J.D./M.A. in Latin American Studies degree candidates must satisfactorily complete course requirements for both the J.D. and M.A. Latin American Studies degrees. In addition to the J.D. and M.A. Latin American Studies 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 (79 credits of Law Center courses and 30 credits of M.A. Latin American Studies work, with 6 credits of J.D. coursework counted toward the M.A. Latin American Studies degree and 6 credits of M.A. Latin American Studies coursework counted toward the J.D.). Candidates for this joint degree must meet the graduation requirements and satisfy the academic standards of both programs (for J.D. requirements, see the Juris Doctor Program chapter of the Georgetown Law Student Handbook of Academic Policies). Joint Degree students must also demonstrate advanced foreign language ability through successful completion of a Spanish or Portuguese oral proficiency examination, and successfully complete the written comprehensive examination of the M.A. Latin American Studies Program.

Curriculum Outline

• 24 credits of M.A.L.A.S. coursework, taken in the first or second year of the joint program;
• 6 credits of additional M.A. Latin American Studies coursework, in the third and/or fourth years or during a Summer session;
• 30 credits of the required first-year law program, taken in the first or second year of the joint program;
• 33 credits in further law courses including:
  • A course in professional responsibility;
  • The upperclass writing requirement;
  • 6 credits of experiential coursework; and
  • For students matriculating in Fall 2022 or later:  a course that teaches students to think critically about the law’s claim to neutrality and the law’s differential effects on subordinated groups, including those identified by race, gender, indigeneity, and class.
• 16 credits in international law courses including: 3 credits in the required course International Law I: Introduction to International Law; and 13 credits in further international law courses at least 6 of which should focus on Latin America. These courses are typically taken in the third and fourth years of the joint program, though International Law I may be taken as a first-year elective or over a summer session.

Students should note that they are only permitted to enroll in courses at both schools simultaneously during the third and fourth years of the program.