Doctor of Juridical Science
Course details
About the course
The Doctor of Juridical Science is a structured programme that incorporates coursework and independent research. Individually tailored, it’ll help you achieve a PhD degree with maximum support. If you have an established professional or academic record, this degree may suit you. You'll achieve mastery of content, acquire skills and develop attributes appropriate to senior positions in academia, law and related professions. The Doctor of Juridical Science (SJD) is structured to ensure that you have optimal supervision to contribute to these outcomes. The University of Waikato has developed strong relationships and networks with national and international communities of researchers to ensure that this doctoral programme is relevant and responsive to your needs as well as to the needs of the profession. Part 1 requires you to complete the Research Portfolio paper (LAWS995). You'll attend selected seminars and cohort meetings with your supervising academic staff. You'll have to produce two research papers of publishable quality demonstrating your expertise in an area of law of your choice. You'll also have to produce a research proposal at the level of a PhD proposal. Part 1 counts for 120 points and you must gain a pass grade in the Research Portfolio. You'll have 1 year to complete Part 1 if you study full-time (and 2 years if you study part-time). For part 2, you'll complete a major thesis at the doctoral level of a maximum of 60,000 words. You'll be required to undertake approved and supervised research, and present the results lucidly in a thesis of publishable quality, which: Part 2 counts for 240 points. You'll have 3 years to complete Part 2 if you study full-time and at least 6 years if you are enrolled in part-time studies. For more information, please read the regulations.
About the provider
The University of Waikato, located in the central North Island cities of Hamilton and Tauranga, is an internationally recognised tertiary institution offering degree programmes designed to produce job-ready graduates. Each year, the University provides more than 2,000 industry placements and internship opportunities, believing its students benefit from the chance to put the theory they have learnt in classrooms, into practice in a real-world employment environment. When students choose to study at waikato, they gain a globally recognised education. In 2019, the QS World University Rankings placed the University of Waikato 266th in the world, an improvement of 135 places in five years. The University is also in the top 5% of all globally ranked institutions for research impact, meaning their research is among some of the most influential in the world.