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LAW-JD - Law (JD)

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Law SchoolLaw JDJD - Doctor of Jurisprudence

General

Program Policies

Learning Outcomes

Program Overview

The School of Law, established in 1893, provides legal education for students fitted by their maturity and academic training to pursue professional study under university methods of instruction. The curriculum leading to the first professional degree in law, the Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD), constitutes an adequate preparation for law practice in any English-speaking jurisdiction. Graduate work leading to the degrees of Master of Laws (L.L.M.), Master of the Science of Law (JSM), and Doctor of the Science of Law (JSD), and a non-professional degree, Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.), is also offered. For the entire curriculum, see the Course Schedule & Description on the Law School website. Stanford Law School offers joint or dual degree options with other Stanford graduate departments and universities nationwide; see the “Joint and Dual Degrees in Law” below.

The school is on a three-term academic calendar. See the Academic Calendar on the Law School website for a complete list of academic dates.

See the Law School website for further information about admission, programs, curriculum, and faculty.

Joint and Dual Degrees in Law

Formal admission to both the Law School and the other cooperating school or department is required by the established admission standards of each school or department. In addition to the established joint degree programs offered, the school considers requests for a dual program on an individually designed basis. For additional information on Law School joint or dual degree programs, see the Law School website. See relevant websites or department sections of this Bulletin for degree requirements.

Graduate School of Business

  • See the GSB’s MBA website

  • JD/MBA Master of Business Administration

  • JD/PhD Business Administration

School of Earth Sciences

  • JD/MS Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources (E-IPER)

  • JD/PhD Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources (E-IPER)

School of Education

JD/MA Education

School of Engineering

  • JD/MS Bioengineering

  • JD/PhD Bioengineering

  • JD/MS Computer Science

  • JD/MS Electrical Engineering

  • JD/MS Management Science and Engineering (MS&E)

  • JD/PhD Management Science and Engineering (MS&E)

School of Humanities and Sciences

  • JD/Ph.D. Communication

  • JD/MA Economics

  • JD/PhD Economics

  • JD/MA History

  • JD/PhD History

  • JD/MA in degree-granting programs in Stanford Global Studies (SGS):

    • African Studies

    • East Asian Studies

    • Latin American Studies

    • Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies

  • JD/MA International Policy

  • JD/PhD Modern Thought and Literature

  • JD/PhD Philosophy

  • JD/PhD Political Science

  • JD/PhD Psychology

  • JD/MPP Public Policy

  • JD/PhD Sociology

  • JD/MS Symbolic Systems

School of Medicine

  • JD/MS Health Research and Policy (HRP)

  • JD/MD Medicine

  • JD/PhD Neurosciences

Cooperative Programs with Other Universities

Stanford JD students have also pursued degrees at other universities, such as the Harvard Kennedy School, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and Princeton Woodrow Wilson School. The approval process for such a cooperative program begins after the student has been admitted independently to both programs. Students may enroll in either a joint degree among schools at Stanford or in a degree from an external university, but a student may not enroll in both a Stanford JDP and a cooperative program with another university.

Courses in Law

Some Law courses have special enrollment instructions and restrictions, but many Law courses are open to qualified graduate students in other departments of Stanford University with instructor consent. Non-law students may not enroll in courses that are part of the required first-year JD curriculum. Stanford non-law students intending to enroll in any course with a LAW subject code must consult the Office of the Law School Registrar in the Stanford Law School Administration Building, room 100, or see the Stanford Law School Office of the Registrar website.

Completion requirement

The requirements for the degree of JD are: 

  • For students who entered law school in 2019 or later, successful completion of all first-year required courses plus an additional 78 quarter units of elective coursework (111 total units)

  • For students who entered law school before 2019, successful completion of all  first-year required courses plus an additional 82 quarter units of elective coursework (111 total units)

  • For students who entered law school in 2016 or later, satisfaction of the experiential learning requirement; 

  • Satisfaction of the ethics requirement

  • Satisfaction of the writing requirement

  • Satisfaction of the learning outcomes requirement

  • For students who entered law school before 2016, satisfaction of the professional skills instruction requirement

  • Nine quarters of residency

  • Timely filing of an application for graduation

  • Students who entered law school in 2019 or later must complete all first-year required courses plus an additional 78) approved quarter units of elective coursework to obtain a JD (a total of 111 units). 

  • Students who entered law school before 2019 must complete all first-year required courses plus an additional 82 approved quarter units of elective coursework to obtain a JD (a total of 111 units).

During autumn quarter, a first-year student may take only those courses on the required list. 

First-year JD students may take no more than five units of electives in winter quarter, and they must take at least three units but no more than eight units of electives in spring quarter. Elective courses are limited to those within the Law School, except that first-year JD students may take a physical education or a music course each quarter, but it will not count toward residency or graduation.

34-46 Units

Fulfill ALL of the following requirements:
Complete ALL of the following Courses:
  • 2100081
  • 2100101
  • 2100121
  • 2100111
AND
Complete at least 1 of the following Courses:
  • 2219631
  • 2219641
  • 2219591
  • 2219601
  • 2219611
  • 2219621
  • 2219691
  • 2219741
  • 2219701
  • 2219711
  • 2219731
  • 2219651
  • 2219681
  • 2219671
  • 2219661
Fulfill ALL of the following requirements:
Complete ALL of the following Courses:
  • 2100141
  • 2100091
  • 2105971
AND

May complete at least 5 units of electives.

Fulfill ALL of the following requirements:
Complete ALL of the following Courses:
  • 2100161
  • 2165601
AND

Complete any LAW course from 3-8 units.

65-75 Units

To graduate, a JD student must be “in residence” as a law student for at least nine (9) quarters and no more than twelve (12) quarters. For purposes of the JD degree, the term “in residence” means that a student:  

  • Takes at least nine quarter units of credit that can be counted toward the degree each quarter

  • By the date all grades for the quarter are due, pass at least eight such units each quarter

  • Pays full tuition to the law school

  • Does not work more than 20 hours per week during the term; (See section entitled ‘Limitations on Working’ for more information) 

  • A student must be in residence during the quarter in which the final degree is conferred or during the quarter immediately preceding the degree conferral

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