Berkeley Law students can work simultaneously toward a Ph.D. in JSP and the professional law degree (J.D.). Some students embark on both degree programs at the same time. Others are already enrolled in one program when they first decide to apply and to pursue study in the other program. In every case, separate application and separate admission is required to each program. Students who pursue both the J.D. and the JSP Ph.D. degrees must fulfill all of the academic requirements of each separate degree program. Yet the high level of integration permitted by having both programs in the same school typically allows joint degree students to complete both degrees faster than if they were to enroll in two different institutions.
Normative time for JSP students to finish their Ph.D. is normally six years and seven years if a student also earns a JD at Berkeley while in the JSP program.
It is recommended that applicants applying to both programs submit a J.D. application and Ph.D. application by December 15.