Academics

Does JSP offer a Master’s program?

The M.A. degree in Jurisprudence and Social Policy is only available to current Berkeley Law J.D. students or JSP Ph.D. students. More information here.

What is the difference between a Ph.D. and a J.S.D.?

Both the Ph.D. and J.S.D. degrees are appropriate if you intend on entering an academic career. However, the biggest distinction would be in whether you would like to enter an academic career in the U.S. or outside of the U.S. If you intend to pursue a career in the U.S., the Ph.D. would be recommended, whereas the J.S.D. would be recommended for those intending to pursue a career outside of the U.S.

For more information on Berkeley Law’s J.S.D. program, you can reach out to ...

What are the range of scholarly interests in the program?

We have a vast range of dissertation topics that include works on law and social inequality, immigration law, business law, law and markets, human rights and comparative law, policing, mass incarceration, law and bioethics, law and religion, law and education, law and technology, and intellectual property.

Can I enroll concurrently in the Ph.D. and J.D. degree at Berkeley Law?

Yes, and more information can be found here. We also offer limited PDST awards to concurrently enrolled Ph.D. and J.D. students.Concurrently enrolled students gain an additional year towards their normative time to Ph.D. degree.

How large are the cohorts?

The cohorts are about 8 to 10 students each year.

What is advising like in the JSP program?

First-year students are assigned a temporary advisor based on their academic interests. For about half of the students this temporary advisor ultimately becomes a permanent advisor, but sometimes the student’s interests shift and the student changes advisors. Furthermore, the Chair of the JSP Admissions Committee is a general advisor for the cohort. At the end of the second year, students also have a review with two faculty members where they can discuss what the students have been doing during their time in the program so far. The students also work closely with faculty...

How is the intellectual community built in the JSP program?

JSP students meet up at several social and professional events. Student-led events include those organized through the JSP Law and Society Graduate Students Association (LSGSA), such as the Friday Forum where they present research to each other. There is also the Gateway Conference for first-year students, where students get to present their research and they get feedback from more advanced JSP students and faculty. JSP also offers funding for students to go to conferences to connect with a greater network of academics. Furthermore, there is a network of about 150 alumni...

How much flexibility is there in the JSP program?

JSP does not have any unit minimums or maximums, but rather distribution requirements. Students must take three foundations courses in all different disciplines. After that students must take two additional seminars, one of which can be done outside of the program, and then can take additional seminars in whatever they want.

What kind of formal training do JSP students receive for preparation in interdisciplinary areas?

The JSP program has courses and training in both methodology and substantive fields. These include introductory doctorate level statistics classes and more advanced statistics courses that cover causal inference in the field of law and legal institutions specifically. Furthermore, those students that are particularly interested in quantitative methods for their chosen disciplines, can take methods classes from those departments. We also offer an introductory-level research design course, which teaches students how to come up with research questions and then decide on...

How many years does the JSP program usually take?

It generally takes six years to complete the Ph.D. program. It can take seven years if the student also earns their JD at Berkeley Law with the JSP Ph.D. If the student chooses to earn their JD at another law school, which requires taking a leave from the JSP program to do so, it may take another two to three years to finish the program, depending on how many courses count at both schools. The JSP Ph.D. program itself is about two and a half years of coursework, a year of independent and small group study to prepare for the exams, and lastly two and a half years of...