A law degree is one of the most comprehensive, powerful degrees in the world, offering wider professional options than nearly any other field. Indiana Law students are among the most recruited nationwide. Our alumni have positions with the NCAA and CBS, as judges, writers (an Indiana Law alumnus even wrote Law School For Dummies), politicians, practicing attorneys for private and multinational law firms—in fact, our graduates have entered nearly every conceivable realm of the law. Indiana Law’s SJD is for international law graduates who already hold an LLM degree and who have demonstrated exceptional analytical and research abilities.
Application Deadline
March 1
Credits
30
Languages
English
Location
211 South Indiana Avenue, Bloomington, Indiana 47405
Website
http://law.indiana.edu/admissions/jd/index.shtml
Description
The SJD is for international law graduates who have demonstrated analytical and research abilities and have an opportunity for extended study, research, and scholarly writing. The centerpiece of this program is a doctoral dissertation that is completed under the supervision of Law School faculty advisers. Graduates of this program typically achieve distinction in their home countries as law professors or in public service. All successful SJD candidates have outstanding academic records, provide evidence of excellent reading and writing skills in English, and submit a research proposal of importance and originality. Admission to Indiana Law’s SJD program is highly selective.
Completion Requirement
30 credit hours (includes B791, Academic Legal Writing, and up to 8 credit hours for relevant course work approved by advisor; all other credits are research credits)
A proposal defense (normally takes place in the first semester of matriculation)
A dissertation defense
Language Requirement
SJD applicants, even with US LLM degrees, must demonstrate fluency in English via a TOEFL score of 100 IBT or an IELTS score of at least 7.5.
Scholarships
Indiana Law offers assistance through scholarship and fellowship programs. We do not require a separate application for scholarships and/or fellowships. Because the majority of our scholarship money is merit-based, we use your application for admission, LSDAS report, personal statement, and letters of recommendation to determine the level of scholarship, if any. These scholarship decisions will be sent within ten days of the acceptance letter.
Along with the scholarships mentioned above, we also have established partnership Scholar Programs with a number of undergraduate institutions. Admitted applicants are eligible for these programs if they are current students or alumni from Bryn Mawr College, Dartmouth College, Grinnell College, Knox College, Mills College, Mt. Holyoke College, Princeton University, Smith College, University of Rochester, Vassar College, Wabash College, or Wellesley College, as well as from engineering programs at Georgia Institute of Technology, Purdue University, and Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology.
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