Rutgers, The State University Of New Jersey

Program Information

Degree Offered

Master's degree in Legal Philosophy

Format: Campus

Program Description:

The Rutgers University (New Brunswick) Philosophy Department, in conjunction with the Rutgers Camden and Newark Law Schools, is offering a coordinated degree program leading to a master’s in Legal Philosophy.

To be awarded the M.A. a student must successfully complete 30 credits and write a thesis. Up to 8 of the 30 credits can be transferred from the applicant’s law school. The law courses that would be counted toward the M.A. must be approved by the Program Director in the Department of Philosophy. Over a two-semester period of study in New Brunswick, persons admitted would consult with the Program Director on a plan of study that consist of at least 5 philosophy courses (for a total of 15 or 16 credits) and a Master’s Thesis jointly supervised by the Program Director and an appropriate faculty member in the Philosophy Department or at one of the Rutgers Law Schools. It is realistic to expect that diligent students would be able to complete the degree program in one year (and perhaps an additional summer to finish the thesis).

The Rutgers Philosophy Department is regularly ranked among the very best in the world and includes many internationally known specialists in several central areas of philosophy. The Department and its faculty can be accessed at the Department’s website

Douglas Husak, the current Program Director, is Editor-in-Chief of two leading journals in philosophy of law: Law and Philosophy and Criminal Law and Philosophy (co-edited with Antony Duff). The faculty at both the Camden and Newark Law Schools include several of the nation’s leading scholars in the field of law and philosophy, and Camden is the home of the Institute for Law and Philosophy.

Accreditation:

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), a voluntary, nongovernmental, peer-based membership association dedicated to promoting standards of excellence and improvement in higher education. The comprehensive, decennial reviews include the preparation of a university-wide self-study and a site visit conducted by a team of external peer educators who report to the MSCHE. Five years after each decennial review, there is an interim evaluation. For this assessment, Rutgers creates a Periodic Review Report (PRR) which is a study of the university in light of any recommendations made during the previous comprehensive evaluation.

Eligibility Requirements:

Applicants must have completed at least one year of law school and must either be enrolled in law school or have completed their J.D. An application should include (1) a letter by the student indicating why (s) he is interested in the M.A.; (2) a transcript from the schools the applicant is attending or has attended; (3) one or more letters of reference that speak to the applicant’s ability to do work in philosophy or legal theory; and (4) a writing sample that demonstrates the applicant’s proficiency in philosophy or legal theory. Applicants need not take the GREs; the LSAT will suffice.

International Student Requirements:

International applicants should include a TOEFL score.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Financial Aid Offered: No

Classification: Doctoral/Research Universities - Extensive

Institution Sector: Public

Locale: Large Suburb

Size & Settings: 20,000 and above