Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.)

Pennsylvania State University - Dickinson Law

To be eligible for admission, applicants must have earned a first degree in law (LL.B., J.D., or equivalent) from a duly accredited or otherwise recognized national or international institution of higher education. In addition, applicants must hold an advanced law degree—typically an LL.M.—from Penn State Dickinson Law, another American Bar Association–accredited law school in the United States, a duly accredited or recognized foreign law faculty, or another degree equivalent to at least a masters degree in law.

Each S.J.D. student must be admitted with a designated primary faculty supervisor. Accordingly, applicants are required to submit a detailed dissertation proposal that aligns closely with the scholarly expertise of a Penn State Dickinson Law faculty member who is willing and eligible to serve as an S.J.D. faculty supervisor. Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to identify potential faculty supervisors prior to submitting an application for admission.

Applications are reviewed by Penn State Dickinson Laws S.J.D. Admissions Team. Applicants deemed admissible will typically be invited to participate in an initial interview (conducted either in person or via Zoom) with a member of the admissions team. Following this stage, applicants may be invited to a subsequent interview with a member of the Penn State Dickinson Law faculty. The S.J.D. Program Committee reserves the right to appoint a co-supervisor when appropriate. Co-supervisors are most commonly appointed when a proposed research project is interdisciplinary in nature or extends beyond a single area of faculty expertise.