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JD/MPP Program

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Admission to the Program

Candidates for the dual JD/MPP must satisfy the admission requirements of both the School of Public Affairs (SPA) and the Washington College of Law (WCL) to be admitted into this dual degree program. SPA accepts LSAT scores in place of the GRE normally required for admission.

First-year Entering Students

Complete the following steps to be considered for this dual degree:

1) On the law school application, select Full-time Division and then select JD/MPP degree objective.

2) Submit to the School of Public Affairs their online application form. Once your JD admissions file is complete and under review at WCL it will then be uploaded to SPA, but you still must submit the separate graduate program application form.  WCL will upload your LSAC CAS report with LSAT score, transcripts, and letter of recommendation for SPA to review.

If you complete these steps, you will receive a separate decision from both WCL and SPA. Admission to either WCL or SPA does not guarantee admission to the other. Students who have been admitted to the MPP program may apply to WCL. For specific admission criteria employed by SPA, see the graduation admission and degree requirements for the Master of Public Policy.

Current Degree-Seeking JD Students

Students currently enrolled in the JD program at WCL can apply during their first year to the dual degree program. After submitting the SPA online application form, email the WCL Office of Admissions at wclresponse@wcl.american.edu to request your JD admissions materials be forwarded to SPA for JD/MPP consideration.

Degree Requirements

  • 107 credit hours of approved graduate work (if earned as separate degrees, students must complete 39 credit hours for the MPP degree and 86 credit hours to earn the JD degree; however, dual-degree students may apply up to 12 credits from WCL courses to the MPP and up to 6 credits from SPA courses to the JD. Students who test out of the PUAD-601 course requirement noted below can earn the degree in 104 credit hours.)
  •  Comprehensive written examination
  • The research requirement is satisfied by completing two of the following courses with grades of B or better:
  • PUAD-601 Methods of Problem Solving I (3)
  • PUAD-602 Methods of Problem Solving II (3)
  • PUAD-604 Public Program Evaluation (3)
  • PUAD-607 Economics and Politics of Public Policy (3)
  • PUAD-630 Public Managerial Economics (3)
  • LAW-516 Legal Rhetoric I and LAW-517 Legal Rhetoric II (4)

Course Requirements

  • PUAD-601 Methods of Problem Solving I (3) (Students may test out of PUAD-601)
  • PUAD-602 Methods of Problem Solving II (3)
  • PUAD-603 Policy Process (3)
  • PUAD-606 Foundations of Policy Analysis (3)
  • PUAD-630 Public Managerial Economics (3)
  • PUAD-631 Financing Government Services (3)
  • PUAD-684 Organizational Analysis (3)
  • PUAD-688 Policy Practicum (3)
  • One of the following courses:
  • PUAD-604 Public Program Evaluation (3)
  • PUAD-607 Economics and Politics of Public Policy (3)
  • PUAD-685 Topics in Policy Analysis and Management: Cost Benefit Analysis (3)

Area of concentration (9 credit hours)

Students should consult their MPP advisor about selection of these courses. This requirement may be completed through courses at the law school, so long as the approved SPA graduate credits add up to at least 27 (24 if the student has tested out of PUAD-601). Students may also design their own concentration in conjunction with faculty and their academic advisor. Areas include: Social Policy; Science, Technology, and Environmental Policy; Crime, Public Law and Policy; Public Financial Management; Non-profit Policy, Management, Leadership; International Development; Applied Politics, including Campaign Management and Women and Politics; Comparative Public Policy; and Advanced Policy Analysis. (With permission of instructor PUAD-604 and PUAD-607 may be taken as part of a concentration.)

Internships
Students without a significant professional work background participate in an internship, which may be taken for credit (PUAD-691). For students already employed, a formal internship is optional.

Required Law Coursework

LAW-601 Administrative Law (3-4)
Completion of 80 credits of coursework required for the JD