JD/PhD Combined Degree Program
Degree Types: JD/PhD
Northwestern’s Graduate School and School of Law offer an integrated JD and PhD program for students interested in pursuing a career in academia or another research setting (e.g., a policy research organization) and whose teaching and research will be enriched by both the JD and PhD degrees. The JD/PhD Combined Degree Program prepares students to conduct innovative research on law at the cross section of disciplines. Recognizing that a growing trend among top law schools is to hire faculty who have PhDs as well as law degrees, Northwestern offers the most efficient, cohesive, and affordable option for future academics wishing to pursue their doctoral and law degrees simultaneously.
The program’s curriculum allows students to complete both degrees more efficiently than they would through consecutive degree programs. Students can complete the entire program (including dissertation) in as few as six years, depending on the requirements of the particular PhD program.
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.
Application to the JD/PhD program requires acceptance into both The Graduate School and the Law School.
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