• Georgetown University Security Studies Program

      2011-2012 Handbook

J.D. /M.A.S.S.P. degree candidates must satisfactorily complete course requirements for both the J.D. and M.A.S.S.P. degrees. In addition to the J.D. and M.A.S.S.P. degrees, a Joint Program Certificate will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of the program. Separately, the JD program requires 85* credits over three years and the MASSP requires 36 credits over two years. Students in the joint degree program undertake a four-year course of study comprising a minimum of 109* academic credits (79* credits of Law Center courses and 30 credits of MASSP courses). Six credits from the Law Center will satisfy MASSP degree requirements, and 6 credits of MASSP coursework will satisfy JD requirements. Candidates for this joint degree must meet the graduation requirements of both programs, including the Law Center Residency Requirement, and maintain a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.00 for the Law Center and 3.00 for the MASSP.

• 24 credits of MASSP coursework taken on Main Campus in the first or second year of the joint program, including completion of all core courses for the program. Students will also be responsible for completing most of the MASSP requirements in this first year, specifically:
  • Completion of SEST-500, Theory and Practice of Security;
  • Completion of SEST-501, Grand Strategy and Military Operations;
  • Completion of SEST-502, Analytical Methods in Security;
  • Selection and completion of a concentration – either Homeland Security, Intelligence, International Security, Military Operations, Science and Technology, Terrorism and Substate Violence, Unconventional Weapons and Non-Proliferation, U.S. National Security, or a customized concentration negotiated with the Director of the SSP.  This concentration includes: a core class for the concentration, three electives within the concentration, and SEST-700, Thesis Seminar;
  • Completion of distribution requirements in three of the following areas: Science and Technology, Area Security Studies, and Economics and Security;
• 31* credits of the required first year law curriculum (taken in the first or second year of the joint program);
• 32 credits in further law courses including Professional Responsibility and the legal writing requirement. These courses are distributed among the third and fourth years;
• 16 credits in international law courses, including three credits in International Law I and 13 credits in further international law courses, at least 3 of which need to be in international/national security law;
• 3 credits of additional MASSP coursework, taken in the third, and/or fourth years or during summer sessions; and
• Passage of a four-hour comprehensive exam to be taken in the final semester of M.A.S.S.P.

*NOTE: 1 fewer credit is required for students who completed the first year law curriculum prior to 2007-2008.

** Beginning in January 2011, SSP policy requires applicants interested in admission to the joint Georgetown SSP M.A./J.D. program apply to both the M.A. and the J.D. programs simultaneously. Students must apply independently to both the Law Center and the SSP and be admitted to both in order to be considered joint degree program students. Applicants who have already begun their studies at the Law Center or at the SSP will not be considered for admission to the joint degree program. For questions about this policy, please contact the SSP Admissions department at sspinfo@georgetown.edu or 202-687-5679.

Revised October 14, 2011 (MC)