JD Programme Structure

The JD programme at CUHK provides students with an intellectually-enriching general education in law, while simultaneously permitting them to complete a wide range of challenging elective courses in the common law, Chinese law, comparative law, international law, and the law of trade, business and finance.

The programme consists of 72 units (i.e. 24 term-length courses). Almost all the courses in the JD programme are 3-unit courses. This means that students will have an average of 3 contact hours per week with teachers in each course.

Entirely postgraduate
An important feature of the JD programme at CUHK is that it is entirely postgraduate in both form and substance. Our JD students will not be sharing classes with undergraduate students, but will often be joining Master of Laws (LLM) and other postgraduate law students in stimulating classes led by first-rate faculty at one of Asia¡¦s premier research and teaching universities.

Full-time and part-time study
Students can complete the programme in full-time mode or part-time mode. Full-time mode students can complete the programme in 24 months, or up to 48 months if they prefer. Part-time mode students can complete their studies in 42 months, although they may apply to accelerate their studies and complete the programme in 36 months with the permission of the Graduate Council on the recommendation of the School of Law. If it better suits their family and professional commitments, part-time mode students may take up to 84 months to complete their studies.

Subject to the availability of places, students will be able to move between full-time mode and part-time mode as their personal and professional circumstances change, by making an application before the term starts. Students may register 1 to 6 courses (i.e. 3 ¡V 18 units) in each term, except for summer terms in which students may register 0 to 3 courses (i.e. 0 ¡V 9 units). It is also possible to obtain leave of absence from studies in any term. This flexibility allows students to complete the JD Programme at their own pace, subject to the prescribed maximum study periods.

Required courses
Students must complete five required courses ('Legal System', 'Jurisprudence', 'Common Law: Research, Writing, and Information Literacy', and 'The Individual, the Community, and the Law', ¡¥Independent Research¡¦ or ¡¥Independent Research Dissertation¡¦). The required component is designed to provide JD students with the essential foundational knowledge and skills for a well-rounded general legal education and a first-hand appreciation of the relationship between the legal system and the broader community which it serves and regulates.

PCLL and professional admission
Students aspiring to admission as a barrister or solicitor in Hong Kong may pursue elective courses which will enable them to apply for admission into the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws (PCLL) programme. CUHK School of Law plans to commence its own highly innovative PCLL programme in 2008. These elective courses are also open to students who do not plan to enter the PCLL.

Electives
All our JD students will be able to choose further elective courses from a wide range of intellectually stimulating and professionally enhancing offerings, thereby enabling them to complete their degree requirements while achieving their own academic and professional goals.

Courses
(1) Required courses

* Students are required to complete only one course from Independent Research  (3 units) or Independent Research Dissertation(6 units).

(2) Elective Courses

(a) Elective Courses Required for Admission to the PCLL Programme

** Required for PCLL admission as from 2008.

(b) Other Elective Courses***

*** The offering of an elective course in any term will depend on teacher availability and sufficient student interest.

All courses are 3-unit courses except 'Independent Research Dissertation' which is 6-unit course.

The School of Law has formulated recommended course sequences for the guidance of students.

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