Combined J.D./Ph.D. (Philosophy)

Director: Professor David Dyzenhaus

• Requirements
• Admissions
• Contact

The Combined J.D./Ph.D. (Philosophy) Program enables students to pursue a profound investigation of the complex issues that lie at the intersection between law and philosophy.

The program allows students to complete the two degrees one year faster than if they were pursued separately. At the end of that period, the student will have completed the J.D. degree and reached the dissertation stage of the Ph.D. in philosophy.

Admission to the PhD program requires either a four-year bachelor's degree or a Master's degree in philosophy, from a recognized university. A student seeking admission on the basis of a four-year bachelor's degree must have completed at least six full courses in philosophy (twelve semester courses), with minimum average grades of B+ in the applicants' overall program and A- in the philosophy courses. A student seeking admission on the basis of a master's degree in philosophy must have an average grade of at least an A- in that program. 

Requirements

1. In the first year of the program students complete all the first year courses at the Faculty of Law.
   
2. In the second and third years of the program, the Director must approve all courses* with the following minimum requirements.

• Successfully complete 48** credits at the Faculty of Law AND
• Successfully complete 4 half-courses in philosophy at 2 credits each AND
• Satisfy the compulsory requirements of the upper years of the J.D. including the moot, a perspective course, and the Supervised Upper Year Research Paper.
• Courses taken during the second and third year count towards the credit requirement at the Faculty of Law.

 * In order to complete the requirements of the 3 year J.D. program, the student must have a minimum of 48 law credits in the second and third year of the program PLUS the 4 half-courses in Philosophy.

** Students who intend to complete their J.D. one year later (i.e. year 4) must do a minimum of 38 law credits in years 2 and 3 and the remaining 10 law credits in year 4. This may apply to students who decide to do more philosophy graduate courses in Year 2 and Year 3 than the required four half courses.

• Students must complete an area examination in philosophy and prepare for one language examination. 
• Dissertation as required by the Department of Philosophy and the School of Graduate Studies.

Note: Notwithstanding the Department of Philosophy's course selection process, students must meet the Faculty of Law course selection deadline.

Students must submit their proposed course selections for years two and three of the program to the Director prior to the applicable course selection deadlines in each year and in each Faculty. Any changes must also be approved by the Director.

Admissions

Those interested in the combined program must obtain separate admission to both the Ph.D. program in philosophy and the J.D. program. The program is designed for students who are already qualified to enter the Ph.D. in philosophy as well as the J.D. program, but in limited cases candidates who have completed a master's program in another discipline may be considered.

Contact

Graduate Department of Philosophy