Doctor of Juridical Science Program

JSD is a research and academic-based doctorate level program. The JSD program is primarily designed for applicants interested in becoming legal scholars or pursuing a teaching career in law.

Thank you for your interest in the JSD program at LMU Loyola Law School. The program is not accepting new applications at this moment.

The degree of Juridicae Scientiae Doctor (Doctor of Juridical Science- JSD) is the highest degree offered by Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. It is designed for graduates, both American and foreign, who are interested in becoming law professors, scholars, jurists or public intellectuals, or in deepening their scholarship to continue in these fields. Students must spend a minimum of three years, of which two are in residence, and a maximum of five years in the program to complete the degree. During the first year in residence, students mostly take a series of specialized, dedicated JSD classes to learn the skills necessary to successfully complete the degree (theory of law, methodology or doctoral research and writing, and seminars). During the second year, they start shifting their focus to writing the dissertation. The dissertation can be either a single manuscript, or a collection of three articles suitable for law journal publication. JSD students write their dissertation under the direct supervision of a full-time member of the law school’s doctrinal faculty. Through the dissertation, students are expected to make a substantial contribution to legal scholarship by raising, expanding upon or answering important questions and exercising independent critical ability in making the argument.