Dual Juris Doctor/Master of Public Policy and Administration, JD/MPPA
Associate Dean of the Law School: Matt Cordon
Graduate Program Director for Political Science: Dwight Allman
Admission
Students are required to fulfill admission requirements for both the Law School and the MPPA program. The Baylor University School of Law web site at http://law.baylor.edu/ contains the most current information about the admissions standards of that school.
Students interested in governmental service at the federal, state, or local level can complete their law degree along with a Master of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) degree offered by the political science department at Baylor University. This dual degree program leads to the simultaneous award of a Juris Doctor (JD) and MPPA. While the JD program trains students to recognize, analyze, and formulate legal solutions to legal issues, the MPPA develops students' ability to work within the context of governmental entities that must confront larger issues of public policy. The JD/MPPA strives to improve the effectiveness of governmental leaders in the administration of massive, complex regulatory, or benefit programs.
Students receive 12 hours of credit toward their JD upon successful completion of the MPPA degree requirements and 12 hours of credit toward their elective requirement for the MPPA upon successful completion of Law School coursework. Thus, JD/MPPA students complete 114 quarter hours of law and 24 semester hours of graduate work. Since both degrees are awarded simultaneously, all requirements in both schools must be completed in order to receive either degree.
To request an application to the MPPA program, contact the Graduate Program Director for Political Science, Dr. Timothy W. Burns (254-710-6237).
Graduate School
P.O. Box 97264
Waco, TX 76798
254.710.3588
For additional information, contact:
Political Science Department
P.O. Box 97276
Waco, Texas 76798
254.710.3161
Persons with questions concerning any joint degree program should contact the Associate Dean of the Law School at 254.710.1911.
Students must apply for admission to, and be accepted by, both the Law School and the Graduate School. All applicants must take the applicable entrance exam for each school.
Program of Study
Students receive twelve quarter hours of credit on a pass/fail basis toward their JD upon successful completion of the MPPA degree requirements and twelve semester hours of credit on a pass/fail basis toward their elective requirements for the MPPA upon successful completion of JD degree requirements. Thus, JD/MPPA students complete 114 quarter hours of Law and 24 semester hours of Political Science course work. A minimum of one-half of the semester hours required for the master’s program, exclusive of thesis credits, must be in courses numbered at the 5000-level. Neither degree may be awarded until all course work is complete. Therefore, all requirements of both schools must be finished before the candidate may receive either degree.
- Upon commencing law studies, the student is required to take the first three quarters consecutively. After the first three quarters, students may set individual schedules for law school and the MPPA courses.
- JD/MPPA students must also fulfill the following Political Science requirements:
Course List Code Title Hours Core Courses Select 15 semester hours from the following: 15 Political Behavior International Law Environmental Law Politics and Communication Grand Strategy Seminar in Public Administration Urban Political Processes Public Discourse and Foreign Policy Public Policy and the Courts Intelligence and Covert Action Political Parties Power, Morality, and International Relations Diplomacy in Theory and Practice Seminar in American Politics Seminar in Public Law Research Design and Research Methods American Political Development The American Founding Comparative Constitutional Law American Foreign Policy Seminar in Presidential Rhetoric Reading Course in Political Science (Public Policy and Administration topics, may only be taken once) Elective Courses Select six semester hours (including at least one 5000-level graduate course) from the following: 6 Courses listed above.Other Political Science courses.Relevant graduate-level courses in cognate fields (e.g., Accounting, Economics, Environmental Studies, History, Management, Quantitative Business Analysis, Sociology).Professional Internship/Research Select one of the following options: 6 Graduate Internship (A student must complete three semester hours of the Graduate Internship. This involves supervised, full-time employment that combines practical field experience and research. Completion of the course requires a written report of the work done during the internship. Students must work in a public sector agency. Both the Graduate Program Director for the Political Science department and the Associate Dean of the Law School must approve all internships.) Professional Paper in Public Policy and Administration Total Hours 27