J.S.D.
Program Overview
Since 1992, Notre Dame Law School has admitted a small number of students to candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Juridical Science (J.S.D.). This program is designed especially for people who wish to pursue an academic career in law and who seek additional education beyond the LL.M. degree level.
The J.S.D. involves two years of residency and requires that individuals admitted to the program demonstrate substantial potential for writing a thesis of publishable quality that will be a significant scholarly contribution to the field in which it is written.
Historically, our program has focused on international human rights law. While we continue this focus, we now accept J.S.D. candidates in any field of legal studies.
Curriculum
During the first year, students must successfully complete at least 12 credit hours of course work. After the first year, J.S.D. candidates are expected to devote their time to progressing on their dissertation and must enroll each semester for one unit of credit, for which they will receive a grade of “satisfactory” or “unsatisfactory” from their advisor. After the required two years of residency, candidates continue to work on their dissertation under the direction of a member of the Law School faculty, either in residence at Notre Dame or elsewhere. More information is available in our J.S.D. Candidate Handbook.
The application will reopen on November 1.
Learn more about our J.S.D. program at Notre Dame
Contact Us
- Professor of Law Paul Miller, Associate Dean for International & Graduate Programs
- Professor of Law Bruce Huber, Faculty Director, J.S.D Program
- Gillian Harris, Director of International & Graduate Programs
- Email: Globalaw@nd.edu
Program News
Notre Dame Law School Welcomes Visiting Faculty for 2025–26 Academic Year (September 2025)
J.S.D. candidate Ewa Rejman speaks at the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (March 2025)
Professor Raúl Madrid and J.S.D. Candidate María Paz Madrid San Martín Co-Edit Book on Education Law in Chile (March 2025)
Notre Dame J.S.D. Candidate Khawla Wakkaf Receives Prestigious ITLOS-Nippon Fellowship (February 2025)
Alumni News
Notre Dame LL.M. graduates advance justice worldwide through prestigious legal placements (June 2025)
Notre Dame J.S.D. Graduate Ewa Rejman Advocates for Mothers’ Rights in International Law (May 2025)
Notre Dame J.S.D. Graduate Bernardo Pulido Márquez Advances Human Rights Law Across the Americas (May 2025)
Professor Jorge Barrera-Rojas defends dissertation to earn two doctoral degrees (February 2025)