The combined curriculum leading to the degrees of Juris Doctor and Master of Public Administration is designed to permit the student to complete both degrees in four years instead of the five years that would normally be required to complete the two degrees separately.
Entry into the Joint Degree Program can occur in one of two ways. Applicants who are not currently enrolled in either the JD or the MPA degree program must apply for admission to both the College of Graduate Studies and the College of Law concurrently and follow the normal procedures of the respective colleges. Application for admission must be specifically for the Joint Degree Program. Students who enroll in this manner spend their first year taking courses exclusively in the JD program and their second year taking courses exclusively in the MPA program. In the third and fourth years, students take courses in both degree programs. Applicants who are currently enrolled in either the JD or the MPA degree program must apply and be admitted to the other degree program prior to the completion of sixty credit hours in the JD program or twenty-eight credit hours in the MPA program. Students who enroll in this manner are advised as to how to schedule the remainder of their courses in the Joint Degree Program. Any student who has completed at least one semester of graduate coursework is strongly encouraged to consult with a law advisor prior to registering for additional graduate coursework. Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to take more than eight years to complete the combined program.
The Joint Degree Program requires a total of four academic years. The Juris Doctor requirements are fulfilled by completion of eighty credit hours of work in the College of Law, including all required courses, and the transfer of ten credit hours from courses taken in the Master of Public Administration program. The Master of Public Administration requirements are fulfilled by completion of thirty-four credit hours of courses in the School of Urban Affairs, including all required courses, and the transfer of the equivalent of eight credit hours from courses taken in the College of Law. In order to ensure that the degree requirements of both programs are fully maintained, while at the same time permitting the saving of a full academic year, students who pursue the Joint Degree Program are not permitted to take courses outside either the College of Law or the Master of Public Administration program for credit toward either degree.
When a student graduates from both degrees together they are allowed to transfer as many as ten credit hours toward their law degree. If they elect to receive the law degree first, only eight credits can be dual counted. Dual degree students should consult with their law advisor to determine how to transfer the maximum credit hours toward their law degree.
Submit College of Graduate Studies application materials to Campus 411, All-in-1. Contact the College of Law regarding law application procedures.