Course details

Summary

The Doctor of Juridical Science is a structured programme that incorporates course work 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.

Programme structure

Part 1

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).

Part 2

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:

• Critically investigates an approved topic of substance and significance
• Demonstrates expertise in the methods of research and scholarship
• Displays intellectual independence, and
• Makes a substantial original contribution to the subject area.

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.

Entry criteria

To qualify to enrol in the Doctor of Juridical Science degree, you’ll be required to:

• Hold a bachelor's degree with honours or a master's degree, and must have achieved first or second class honours (first division) or distinction, or
• Hold a Master of Philosophy, or
• Have passed qualifying papers at a satisfactory level.

In exceptional circumstances, if you have produced other evidence signifying that you poses adequate skills and knowledge to proceed with the proposed research to the satisfaction of the Postgraduate Research Committee you may be permitted to enrol in the DJS programme.

English language requirements:

• an IELTS Overall score of at least 6.5 overall (including at least 6.0 or better in the Writing band), or
• an iBT (Internet Based TOEFL) score of 90 with a Writing score of 22, or
• a B grade or better at Level 8 in the Certificate of Attainment in Academic English, or
• an overall score of C (with at least a C in the Writing band) in the Foundation Certificate in English for Academic Purposes, or
• a PTE Academic overall score of 65 with no less than 58 for each communicative skill.