S.J.D. Program

Residency

All S.J.D. students are required to be in residence at Penn State Dickinson Law in Carlisle for one academic year (or two semesters), preferably during year one of the S.J.D. program. Supervisors from both locations (Carlisle and University Park) may be available. During the residency period, students complete two courses: Research Methods (2 credits) and Research Colloquium (2 credits). Whereas Research Methods focuses on the methodological considerations in the proposed area of legal research, the Research Colloquium is designed to engage scholars in a public facing discussion of their proposed research. S.J.D. students may enroll in additional Penn State Dickinson Law courses by assignment or with approval. Additional tuition and fees may apply.

Candidacy

In order to move into Candidacy, each S.J.D. student must pass an oral defense to an appointed Candidacy Committee, which usually takes place at the end of the first year. Candidates are encouraged to remain in residence unless their research requires other arrangements. In order to remain a candidate, each must submit an Annual Progress Report to demonstrate that satisfactory research progress is being made.

Defense

Students are expected to complete the program within two years after meeting the minimum residency requirement and achieving candidacy. When appropriate, a candidate’s faculty supervisor will recommend to the S.J.D. Program Committee that the candidate be scheduled to defend the dissertation to an appointed Committee of Examiners. Upon successfully defending the dissertation and submitting the written dissertation as prescribed to Penn State Dickinson Law, the S.J.D degree will be conferred.

Anthony C. Ogden, Ph.D.
Director, International Programs and Graduate Education
Email: DickinsonLawSJD@psu.edu
Phone: 717-241-3532