The Law School has five dual-degree programs¹ that combine a legal education with graduate professional training in related fields. These programs enable qualified students to earn the J.D. and another degree more quickly than by pursuing both degrees independently. Students are not required to pursue a dual degree.

Admission Requirements

Students pursuing dual degrees must meet the application requirements of, and be separately admitted to, each degree program. Admission to one degree program does not guarantee admission to the other. Once admitted to both programs, students must submit a dual degree application to the law school registrar.

Concurrent Enrollment/Completion Requirements

Students are eligible to pursue dual degrees only if they are enrolled concurrently in both programs. Students who already have completed one program are not eligible for dual degrees or the transfer of credits that participation in such a program enables.

Students may begin either degree program first. Students must generally complete one full year of study in one program, followed by a complete full year of study in the other, before taking courses in both degree program simultaneously to complete their respective requirements.

All degree requirements of both programs must be met. Credits from the other degree program will not be applied toward the JD degree unless and until all the requirements of the former have been satisfied. The other degree program must be completed prior to or concurrently with completion of the JD degree.

Policies Regarding Courses and Credit

Students must limit their credits to 16 law credits per semester unless permission for 17 credits is granted by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. It is suggested that students limit their total credits for both programs to this limit as well.

The Graduate School will reduce the number of credits needed for students enrolled in a dual degree program. This may vary by program. The School of Law will transfer twelve (12) credits from the graduate school to the law program. These 12 are included in the 86 credits needed for degree completion. Credits transferred from a dual degree program to the School of Law are done so without transfer of grade received (except in the case of cross-listed courses as noted).

The list of courses law courses which reduce the number of dual degree program credits is subject to change and is at the discretion of the participating program.

¹

Current dual degree programs include: (1) JD/LLM; (2) JD/MSW; (3) JD/MPH; (4) JD/MPA; (5) JD/MPP. The School of Law has an agreement with University’s Neag School of Education to offer a program in Educational Leadership. While not officially a dual degree program, JD students enrolled concurrently in the University of Connecticut Administrator Preparation Program (UCAPP) may receive 12 credits toward their law degree. Effective November 2023, the School of Law does not have a dual-degree program with the School of Business. The School of Business has created a pathway program that encourages students who have completed their JD degree to enroll in a reduced-credit MBA degree program. This is not a dual-degree program but is intended to facilitate joint study. If admitted to the MBA program, a JD graduate would be required to complete 33 rather than 42 program credits. The School of Law permits JD students to enroll in up to 6 credits of course work at the School of Business while enrolled in the JD program and to have this course work be credited to their JD degree. Of note: These 6 credits are not transferrable to a subsequent MBA program.