Change your career path at St Petersburg University

'I dreamt of a legal education since my school days, but eventually chose medicine as my first profession,' said Iuliia Oshurkova. After graduation, Iuliia worked first as a doctor in a paediatric clinic, then as an expert in the regional department of the Federal Service for Surveillance in Healthcare. Now she works for an international company conducting clinical studies. Iuliia said that in her daily work she realised that she lacked legal knowledge: 'I chose St Petersburg University, as I wanted to acquire fundamental knowledge and skills in the field of law.'

To be admitted to the programme 'Law (for people with higher education)' it is necessary to submit the results of three exams: social sciences, history and the Russian language. These may be the results of the Russian State Exam or entry exams administered by St Petersburg University. Such exams are held in a format similar to the Russian State Exam, and are also graded on a 100-point scale. Among the students in this programme there are students who took such examinations for the first time. They had first entered the university long before the unified exam was made compulsory. However, there were also those who took the Russian State Exam right after school. Daria Bogdanova is a student in law, with her first degree in conflict studies. She shared her feelings about taking the exam again: 'It's not as scary as the first time. Speaking of exams in history, you can recall a lot from your previous experience. The topics included in the social science exam are often covered in the course of a primary degree, since courses in philosophy, law, sociology and other disciplines are taught to students of the humanities and of technical fields alike.'

After their admission to St Petersburg University, students have to combine work and study, but their experience helps here also. 'Since we already have a diploma from a higher institution, it is much easier to manage your time for a second course. We already have work and life experience, as well as personal motivation. There are many examples when the decision about a first degree is made by parents, influenced by modern trends or fashion. The second degree is, in most cases, a personal and conscious choice,' said Aleksei Salmin, a student in law. Aleksei's first degree is in corporate finance. He has vast experience working as a financial director in the electric power industry. During his career, he said, there has always been a need to understand legal issues, so the choice of the academic programme was obvious.

Please call +7 (812) 36-36-636 or write to abiturient@spbu.ru if you have any questions about admission to St Petersburg University in 2020.

The curriculum is designed with the opinion of employers in mind, who specify what competencies a graduate should have, and who they wish to employ upon graduation. The programme includes subjects that reflect current trends in the legal services market: civil, commercial, international, criminal law, civil procedure, labour law, financial law and many others.

The programme offers a practice-oriented approach for people with higher education. We train professionals who, upon graduation, will be able to make informed decisions in situations of legal uncertainty, regardless of their field of work.

Associate Professor of St Petersburg University Olga Fedorova

Iuliia Oshurkova mentioned that although she does not have a diploma in law yet, the knowledge she has acquired already helps her in her work: ‘I look at certain processes, events and facts from a different perspective, and sometimes from a completely different angle. I can confidently claim that the combination of professional clinical thinking, which is taught in a medical university, and knowledge in law create a synergy effect.'

When asked whether to study, if one already has a higher education, Aleksei Salmin answers without doubt: 'To begin with, of course, if you have the desire and opportunity, you have to pursue your studies. Secondly, there is no doubt that the choice should be made in favour of St Petersburg University – this is the benchmark for Russian education. Finally, legal knowledge will help you to become a top specialist and advance your career in any field of business.'