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Joint Degree Programs
The Evening J.D. Program for Part-time Students is just one of your options. See the main J.D. Program page for details about the overall program and other available options.
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Students can earn credit toward the selected master’s degree by satisfying the requirements for doctor of jurisprudence. These programs allow students at St. Mary’s to complement their training in the law with advanced study in another discipline.
The first year of academic work for a law student pursuing a joint degree consists entirely of law courses. During the second and third year, law and master’s degree courses are taken. Depending on the specific requirements of the master’s degree program, a student ordinarily can earn both a law degree and a master’s degree in three or four years.
An interested applicant must gain admission to both the Law School and Graduate Studies, which make separate admissions decisions. Application to Graduate Studies may be made after the student begins law school.
Following are brief descriptions of the joint-degree programs offered by St. Mary’s University.
J.D. / MBA
- Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
- Greehey Master of Business Administration (MBA)
Gain the technical, analytical, leadership and other business skills to advance your career with an accredited online MBA degree that is recognized and respected all over the world. Federal, state and corporate taxation, estate planning, banking and finance, accounting and corporate management are but a few of the areas in which law and business overlap. Students who wish to serve as counsel to corporations, or specialize in business and commercial law, would benefit from an advanced degree in business.
Learn business the same way you will lead it: across platforms, formats and locations.
Among the courses offered in the Greehey MBA program are Taxation for Corporations, Estate and Gift Taxation, Multinational Management, Advanced Managerial Accounting, International Banking and Financial Management, and Investment and Portfolio Analysis. Professor Mark W. Cochran is the J.D./M.B.A. adviser.
J.D. / M.A. in International Relations
- Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
- Master of Arts in International Relations (M.A.)
Due to the internationalization of relations among the countries of the world, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the globalization of the world’s economy, there is an increased need for lawyers who have an international perspective on the practice of law.
Among the courses offered in the International Relations program are Ethical Issues in International Relations, International Law and Treaties, International Political Economy, Human Rights, and Border Security and Immigration Policy.
J.D. / M.P.A.
- Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
- Master of Arts in Public Administration (M.P.A.)
Controversies concerning the utilization of natural resources, land use (zoning, planning, and economic development), labor relations, the administration of justice, and civil rights all illustrate the importance of law in the public sector. Associate Professor Emily Fowler Hartigan is the J.D./M.P.A. adviser.
Among the courses offered in the master’s in Public Administration program are Social Responsibility and Business Environment, Financial Policies, Management and Organization Development, Organizational Behavior, and Urban Political Institutions and Processes.
J.D. / M.A. in Theology
- Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
- Master of Arts in Theology (M.A.)
The program is especially suited for students who wish to pursue a legal career as a form of ministry. Professor Michael S. Ariens is the J.D./M.A. adviser.
Among the courses offered in the master’s of Theology program are Foundational Moral Theology Ethics, Ecology and Christian Ethics, Dynamics of Spiritual Life, Marriage and the Family, Theology of Human Sexuality, and Principles of Theological Method.
J.D. / M.A. in English Literature and Language
- Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.)
- Master of Arts in English Literature and Language (M.A.)
The St. Mary’s School of Law and College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences offer a joint program of study leading to the degrees of Doctor of Jurisprudence (J.D.) and Master of Arts in English Literature and Language. The joint degree program allows a student to complete the requirements for both degrees in three to four years.
Admission to the joint program requires application to both Schools, although application to the Graduate Studies at St. Mary’s need not be made until the student begins law school. Upon successful application to both programs, students work with the graduate program director and the law school to coordinate student scheduling for completion of both degree programs.