Frequently asked questions

Our students and graduates report many benefits. First and foremost, they report a greater understanding of the law and judiciary from an interdisciplinary perspective. The academic and scientific curriculum helps judges promote justice and well-being in their courtrooms.

Some want to be better judges, while others want additional credentials to support appointment or election efforts. Some aspire to write or teach as a "next career" or as they move into retirement. Others are lifelong learners. However, most report the biggest benefit is the intimate and peer-intensive learning experience and being able to network and develop lasting relationships with faculty and judicial colleagues from all over the world. Many students describe the experience as "rejuvenating."

The MJS and Ph.D. programs offered by the Judicial Studies Graduate Degree Program at the University of Nevada, Reno are far more affordable than law school.

The cost of the degrees at the University of Nevada, Reno depends on a few factors:

• The degree can be completed entirely at the University or can be a combination of University courses and courses from the National Judicial College and/or National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges.  The three entities each have their own tuition and fees (and the University charges a small fee to transfer credit from these entities). 
• The University's tuition rate is (as of 2027) $395/credit. There is no out-of-state tuition as with other graduate programs.
• There are various other fees (e.g., application fee, thesis filing fee, graduation fee) that are approximately $80 each (subject to change).
• In addition to tuition and fees charged by the University, judge-students who choose to take in-person courses should also budget for housing, travel, meals, etc. 

Overall, most students report costs to complete the program are very reasonable. For instance, if a judge-student earns an MJS entirely through University of Nevada, Reno courses, they would take 32 credits at $395/credit, plus various other fees. That total would be approximately $13,300. In comparison, the average Master’s degree in 2026 in the US is $62,820.   

Many jurisdictions provide funding for judges’ continuing education, and some states offer tuition funding to all residents (even for out-of-state programs). The GI Bill can be used by veterans. Judges can also use 529 savings plans to fund their own tuition. Thus, some judges have few out-of-pocket costs.

We get no state funding, relying only on tuition, grants and donations. We strive to provide the highest level of post-law school education possible. 

Time to completion will vary according to your availability to attend classes and the number of classes you take each year. Typically, students can expect to spend three to four years earning their Master's.

Students can expect to spend three to five years beyond their Master's to complete additional coursework and their dissertation.

The dissertation is generally the equivalent of writing three law review articles and specifying how the three are related.  The judge-student’s own analysis will make the dissertation a unique contribution to the literature. Judges could also create substantial “best practices” manuals or other practical and unique written contributions.

No. The entire MJS and Ph.D. programs can be completed online.  However, many judges enjoy taking in-person courses and engaging in extended interactions with faculty and other judges. 

The Master's in Judicial Studies does not require a thesis; however, there are three degree tracks:

1. Complete a 6-credit thesis. A formal thesis requires a thesis committee's approval of a pre-prospectus, writing a thesis-length manuscript, editing according to the committee's feedback and, if necessary, a verbal defense of the thesis.
2. Complete a comprehensive (written) exam. Although each exam is different, a possible exam question could ask judges to a) summarize and reflect on their coursework, b) indicate how it could have affected their past experiences and how they will apply the coursework in their future as judges, c) define the academic field of "Judicial Studies", and d) write a short paper on any judicial studies topic that brings together knowledge learned from multiple courses .*
3. Complete a professional paper. Students take an academic writing course and write a single paper, typically much shorter than a formal thesis. The paper is usually in the form of a law review article, on the topic of their choice (approved by their advisor).*

*The comprehensive exam and professional paper options are only 3 credits and thus require 3 credits of additional coursework.  All options are 32 credits. 

The Ph.D. in Judicial Studies requires a dissertation. This is typically the equivalent of writing three law review articles and specifying how the three are related. The judge-student’s own analysis will make the dissertation a unique contribution to the literature. Judges could also create substantial “best practices” manuals or other practical and unique written contributions. 

Judges can study any topic related to the law or legal system. You can review the list of past thesis and dissertation titles.

Many judges also take courses in academic writing, which allow them to do independent research on topics of their personal interest.

As of Fall 2026, 187 judges have graduated with the Master's of Judicial Studies and 25 have graduated with the Ph.D. in Judicial Studies. 

We are happy to provide suggestions for hotels close to campus that are within walking distance. Reno now also offers several non-smoking/non-gaming hotel options. Please contact Monica Miller (mkmiller@unr.edu) for accommodation suggestions.

Depending on enrollment and student need, we do have several sources of funding for limited scholarships. Please contact Monica Miller (mkmiller@unr.edu) for more information.

In some instances, the National Judicial College and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges might have scholarship money to support the attendance of their programs. Please contact them directly about that option.

The State Justice Institute has also funded students in the past. Some judges have arranged funding support through their court training funds, administrative office of the courts, court improvement programs, etc.

Judges who are veterans might also qualify for funding through the GI Bill.

Judges who have a 529 savings plan can use that for their own education. 

They are completely separate entities with their own administration, funding sources, mission, vision, faculty/staff, etc. The Judicial Studies Program lives within the University, which grants the MJS/Ph.D. degrees and is operated by University faculty/staff. The National Judicial College (NJC) is a not-for-profit organization that is headquartered on the University campus and typically focuses on educational opportunities for judges hearing criminal and civil cases. Until recently, the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges (NCJFCJ) was also headquartered on campus, but relocated to downtown Reno for additional space. The NCJFCJ is also a not-for-profit and focuses on training, technical assistance, research and policy development in the area of juvenile and family law (e.g., dependency, juvenile justice, domestic violence, etc.). Both the NJC and NCJFCJ are affiliates of the University and are instrumental partners and collaborators with the University in the areas of judicial education and justice research. Together, the presence of these three unique but allied institutions in one locale contribute to the University/Northern Nevada being considered by many to be the judicial education epicenter of the nation.

Please email Monica Miller (mkmiller@unr.edu) for more information.