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The Doctor of Philosophy in law and society affirms that the
recipient has a comprehensive knowledge of social science theories and research
in the interdisciplinary field of law and society, an in-depth knowledge of the
theories and research in one chosen subfield of law and society, a basic
knowledge of one of the social science disciplines engaged in disciplinary
research in law, and systematic training in the quantitative and qualitative
social science methods used in law and society research. Students are advised
by the director of graduate studies during their first year. After the first
year of study, students select one of the law and society core or affiliated
faculty as their adviser. Students enrolled in the Ph.D. program in law and
society may take up to 12 credits in the NYU School of Law after consultation
with their adviser and with the permission of the instructor. Ph.D. students
may also take a maximum of 24 credits in reading and research.
General Degree Requirements: To qualify for the doctorate, a
student must satisfactorily complete graduate studies totaling at least 72
graduate credits, with a minimum of 32 credits at the doctoral level in
residence at New York
University and a
cumulative GPA of B (3.0) or better; pass comprehensive qualifying
examinations; and present an acceptable dissertation. Most graduate courses
carry 4 credits. Students may petition that a limited number of law and society
graduate courses taken elsewhere be transferred and credited toward the degree
requirements, but only after completing three courses at New York University.
Only relevant law and society courses approved by the director of graduate
studies and GSAS may be transferred.
Foreign Language Requirement: Proficiency in at least one
language other than English is required of all doctoral candidates. Foreign
language proficiency examinations are at once an examination of both the
foreign language and English. Currently, a student may choose to demonstrate
proficiency in ancient Greek, Chinese, French, German, Hebrew, Italian,
Japanese, Latin, Portuguese, Russian, or Spanish. Students who use a foreign
language other than the above as an integral part of their dissertation
research may petition for a substitution. Language proficiency may be
demonstrated by any of the following: (1) passing the foreign language
proficiency examination given by the Graduate School of Arts and Science
(GSAS); (2) passing the departmental examination, if one is regularly scheduled
by the department in which the student is registered; or (3) completing, or
having completed, not more than two years before matriculation, with a grade of
B or better, a full or final intermediate-level college course in the language.
Students who have met the foreign language requirement in another graduate
school not more than two years before matriculation in GSAS may request that
such credentials be accepted, with the approval of the dean. The foreign
language requirement may be waived with approval by the LSP director of
graduate studies and GSAS.
Basic Law and Society Course Requirement: This requirement
ensures that students receive a comprehensive knowledge of the social science
theories and research in the interdisciplinary field of law and society. To
meet this requirement, students must take the two basic law and society courses
with a minimum grade of B in their first year of study: Sociolegal Seminar
(G62.1001), offered each fall semester, and Law and Social Policy (G62.1002),
offered each spring. Students should complete this requirement by the end of
the first year of Ph.D. studies.
Methods Course Requirement: To ensure that students receive
adequate methodological training for conducting research, they are required to
take one quantitative methods course in statistics and one qualitative methods
course in historical, interviewing, or ethnographic methods. While not
required, it is highly recommended that students take one advanced course in
either quantitative or qualitative methods. The advanced methods course
typically focuses on the methods used for the dissertation research. Students
should complete this requirement by the end of the second year of Ph.D.
studies.
Disciplinary Minor Course Requirement: All students are
required to acquire a basic knowledge of one of the social science disciplines
engaged in disciplinary research in law and society. After selecting a
discipline, each student is required to take three non-methods courses offered
by the selected disciplinary department. A grade of B is the minimum grade
required for each of the three courses.
Law and Society Colloquium and Workshop Requirement: Law and
society Ph.D. students are required to attend the law and society colloquium
and workshops during their first year of Ph.D. studies.
Law and Society Written Field Exam: The law and society
field exam requires that students demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the
interdisciplinary field of law and society. The examination covers material
from the two basic law and society courses and supplemental readings from the
law and society reading list. The law and society written field exam committee
is composed of the faculty teaching the two required basic law and society
courses. The exam is a written 24-hour take-home exam that is graded as pass or
fail; it is given twice a year. If students fail, they may take it again but
are not permitted to retake it more than once. Students should complete this
exam by the end of the second year of Ph.D. work.
Law and Society Oral Subfield Exam: Each student is required
to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of one of the subfields of law and
society. Each student selects three NYU law and society faculty to serve as the
law and society oral subfield exam committee. Two of the three oral exam
committee members must be NYU GSAS faculty or NYU School of Law faculty with a
Ph.D. These faculty assist the student in developing an appropriate reading
list for the exam. The law and society subfield exam is given twice a year. If students
fail, they make take it again but are not permitted to retake it more than
once. The exam is a two-hour oral exam graded as a pass or fail by the three
selected faculty. A pass requires that two of the three selected faculty pass
the exam. Students should complete this exam by the end of the third year of
Ph.D. work.
Dissertation:
After the dissertation chair and two readers approve a dissertation proposal
and the chair submits a dissertation proposal acceptance form signed by the
director of graduate studies, the dissertation may be undertaken. Once the
completed dissertation is approved by the dissertation chair and two readers,
an oral defense form is filed, and the oral dissertation defense is scheduled.
Of the chair and two readers, two must be GSAS full-time faculty. The completed
dissertation is defended in a two-hour oral defense before a five-member
committee consisting of the dissertation chair, the two readers, and two
additional members. Of the five members, three must be full-time GSAS faculty.
Any dissertation members that are not full-time GSAS faculty must be approved
by the vice dean at least four months prior to the defense. A successful
defense requires that four of the five members of the dissertation committee
vote to approve the dissertation. For rules concerning time to degree, refer to
the GSAS Policies and Procedures Manual.
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