For Prospective Master’s Students

"Law and State: Theory and Practice"


The Master’s Program "Law and State: Theory and Practice" aims to provide an in-depth study of the disciplines within the profile of the Department of Theory of State and Law and Political Science.

General theory of state and law, philosophy of law, history of the philosophy of law, comparative law, and sociology of law – all these disciplines belong to the field of fundamental legal science, which is intended to study the state and law as phenomena of social life.

The distinctive feature of fundamental legal science is its close interaction with non-legal social sciences, such as philosophy, history, anthropology, sociology, economic theory, psychology, and others. Over several centuries of its existence, fundamental jurisprudence has accumulated a vast body of knowledge, without which modern legal science is inconceivable.
Fundamental legal science serves as the essential basis for scientific research, both in the fields of the philosophy and sociology of law and in addressing applied problems of lawmaking and law enforcement. Occupying an intermediate position between sectoral dogmatics and non-legal social sciences, fundamental jurisprudence acts as the worldview core, the mastery of which is indispensable for the professional development of a modern lawyer.

The courses offered by this program will allow Master’s students to familiarize themselves with the main vectors of development in modern fundamental legal science, better understand the specifics of interdisciplinary research, gain research skills, and expand the horizons of their scientific interests. The Master’s program will be particularly beneficial for those who intend to pursue a career in fundamental legal research in the future.
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Past Examination Papers (Archive)
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Recommended Reading List for the Entrance Examination
Master’s Program: "Law and State: Theory and Practice"

  1. Alekseev S.S. General Theory of Law. Course in 2 volumes. Moscow, 1981, 1982. (Алексеев С.С. Общая теория права. Курс в 2-х т. М., 1981, 1982.)
  2. Voplenko N.N. Interpretation of Law. Volgograd, 2007. (Вопленко Н.Н. Толкование права. Волгоград, 2007.)
  3. Jellinek G. General Theory of the State. St. Petersburg, 2004. (Еллинек Г. Общее учение о государстве. Спб., 2004.)
  4. Zhukov V.N. State. Law. Power: Philosophy and Sociology. Moscow, 2015. (Жуков В.Н. Государство. Право. Власть: философия и социология. М., 2015.)
  5. Zhukov V.N. Russian Philosophy of Law: From Rationalism to Mysticism. Moscow, 2013. (Жуков В.Н. Русская философия права: от рационализма к мистицизму. М., 2013.)
  6. Zhukov V.N. Sociology of Law in Russia (Second Half of the 19th – First Third of the 20th Century): Monograph. 2nd ed. Moscow, 2017. (Жуков В.Н. Социология права в России (вторая половина XIX – первая треть XX в.): монография. 2-е изд., доп. М., 2017.)
  7. Zhukov V.N. Philosophy and Sociology of Law: An Experience of a Pluralistic Approach. Moscow, 2013. (Жуков В.Н. Философия и социология права: опыт плюралистического подхода. М., 2013.)
  8. Zhukov V.N. Philosophy of Law: Textbook for Universities. Moscow: Mir Filosofii, Algoritm, 2019. (Жуков В.Н. Философия права: Учебник для вузов. М.: Мир философии, Алгоритм, 2019.)
  9. Ihering R. Selected Works. In 2 volumes. St. Petersburg, 2006. (Иеринг Р. Избранные труды. В 2 т. СПб., 2006.)
  10. Korkunov N.M. Lectures on the General Theory of Law. St. Petersburg, 1914. (Коркунов Н.М. Лекции по общей теории права. СПб., 1914.)
  11. Leist O.E. The Essence of Law. Moscow, 2002. (Лейст О.Э. Сущность права. М., 2002.)
  12. Marchenko M.N. Sources of Law. Moscow, 2006. (Марченко М.Н. Источники права. М., 2006.)
  13. Marchenko M.N. Problems of the Theory of State and Law. Moscow, 2006. (Марченко М.Н. Проблемы теории государства и права. М., 2006.)
  14. Machin I.F. History of Political and Legal Doctrines. Teaching aid. 2nd ed. Academic Course. Moscow, 2019. (Мачин И.Ф. История политических и правовых учений. Уч. пос. 2-е изд., пер. и доп. М., 2019.)
  15. Muromtsev S.A. Definition and Fundamental Division of Law. 2nd ed. Moscow, 2016. (Муромцев С.А. Определение и основное разделение права. Изд. 2-е. М, 2016.)
  16. Nenovski N. Unity and Interaction of State and Law. Moscow, 1982. (Неновски Н. Единство и взаимодействие государства и права. М., 1982.)
  17. General Theory of State and Law / Ed. by V.S. Nersesyants. Moscow, 2004. (Общая теория государства и права / Под ред. Нерсесянца В. С. М, 2004.)
  18. General Theory of State and Law. Academic Course. Ed. by Prof. M.N. Marchenko. In 3 volumes. Moscow, 2016.(Общая теория государства и права. Академический курс. Под ред. проф. М. Н. Марченко. В 3-х томах. М., 2016.)
  19. Theory of State and Law: Textbook / Ed. by M.N. Marchenko (Classic University Textbook). Moscow, 2019. (Теория государства и права: Учебник / Под ред. М.Н. Марченко. М., 2019.)
  20. Theory and Methodology of Legal Science: Master's Textbook. Part 2: History, Sociology, and Sectoral Legal Disciplines / Ed. by M.N. Marchenko. Moscow, 2019. (Теория и методология юридической науки: учебник для магистратуры. Ч. 2 / отв. ред. М. Н. Марченко. М., 2019.)
  21. Theory and Methodology of Legal Science: Master's Textbook. Part 1: General Issues / Ed. by M.N. Marchenko. Moscow, 2019. (Теория и методология юридической науки: учебник для магистратуры. Ч. 1 / отв. ред. М.Н. Марченко. М., 2019.)
  22. Frolova E.A. History of Political and Legal Doctrines: Textbook. Moscow, 2020. (Фролова Е.А. История политических и правовых учений: учебник. М., 2020.)
  23. Frolova E.A. Problems of the Theory and Philosophy of Law. Moscow, 2018. (Фролова Е.А. Проблемы теории и философии права. М., 2018.)
  24. Frolova E.A. Philosophy of Law in Russia: Neo-Kantianism (Second half of the 19th — First half of the 20th century). Moscow, 2019. (Фролова Е.А. Философия права в России: неокантианство. М., 2019.)
  25. Halfina R.O. General Doctrine of Legal Relationship. Moscow, 1974. (Халфина Р.О. Общее учение о правоотношении. М., 1974.)
  26. Chirkin V.E. The Modern State. Moscow, 2001. (Чиркин В.Е. Современное государство. М., 2001.)
  27. Shershenevich G.F. General Theory of Law: Teaching Aid. In 2 volumes. Moscow, 1995. (Шершеневич Г.Ф. Общая теория права: учебное пособие. В 2 т. М., 1995.)