Academics
In addition to the J.D., the law school offers the LL.M., S.J.D., and M.L.S., J.S.M. Students may take relevant courses in other programs and apply credit toward the J.D.; a maximum of 15 semester units may be applied. The following joint degrees may be earned: J.D./M.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Arts with Johns Hopkins University), J.D./M.B.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration), J.D./M.P.A. (Juris Doctor/Master of Public Administration with Princeton University), J.D./M.S. (Juris Doctor/Master of Science in Interdisciplinary Graduate program in Enviroment and Resourses), and J.D./Ph.D. (Juris Doctor/Doctor of Philosophy in Economics, Sociology, Biology, Bioengineering, Enviroment and Resourses, Psychology, Health Research and Policy, History).
The Stanford Law School offers concentrations in corporate law, criminal law, entertainment law, environmental law, family law, intellectual property law, international law, juvenile law, labor law, litigation, maritime law, media law, securities law, sports law, tax law, and torts and insurance. In addition, the law school offers courses with clinical components from 2 to 7 units of credit in a variety of areas. A variety of seminars, worth 2 to 3 units, is offered to upper-level students each year. Externships, from 4 to 10 units of credit, are offered to upper-level students each year, typically in the Bay area. The law school offers 3 types of directed research comprising from 2 to 13 units of credit. This is an opportunity for students beyond the first-year program in law to research problems in any field of law. A wide variety of lecture series are sponsored by both the law school and its student organizations. The law school also offers foreign study options with a number of schools. The most widely taken electives are Evidence, Corporations, and Tax.
To earn the J.D., candidates must complete 86 total credits, of which 28 are for required courses. The following first-year courses are required of all students: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Legal Research and Writing, Property, and Torts. The required orientation program for first-year students is a 2-day program that includes introductions to policies, programs, and resources.
In order to graduate, candidates must have completed the upper-division writing requirement and at least 1 advanced course that contains 1 or more units of ethics instruction, and a course comprising substantial instruction in professional skills.