JD/PhD

Scholarship in law and sociology is broadly focused on the relationship between law and society, both historically and in the contemporary world. For those whose academic interests lie at the intersection of these disciplines, research opportunities are boundless. For example, sociolegal scholarship may concern the death penalty, racial profiling, abortion, child labor, prostitution, civil rights, international human rights, intellectual property, employment discrimination, and corporate citizenship.

With the goal of enabling new scholarship in these and other areas related to law and society, Stanford’s JD/PhD program in law and sociology combine rigorous training in sociological theory and methodology with a world-class legal education. Stanford Law School and the Stanford University Department of Sociology (share more than a common interest in sociolegal scholarship: Both are ranked among the top academic departments in their respective fields. The high quality of both institutions distinguishes Stanford’s JD/PhD program from those offered by other universities. Stanford is also the only university where a commitment to fostering sociolegal scholarship has been translated into a truly joint JD/PhD program.

Although most students who pursue a joint degree in law and sociology pursue an academic career in law and/or sociology, training in this area may be useful for careers outside the academy—for example, studying race and equality as the foundation for a career in public service, or studying criminology in preparation for a career as a prosecutor or defense attorney.