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Georgetown University Graduate School

Admissions Information

Who would pursue a joint JD/Philosophy degree?

     Students interested in an interdisciplinary approach to issues of ethics, bioethics, and general philosophy as they pertain to the law would be candidates for the joint program. If, for example, one were interested in principles in the adjudication of constitutional cases, the interrelation of legal and ethical questions pertaining to the "right to die," the epistemological foundations for the law of evidence, or the conception of causation in tort law, the dual JD/Philosophy program would be an appropriate program choice.

What are the curriculum requirements?

     Students in the joint program are required to take both the first year of law school and the first year of philosophy coursework as intact blocks. The law school year may be taken either as the initial year or after completing a year of philosophy coursework, but no later than that.

    The program requirements are summarized below.

Degrees/certificates awarded	Degree Requirements
Options: JD/MA in Philosophy JD/PhD in Philosophy Joint Program Certificate	76* credits in law 24 credits (or 18 and a thesis) in Philosophy for MA or 36 for PhD
Typical Credit Distribution	Curriculum/Course Requirements
JD/MA Program First 31* JD Second 18 MA, 6 JD Third 6 MA, 24 JD Fourth 15 JD JD/PhD Program First 31* JD Second 18 PhD Third 24 JD, 3 PhD Fourth 21 JD, 6 PhD Fifth 9 PhD	Georgetown Law Satisfactory completion of the upperclass legal writing requirements and a course in the Professional Responsibility series Department of Philosophy MA An MA in Philosophy may be designed in consultation with the Philosophy faculty and student must perform satisfactorily on one comprehensive examination PhD: Must perform satisfactorily on three comprehensive examinations and a dissertation in philosophy Satisfy required level of foreign language or other special skill proficiency as determined by dissertation committee at dissertation proposal stage Core Distribution:Proseminars in Epistemology, Metaphysics, and Ethics (each of which culminate in a comprehensive examination); three history courses (including one Ancient and one Modern); PHIL 378, Symbolic Logic; two advanced topical courses

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

Revised October 28, 2009 (DB)