College of Law > Academics > Joint Degree Programs > JD/MPP in Public Policy > Degree Requirements

Degree Requirements

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 Title Quarter Hours
MPP Required Courses36
MPS 501FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC SERVICE
MPS 533APPLIED STATISTICS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE (USING EXCEL)4
or MPS 536 APPLIED STATISTICS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE (USING SPSS)
MPS 541ECONOMIC FOUNDATIONS OF PUBLIC SERVICE4
MPS 542POLICY DESIGN AND ANALYSIS4
MPS 543POLICY IMPLEMENTATION4
MPS 546ADVOCACY AND LOBBYING4
MPS 583RESEARCH METHODS FOR PUBLIC SERVICE4
MPS 593INTEGRATIVE SEMINAR4
MPS 594ETHICAL LEADERSHIP IN PUBLIC SERVICE4
J.D. Core Required Courses (semester hours)35
LAW 101APPLIED LEGAL SKILLS1
LAW 105CONTRACTS4
LAW 112LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION I2
LAW 115LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION III3
LAW 119LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATIONS II3
LAW 120CIVIL PROCEDURE4
LAW 130PREPARING TO PRACTICE I0
LAW 131PREPARING TO PRACTICE II0
LAW 140CONSTITUTIONAL LAW4
LAW 160PROPERTY4
LAW 170TORT LAW4
LAW 481LEGAL PROFESSION3
LAW 506CRIMINAL LAW3

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 Title Semester Hours
Select at least six credit hours of the following: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 Title Semester Hours
Select one of the following:
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 Title Semester Hours
Select at least one of the following: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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