Doctoral Degree Programs in Law: An International and Comparative Study of the English-Speaking World

by Kenneth K. Mwenda

Overview

This book offers a critical and insightful study of various doctoral programs in law, focusing on the English-speaking world. That the structures of doctoral degree programs in law differ between the United States and much of the Commonwealth are an issue that requires no debate. What is missing in the discourse, however, is a narrative on how these programs are structured and how they compare. This book attempts to fill that gap. A key objective of the study is to provide an international and comparative analysis of the efficacy of the American- and British-styled models of law doctorates. In so doing, it provides a conceptual and theoretical framework for the development of effective doctoral programs in law, contending that the defining characteristic of a doctorate is that it recognizes an independent contribution to the subject rather than the completion of taught coursework, however, advanced. The book goes on to examine the concept of a higher doctorate in law as a possible means of strengthening the concept of a law doctorate in legal academia.

This book was written against the backdrop of the recently adopted Global Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning higher education. It was adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in Paris on November 25, 2019, making it the first United Nations treaty on higher education with a global scope. The target audience of the book includes scholars in higher education; scholars in legal education; law school deans and administrators; law professors and students; Ministries of Higher Education in countries around the globe; accrediting agencies for doctoral studies; bar admission and legal education societies; and UNESCO and other international organizations.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783030884215
Publisher:	Springer-Verlag New York, LLC
Publication date:	11/05/2021
Series:	SpringerBriefs in Law
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	1 MB

About the Author

Kenneth K. Mwenda heads the World Bank Voice Secondment Program (VSP) in Washington D.C. He has previously served as Senior Counsel in both the Legal Vice-Presidency and Integrity Vice-Presidency of the World Bank in Washington D.C. A Rhodes Scholar, Prof Mwenda is widely published and has taught at top universities in Europe, North America and Africa.  

Table of Contents

Foreword.- Preface.- Chapter 1. Introduction.- Chapter 2. The concept of the American-styled Law Doctorate as it Obtains in the US, Canada, Australia, Singapore and Other Pertinent Jurisdictions.- Chapter 3. The Concept of the British-styled Law Doctorate as it Obtains in the UK, The Commonwealth and Other Pertinent Jurisdictions.- Chapter 4: Beyond the PhD.- Chapter 5: Conclusion.

Editorial Reviews

Doctoral Degree Programs in Law is an important introduction in understanding the structures of the law doctorate, which might be beneficial for prospective and current law doctoral candidates, their law school research directors and examiners. More fittingly, the text is a useful primer for legal education researchers interested in conducting projects, with the aim of bettering doctoral degrees. Chiefly, Mwenda’s book demonstrates that researching the law doctorate is accomplishable.” (Aysha Mazhar, The Law Teacher, May 27,2022)

From the Publisher