J.S.D. Degree
Candidacy for the J.S.D. degree is very restricted. It is normally open only to those who have completed the requirements for the LL.M. degree and are engaged in or planning careers in academic or other work that emphasizes legal scholarship. The candidate works closely with a faculty adviser who specializes in a field of law related to the candidate's research.
J.S.D. candidates must:
- complete a one-year program of study in residence, including a minimum of 24 units of approved courses, and
- present a dissertation in the form of a monograph or series of related essays suitable for publication and constituting, in the opinion of the Committee on Advanced Law Degree Programs, a substantial contribution to learning in the field.
After the initial year of coursework for the J.S.D. program, each student may then take up to two additional years to complete research and write the dissertation. These additional two years need not be completed in the U.S.
Please note that after the initial year in residence there is no longer any requirement to register as a student or pay registration tuition and fees. However, choosing this option entails the understanding that one waives all rights to campus services outside of Berkeley Law. Students who choose to register for classes after the required first year must continue to pay all campus fees and are subject to the Minimum Enrolment Requirements for Graduate Students, found at http://www.grad.berkeley.edu/policies/memo_min_enroll_req.shtml.
The academic year at Berkeley Law begins in early August. Classes are conducted on the semester system: typically, fall semester runs from August to December and spring semester runs from January to May.
