Master Global Policy Studies

The LBJ School of Public Affairs and the School of Law offer a Dual Degree program leading to two graduate degrees: the Master of Global Policy Studies (MGPS) degree and the Doctor of Jurisprudence. The dual degree program responds to an increased need in both the public and private sectors for specialists with an advanced understanding of the global environment and facility in legal reasoning and credentials for the practice of law.

Program Structure

The program is structured so that students can earn both degrees simultaneously in approximately four academic years. Degrees are awarded when the required course work in both areas is completed. In general, students will progress through the dual degree curriculum by taking either degree's first-year sequence in their first year, taking the other degree's first-year sequence in their second year, and then taking electives and specialization requirements in subsequent years. Students in the dual degree program take a total 107 credit hours of work including 70 hours for the JD and 37 hours for the MGPS.

School of Law

The Law School's first-year curriculum includes six one-term four-unit substantive law courses: Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law I, Contracts, Criminal Law, Property, and Torts. One of these six courses will include a writing component, which adds a unit of credit to the course. The rest of the first-year curriculum includes one term of Legal Analysis and Communication (3 units), Persuasive Writing and Advocacy (2 units), and an optional elective course of 2-3 units in the spring term. The first year program in the law school usually totals 30 units of credit.

The upper-class curriculum includes required advanced courses listed on the degree requirements page.

Global Policy Studies

For more information, see the LBJ School of Public Affairs website.

How to Apply

To participate in the JD/MGPS dual degree program, students must meet the separate admissions criteria of each school, must apply separately to each school, and must be accepted by each school independently.

Students may apply simultaneously to both programs, or they may enter one program first, and then, during their first year of study in that program, apply for admission to the second program. At the time of application to the second program, students should submit a statement of interest in the dual degree program to both schools.

Advisors

  • LBJ School

    Admissions Records Coordinator

    (512) 232-4013

    lbjadmit@uts.cc.utexas.edu

    Office of Student and Alumni Programs
    LBJ School of Public Affairs
    University of Texas at Austin
    Box Y
    Austin, TX 78713-8925