Degree Requirements
A joint degree program allows a student to complete two graduate degrees concurrently in less time than it takes to finish each program individually. As a specified number of credit hours apply toward both degrees, students also pay less in overall tuition by combining programs.
Before beginning a joint degree program, both full-time and part-time law students must complete the required first-year curriculum and achieve a minimum grade point average of 3.00 in those courses. Full-time students earn 29 credits the first year, while part-time students must earn at least 29 credits within the first three semesters of the law program.
Traditional JD students must complete 86 credit hours to graduate from the College of Law. However, under a joint degree program, a student earns the JD degree after completing a minimum of 76 credit hours. The College of Law applies up to 10 credits toward the JD degree for work completed in the other graduate degree program. Traditional public policy students must complete 52 hours to receive the MPP degree. However, under the joint degree program, students are required to complete a minimum of 36 credit hours. The Public Policy program will accept up to 16 hours of credit for work completed in the College of Law. Credit hours are eligible to be applied only after completion of the required first year JD curriculum described above. A joint degree student may not receive credit for courses that create a redundancy in coursework.
Required Courses
Course List Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
MPS 501 | FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC SERVICE | |
MPS 533 | APPLIED STATISTICS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE (USING EXCEL) | 4 |
or MPS 536 | APPLIED STATISTICS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE (USING SPSS) |
MPS 541 | ECONOMIC FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC SERVICE | 4 |
MPS 542 | POLICY DESIGN AND ANALYSIS | 4 |
MPS 543 | POLICY IMPLEMENTATION | 4 |
MPS 546 | ADVOCACY AND LOBBYING | 4 |
MPS 583 | RESEARCH METHODS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE | 4 |
MPS 593 | INTEGRATIVE SEMINAR | 4 |
MPS 594 | ETHICAL LEADERSHIP IN PUBLIC SERVICE | 4 |
LAW 101 | APPLIED LEGAL SKILLS | 1 |
LAW 105 | CONTRACTS | 4 |
LAW 112 | LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION I | 2 |
LAW 115 | LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION III | 3 |
LAW 119 | LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATIONS II | 3 |
LAW 120 | CIVIL PROCEDURE | 4 |
LAW 130 | PREPARING TO PRACTICE I | 0 |
LAW 131 | PREPARING TO PRACTICE II | 0 |
LAW 140 | CONSTITUTIONAL LAW | 4 |
LAW 160 | PROPERTY | 4 |
LAW 170 | TORT LAW | 4 |
LAW 481 | LEGAL PROFESSION | 3 |
LAW 506 | CRIMINAL LAW | 3 |
Experiential Education Requirement
Students must complete at least six credit hours of experiential education courses from the list of approved courses below. Most, but not all, courses are offered for three credit hours.
Course List (Law) Course | Title | Semester Hours |
| 6 |
LAW 121 | ADVANCED BRIEF WRITING | |
LAW 213 | DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PRACTICUM | |
LAW 246 | PATENT & TRADEMARK SEARCHING | |
LAW 286 | INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW CLINIC (Spring Only) | |
LAW 287 | ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW PRACTICUM (Spring Only) | |
LAW 288 | INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW FIELD WORK | |
LAW 290 | ANATOMY OF A DEAL: FROM INCEPTION TO CLOSING | |
LAW 312 | TRIAL ADVOCACY II | |
LAW 319 | PROSECUTING & DEFENDING CRIMINAL CASES | |
LAW 363 | RESTORATIVE JUSTICE | |
LAW 369 | LITIGATION LAB | |
LAW 400 | BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS AND DOCUMENTATION | |
LAW 419 | LITIGATION STRATEGY: PRE-TRIAL, CIVIL | |
LAW 429 | LEGAL CLINIC I | |
LAW 438 | MEDIATION | |
LAW 450 | TRIAL ADVOCACY I | |
LAW 453 | COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION | |
LAW 460 | BUSINESS PLANNING | |
LAW 469 | LITIGATION STRATEGY: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY | |
LAW 475 | NEGOTIATIONS | |
LAW 514 | LEGAL CLINIC II | |
LAW 524 | EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM | |
LAW 538 | NATIONAL TRIAL TEAM | |
LAW 555 | ADVANCED LEGAL RESEARCH | |
LAW 564 | EXTERNSHIP SEMINAR | |
LAW 566 | FIELD CLINIC SEMINAR | |
LAW 567 | FIELD CLINIC PRACTICE | |
LAW 641 | PRACTICAL LEGAL RESEARCH | |
LAW 712 | THE PRACTICE OF HEALTH CARE LAW | |
LAW 751 | HEALTH LAW MOOT COURT | |
Advanced Writing Requirement
Course List (Law) Course | Title | Semester Hours |
| |
LAW 250 | SENIOR RESEARCH SEMINAR | |
LAW 227 | CHILDREN'S HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW | |
LAW 258 | WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW | |
LAW 427 | APPELLATE TECHNIQUE | |
LAW 428 | INDEPENDENT STUDY | |
LAW 429 | LEGAL CLINIC I (Advanced Criminal Appeals ONLY) | |
LAW 455 | LEGAL DRAFTING | |
LAW 514 | LEGAL CLINIC II (Advanced Criminal Appeals ONLY) | |
LAW 559 | FOREIGN EXCHANGE: MADRID, SPAIN (Master's Thesis) | |
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Requirement
JD students matriculating Autumn 2022 or later must complete one course from the list of approved courses below. These courses include substantial engagement with the legal system's relationship with social inequality, racism, and/or other forms of bias; and/or include substantial opportunities for students to learn about and practice skills in cross-cultural competence.
Courses that meet both the Diversity Requirement and the Experiential Education Requirement can be counted for both requirements. Courses that meet both the Diversity Requirement and the Advanced Writing Requirement can be counted for both requirements.
Course List (Law) Course | Title | Semester Hours |
| 2-3 |
LAW 202 | EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION | |
LAW 206 | SEX, GENDER, AND THE LAW | |
LAW 213 | DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PRACTICUM | |
LAW 227 | CHILDREN'S HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW | |
LAW 232 | CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE & THE LAW | |
LAW 250 | SENIOR RESEARCH SEMINAR (Critical Race Theory; Citizenship; Crimmigration; Feminist Jurisprudence; When Justice Fails; or other approved topic) | |
LAW 258 | WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW | |
LAW 286 | INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW CLINIC | |
LAW 301 | SPECIAL TOPICS IN LAW ( Trauma-Informed Lawyering; Human Rights in Latin America; Transnational Criminal Law; Reproduction and the Law; or other approved topic) | |
LAW 313 | JUVENILE JUSTICE | |
LAW 321 | ADOPTION LAW | |
LAW 363 | RESTORATIVE JUSTICE | |
LAW 372 | ELECTION LAW | |
LAW 378 | ANTISEMITISM, THE HOLOCAUST, AND THE LAW | |
LAW 390 | POST-CONFLICT JUSTICE | |
LAW 429 | LEGAL CLINIC I (Asylum and Immigration Law; Civil Litigation and Health Law; Civil Rights; Croak Civil; Croak Criminal; Criminal Appeals) | |
LAW 434 | PUBLIC HEALTH LAW | |
LAW 449 | PREDATORY LENDING | |
LAW 477 | FIRST AMENDMENT: FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND RELIGION | |
LAW 482 | INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS I | |
LAW 487 | HOUSING LAW | |
LAW 498 | EDUCATION LAW & POLICY | |
LAW 501 | RACE, RACISM AND UNITED STATES LAW | |
LAW 502 | HATE CRIME LAW | |
LAW 503 | CIVIL RIGHTS | |
LAW 514 | LEGAL CLINIC II (Asylum and Immigration Law; Civil Litigation and Health Law; Civil Rights; Croak Civil; Croak Criminal; Criminal Appeals) | |
LAW 516 | IMMIGRATION LAW AND POLICY | |
LAW 517 | ASYLUM AND REFUGEE LAW AND POLICY | |
LAW 523 | MISSION-BASED LAWYERING: LEGAL PRACTICE IN THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR | |
LAW 529 | CHILDREN & THE LAW | |
LAW 546 | POVERTY LAW | |
LAW 567 | FIELD CLINIC PRACTICE (Family Law) | |
LAW 583 | STUDY ABROAD: MADRID, SPAIN | |
LAW 585 | STUDY ABROAD: HEREDIA, COSTA RICA | |
LAW 587 | GLOBAL GOVERNANCE DURING TIMES OF CRISIS | |
LAW 588 | STUDY ABROAD: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA | |
LAW 593 | STUDY ABROAD: HAVANA, CUBA | |
LAW 702 | ELDER LAW | |
LAW 706 | HEALTH POLICY AND THE LAW | |
LAW 709 | HEALTH EQUITY AND THE LAW | |
LAW 716 | DISABILITY LAW | |
Admission
Students seeking a joint degree with a college outside of the College of Law must independently apply and be admitted to the other graduate degree program. Full-time law students typically apply to the other graduate program in the summer prior to their second year of law school. Part-time law students typically apply to the other graduate degree program in the spring semester of their second year.
After admission to the other graduate program, joint degree applicants should submit a copy of the acceptance letter and law school transcript to the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs at the College of Law. The transcript and acceptance letter should be accompanied by a cover letter from the student requesting that the student's program be changed from Juris Doctor to the appropriate joint degree program. The letter should include the student's full name, student identification number, mailing address, email address and phone number. The joint degree candidate should also schedule a meeting with the appropriate adviser in the other college to which the student has been admitted to discuss the curriculum.
Combined Credits and Expenses
Full-time joint degree students generally complete the program in four years. Part-time applicants generally complete the joint degree program in five years. A student may accelerate the program by taking classes in the summer or by taking more courses during the academic year. By doing so, a student may complete both programs one-half year earlier.
Once enrolled in a joint degree program, students no longer pay the College of Law package tuition; instead, students pay by the credit hour for law classes and classes taken in the other program.
Grading Standards
Joint degree students must meet the grading standards of the College of Law and the respective graduate degree program in order to remain in good standing. Grades are recorded on the transcript under the college in which the courses are taken, and the combined degree is recorded after graduation. Students who are dismissed from either program may be able to continue studies in the other program. Students must satisfy the normal program requirements of the other school to receive the degree; no double counting of credits is permitted after a dismissal from one college.
Leaves of Absence/Withdrawal
Students must receive permission from both colleges to take a leave of absence from the joint degree program or to withdraw from the joint degree program. A leave of absence is granted for a maximum of one year. If a student does not enroll in classes after one year, he or she will be permanently withdrawn from both programs and only may re-enroll by applying to the admission offices of both colleges as a new student.
Graduation
To receive the joint degree, a student must graduate from both schools on the same date, in the same semester/quarter and in the same year. Double counting of credits occurs only after concurrent completion of both programs.
For a December graduation, all requirements must be completed at the end of the fall semester and fall quarter. For a spring graduation, all non-law requirements must be completed at the end of the spring quarter and all law requirements at the end of the spring semester. Students who complete non-law requirements in the spring that they expect to graduate may not have their degrees granted in time to be certified for the July bar exam. A student will not be eligible to graduate, cannot be certified for admission to the Bar, and cannot sit for bar examinations until all degree requirements are met and degrees conferred.
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