Dissertation-only JSD

[HogwartsSchool]

The St. Thomas University School of Law offers a JSD that has no courses. The way it works is that you earn their LLM in Intercultural Human Rights (two semesters and not online), and if you graduate with a 3.0 GPA, you can be admitted to their JSD program. Immediately, you will start on the 75,000 word thesis, but you must be in the program for at least two years. I find this to be kind of odd since this might lead to them artificially drawing out the program. They state that it will take two semesters to evaluate and approve the thesis after its completion.

What makes this program interesting is that you don't need to be on campus while working on your thesis. You also don't need a JD or LLB to gain admission to the LLM or JSD program.

If someone graduated from another law school's LLM program, an "outstanding scholar" might also gain admission. However, they must meet the residency requirement by attending classes on campus for two terms. They must also earn 12 of the credits in the LLM in Human Rights program.



https://www.stu.edu/law/human-rights/jsd...formation/

I don't know of any LL.M. programs in the US that don't require a JD or LLB as part of entry requirements. https://www.stu.edu/law/human-rights/llm...uirements/

From STU "Enrollment for the LL.M. degree is open to holders of a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree or similar foreign qualifications in the field of law."

On a highly selective basis, admission may also be granted to holders of a bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent, who have shown an outstanding commitment to the cause of human rights and human dignity. Non-lawyers participating in this program are advised that the program does not prepare or qualify its students to engage in the practice of law and that the program is not intended to qualify students to take a bar examination.

https://www.stu.edu/law/human-rights/llm...uirements/

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U.S. applicants with an advanced degree outside law and at least three years of experience related to dispute resolution may be admitted under an “experience exception” to the law degree requirement.

https://online.missouri.edu/degrees-prog...admissions

Thanks for advising. Was not aware U.S. law schools were admitting students without a JD or LL.B. into the LL.M programs. Its more common in the UK (for admitting without first law degree), maybe the U.S. is headed that direction??