Program Overview

S.J.D. Program

The S.J.D. program at Penn State Dickinson Law is a limited-residency, three-year program that allows students to pursue supervised research leading to the production of a dissertation that should serve as an original and valuable contribution to legal scholarship.

Residency

All S.J.D. students are required to be in residence at Penn State Dickinson Law in Carlisle for one academic year (or two semesters), preferably during year one of the S.J.D. program. Supervisors from both locations (Carlisle and University Park) may be available. During the residency period, students complete two courses:

• Research Methods (2 credits)
• Research Colloquium (2 credits). Whereas Research Methods focuses on the methodological considerations in the proposed area of legal research, the Research Colloquium is designed to engage scholars in a public-facing discussion of their proposed research. S.J.D. students may enroll in additional Penn State Dickinson Law courses by assignment or with approval. Additional tuition and fees may apply.

Candidacy

In order to move into Candidacy, each S.J.D. student must pass an oral defense to an appointed Candidacy Committee, which usually takes place at the end of the first year. Candidates are encouraged to remain in residence unless their research requires other arrangements. In order to remain a candidate, each must submit an Annual Progress Report to demonstrate that satisfactory research progress is being made.

Defense

Students are expected to complete the program within two years after meeting the minimum residency requirement and achieving candidacy. When appropriate, a candidate’s faculty supervisor will recommend to the S.J.D. Program Committee that the candidate be scheduled to defend the dissertation to an appointed Committee of Examiners. Upon successfully defending the dissertation and submitting the written dissertation as prescribed to Penn State Dickinson Law, the S.J.D degree will be conferred.

S.J.D. Degree Requirements

Supervising S.J.D. Faculty

Meet Our S.J.D. Scholars

S.J.D. Academic Program

Penn State Dickinson Law offers a limited-residency, three-year S.J.D. program that allows students to pursue supervised research leading to the production of a dissertation that should serve as an original and valuable contribution to legal scholarship.

Year One

Candidacy

Defense

Year Three

Program Structure

• Year One: Residency
• Year Two: Candidacy
• Year Three: Defense

Program Details

• The program is a limited-residency, three-year program.
• Students are required to be in residence at Penn State Dickinson Law in Carlisle for one academic year (or two semesters).
• Students complete two courses during the residency period: Research Methods and Research Colloquium.
• Students may enroll in additional Penn State Dickinson Law courses by assignment or with approval.
• Additional tuition and fees may apply.
• Students must pass an oral defense to an appointed Candidacy Committee to move into Candidacy.
• Candidates must submit an Annual Progress Report to demonstrate satisfactory research progress.
• Students are expected to complete the program within two years after meeting the minimum residency requirement and achieving candidacy.
• A candidate’s faculty supervisor will recommend to the S.J.D. Program Committee that the candidate be scheduled to defend the dissertation to an appointed Committee of Examiners.
• Upon successfully defending the dissertation and submitting the written dissertation, the S.J.D degree will be conferred.