S.J.D. Applicants

How to Apply: Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.)

Please review the application instructions, English proficiency requirements and tuition information on this page as you the application process for the Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) program.

Application Instructions

Applications for the 2023-2024 academic year will be accepted beginning September 1, 2023. The deadline for completed applications is February 15, 2024. All applications must be submitted through LSAC.org.

Note that our review of all S.J.D. applications includes an internal process to identify a faculty committee chair for each candidate admitted to the S.J.D. program. If you are admitted to our S.J.D. program, your offer of admission will indicate your assigned faculty chair.

Do not contact KU Law faculty directly seeking an advisor or admission.

KU Law uses the LSAC Credential Assembly Service (CAS) to process S.J.D. applications. CAS will compile all your documents and verify foreign transcripts. This is a great convenience for both the applicant and KU Law. All applications, other than the dissertation proposal, must be submitted through LSAC.org.

To find our application, you will choose the KU Law LL.M. application. Be sure to check the “S.J.D.” box on the LL.M. application. The deadline to apply to the program is Feb. 15. Students must submit all available documents by that date, including the following documents:

• Official transcripts from all undergraduate and law school programs attended
• At least two letters of recommendation attesting to your ability to complete the S.J.D. program
• Dissertation proposal - Must be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions
• A statement of interest describing your purpose for pursuing the S.J.D. as well as your professional goals
• C.V. or resume
• $55 application fee

If any transcripts or letters of recommendation are missing or unavailable, candidates will have until March 15 to submit them to LSAC. These are the only documents that may be submitted after February 15. Note that submitting these documents after February 15 may negatively affect a candidate's chances for admission. In all cases, applications must be fully completed by March 15. Applications that are incomplete at that date will be denied. In that event, students may reapply for the following academic year.

Please note that, upon admission, you will be required to submit financial documents verifying that you have sufficient resources to cover the cost of attendance (tuition, fees, living expenses and mandatory health insurance) for the academic year in which you will be enrolling. You will be required to submit these documents before an I-20 form will be issued to you.

In exceptional circumstances, admitted students may be permitted to defer admission for up to one year. Deferral requests should be submitted to the Office of Admissions as soon as possible prior to the start of the fall semester. Because candidates must start the S.J.D. program during the fall semester, all deferrals will be for the fall of the following academic year, rather than for the spring semester.

Dissertation Proposal

Every candidate must submit a dissertation proposal. The proposal should include a title, table of contents, explanation and sample bibliography. This is the most important component of the application and should reveal why the candidate wants to study the dissertation topic and what arguments are likely to be raised in defense of the proposal.

Dissertation proposals may be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions at admitlaw@ku.edu.

Dissertation Chair

Each S.J.D. candidate pursues the degree under the supervision of an overall faculty supervisor known as the dissertation chair, who must be a full-time member of the KU Law faculty. Although candidates may suggest potential dissertation chairs, they are not permitted to contact KU Law faculty for the purpose of seeking a chair. The S.J.D. candidates will be assigned a dissertation chair prior to their arrival at KU Law.

Dissertation chair information can be submitted directly to the Office of Admissions at admitlaw@ku.edu.

Residency

A minimum residency period of two years at KU is required. During this time, the candidate completes KU Law courses necessary for dissertation research. The successful completion of 16 credit hours of coursework is required in the first year. However, all students remain continuously enrolled — whether or not in residence at KU — until the degree is completed. Continuous enrollment is defined as enrollment during the fall and spring semesters as described in the S.J.D. program structure. Candidates whose defenses are held in the summer must be enrolled during the summer semester.

Following the required two-year residency period, some candidates obtain or return to prominent jobs in the U.S. or their home countries and write their dissertation remotely. However, all students must remain continuously enrolled – whether or not in residence at KU – until the degree is completed.

After the candidate has earned 16 credits of coursework during the residence period, the candidate will need 6 more credits (22 total) to complete the S.J.D. degree. The final 6 credits are obtained through dissertation research and preparation.

Proof of English Proficiency

Applicants must establish English proficiency as evidenced by TOEFL exam scores or successful completion of a basic law degree, or master’s degree, from a program conducted in English. KU Law may require the submission of a TOEFL score or request a personal interview for a candidate who holds an LL.M. degree

Dissertation Passage Requirements

Review the S.J.D. Program Information for complete dissertation and academic requirements for S.J.D. students.

Dissertation passage requirements:

• Successful completion of all required courses with a grade of C or better.
• Successful completion of the Interim Review after the end of the first year.
• Production of a dissertation that is between 150 and 200 single-spaced pages, including front material, footnotes, and bibliography. Paper type, font, margins, and other format and style matters must conform to KU's Graduate School Instructions to Candidates for Doctoral Degrees in order for the dissertation to be deposited in the KU Libraries.
• Evidence that the candidate has identified a legal issue of relevance; constructed an original argument about that legal issue; defended that argument in a manner that is clear, organized, well-written and well-reasoned; and produced a work that would be publishable as a book, extended law review article, or linked series of law review articles.
• Successful, public defense of the dissertation to committee.