Degree Programs
Doctor of Law (JD)
The regular, professional curriculum of the School of Law is a full-time day program leading to the doctor of law (JD) degree. New students are accepted only in the fall semester. The JD degree is conferred on a student who has completed 90 semester hours of course credit as prescribed by the faculty, with a minimum overall grade point average of 2.25. Three academic years (six semesters) of resident study are required.
Students who achieve a semester average of 3.45 are designated on the Dean's List that semester. The JD With Honors is conferred on each student whose scholastic average for his or her entire law school program is 3.45 or higher; the JD With Honors is conferred on each student whose scholastic average for his or her entire school program is 3.8 or higher.
Doctor of Law and Master of Business Administration (JD/MBA)
The School of Law and the Roberto C. Goizueta Business School of Emory University cooperate in a program that enables a student to receive the doctor of law and master of business administration (JD/MBA) degrees in four years rather than the usual five. Candidates for this degree program apply to each school independently. On admission, students consult with the program director in each school to plan their respective programs. Candidates may begin the cooperative program in either the business school or the law school. In either case, the first year of study in the law school is taken solely in the law school and the first year of study in the business school is taken solely business school. The remaining two years of the program are taken jointly in the law school and the business school. Students pay five semesters of law school tuition and three semesters of business school tuition. To receive the doctor of law degree through the cooperative program, a candidate must satisfactorily complete:
- all requirements for the master of business administration degree, including not fewer than forty-eight semester hours in the business school;
- not fewer than 79 semester hours in the law school with a cumulative grade point average of not less than 2.25;
- all prescribed courses required for the JD degree;
- not fewer than five semesters of residence in the law school; and
- not less than four academic years in the entire cooperative program.
Courses taken in the business school are included in determining law school residence in any term taken jointly in both schools provided that a minimum of three semester hours of course work is taken in the law school. In addition, the normal rules controlling fractional residence apply.
Doctor of Law/Master of Divinity (JD/MDiv) and Doctor of Law/Master of Theological Studies (JD/MTS)
The School of Law and the Candler School of Theology at Emory University offer two joint-degree programs for students who wish to pursue a concentrated course of in law and religion.
The Doctor of Law/Master of Divinity (JD/MDiv) degree program allows students to combine training in law with training in ministry. A candidate in this program matriculates concurrently at the School of Law and the School of Theology, completing the requirements for both degrees in five years (instead of the six years required to attain the degrees separately). One year is spent in the School of Law and another year is spent in the School of Theology. During the remaining three years, a candidate is required to register and pay tuition for three semesters in each school, but may enroll in courses in either school. To receive both the JD and the MDiv degrees, a candidate must satisfactorily complete:
- not fewer than 79 semester hours in the School of Law with a cumulative grade point average of 2.25 or better;
- seventy semester hours in the School of Theology with a cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) or better; and
- all prescribed courses in each school.
The joint Doctor of Law/Master of Theological Studies (JD/MTS) degree program allows students to combine training in law with training in religious studies. This program emphasizes scholarly (rather than ministerial) aspects of law and religion. A candidate in this program matriculates concurrently at the School of Law and the School of Theology, completing the requirements for both degrees in four years (instead of the five years required to attain the degrees separately). One year is spent in the School of Law and another year is spent in the School of Theology. For the remaining two years, a candidate is required to register and pay tuition for three semesters in the School of Law and one semester in the School of Theology. To receive both the J. the MTS degrees, a candidate must satisfactorily complete:
- not fewer than 79 semester hours in the School of Law with a cumulative point average of 2.25 or better;
- not fewer than thirty-nine semester hours in the School of Theology with a cumulative grade point average of C (2.00) or better;
- all prescribed courses in each school; and
- a major research paper or thesis written under the director of the Law and Religion Program.
Candidates for either joint-degree program must apply to and be admitted by both the School of Law and the School of Theology. The two schools maintain independent admissions procedures and separately determine scholarships and financial aid. Prospective joint-degree candidates are encouraged to confer with the director of the Law and Religion Program and with faculty advisers in the School of Law and the School of Theology prior to matriculating. For information on these joint-degree programs, please contact: Director, Law and Religion Program, 380 Gambrell Hall, Emory Law, Atlanta, Georgia 30322-2770.
Doctor of Law and Master of Public Health (JD/MPH)
The School of Law and the Rollins School of Public Health cooperate in a program that enables a student to receive the Doctor of Law and Master of Public Health (JD/MPH) degrees in three-and-a half years rather than the usual five. Candidates for this program apply to each school independently and must meet the criteria for admissions to each school to be admitted to the joint-degree program. On admission, students consult with the program director in each school to plan their respective programs. The graduate of the dual-degree program will be equipped to work either as a public professional having an acute awareness of legal and policy issues or as a lawyer specializing in health care issues or in a public health or quasi-public health setting. For example, a graduate might work for a government or non-government organization developing policy and/or drafting legislation and regulations for food fortification, population planning and control, improving the status of women, protecting the rights of refugees, or other similar domestic or global health matters. Alternatively, the graduate might work as a lawyer specializing in protecting the rights of disabled individuals, as general counsel in a public or private hospital, as a lawyer or legal adviser for a state or federal public health agency, or in a similar capacity. Because the program is oriented toward the public interest, a graduate working as a lawyer probably would not find him or herself working in a traditional private law firm rather in a public health or health care setting.
Persons possessing the knowledge and skills that flow from the dual degree will have:
- a special ability to solve public health problems using legal tools;
- a concrete understanding of how public health policies are expressed in laws and regulations;
- an ability to analyze the legal environment and carry out public health pr and activities in compliance with legal requirements;
- special skills to advocate for sound public health policy; and
- the ability to comprehend the legal ramifications of proposals for health care and social welfare reform.
Students are required to complete 79 credit hours for the JD degree and thirty-two credit hours for the MPH degree. Eleven credit hours of electives are waived by School of Law and ten credit hours of electives are waived by the Rollins School Public Health. While pursuing coursework in the Rollins School of Public Health, students will concentrate in the Department of Health Policy and Management, the Department of International Health, or the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health. Students must establish a cumulative grade point average less than a 2.7 in the Rollins School of Public Health and a 2.25 in the School of Law. Students must complete all courses prescribed for the JD program, with not fewer than five semesters of residence in the School of Law. Enrollment in a least two semesters in the Rollins School of Public Health is also required. Candidates for the JD/MPH program must apply separately to each school. LSAT scores may be substituted for GRE scores as part of the public health application. Other evaluation criteria remain the same for public health applicants. Academic standing in the School of Law is determined solely on the basis of course work completed in the law school. Candidates should consult the Rollins School of Public Health catalog for additional requirements applicable to that school.
Master of Laws (LLM)
Each year the faculty selects several foreign students to study for a one-year LLM degree. The degree requires two semesters of residence and a minimum of 24 credit hours of satisfactory academic work. These foreign candidates must have completed their university degrees in law prior to matriculation and must take the TOEFFL to be considered.
In addition a select number of American educated law school graduates may enter law school's LLM program. These students will participate in a cooperative program with the legal department of Central European University in Budapest, Hungary. Students spend the fall semester in residence at Central European University and the spring semester in residence at Emory. A minimum of 24 credit hours of satisfactory academic work is required. Emphasis is on international commercial law and the student may elect to receive the degree from either institution.
Emory JD candidates may pursue a joint JD/LLM with emphasis in International Law. The student may spend a semester at Central European University, but is not required to do so. During a joint degree candidate's four years as an Emory University School of Law degree candidate, the student must successfully complete a total of 114 credit hours of which 24 must be approved International Law courses.
Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD)
This degree program is designed for those seeking to pursue careers as teachers and scholars of law. It is a highly selective program open only to applicants who possess a distinguished prior academic record in law, show promise of outstanding scholarship and demonstrate a high potential for completing a scholarly dissertation of required quality.
Admission for SJD
Applicants must hold a JD degree or foreign equivalent. Applications must include or be accompanied by, inter alia, a detailed statement of research purpose and a letter from an Emory faculty member attesting to the importance of the applicant's proposed research and agreeing to assume full responsibility for supervising the program of study. The law school will admit no more than four students in its SJD class each year. As this suggests, the admissions process is highly competitive. The Graduate Committee will admit only the most highly qualified applicants who complete all elements of the Application for Admission, provide clear evidence of academic excellence and demonstrate high potential for completing a scholarly dissertation that constitutes substantial contribution to knowledge.
The application deadline is February 1 each year. Applications must include the following materials:
- Completed and signed SJD application form
- Official (original) School transcripts evidencing completion of a JD degree or its foreign equivalent and setting forth the quality of the examination performance
- Three letters of recommendation
- Statement of Research Purpose
- Personal Statement
- A letter from an Emory faculty member confirming his/her interest in supervising the applicant's dissertation, assuming full responsibility for supervision of his/her program and attesting to the importance and soundness of the Statement of Research Purpose
- A substantial research paper written in, or translated into English, or in a language that can be read by an Emory faculty member
- An official TOEFL Score Report (Test of English as a Foreign Language) from Educational Testing Service( if applicable)
- A non-refundable application fee of $75 payable to Emory University. This may be a U.S. Dollar check, money order, foreign draft, or American Express Travelers check. All of these should be issued in U.S. funds, payable at a U.S. bank.
Definitions:
- Application form. The application form asks for basic data regarding career interests, academic qualifications and references.
- Statement of Research Purpose. Applicants are asked to take particular care in outlining and discussing the purpose of their graduate work. They should describe their principal area of research interest with as much specificity as possible. The statement should indicate what the applicant wants to accomplish intellectually over the course the program. There are no limitations as to subject matter-projects can be theoretical or policy-orientated, comparative, international or domestic.
- Letter from the Proposed Faculty Supervisor. The applicant is responsible for finding an Emory faculty member willing to supervise his or her research and assume full responsibility for supervising his or her program. The proposed faculty supervisor must provide a letter to that effect to the Graduate Studies Committee by the application deadline and must, in the letter, attest to the importance and soundness of the Statement of Research Purpose.
- Personal Statement. The applicant should describe his or her objective in pursuing graduate legal studies. The statement should include any experiences, qualifications or other information that the applicant deems relevant.
- Official School Transcripts. Transcripts must show completion of a JD degree or its foreign equivalent. The transcript must evidence the quality of the applicant's exam performance and should include all courses and examinations taken and grades received for all university work. Transcripts need not be translated into English and transcripts authenticated by a university officer need not be notarized or validated. If the transcript does not indicate a relative class standing and if such information is available, an appropriate school official should be asked to indicate class standing.
- Letters of Recommendation. Three letters of recommendation should be provided. They should be from reputable and reliable sources with personal knowledge of applicant's academic abilities and potential for engaging in advanced research. It is preferable that these letters come from the applicant's former law school professors. The letters are most helpful when the writer can provide specific firsthand information on the applicant's academic and professional capacity and performance.
- Substantial research paper. The substantial research paper should exemplify the applicant's best scholarly work. It must be written in, or translated into English language that can be read by an Emory faculty member.
English Language Ability
Students in the SJD program must be able to read and discuss in class difficult technical material. Students are examined and graded anonymously with the JD students in their classes. The work of daily class preparation is very demanding. Students with serious English language limitations will have difficulty coping with a new cultural, social and academic environment, especially if they are enrolled in discipline like law, which requires a very high level of English reading and writing proficiency. Only those students who feel confident in their English language ability should apply.
For this reason, the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is required of foreign applicants seeking admission to the program from nations in which English is not the primary language of instruction. A TOEFL score of 600 on the paper-based test or 250 on the computer-based test is the minimum score acceptable.
Financial Aid
SJD students must demonstrate that they possess the means adequate to finance their education as a condition of admission to the program. Foreign applicants are encouraged to contact the educational attaché at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in their home country for assistance that may be available under the Fulbright or similar programs.
Visas
Admission of international students to the law school is subject to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) regulations. Foreign students will be required to comply with health insurance and health coverage clearance rules and must be found eligible for a U.S. Student Visa before being permitted to register as students in the program. Most international students enter the U.S. on an F-1 student visa. Evidence of fin capability will be requested only after an offer of admission is made to the applicant. Applicants must include a copy of their passport identification with the correct spelling and version of their names in order to process the 1-20 form. After receipt of acceptable financial aid documents, the applicant will be sent the Form 1-20 for the purpose of applying for an F-1 student visa. Visa applications are usually made at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the applicant's country of residence.
Residency and Credit Requirements
Students in the SJD program must be in residence for a minimum of one year. The candidate may combine course work with directed research and writing credits for a total of 15 credits per semester. Each program must be approved by the supervising faculty member and the Graduate Studies Committee. The choice of courses will be from among those generally offered at the law school and will depend on the particular subject matter and course of study approved for each SJD candidate. The law school website includes a list of courses offered. Applicants should bear in mind that, due to curriculum scheduling and faculty availability, not every class listed is taught each year. This is most often true in the case of specialized seminars. The final schedule of law classes will be available shortly before classes begin in August. The law school academic years begins in the middle of August with a fall semester of 16 weeks. After examinations and vacation in December, classes resume early in January for another 16-week semester that ends in mid-May.
Dissertation Requirements
Upon successful completion of the residency requirement and performance in courses at a level substantially above the quality expected of JD candidates, the Graduate Studies Committee, following its favorable review of the candidate's course work and of the developed research proposal, shall constitute a doctoral committee consisting of three faculty members, including the student's supervisor and a member from a department outside of the law school. Upon the successful oral defense of the research proposal before the doctoral committee, The Graduate Studies Committee shall admit the student to full candidacy for the SJD degree. It is recommended at this stage that an additional year in residency be undertaken in which the candidate shall devote him or herself to researching and beginning to write the required SJD dissertation.
Within four years of the completion of the residency period, unless for exceptional circumstances an extension is granted by the Graduate Studies Committee, a candidate shall submit, and successfully defend in an oral examination, a dissertation in the of a monograph or a series of closely related essays suitable for publication and constituting a substantial contribution to knowledge in its field.
In addition, Emory Law adheres to the policies of the Association of American Law Schools on nondiscrimination.