Joint J.D.-M.A. Degree Program

The joint degree program leading to the J.D. and the M.A. in philosophy develops a student’s understanding and appreciation of the converging disciplines of law and philosophy. The program combines into 3 years and 1 summer session the normal 3-year J.D. program offered by the School of Law and the 2-year M.A. offered by the Department of Philosophy in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students complete 81 credit hours in law and 21 credit hours in philosophy.

Admission to Graduate Studies

Admission Requirements

• All applicants must meet the requirements outlined in the Admission to Graduate Study policy. 

• Bachelor’s degree: A copy of official transcripts showing proof of a bachelor's degree (and any post-bachelor’s coursework or degrees) from a regionally accredited institution, or a foreign university with equivalent bachelor's degree requirements is required.  

• English proficiency: Proof of English proficiency for non-native or non-native-like English speakers is required. There are two bands of English proficiency, including Admission and Full proficiency. For applicants to online programs, Full proficiency is required. 

Admission to the Joint Program

This program is open to students who have earned baccalaureate degrees from accredited colleges or universities and whose undergraduate academic records indicate that they have the capacity to complete the program. Applicants must meet the admission requirements and prerequisites of the School of Law and the Department of Philosophy.  The only exception to this is that the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is the only required entrance examination for such applicants (GRE is not required for either program). Students must apply and be admitted to each school separately.  Generally, students apply to the School of Law first, and if admitted, apply later to the M.A. in Philosophy for a start date of the following Fall semester.  A student who desires to enter the program while enrolled in the first year of the J.D. or M.A. in philosophy must consult and obtain approval from the School of Law. No student may enter the combined program after completing more than 30 credit hours in the School of Law or 12 hours in the Department of Philosophy.

For information about applying to the Law School, see the school website. For information about applying to the M.A. program in Philosophy, please visit the Master of Arts page of the Philosophy department website, or contact the Graduate Academic Advisor, Aley Pennington, aleypennington@ku.edu.

Typical Enrollment Pattern for J.D./M.A. Program

Year 1
	Hours
Law courses	29
Philosophy courses	0
	29
Year 2
	Hours
Law courses	22
Philosophy courses	6
	28
Year 3
	Hours	Summer	Hours
Law courses	22	Law courses	5
Philosophy courses	9	Philosophy courses	6
	31		11
Total Hours 99

Joint J.D./M.A. Degree Requirements

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
Law courses required of all J.D. candidates		44
Law courses required for joint degree candidates		9
A student must complete two courses at the 500-level or above in each of the following three areas in Philosophy:		18
History of Philosophy
PHIL 506	Chinese Thought
PHIL 557	Kant
PHIL 558	Seventeenth Century Philosophy
PHIL 559	Eighteenth Century Philosophy
PHIL 560	Nineteenth Century Philosophy
PHIL 570	Nietzsche
PHIL 582	Existentialism
PHIL 590	Phenomenology
PHIL 592	Contemporary Continental Philosophy
PHIL 605	The Philosophy of Plato
PHIL 607	The Philosophy of Aristotle
PHIL 608	Hellenistic Philosophy
PHIL 648	Theory of Knowledge
PHIL 650	Metaphysics
PHIL 654	Philosophy of Mind
PHIL 805	Plato
PHIL 807	Aristotle
PHIL 820	Topics in the History of Philosophy: _____
PHIL 824	Hume
Metaphysics and Epistemology
PHIL 620	Philosophy of Natural Science
PHIL 622	Philosophy of Social Science
PHIL 630	Philosophy of Mathematics
PHIL 638	Philosophy of Language
PHIL 648	Theory of Knowledge
PHIL 650	Metaphysics
PHIL 654	Philosophy of Mind
PHIL 666	Rational Choice Theory
PHIL 850	Topics in Recent Philosophy: _____
PHIL 860	Topics in Philosophy of Science: _____
PHIL 868	Topics in Philosophy of Language: _____
PHIL 872	Topics in Theory of Knowledge: _____
PHIL 877	Topics in Philosophy of Mind: _____
Value Theory
PHIL 504	Philosophy of Sex and Love
PHIL 662	Aesthetics
PHIL 666	Rational Choice Theory
PHIL 668	Political Philosophy
PHIL 670	Contemporary Ethical Theory
PHIL 671	Feminist Theories in Ethics
PHIL 674	Philosophy of Law
PHIL 676	Medical Ethics: Life and Death Issues
PHIL 850	Topics in Recent Philosophy: _____
PHIL 880	Topics in Ethics: _____
Additional law courses		28
Additional philosophy courses from any one of the categories above or additional electives listed below:		3
PHIL 500	Studies in Philosophy: _____
PHIL 593	Marxism and Critical Theory
PHIL 600	Readings in Philosophy: _____
PHIL 610	Metalogic
PHIL 612	Modal and Non-classical Logics
PHIL 833	Nietzsche
PHIL 835	Frege
Total minimum credit hours required		102

It is essential for the student to consult the director of graduate studies in philosophy and a representative of the School of Law about specific courses required or recommended for this program.

For additional information, see the School of Law and the Guidelines and Information for Graduate Students available from the Department of Philosophy.

At the completion of this program, students will be able to: 

• Acquire Knowledge and understanding of substantive and procedural law.
• Develop legal analysis and reasoning, legal research, problem-solving, professional skills, and written and oral communication in the legal context.
• Exercise proper professional and ethical responsibilities to clients and the legal system.
• Demonstrate, in written and oral form, an understanding of key.
• Identify and extract arguments from texts, evaluate the cogency.
• Articulate an oral argument that clearly and persuasively presents.
• Articulate an oral argument that clearly and persuasively presents.
• Develop a written argument that clearly and persuasively.
• Demonstrate understanding of and sensitivity to professional.
• Identify, pursue, and develop argument and analysis.