Degrees Offered at the School of Law
Juris Doctor (J.D.)
A student who has received a bachelor's degree from an approved college or university will be granted the degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) upon completion of the degree requirements in the School of Law.
Graduation requirements include:
- completion of 88 credit hours
- a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.30
- completion of all first-year courses
- completion of an upper-level course in which writing is used as a means of instruction
- completion of a research seminar or a B706 (credit research) project
- completion of The Legal Profession or equivalent course
- completion of a clinic course or one or more certified professional skills courses that satisfy the professional skills requirement
- completion of all degree requirements in exactly six semesters of full-time resident study or their equivalent, unless special permission for a longer term of study is obtained
Master of Laws (LL.M.)
The LL.M. degree requires at least one academic year in residence. The School of Law currently offers thesis and non-thesis track degree options.
LL.M. Thesis: The LL.M. thesis provides an excellent foundation in scholarly research and writing. The program is ideal for those students who are interested in pursuing academic careers or in-depth research knowledge of a particular area of law. The Ll.M. thesis program requires the completion of 30 credit hours, 6 of which are dedicated to a thesis that focuses on the student's primary research interest. Admission to the LL.M. with thesis program is typically granted only at the end of the first semester of work done at Indiana University in the LL.M. (practicum) program. Under special circumstances, students may be admitted directly to the thesis program. Students are assigned thesis advisors whose academic expertise is compatible with the student's interests and with whom they work closely in completing their thesis projects. Students in this program can apply directly into the Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) program as they finish their thesis work.
LL.M. Practicum: The practicum provides aspiring legal practitioners and jurists with direct experience in the American legal system. Students enrolled in this program have the opportunity to observe judicial proceedings at various stages and venues and to interact with practicing attorneys and judges. This program requires the completion of 27 credit hours of course work. The practicum will include lectures and graduate seminars about the American legal system and scholarship, study visits to legal institutions, and a short paper. This program is ideal for students who wish to pursue practice careers in the United States or abroad.
Master of Comparative Law (M.C.L.)
The School of Law offers an M.C.L. degree for law graduates who are not specifically educated in a common law jurisdiction but who wish to gain a familiarity with American law and legal institutions. This degree is also appropriate for legal practitioners who wish to complete a focused course of study in a specific area of law. The M.C.L. degree program requires the completion of 21 credit hours of course work, along with participation in a practicum, for which an additional 3 to 6 credit hours will be awarded.
Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.)
This program provides students of great promise and demonstrated analytic and research ability an opportunity for extended study, research, and scholarly writing. Those few admitted to the program must have outstanding records. All candidates must provide evidence of excellent reading and writing skills in English. Graduates of this program typically achieve distinction in their home countries as law professors or in public service.
The centerpiece of this program is a doctoral dissertation completed under the supervision of members of the law faculty, who direct or serve on the candidate's dissertation committee. When appropriate, a faculty member from another unit within the university may be invited to serve on the dissertation committee. The shape of the dissertation will be anticipated in significant part by a proposal of the research to be undertaken. In order for a student to be admitted to the S.J.D. program, the Graduate Committee of the School of Law must conclude both that the applicant's research proposal is of exceptional importance and originality and that the applicant possesses the talent and the breadth of training and experience to carry the project through to completion.
S.J.D. applicants from abroad normally will have distinguished themselves in a demanding LL.M. program. They often will be LL.M. graduates of the Indiana University School of Law--Bloomington. When the applicant has received an LL.M. degree from any other law school, the application should include names of professors from that school who are familiar with the applicant. When the applicant has obtained a J.D. with distinction from a U.S. law school, he or she may be considered without an LL.M. In such cases, the Graduate Committee will weigh post-J.D. experience that bears on the applicant's scholarly objectives. Admission into the S.J.D. program is highly selective. Some years, few or no applicants are admitted.
S.J.D. applicants will be expected to spend one year in residence at the School of Law. This requirement is in addition to any residence requirement satisfied here for an LL.M. degree. The S.J.D. is conferred upon the successful completion of at least 30 credit hours. The candidate must take the courses and meet the requirements established by the Committee on Graduate Study at the School of Law.
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Law and Social Science
This program involves interdisciplinary research and problem-solving in areas where law and social science overlap.
Applicants must apply separately to, and be admitted by, the School of Law, the collaborating academic department, and the University Graduate School (which awards all Ph.D. degrees). Applicants whose native language is not English must sumit TOEFL results. Applicants may also be required by the collaborating academic department to take additional tests, including the GRE.
Each Ph.D. candidate will be assigned an advisory committee consisting of at least two faculty members from the School of Law and at least two faculty members from the collaboration academic department. The chairperson of the advisory committee will serve as the candidate's primary academic advisor.
The candidate must complete at least one academic year in residence in the School of Law after matriculating in the Ph.D. program. The candidate must also comply with any residency requirements that may be imposed by the collaborating academic department.
The candidate must complete a minimum of 90 credit hours. At least 30 credit hours must be earned in required law courses, and at least 15 additional credit hours must be earned in the form of independent study (dissertation research) credits taken in the School of Law. The remaining 45 credit hours may be earned either in the School of Law or elsewhere, as may be required by the collaborating academic department.
Certificate in Legal Studies
The Certificate in Legal Studies allows participants to immerse themselves in legal coursework for a shorter time than is required for the LL.M. or M.C.L. degree programs. It is designed primarily for internationally trained attorneys and law graduates who seek education and experience in the American legal system but whose responsibilities prevent them from committing to a more time-consuming program. The Certificate in Legal Studies is conferred upon the successful completion of 8 credit hours of course work and requires a separate, shorter application form than the one required for the LL.M. and M.C.L. programs. Applicants should submit application materials at least five months before the start of the semester in which they plan to study.