We are currently not accepting applications for the 2027 admissions year
Who Should Apply
An SJD is a good choice for students who:
- Want to get a doctoral degree in 3 years.
- Plan to pursue a long-term career in academia, government, research, or public policy.
Admissions Standards
Admissions decisions will be made by the Law School’s SJD Committee, in consultation with the faculty member who has agreed to serve as the candidate’s dissertation adviser.
Applicants to the SJD degree program must have already obtained a J.D. or an LL.M. degree from a U.S. law school accredited by the American Bar Association, or have obtained an LL.M. degree from a non-U.S. law school in a common law country. The SJD Committee may also consider applicants with graduate degrees from institutions outside the common law world and from experienced members of the judiciary, universities, or public service organizations if the applicant’s experience indicates likely success in the SJD programA successful candidate must also demonstrate excellence in English research and writing skills, and be able to conduct sustained and original academic or professional research at a high intellectual level.
Admissions Requirements
- Curriculum vitae
- All undergraduate, graduate, law degree, and LLM transcripts
- At least two academic letters of recommendation
- Preliminary dissertation proposal (5 to 15 pages)
- Published work or writing sample of publishable quality
- Personal statement describing the applicant’s background, goals, and reasons for applying to Miami Law
- TOEFL, IELTS, or Duoling English Test (DET) score (or waiver request)
Application Dates and Deadlines
The priority application deadline will be May 1, and the final application deadline will be June 30.
Non-Discrimination Policy
It is the policy of the University of Miami School of Law that no person within the jurisdiction thereof shall, on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, age, disability, military status, veteran status, genetic information, or any other protected factor be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination or harassment (including all forms of sexual harassment and sexual violence) under any program or activity of the University, regardless of whether such program or activity occurs on-campus or off-campus. Retaliation against an individual who files a complaint of discrimination, opposes a policy/procedure/practice because he/she believes it to be discriminatory, or who participates in the investigation of a discrimination complaint, is prohibited.
