Joint Degree in Conservation Biology and Law
The University of Minnesota has just initiated a Joint Degree Program in Law, Health, and the Life Sciences. As part of this new program, students can concurrently earn a Juris Doctor (JD) in Law and a MS or Ph.D. in Conservation Biology. These degrees can provide the background needed by the future leaders in the field of environmental law and policy. In the past students could obtain degrees in both Law and another field, but with the expectation of a decade of study and without any assistance in coordinating the two programs. The Joint Degree Program shortens the period of study, provides a road map for fulfilling both sets of requirements, and offers financial aid to students committing to two graduate programs.
Students may enter the Joint Degree Program in two different ways. They may apply simultaneously to both the Law School and the Conservation Biology Program, or they may begin one program and apply for the second degree during their first or second year. The Law School, the Graduate School, and the Conservation Biology Program will cooperate in trying to provide scholarships or fellowships to support Joint Degree students. The Law School and the Graduate School each accepts 12 semester credits transferred from classes taken in the other School, thereby reducing the total number of required credits by 24. In addition, the MS thesis or Ph.D. dissertation satisfies the third-year writing requirement for the Law School. To maintain a supportive cohort of Joint Degree students, a one-credit, pass-fail seminar will be required every Fall Semester. It will not count toward the credits required by either the Law School or the Graduate School.
For additional information, please see the Law School's Joint Degree Program website. |
