S.J.D. PROGRAM

The Penn State Law S.J.D. (Doctor of Juridical Science) is intended for lawyers practising 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 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, research, and writing, leading to the production of a dissertation that makes an original and valuable contribution to legal scholarship.

Penn State Law, located on Penn State’s University Park campus in State College, Pennsylvania, offers all of the resources of a world-class, public research institution together with challenging and innovative classroom study and ample opportunities for learning by doing.

From orientation day to commencement day, the Penn State Law faculty guides students as they learn the law, refine analytically, writing, and communication skills, and apply new knowledge in clinics, externships, and problem-based courses.