24 monthsProgramme duration
76,242 USDTuition Fee/year
AugStarting Month
Programme overview
Degree
Other
Study Level
PHD
Study Mode
On Campus
The Juris Doctor (JD) is a full-time, two-year law degree that provides comprehensive and in-depth legal education to students without prior background in the law. The emphasis of the programme is not on rote learning of legal rules, but on critical appreciation and assessment of the underpinnings of these rules. The JD programme typically has an annual cohort size of about 70–90 students. We believe that an intimate environment will facilitate interaction and enhance the learning experience.
The programme will provide students with a solid foundation in traditional common law subjects, which are the bedrock of the Hong Kong legal system. In addition, the programme will introduce students to new ways of thinking about the law. Courses on interdisciplinary and theoretical approaches to the law are a required component of the programme. These courses will challenge students not only to understand what the law is, but also to contemplate what the law should be. The programme also includes a broad range of electives, which will allow students to explore their academic interests and to develop a specialty. Such exploration and specialization will culminate in an optional dissertation, in which students are expected to engage with and advance the scholarship on cutting-edge areas of law.
The JD programme offers all the courses required for admission to the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws programme (PCLL). Graduates who have taken these courses will be eligible to apply for admission to the PCLL and eventually to practise either as a barrister or a solicitor in Hong Kong.
Learning in the JD programme will not be confined to the classroom. The Faculty of Law is a serious community of research and scholarship. As a leading centre of legal research in Asia, our Faculty offers students a chance to benefit from the constant stream of visiting academics from around the world. Recent visitors included eminent academics from institutions such as the University of Oxford, Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, to name but a few. The Faculty hosts frequent talks and workshops, and participates in numerous international mooting competitions, which are excellent opportunities for students to hone their research, writing, and advocacy skills.
The programme will provide students with a solid foundation in traditional common law subjects, which are the bedrock of the Hong Kong legal system. In addition, the programme will introduce students to new ways of thinking about the law. Courses on interdisciplinary and theoretical approaches to the law are a required component of the programme. These courses will challenge students not only to understand what the law is, but also to contemplate what the law should be. The programme also includes a broad range of electives, which will allow students to explore their academic interests and to develop a specialty. Such exploration and specialization will culminate in an optional dissertation, in which students are expected to engage with and advance the scholarship on cutting-edge areas of law.
The JD programme offers all the courses required for admission to the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws programme (PCLL). Graduates who have taken these courses will be eligible to apply for admission to the PCLL and eventually to practise either as a barrister or a solicitor in Hong Kong.
Learning in the JD programme will not be confined to the classroom. The Faculty of Law is a serious community of research and scholarship. As a leading centre of legal research in Asia, our Faculty offers students a chance to benefit from the constant stream of visiting academics from around the world. Recent visitors included eminent academics from institutions such as the University of Oxford, Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, to name but a few. The Faculty hosts frequent talks and workshops, and participates in numerous international mooting competitions, which are excellent opportunities for students to hone their research, writing, and advocacy skills.
Programme overview
Degree
Other
Study Level
PHD
Study Mode
On Campus
The Juris Doctor (JD) is a full-time, two-year law degree that provides comprehensive and in-depth legal education to students without prior background in the law. The emphasis of the programme is not on rote learning of legal rules, but on critical appreciation and assessment of the underpinnings of these rules. The JD programme typically has an annual cohort size of about 70–90 students. We believe that an intimate environment will facilitate interaction and enhance the learning experience.
The programme will provide students with a solid foundation in traditional common law subjects, which are the bedrock of the Hong Kong legal system. In addition, the programme will introduce students to new ways of thinking about the law. Courses on interdisciplinary and theoretical approaches to the law are a required component of the programme. These courses will challenge students not only to understand what the law is, but also to contemplate what the law should be. The programme also includes a broad range of electives, which will allow students to explore their academic interests and to develop a specialty. Such exploration and specialization will culminate in an optional dissertation, in which students are expected to engage with and advance the scholarship on cutting-edge areas of law.
The JD programme offers all the courses required for admission to the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws programme (PCLL). Graduates who have taken these courses will be eligible to apply for admission to the PCLL and eventually to practise either as a barrister or a solicitor in Hong Kong.
Learning in the JD programme will not be confined to the classroom. The Faculty of Law is a serious community of research and scholarship. As a leading centre of legal research in Asia, our Faculty offers students a chance to benefit from the constant stream of visiting academics from around the world. Recent visitors included eminent academics from institutions such as the University of Oxford, Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, to name but a few. The Faculty hosts frequent talks and workshops, and participates in numerous international mooting competitions, which are excellent opportunities for students to hone their research, writing, and advocacy skills.
The programme will provide students with a solid foundation in traditional common law subjects, which are the bedrock of the Hong Kong legal system. In addition, the programme will introduce students to new ways of thinking about the law. Courses on interdisciplinary and theoretical approaches to the law are a required component of the programme. These courses will challenge students not only to understand what the law is, but also to contemplate what the law should be. The programme also includes a broad range of electives, which will allow students to explore their academic interests and to develop a specialty. Such exploration and specialization will culminate in an optional dissertation, in which students are expected to engage with and advance the scholarship on cutting-edge areas of law.
The JD programme offers all the courses required for admission to the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws programme (PCLL). Graduates who have taken these courses will be eligible to apply for admission to the PCLL and eventually to practise either as a barrister or a solicitor in Hong Kong.
Learning in the JD programme will not be confined to the classroom. The Faculty of Law is a serious community of research and scholarship. As a leading centre of legal research in Asia, our Faculty offers students a chance to benefit from the constant stream of visiting academics from around the world. Recent visitors included eminent academics from institutions such as the University of Oxford, Harvard Law School, Yale Law School, to name but a few. The Faculty hosts frequent talks and workshops, and participates in numerous international mooting competitions, which are excellent opportunities for students to hone their research, writing, and advocacy skills.
Admission Requirements
100+
7.5+
*The following entrance requirements for admission in the academic year 2026-2027 will be subject to the University’s approval
To be eligible for admission to the degree of Juris Doctor, a candidate shall:
(a) comply with the General Regulations and the Regulations for Taught Postgraduate Curricula; and
(b) (i) hold a degree in a non-law subject with at least second class honours or equivalent awarded by a recognised university; or
(ii) hold a law degree from a non-common law jurisdiction with at least second class honours or equivalent awarded by a recognised university
Applicants who do not have a Bachelor's degree with English as the medium of instruction are required to satisfy the English language proficiency based on one of the following recognised English tests:
(i) International English Language Testing System (IELTS) - An overall band score of 7.5 or above with no sub-test below 7.0 or
(ii) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - A score of 100 or above (internet-based test)
The TOEFL or IELTS tests result must be obtained no more than two years prior to the expected date of entry to the JD programme (i.e. August 1, 2026); and the results from “IELTS One Skill Retake”, “IELTS Indicator” and “TOEFL iBT® Home Edition” will not be accepted. For example, if an applicant is submitting his or her application for entry in August 2026, his or her English test scores must have been obtained no earlier than August 1, 2024.
To be eligible for admission to the degree of Juris Doctor, a candidate shall:
(a) comply with the General Regulations and the Regulations for Taught Postgraduate Curricula; and
(b) (i) hold a degree in a non-law subject with at least second class honours or equivalent awarded by a recognised university; or
(ii) hold a law degree from a non-common law jurisdiction with at least second class honours or equivalent awarded by a recognised university
Applicants who do not have a Bachelor's degree with English as the medium of instruction are required to satisfy the English language proficiency based on one of the following recognised English tests:
(i) International English Language Testing System (IELTS) - An overall band score of 7.5 or above with no sub-test below 7.0 or
(ii) Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) - A score of 100 or above (internet-based test)
The TOEFL or IELTS tests result must be obtained no more than two years prior to the expected date of entry to the JD programme (i.e. August 1, 2026); and the results from “IELTS One Skill Retake”, “IELTS Indicator” and “TOEFL iBT® Home Edition” will not be accepted. For example, if an applicant is submitting his or her application for entry in August 2026, his or her English test scores must have been obtained no earlier than August 1, 2024.
2 Years
Aug
Tuition fees
Domestic
76,242 USD
International
76,242 USD
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