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Apr 27, 2024
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2022-2023 Law School Student Handbook [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Doctor of Juridical Science, SJD (Online)
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 Return to: Academic Programs
The Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) degree at Golden Gate University School of Law is taught in a 100% online format that combines both self-paced (asynchronous) and live-sessions (synchronous) components to ensure student success. This program is designed for law graduates residing outside the United States of America who are interested in pursuing extensive, independent research on a specific topic with the expectation to make a substantial contribution to legal scholarship. Admission into the program is for anyone who holds a bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) or equivalent degree in law. SJD students are expected to complete their degree within three years after commencing the program.
Student Learning Outcomes
Students graduating from the Doctor of Juridical Science program will acquire:
- Improved Intellectual Skills: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to understand legal concepts, rules, and procedures.
- Cognitive Ability: Graduates will demonstrate they possess critical thinking skills and are able to think strategically, organize, and behave professionally.
- Pedagogy Skills: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to acquire and advance their pedagogical skills to be able to teach and impact knowledge to other students.
- Scholarly Writing: Graduates will demonstrate they possess research and writing skills necessary for writing publishable scholarly works.
- Professional and Career Attitude: Graduates will demonstrate they possess the necessary skills for a successful career in whatever career path they choose. They will demonstrate they possess the interpersonal skills and networking abilities to pursue enhanced career options.
Student Manual
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Requirements for the Doctor of Juridical Sciences
The Doctor of Juridical Science program requires completing 24 units of required academic coursework and 32 units of dissertation work for a total of 56 units, attending live sessions as required, writing a dissertation according to the SJD program guidelines, and defending it orally before the dissertation committee.
Foundational Phase: Year One
During the first semester of the Foundational Phase, students must complete the “Legal Research and Writing Practicum I & II” courses. The courses offer intense preparation of fundamentals that are essential for researching and writing the dissertation. This includes: choosing and revising dissertation topics; legal and academic research methods, tools and strategies; ethical use of research materials; working with dissertation committee members; developing legal analysis skills. Through subject matter experts’ lectures students will learn about practical examples of legal research and academic writing on specific subjects and areas of law.
During the second semester of the Foundational Phase, students must develop and complete a Dissertation Research Proposal that includes:
- Concise description of the topic of dissertation;
- One (1) central issue being proposed in the dissertation & its expected contribution to the field;
- The first chapter of a dissertation;
- Dissertation chapter outline;
- Working bibliography.
Before the end of the second semester, students must submit the Dissertation Research Proposal and present it orally before their dissertation committee at the First Oral Examination meeting. Following the oral examination, the dissertation committee will decided whether or not to advance students to the next phase (Candidacy).
Foundational Phase: Semester One Coursework
Foundational Phase: Semester Two
Candidacy Phase: Years Two & Three
During the Candidacy Phase, candidates will work on their dissertation under the guidance of their dissertation supervisors. Candidates must remain in contact with both their dissertation supervisors. Upon completion of the dissertation, candidates are required to successfully defend it orally before the dissertation committee to be awarded the SJD degree.
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