Juris Doctor

Source: https://www.hbku.edu.qa/en/cl/juris-doctor Parent: https://www.hbku.edu.qa/en/cl

College of Law

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The Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree is a unique model of graduate legal education designed to meet the needs of Qatar and the Middle East. The J.D. is the first-of-its-kind graduate law degree in the MENA region; courses are taught in English, preparing graduates to work in the international legal market.

A J.D. differs from an undergraduate law degree as it targets individuals who already hold an undergraduate degree, which can be in any subject, including law. The J.D. education builds on the student’s previous expertise and experience, allowing students to pursue expertise in law that is aligned with their previous degree or move in a completely different direction.

The College of Law’s J.D. curriculum is consistent with the best offered internationally. The J.D. was created through a strategic partnership with Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. The J.D. equips graduates with a high level of legal knowledge and complementary research, writing, and advocacy skills. The focus on skills training enables our graduates to make the most of a wide range of career options in the public sector, private corporations, law firms, international organizations, and academia.

The American Bar Association, the governing body of US lawyers, has passed the following resolution about the J.D. degree: “Whereas, the acquisition of a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree requires from 84 to 90 semester hours of post baccalaureate study and the Doctor of Philosophy degree usually requires 60 semester hours of post baccalaureate study along with the writing of a dissertation, the two degrees shall be considered as equivalent degrees for educational employment purposes.” J.D. graduates are also well-positioned to undertake further legal studies in the United States and other countries in Europe. Recent J.D. graduates have pursued or are pursuing LL.M. degrees at Duke University School of Law, Georgetown University Law Center, Harvard Law School, New York University School of Law, The Graduate Institute, Geneva.

In short, our J.D. graduates rise to the top as they have combined previous university education and training with three years of a rigorous, interdisciplinary legal education.

Language

English

Program Duration

3 Years

Certification

Juris Doctor

Factsheet

• Program Focus
• Curriculum
• Learning Outcomes
• Admissions Requirements

• FAQ

• The first year and a half (Part I) of the program focuses on the foundations for lawyering, while the second year and a half (Part II) applies and elaborates on the legal principles from Part I to major sectors that are vital to Qatar and the region.

• The courses in Part I, foundations for lawyering, develop the student’s understanding of legal doctrine in key subjects. They also develop analytical and reasoning skills so that the student can articulate the relevant principles and apply them to real-world problems. Taught from a comparative perspective, the courses in Part I examine the different legal systems that converge in global legal practice with a focus on identifying common themes and points of departure. Part I also trains students on how to navigate from one system to another, depending on the exigencies of the transnational transactions they will be required to manage during their professional careers.
• During Part II, students apply and further develop their foundational skills in sectors that are vital to Qatar and the region. These areas include energy, healthcare, global economic law and governance, construction & infrastructure development, media, and sports.
• Accompanying a dynamic curriculum is an extensive offering of co-curricular activities, such as colloquia and Majlis, at which leading experts provide insights on contemporary legal topics. Additionally, student moot court competitions, in which students argue a simulated case before a court or arbitral tribunal, provide an important avenue for skills development. Through moot courts, students experience drafting memorials and engaging in oral arguments. The College of Law has fielded teams in top international competitions, including the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, and the Europa Competition. In 2019, the College of Law hosted its first international moot, the Cybersecurity Law Moot Court Competition, featuring ten teams from around the world.

Year 1, Semester 1

Year 1, Semester 2

Year 2, Semester 1

Year 2, Semester 2

Year 3, Semester 1

Year 3, Semester 2

Additional Offerings

Graduates of this program will be equipped to:

• Exhibit comprehensive knowledge of the common, civil, and Shari’a legal traditions and how they apply to the practice of law within public, international, and private sectors.
• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of substantive and procedural issues of certain domestic systems and the international system.
• Make use of legal doctrine to conduct comparative analysis of multiple systems and formulate reasoned analysis of contemporary legal issues.
• Test research abilities to shape new policy in a comparative and international legal context.
• Demonstrate effective communication skills and superior knowledge of professional responsibility issues and can decisively identify the appropriate course of action in a given situation.

Admissions to the J.D. program requires a bachelor’s degree with a strong academic record (minimum 3.0 GPA out of 4) from a recognized university.

Unless exempt, applicants are required to submit an IELTS score of 6.5 or a TOEFL score of 79 to demonstrate their proficiency in English. Please visit CL Admissions for more details on the language proficiency requirement and the process to seek exemption, where this is an option.

Tuition Fees

Student Financial Information

What is a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree?

The J.D. is a three-year, graduate-level law degree based on the U.S. model of legal education. It requires students to have at least one prior university degree before undertaking legal studies. It is taught in English, enabling graduates to work in numerous legal markets around the world, including Qatar and the Middle East. The HBKU J.D. degree is the first-of-its-kind graduate law program in the MENA region.

How does a J.D. differ from an Undergraduate law degree?

J.D. students already hold an undergraduate degree in any subject. For example, our students have prior degrees in a broad range of fields, such as engineering, medicine, international relations, economics, literature, history, and law. Unlike Undergraduate law degrees, the J.D. builds on a student’s prior knowledge and experience, allowing them to specialize in law aligned with their previous education or explore a completely new legal direction. This integration ensures that graduates are highly skilled and competitive in the global legal market.

What is the structure of the J.D. program?

The J.D. curriculum aligns with the international standards and was introduced in partnership with Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. It combines rigorous legal training with complementary skills in research, writing, and advocacy, equipping graduates with the knowledge needed for diverse legal and professional roles.

What skills do J.D. graduates gain?

We cover core substantive legal principles that are expected in a world-class law faculty. In addition, Our J.D. graduates develop:

• Advanced legal knowledge, especially in areas relevant to Qatar, such as healthcare, sports, construction and infrastructure, culture and heritage, dispute resolution, and international law. Each subject has global relevance as well.
• A comparative perspective, through instruction in common, civil, and Qatari law, including Sharia and traditions.
• Rigorous, focused research and writing expertise, supported by our small class sizes, which enable extensive individual feedback to students.
• Advocacy skills, as students are trained to present arguments in a methodical yet persuasive manner.
• Analytical skills, as students are assessed based on their problem-solving ability and the recognition that a variety of disciplines shape legal norms.

Our graduates pursue a variety of career paths including the public sector, private corporations, law firms, international organizations, and academia.

Can I become a lawyer after earning the HBKU Law J.D. degree?

Yes. Our Qatari graduates who have completed a six-week certificate course have gone on to become licensed in Qatar. Non-Qatari graduates who have earned an LL.M. from a U.S. law school have been licensed in New York. Graduates are also pursuing licensing in Canada and Australia.

Is the J.D. degree equivalent to a Ph.D. degree?

The J.D. degree is a professional doctorate. While students are not required to write a dissertation, many J.D. courses require them to complete a research paper. The American Bar Association (ABA), which accredits U.S. law schools has recognized the J.D. as equivalent to a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) for educational employment purposes. While a Ph.D. typically requires 60 post-baccalaureate semester hours and a dissertation, the J.D. requires 84–90 semester hours of post-baccalaureate study.

What is the Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.) degree?

The S.J.D. is the highest research degree in law. The successful S.J.D. graduate is required to write a dissertation of publishable quality and defend the dissertation before an examination committee.

Can J.D. graduates pursue further legal studies?

Yes, J.D. graduates are well-prepared to undertake further legal studies in the United States or Europe. Our J.D. graduates have pursued LL.M. degrees at prestigious institutions such as:

• Columbia University School of Law
• Duke University School of Law
• Georgetown University Law Center
• Harvard Law School
• New York University School of Law
• The Graduate Institute, Geneva
• University of Toronto Faculty of Law