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The Doctor of Science of Law program is designed for aspiring legal scholars seeking to conduct groundbreaking research on law's operation, governance, historical development, and evolution. Students must complete a minimum residency of two terms, though the program typically spans three to four terms. Participants generally specialize in one legal discipline while also engaging in significant coursework in at least one additional field. During their initial year, J.S.D. candidates must enroll in the Cornell Graduate Colloquium, which emphasizes robust research methodologies and equips students with essential analytical tools. The curriculum strongly recommends advanced methodology courses from related fields like political science, economics, sociology, anthropology, international relations, and history. This interdisciplinary approach gives Cornell's J.S.D. candidates exceptional qualifications for advanced scholarly pursuits.
Applications to the J.S.D. program are welcomed from applicants who have completed LL.M.-level work. Except in unusual circumstances, however, students are admitted to the J.S.D. program only after earning an LL.M. degree at Cornell Law School, in which they must have received all honor and high honor grades.
English Language Proficiency Requirement
IELTS Academic - 7.0; TOEFL - The Graduate School’s official minimum sub-scores for each element of the TOEFL iBT are: Speaking: 22, Reading: 20, Listening: 15, Writing: 20.