The Basics

Where do I start exploring my options?

Start with the J.D. Admissions joint degree FAQs, where you will also find contact info for the joint degree programs. Students must apply independently to both programs, and be admitted into both.

I’ve already begun my J.D. Which joint degrees can I still apply to?

• J.D. students may apply to any joint Masters or Ph.D. degree program during their first year of law school. General information about the admissions procedures and requirements for each of the joint degree programs is available from each companion program. Current law students are judged by the same criteria as all other applicants to these programs. Current J.D. students who plan to apply to a joint degree program should contact the Office of J.D. Academic Services at lawjdas@georgetown.edu or (202) 662-9041 to discuss their plans for meeting the requirements of the J.D. degree.
• Students interested in pursuing a J.D./LL.M. joint degree apply during the summer after their 2L or 3E year.

How do I pursue another degree in addition to the J.D. if it is not a part of a Joint Degree Program?

See Concurrent Degrees.

Which joint degree programs be pursued on a part-time basis?

The J.D./M.A.S.S.P., J.D./M.A.L.A.S., J.D./M.A.R.E.E.S., J.D./M.A. in Philosophy, and J.D./Government programs offer both a full-time program and a part-time evening program. The J.D./M.P.H., J.D./M.P.P., J.D./M.S.F.S., J.D./M.B.A., J.D./M.A.G.E.S., J.D./ M.A.A.S. and J.D./Ph.D. in Philosophy are full-time programs only.

The J.D./LL.M. Degrees may be pursued by part-time students.

Tuition and Financial Aid

When do I pay Law Center tuition rates or graduate school rates for the joint degree programs?

J.D./M.S.F.S., J.D./M.A.A.S., J.D./M.A.R.E.E.S, J.D./M.A.G.E.S., J.D./M.A.L.A.S., J.D./M.A.S.S.P., and J.D./M.P.P. students pay Georgetown Law tuition for their first year in the J.D. program. These joint degree students will pay Georgetown University’s Graduate School tuition during the one year when they take courses exclusively at the Main Campus. Subsequently during the third and fourth year, when they may take courses on both campuses, they will pay Georgetown Law tuition.

J.D./M.B.A. students pay Georgetown Law tuition for their first year in the J.D. program. J.D./M.B.A. students will then pay full-time M.B.A. tuition for their first year in the M.B.A. program. Thereafter, J.D./M.B.A. students pay Georgetown Law tuition in the third and fourth years of the program (when they may take courses on both campuses).

J.D./Ph.D. in Government or Philosophy:
Prior to completing all J.D. courses and at least 24 credits in government or philosophy, students will pay Georgetown Law tuition (part-time students in the Government Ph.D. will pay the per-credit rate for all courses). After completing all J.D. courses and at least 24 credits in government or philosophy, students will pay Graduate School tuition.

J.D./M.P.H. 
While at Georgetown Law, students will pay Georgetown Law tuition (to Georgetown Law). While at Johns Hopkins, students will pay Johns Hopkins tuition (to Johns Hopkins).

Note: Students enrolled in joint degree programs may be charged additional fees for language labs or other courses necessary to earn their degree.

Do I apply for financial aid through the Law Center or the graduate school?

Which school handles your financial aid depends on the joint degree program in which you are enrolled. Please check with the Financial Aid Office at both schools. Except for the J.D./M.P.H., students who begin a joint program at the Law Center will typically work with the Law Center’s Office of Financial Aid throughout their program (Ph.D. students will work with Georgetown University after completing the J.D. degree).

Curriculum

Does a J.D. student in the joint program have the same J.D. degree requirements as other J.D. students?

The requirements generally are the same (e.g., successful completion of all first-year J.D. courses; a professional responsibility course; the upperclass legal writing requirement; and, for students matriculating in Fall 2016 or later, 6 experiential learning credits). In addition, all J.D. students must successfully complete at least 85 credits in order to graduate. Depending on the program, 6-9 credits of the joint program’s coursework will be counted toward the 85 J.D. credits needed to graduate. With that said, some joint degree programs have additional requirements, including completion of specific coursework (please visit the individual joint degree webpages for more detailed information).

What steps do students need to take to ensure that Main Campus credits are counted toward the J.D. degree?

Depending on the program, 6-9 credits of joint program coursework will be counted toward the 85 J.D. credits needed to graduate. The Office of the Registrar will add those credits to your J.D. record in the student’s final year of the joint program.

Can a joint degree student take a required law course on a pass/fail basis?

No. All required law courses in the joint degree program must be taken for a grade. The pass/fail policy is available for review online.

Extracurricular Activities

Would doing a joint degree limit extracurricular opportunities at the Law Center such as participation in a journal, Barrister’s Council, or a student organization?

Generally, no, a joint degree will not limit your opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities at the Law Center. However, please be advised that there are typically no special accommodations made for joint degree students who apply to participate in these activities. Many joint degree students who began at the Law Center have successfully continued their involvement in Law Center extracurricular activities during their first year in their joint degree program.

Please note: if you are interested in participating in the Write On competition for journal membership, you must participate immediately after completing your first year at the Law Center.

Career Considerations

Do employers value joint degrees?

It depends on the degree and employer. The substantive knowledge gained by earning a joint degree can be an extremely effective tool, allowing students and recent graduates to bring in-depth, specialized skills and training to their professional pursuits. But students should not assume that the additional degree is necessarily viewed as an asset by a potential employer and should always be prepared to articulate specific reasons for seeking the joint degree and examples of how the training will benefit the employer.