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Criminology Dual Degrees- MS/JD Program

Overview

The JD/Masters in Criminology is a joint program sponsored by the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the Department of Criminology at the University of Pennsylvania. Students can earn both degrees in less time than would take to earn each consecutively (more on the sequencing of years follows below). Students in this program will have the opportunity to participate in a cross-disciplinary dual degree program that is unique in the Ivy League, combining the historical tradition and legal scholarship of Penn Law with the longest continuous program of research and teaching of criminology of any American university. It will thus produce future lawyers who are not only well versed in the law and legal tradition, but who also possess a robust understanding of social science and use of evidence-based approaches.

Application Process

Students should apply independently to each department through each program's specified admission process. The Law School and the Department of Criminology will make independent judgments about each candidate. While the Law School and the Department of Criminology will make independent admissions decisions, each application will invite the student to indicate that they have applied, or been admitted, to the other program.

Applicants have four options when applying to the MS/JD joint degree program (note that time savings in receiving both degrees can only be achieved via the first and second options below):

  • They may make contemporaneous applications to both programs prior to being accepted at either
  • They may apply to the Masters program during the first year of the Law program
  • They may apply to the Masters program during the second year of the Law program
  • They may apply to the Law program in the first year of the Masters program

Degree Completion Requirements

In order for a student to receive both degrees, he or she must complete the independent degree requirements of each program:

Law Degree Requirements

  • Law students must complete a minimum of 89 credits, 55 hours of which must be advanced credit completed in the second and third years of Law study. Students in the joint program may apply twelve semester hours (four courses*) taken in Criminology while in their 2L and 3L years of the Law program toward that requirement, reducing their upper level credit requirement to 43 credits. These four courses are the total number of non-Law courses that a Law student can take in other departments of the University. Law students enrolled in the joint program are not eligible to participate in Study Abroad Programs.
  • Students must also satisfy the Law School'pro bono requirement via the Public Service Program and fulfill senior writing and professional responsibility requirements (more on these requirements can be found in the Law Student Guide to Policy and Procedures)

Master of Science in Criminology Degree Requirements (see also MS Course Requirements)

  • Masters students must complete 8 credit units. MS students take one course of these required courses at the Penn Law School and can also take their one elective course in the Law School. Students in the joint program may thus apply two M.S. courses at Penn Law toward the eight required for the Masters in Criminology degree.

Combining non-course/course requirements from both programs

  • Students may combine the Law School's senior writing requirement with the Criminology M.A. Thesis requirement or with the M.S. Criminology 603 Data Analysis Project requirement, with prior written approval of and ongoing supervision by a Law faculty member (for senior writing) and a Faculty Member from the Criminology Department. It is anticipated that this approval will be granted by the Law School if the proposed project is at least in part an examination of legal issues and of the requisite quality and nature to satisfy Law School expectations and requirements. Similarly, it is expected that the Criminology Department will give its approval if the project entails, in part, crime-related social science research and meets the Department's requirements as to rigor and quality. (Note: M.S. students in this combined program would have, as part of CRIM 603, an enhanced writing requirement.)

Program Sequencing

The joint degree program can be earned in one of three sequences:

  • Year 1 in residence at the Law School, completing the standard and required 1L curriculum, Years 2 and 3 spent in residence** at the Law School and taking courses in both Law and in Criminology, completing the full load of courses for both programs in three years.
    • This sequence may require a course overload, according to Law School policies, in some semesters. Students seek permission to take a course overload from the Law School's Associate Dean of Student Affairs. It is anticipated that such permission would be granted to any student making satisfactory progress in his or her course of study.
  • One year in residence at Criminology, completing that curriculum, and three years in residence at the Law School so that the degrees are achieved concurrently.
  • Year 1 spent at the Law School, completing the standard and required 1L curriculum, Years 2 and 3 in residence at the Law School, taking upper level JD courses and courses in Criminology, and a seventh semester OR a year in part-time work completing Criminology courses.
    • Under this sequence, the J.D. degree would be conferred upon the satisfactory completion of Law requirements at the end of Year 3.

Tuition and Financial Aid

Law School tuition is paid when the student is enrolled and in residence at the Law School. While the student is in residence at the Law School, the Law School transfers tuition to Criminology for up to four courses taken at Criminology towards the completion of the joint degree.

The Law School will not be responsible for courses taken in Criminology over and above the four courses that are counted toward the JD degree. Accordingly, a student taking both degrees in three years, with course overloads, will be required to pay tuition for any courses at Criminology in excess of the four that will be counted toward the Law degree and paid for in tuition transfer by the Law School.

The Law School will not be responsible for any tuition or fees incurred for courses taken during the summer months.

Students enrolled full-time in Criminology for any semester outside of the six semesters spent in residence at the Law School will pay tuition directly to Criminology for that semester.

Financial aid decisions are made independently by each school. Financial aid decisions are typically made by the school in which the student is in residence for that year.

Scheduling Courses

Students register for courses in one program in that program's registration period and according to that program's registration rules and procedures. Students must be aware of the differences in these procedures:

  • For the fall semester, the two programs pre-register at different times and using different systems: the Criminology course schedule is published and students pre-register in the spring, while the Law course schedule is published and students pre-register in the summer. Accordingly, students taking courses in both departments in a fall semester will have to pre-register for Criminology courses without knowledge of the Law courses being offered. Oftentimes, students are able to resolve any issues which arise due to the registration differences during the drop/add period.
  • The timing and location of course scheduling must also be considered so that students are best able to attend all classes

Contacts

Students with questions about the JD/Criminology program can address them to the following persons:

  • Prospective students with questions about the JD program: Sherita Ragins at sragins@law.upenn.edu
  • Currently enrolled JD/Criminology students with questions about Law course selection, scheduling, tuition concerns, etc.: Gary Clinton, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, gclinton@law.upenn.edu
  • Currently enrolled JD/Criminology students with questions about financial aid: Anthony Henry, Director of Financial Aid, henry2@law.upenn.edu and Knakiya Hagans, Student Services Coordinator, Department of Criminology, khagans@sas.upenn.edu
  • Questions about the Criminology program: Laurie Robinson, Director, Master of Science Program, Department of Criminology, at robinsol@sas.upenn.edu

Students in the joint degree program may have particular career interests and goals. They are encouraged to meet individually with a counselor in the Career Planning and Placement Office at the Law School and with Laurie Robinson, Director, Master of Science Program, Department of Criminology.

*A note on classes and credits: the Law School operates, in order to comply with accreditation standards, on a semester hour basis, while courses in the Criminology program are typically worth 1.0 course units (some ½ semester courses may be worth 0.5 course units). In converting between the two programs, a Law course will count as 1.0 course units (or c.u.) in the Criminology program, and a 1 c.u. course in Criminology will be worth three semester hours at the Law School.

**Law School accreditation requirements require that JD recipients are "in residence" at the Law School for six semesters.

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