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The Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) is the most advanced degree conferred by the University of Virginia School of Law. It is designed for highly qualified, independent students who wish to pursue an extended program of research under the supervision of a faculty member, leading to the submission of a dissertation that makes an original and substantial contribution to legal scholarship. The School of Law’s S.J.D. program is intended primarily for aspiring legal academics. Graduates have joined the faculty of law schools and universities in many countries, including Canada, China, Egypt, Ghana, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States. Others have pursued careers in international organizations, governments and private practice worldwide.
Admission
Current students and graduates of the School of Law’s LL.M. program may apply for admission to the S.J.D. program. The Graduate Committee also considers applications from students who have received, or will receive at the end of the academic year during which they apply, the LL.M. degree with high academic standing from another leading U.S. law school.
S.J.D. candidates pay tuition at a substantially reduced research rate. The Law School does not provide financial aid to S.J.D. candidates.
Degree Requirements
All students enrolled in the S.J.D. program are required to design and complete an individualized first year study plan approved by their faculty supervisor and the Chair of the Graduate Studies Committee, consisting of a combination of reading lists, course audits, independent research and/or other training designed to prepare the candidate to write his or her dissertation. Students are expected to remain in residence in Charlottesville for at least one additional academic year after completing their first year program.
Candidates for the S.J.D. degree must satisfy the following to earn their degrees:
- CREDITS: S.J.D. degree candidates must successfully earn a minimum of 30 semester credits. These credits are earned through completion of the student’s first year study plan, dissertation work in residence, and attendance at the S.J.D. colloquium. Please note that S.J.D. students who pay tuition at the research rate may not enroll in classes for credit, but may internally audit up to two classes with the instructor’s permission. The School of Law does not accept transfer credits from outside institutions for candidates in the S.J.D. degree program.
- ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS: S.J.D. degree candidates must complete a dissertation approved by the Graduate Committee and successfully defend the dissertation in an oral examination. In order for the candidate to proceed to the dissertation stage, his or her supervisor must certify successful completion of the first-year program of study. The candidate must also submit a revised dissertation proposal at the end of the year, approved by the supervisor and the Graduate Studies Committee. The candidate must deposit the final version of the dissertation with the Law Library. The dissertation must make an original contribution to legal literature and demonstrate mastery of the principles of scholarly research and critical analysis. It is expected that the dissertation will be publishable as a book or a series of law review articles. The oral examination is conducted by a committee consisting of the dissertation supervisor and two other faculty members. After the examination, the committee will report to the faculty its opinion of the candidate’s work and fitness for the degree. The dissertation may be submitted and the oral exam held at any time within five years of the student’s admission to the S.J.D. program. This period may be extended if the student shows good cause submitted in writing to the Graduate Studies Committee.
- CONDUCT: All SJD degree candidates must conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the Law School’s academic and non-academic student conduct requirements.
Additional Information
For program and admission details, contact the Office of Graduate Studies, University of Virginia School of Law, 580 Massie Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903, or visit www.law.virginia.edu/graduatestudies.
