Apply Now 
The Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree is a unique model of graduate legal education designed to meet the needs of Qatar and the Middle East. The J.D. is the first-of-its-kind graduate law degree in the MENA region; courses are taught in English, preparing graduates to work in the international legal market.
A J.D. differs from an undergraduate law degree as it targets individuals who already hold an undergraduate degree, which can be in any subject, including law. The J.D. education builds on the student’s previous expertise and experience, allowing students to pursue expertise in law that is aligned with their previous degree or move in a completely different direction.
The College of Law’s J.D. curriculum is consistent with the best offered internationally. The J.D. was created through a strategic partnership with Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law. The J.D. equips graduates with a high level of legal knowledge and complementary research, writing, and advocacy skills. The focus on skills training enables our graduates to make the most of a wide range of career options in the public sector, private corporations, law firms, international organizations, and academia.
The American Bar Association, the governing body of US lawyers, has passed the following resolution about the J.D. degree: “Whereas, the acquisition of a Doctor of Jurisprudence degree requires from 84 to 90 semester hours of post baccalaureate study and the Doctor of Philosophy degree usually requires 60 semester hours of post baccalaureate study along with the writing of a dissertation, the two degrees shall be considered as equivalent degrees for educational employment purposes.” J.D. graduates are also well-positioned to undertake further legal studies in the United States and other countries in Europe. Recent J.D. graduates have pursued or are pursuing LL.M. degrees at Duke University School of Law, Georgetown University Law Center, Harvard Law School, New York University School of Law, The Graduate Institute, Geneva.
In short, our J.D. graduates rise to the top as they have combined previous university education and training with three years of a rigorous, interdisciplinary legal education.
- The first year and a half (Part I) of the program focuses on the foundations for lawyering, while the second year and a half (Part II) applies and elaborates on the legal principles from Part I to major sectors that are vital to Qatar and the region.
- The courses in Part I, foundations for lawyering, develop the student’s understanding of legal doctrine in key subjects. They also develop analytical and reasoning skills so that the student can articulate the relevant principles and apply them to real-world problems. Taught from a comparative perspective, the courses in Part I examine the different legal systems that converge in global legal practice with a focus on identifying common themes and points of departure. Part I also trains students on how to navigate from one system to another, depending on the exigencies of the transnational transactions they will be required to manage during their professional careers.
- During Part II, students apply and further develop their foundational skills in sectors that are vital to Qatar and the region. These areas include energy, healthcare, global economic law and governance, construction & infrastructure development, media, and sports.
- Accompanying a dynamic curriculum is an extensive offering of co-curricular activities, such as colloquia and Majlis, at which leading experts provide insights on contemporary legal topics. Additionally, student moot court competitions, in which students argue a simulated case before a court or arbitral tribunal, provide an important avenue for skills development. Through moot courts, students experience drafting memorials and engaging in oral arguments. The College of Law has fielded teams in top international competitions, including the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition, the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot, and the Europa Competition. In 2019, the College of Law hosted its first international moot, the Cybersecurity Law Moot Court Competition, featuring ten teams from around the world.
| Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 601 | Law and Global Legal Systems | 2 |
| LAW 652 | Injury Law/Torts | 4 |
| LAW 651 | Contract Law | 4 |
| LAW 650 | Property Law | 4 |
| LAW 667 | Legal Analysis, Research and Writing I | 2 |
| Total Credits | 16 |
| Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 653 | Constitutional Law | 4 |
| LAW 654 | International Law | 4 |
| LAW 655 | Business Associations | 4 |
| LAW 668 | Legal Analysis, Research and Writing II | 2 |
| Total Credits | 14 |
| Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 655 | Administrative Law | 4 |
| LAW 659 | Commercial Law | 4 |
| LAW 666 | Criminal Law and Procedure | 4 |
| LAW 669 | Legal Analysis, Research and Writing III | 2 |
| Total Credits | 14 |
| Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 658 | Civil Procedure | 2 |
| LAW 678 | Dispute Resolution (Negotiation and Trial Advocacy) | 3 |
| LAW 675 | Ethics & Professional Responsibility | 2 |
| LAW 676 | Introduction to the Legal Foundations of the Global Economy (International Business Transactions, International Investment Law, and International Taxation) | 3 |
| LAW 679 | Entrepreneurship Law | 4 |
| Total Credits | 14 |
| Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 752 | Construction & Infrastructure Development | 3 |
| LAW 750 | Energy Law | 3 |
| LAW 753 | Healthcare Law | 3 |
| LAW 760/765 | Sports Law, or Media and Cultural Law | 3 |
| LAW 763 | Law, Technology and Intellectual Property I | 2 |
| Total Credits | 14 |
| Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 756 | Advanced Dispute Resolution | 3 |
| LAW 751 | Global Economic Law and Governance | 3 |
| LAW 754 | Advanced Human Rights | 3 |
| LAW 757 | Environmental Law | 3 |
| LAW 764 | Law, Technology and Intellectual Property II | 1 |
| Total Credits | 13 |
| Code | Course Name | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 706 | Independant Study | 2 |
| LAW 701 | Law Seminar | 1 |
Graduates of this program will be equipped to:
- Exhibit comprehensive knowledge of the common, civil, and Shari’a legal traditions and how they apply to the practice of law within public, international, and private sectors.
- Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of substantive and procedural issues of certain domestic systems and the international system.
- Make use of legal doctrine to conduct comparative analysis of multiple systems and formulate reasoned analysis of contemporary legal issues.
- Test research abilities to shape new policy in a comparative and international legal context.
- Demonstrate effective communication skills and superior knowledge of professional responsibility issues and can decisively identify the appropriate course of action in a given situation.
Admissions to the J.D. program requires a bachelor’s degree with a strong academic record (minimum 3.0 GPA out of 4) from a recognized university.
Unless exempt, applicants are required to submit an IELTS score of 6.5 or a TOEFL score of 79 to demonstrate their proficiency in English. Please visit our website admissions.hbku.edu.qa for more details on the language proficiency requirement and the process to seek exemption, where this is an option.
Tuition Fees
| Program | Juris Doctor (J.D.) |
|---|---|
| Total Program Tuition Fees | QAR 164,250 |
| Tuition Fees per Credit Hour | QAR 1,932 |
| Total Program Credit Hours | 85 |
| Program Duration | 3 years |