The Doctor of Juridical Science (S.J.D.; in Latin, Scientiae Juridical Doctor) Program, modeled on the Ph.D. programs in other disciplines, is designed for those seeking to pursue academic careers as teachers and scholars of law. This highly selective program is open only to applicants who possess a distinguished prior academic record in law, show promise of outstanding scholarship and demonstrate a high potential for completing a scholarly dissertation of the required quality.

The educational program for the preparation of a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) has a scientific and pedagogical orientation, the purpose of which is fundamental, educational, methodological, and research training and in-depth study of the disciplines of legal sciences for the system of higher and postgraduate education.

The PhD is awarded after three to four years of full-time research on the basis of a dissertation of 80,000 words (exclusive of footnotes, appendices and bibliography, but subject to an overall word limit of 100,000 words exclusive of bibliography, table of contents and any other preliminary matter). Examination for the PhD involves an oral examination (viva) by two examiners.