Northwestern's JD-PhD program is open to students who intend to pursue an academic or research career and whose teaching and research will be enriched by both degrees. The program is designed to allow students to complete both degrees more effectively than they would through consecutive degree programs. Students are able to complete the entire program, including dissertation, in as few as six years.
Northwestern JD-PhD graduates have obtained faculty positions in law and graduate schools as well as prestigious judicial clerkships.
The program offers a coherent course of study on a set track that integrates the rigorous terrains of doctoral and law studies. Faculty members from each of the schools jointly supervise students' research and dissertations.
Students can complete the entire program in as few as six years (varies by department). All students can earn both degrees more quickly than they would through consecutive degree programs. JD-PhD students spend the first two years doing graduate-level course work in various disciplines through The Graduate School, the following two years at the Law School, and the final years completing their dissertations.
Students from various doctoral programs are treated as a cohort, so they have a community of peers in law, in their disciplines, and among those seeking the combined degree. Both law and graduate school faculty are involved at every step to support students' progress in the program and to ensure that each student progresses consistently.
There is a growing trend among top law schools to hire faculty who have PhDs as well as law degrees. Northwestern's JD-PhD program presents the most efficient option to obtain these credentials.
Interdisciplinary study is a hallmark of Northwestern and the Law School has a higher percentage of PhD-trained scholars than any top law school in the country.
Northwestern offers the most financially generous JD-PhD program in the country, typically providing full funding—including tuition and living expenses—for six academic years and five summers.
Students can select a doctoral program in any discipline, provided they can incorporate their interest in law with their graduate research, and they can complete a dissertation that draws on both disciplines.
Northwestern JD-PhD students have come from a range of PhD programs, including: African-American Studies; Anthropology; Economics; Finance; History; Media, Technology & Society; Political Science; Philosophy; Psychology; Religion; Sociology; and Civil Engineering.
The JD-PhD Program has a strong relationship with the American Bar Foundation (ABF), a research institution dedicated to the study of law and legal institutions through the lens of social science. Several ABF researchers teach at Northwestern University and are eager to work with JD-PhD students.
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* Subject to PhD departmental requirements
Both the JD and PhD are awarded concurrently after all degree requirements are satisfied for both programs, including completion of:
JD-PhD students are required to have a member of the Northwestern Law faculty on their dissertation committee. Doing so satisfies the Law School writing requirement.
Each university in the Unites States of America sets its own admission standards so there isn't the same criteria for all the students and the university can decide which applicants meet those standards. The fee for each application is between $35 to $100.
After the selections of the universities you want to attend, the best of all would be to contact each university for an application form and more admission information for the international students. Moreover, for a graduate or postgraduate program it's necessary to verify the admission requirements. Some programs require that you send your application directly to their department.
Admissions decisions are based on students's academic record and different test scores, such as TOEFL, the SAT or ACT (for undergraduate programs) and GRE or GMAT (for graduate programs). Admission decision is based on your academic results and motivation.
Applicants to Northwestern's JD-PhD program must meet the admission requirements of both the Law School and The Graduate School to gain admittance into the program. The program has a single, integrated online application, which means applicants need only submit one application.
Applicants should follow the instructions for applying as outlined on The Graduate School's website, as well as complete the additional instructions set out below. International students must also meet the requirements for certification of language proficiency.
Both The Graduate School and Law School admissions offices review each application. The schools sometimes award admission independently if the joint application does not result in an offer of admission.
Effective September 2016, individuals who have completed a year of law school at an institution other than Northwestern University will not be eligible to apply to the joint JD-PhD program. Such students, however, may apply separately to The Graduate School and, as a transfer student, to the Law School. Students who successfully gain admission to the Law School will be required to complete all requirements associated with transfer students, including two years in residence at the Law School. Financial aid will be awarded in a manner consistent with prevailing Law School practices and policies for transfer students. Students should consult The Graduate School for information concerning their related programmatic and funding policies.
Students admitted to the JD-PhD program are typically granted full funding (including tuition and all living expenses) for six academic years and five summers.
This funding is contingent upon the student entering an academic position within four years of graduation from the program or a position with an organization whose primary stated mission is to conduct research.
Students who can demonstrate a good faith effort* to secure an academic position, who obtain a position with an organization whose mission is research based, or who experience a significant life event** that interrupts their academic job search will be excluded from this policy.
