Joint Degree Programs

Programs

Learning Objectives

Joint degree programs utilize learning objectives as established for the stand-alone degree tracks. Refer to the separate departmental sections for learning objectives for each master’s degree option.

Juris Doctor and Master’s Degrees

Joint degree programs are designed to offer full-time students interdisciplinary degrees which encompass training in law plus expertise in a complementary field of study. By eliminating overlapping subject area courses and using electives of each program for work in the other, candidates for joint degrees can reduce the total requirements by 15 to 19 credit hours.

The College of Law and The Henry Kendall College of Arts and Sciences offer the J.D./M.A. anthropology , clinical psychology , English language and literature , history and industrial-organizational psychology . The College of Law and The College of Engineering and Natural Sciences offer the J.D./M.S. in biological science , computer science , and geosciences .

The College of Law and The Collins College of Business offer the J.D./M.B.A. and J.D./M.S. in finance. These joint degrees are designed to provide legal education so that the business students’ skills can be exercised with full knowledge of the legal environment in our society. Law students are provided further training in business so that their legal knowledge can be more effectively applied in current business situations.

A Joint Degree Committee consisting of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from the College of Law and the designated graduate program advisor from the complementary discipline, in cooperation with the Dean of the Graduate School, review applications and administer programs offered by The College of Law , The Henry Kendall College of Arts and Sciences , and The College of Engineering and Natural Sciences .

A Joint Degree Commitee consisting of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the College of Law and the Director of Graduate Business Programs in the Collins College of Business, in cooperation with the Dean of the Graduate School, review applications and administer programs offered by The College of Law and The Collins College of Business .

Students may enroll in either college offering a component of the joint degree. Financial aid must be applied for the college in which the student is enrolled. Students are required to pay all fees of both programs. Tuition will be billed for each course at the rate currently in effect for the respective college. Joint degree students are eligible to participate in extracurricular activities of both colleges.

Candidates for a joint degree must meet the academic standards of both the College of Law and the Graduate School. Class rank for the College of Law shall be computed for law courses only. At the conclusion of the program, the candidate will be awarded both the juris doctor and the master’s degree.

Students are expected to participate in a joint meeting with both the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs from the College of Law and their graduate program advisor early in the first semester of study in a joint degree program. Students should meet with their graduate program advisor during each subsequent semester, even if not enrolled in any graduate coursework that semester.

The joint degree programs are accredited by the American Bar Association, American Association of Legal Services, and the proper accrediting agencies of the complementary disciplines, if any. All business programs are accredited by AACSB International - The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Students in the joint-degree program are permitted to terminate plans for a joint degree, and to elect either one or the other of the degrees. Students will be obliged to satisfy the normal requirements of the college selected, which may include credit for some work done in the other college, as determined by the Dean of the College of Law or the Dean of the Graduate School.

Admission

Admission to the joint-degree programs requires two separate applications, a formal application to the College of Law and a formal application to the Graduate School.

Applicants must attach a letter requesting admission to the joint-degree program and responding to the question “Why do you desire to pursue this joint degree?”.

Only after the respective colleges have acted affirmatively on the separate applications will action be taken to admit the student to the joint degree program. Admission to the joint degree program is under exclusive control of the respective Joint Degree Committee.

Normally, students will be admitted on a full-time basis only. The program is not open to students who have previously completed one of the degrees.

Residency Requirements

Students are expected to enroll full time. Due to the residency requirements of the College of Law, it is recommended that the first year of the program be taken in the College of Law. Students may take the first year in the complementary discipline with the understanding that any courses taken from the College of Law will be acceptable for the law degree only with prior approval of the College of Law faculty. The remaining semesters are spent pursuing both degrees within the limitations of residency of the College of Law which requires that, in the final year, the student must be enrolled in ten hours of law courses for both semesters.

The joint-degree program may be completed in three years and two summers and must be completed within six calendar years.