J.D./M.A.R.E.E.S.

Juris Doctor/Master of the Arts in Eurasian, Russian, and East European Studies

J.D./M.A.R.E.E.S. degree candidates must satisfy course requirements for both the J.D. and M.A.R.E.E.S. degrees. In addition to the J.D. and M.A.R.E.E.S. degrees, a Joint Program Certificate will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of the program. Students undertake a four-year course of study comprising a minimum of 109 academic credits (76 credits of Law Center courses and 33 credits of M.A.R.E.E.S. courses), with 9 credits of the J.D. course work counted toward the M.A.R.E.E.S. and 9 credits of M.A.R.E.E.S. course work counted toward the J.D. Candidates for this joint degree must meet the graduation requirements of both programs, including the Law Center Residency Requirement (see the Juris Doctor Program chapter of the Bulletin), and satisfy the academic standards of the two programs including: maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00/4.00 in their M.A.R.E.E.S. program and the required minimum cumulative grade point average for the J.D. program (see the Juris Doctor Program chapter of the Bulletin), complete the two required courses, Introduction to Area Studies and the Capstone Seminar, demonstrate advanced relevant foreign language ability through successful completion of two advanced language courses, and make a public presentation of research completed in the Capstone Seminar.

Curriculum Outline

• 24 credits of M.A.R.E.E.S. course work, including two advanced language courses, Introduction to Area Studies, and the Capstone Seminar;

• 31 credits of the required first-year law program (taken in the first or second years of the joint program);

• 29 credits in further law courses including Professional Responsibility and successful completion of the legal writing requirement. These courses are distributed among the third and fourth years;

• 16 credits in international law courses including: 3 credits in the required course, International Law I: Introduction to International Law; 4 credits in further international law courses; and 9 other credits in international law or international law-related courses which complement the student’s area concentration. These courses are taken in the third and fourth years; and

• 9 credits of additional M.A.R.E.E.S. coursework, taken in the second, third, and/or fourth years or during Summer sessions.