S.J.D. Program

The Penn State Law S.J.D. (Doctor of Juridical Science) degree is intended for lawyers practicing outside of the U.S. who seek advanced and specialized knowledge in a particular area of law. It is also recommended for those who seek a career in academic law or in other scholarly, research, policy, or professional enterprises, or career advancement through the acquisition of a doctorate in law. The course of study required for the degree offers students with outstanding academic or professional credentials an opportunity to pursue sustained, supervised study, and research and writing leading to the production of a dissertation that makes an original and valuable contribution to legal scholarship.

Because of the academic rigor of this program, Penn State Law expects that only two or three candidates will be enrolled in the S.J.D. program each year.