The Public Administration program offers a Joint MPA/JD track for those students interested in pursuing an MPA degree as well as a Law degree. The intent of the joint track is to allow qualified students to complete the requirements for both degrees in less time with the ability to double-count courses in each program for the other degree. Six credits (approved by the Law School) from the MPA Program would count toward the Law degree. Six of the 36 required credits in the MPA Program could be law courses to be used as a cognate for the MPA degree (with the approval of the department and the Dean of the Graduate School).

The total credits required for each degree would be unchanged because each program would accept six credits being used toward the other degree. This would save the student one semester (12 credits) and make the program more appealing.

Normally the joint program will be complete in only four years. With summer school classes it may be possible to obtain both degrees even more quickly. Students must be enrolled in the Law School for at least three years; therefore, students wishing to receive both degrees in less than four years should enroll first in the Law School.

Admission
Students would be required to apply to both the Law School and the Graduate School and indicate that they are to be admitted to the joint MPA/JD track. This admission would be determined by the Director of the M.P.A. Program and the Dean of the Law School or their designees. Acceptance to the joint program track would require a minimum overall undergraduate g.p.a. of 3.00 or a g.p.a. of 3.25 in the last two academic years.

Sample Curriculum Plan
• Year One - Law School

• Year Two - Law School w/two MPA courses*

• Year Three - Law School w/two MPA courses

• Year Four - Six MPA courses + Independent Study

or

• Year One - Seven MPA courses

• Year Two - Law School

• Year Three - Law School w/two MPA courses*

• Year Four - Law School w/one MPA course + Independent Study

*2 MPA course requirements could be met with law courses as cognates.

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Below is a list of Law School courses which could be used as cognates in the MPA Program and MPA courses which could be used as electives in the JD Program.

Joint MPA/JD Complementary Courses

LAW
• LAW 150 Constitutional Law I

• LAW 152 Constitutional Law II

• LAW 201 Agriculture Law

• LAW 203 Employment Discrimination Law

• LAW 206 Law of Politics

• LAW 210 Administrative Law

• LAW 263 Environmental Law

• LAW 277 Land Use Planning

• LAW 281 Legislation

• LAW 289 State & Local Government Law

• LAW 291 Poverty Law

• LAW 291 Civil Rights

• LAW 291 State Constitutional Law

Or other courses with the approval of MPA Advisor or Graduate Director.

 

Political Science and Public Administration
• POLS 308 Intergovernmental Relations

• POLS 404 Urban Politics and Administration

• POLS 405 Political Behavior

• POLS 502 Problems in State and Local Government

• POLS 508 Legislative Executive Process

• POLS 531 Public Administration

• POLS 532 Public Policy

• POLS 535 Public Organizations

• POLS 536 Public Personnel Administration

• POLS 538 Public Budgeting and Financial Management

• POLS 539 Administrative Law

*Or other courses with the approval of the Dean of the Law School.