (maximum 3 credits);
- Publication of complete work in annals, or similar, (maximum 2 credits);
- Book or book chapter of renowned merit in the area of knowledge (maximum 2 credits);
- Participation in scientific congress, with presentation of work, whose abstract should be published in annals, or similar, (maximum 1 credit);
- Programmed activities foreseen in the Program rules (maximum 2 credits);
- Participation in the Program for the Improvement of Education (PAE) (4 credits)
Prior to the defence of the Dissertation/Thesis, there is a qualification exam that must be carried out, after 3 academic semesters. For those students seeking the doctorate degree, without having a master’s degree, this exam must take place after 5 academic semesters. The Examining Committee is composed of 03 members (all of them hold a doctorate degree), whether they have joined the Program or not, including the Advisor.
The Defense Academic Boards are composed as follows:
- Master’s Degree: 03 professors, out of which 02 are not part of the PPGD, and 01 of them must not be from USP;
- Doctorate Degree: 05 professors, out of which 03 are not part of the PPGD, and 01 of them must not be from USP;
In both cases, the Advisor chairs the session, without the right to vote, and does not take part in the minimum number mentioned above.
