University of California, Los Angeles

Program Information

Degree Offered

S.J.D.

Format: Campus

Program Description:

The Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) Degree Program is designed for those seeking to pursue careers as teachers and scholars of law. This highly selective program is open only to applicants who possess a distinguished prior academic record in law, show promise of outstanding scholarship, and demonstrate a high potential for completing a scholarly dissertation of required quality.
Students in the S.J.D. program must enter with an LL.M. degree, must be in residence for two semesters, and take a minimum of ten units of graded coursework each semester, which must be approved by the supervising faculty member and Graduate Studies Committee. The choice of courses will be from among those generally offered at the Law School and will depend on the particular subject matter and course of study approved for each S.J.D. student.
Upon successful completion of the residency requirement and performance in courses at a level substantially above the quality expected of J.D. candidates, the Graduate Studies Committee, following its favorable review of the candidate's course work and of the developed research proposal, shall constitute a doctoral committee. It shall consist of three faculty members, including the student's supervisor and a member from a department outside the Law School. Upon the successful oral defense of the research proposal before the doctoral committee, the Graduate Studies Committee shall admit the student to full candidacy for the S.J.D. degree.
Within two years of the completion of the residency period, unless for exceptional circumstances an extension is granted by the Graduate Studies Committee, a candidate shall submit, and successfully defend in an oral examination, a dissertation in the form of a monograph or series of closely related essays suitable for publication and constituting a substantial contribution to knowledge in its field.

Accreditation:

American Bar Association

Eligibility Requirements:

PRIOR TO APPLYING: Interested applicants must first contact the Manager of Graduate Studies, Vic Telesino. Please send inquiries to Mr. Telesino only between November 1 and February 1. In your email to Mr. Telesino, please number and respond to the following six questions:

1. What is your proposed area of research? (200 words or less.)
2. Is there a UCLA School of Law faculty member with whom you are particularly interested in working?
3. Where did you receive your first law degree (i.e., J.D. or LL.B.)?
4. What was your grade point average and/or class rank during your J.D./LL.B. studies?
5. Where did you receive your LL.M. degree?
6. What was your grade point average and/or class rank during your LL.M. studies?

International Student Requirements:

Applicants who are not native English speakers, or do not hold a law degree from an institution at which the primary language of instruction is English, are required to take the TOEFL exam. A TOEFL score of 590 on the paper-based test, 243 on the computer-based test, or 96 on the Internet-based test is the minimum score accepted by the University's Graduate Division. The Law School usually admits only applicants whose TOEFL scores are well above the minimum range required by the University. In general we expect a score of 600 on the paper-based test, 250 on the computer-based test, or 100 on the Internet-based test, although an outstanding applicant with a slightly lower test score will not be disqualified on this basis.

Tuition & Financial Aid

Financial Aid Offered: No

Classification: Doctoral/Research Universities - Extensive

Institution Sector: Public

Locale: Large City

Size & Settings: 20,000 and above