J.D. & Master of Public Policy

Georgia State University College of Law and the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies offer dual Master of Public Policy (M.P.P.) and Juris Doctor (J.D.) degrees. This dual degree program provides an opportunity to pursue studies in law and public policy concurrently. Students in the dual degree program use credit hours earned in one program to satisfy some or all of the elective course requirements for the other program, thus earning both degrees one to two terms earlier than would be required to earn each degree separately.

The dual degree program prepares students to meet the growing demands for lawyers with expertise in public policy, policy analysis, and legal analytics. Graduates with dual M.P.P. and J.D. degrees may be employed directly by government agencies. Others may be employed by private and nonprofit sector organizations concerned with issues of public policy and policy analysis, including consulting firms and community development nonprofit organizations. Training in public policy and policy analysis is valuable to law graduates who seek this kind of employment. Decision-makers often lack the knowledge and skills needed to interpret the full social, political, economic, and technical dimensions of the policy issues they face. In response, state and local governments, businesses, and federal agencies have turned to trained lawyers with public policy and policy analysis skills in assessing policy options and in evaluating public programs. The same is true for nonprofit agencies, such as hospitals, schools, and regional planning organizations.

• J.D. Required Courses: 43 credit hours
• J.D. Elective Courses: 47 credit hours

14 credit hours of approved 8000-level M.P.P. coursework with a grade of B or better will be credited toward the total 90 credit hours required to complete the J.D.

• M.P.P. Required Courses: 18 credit hours
• Analytical or Financial Methods Electives: 3 credit hours
• Internship or Capstone: 3 credit hours
• Concentration Requirements: 15 credit hours of approved J.D. coursework with grades of “C” or better.

To pursue a dual degree, students must apply to and be accepted by both colleges and satisfy the curriculum requirements for both programs. Acceptance into one program does not guarantee acceptance to the other.

Students may not have completed either the J.D. or the M.P.P. prior to applying to the dual degree program. Typically, students complete the first year of law courses and begin M.P.P. courses as electives in the second year of law courses and/or summer sessions. Students who start in the M.P.P. program and gain admission to the Juris Doctor degree program typically complete the first year of law school courses before continuing coursework in the M.P.P. degree.