Joint Degree Programs | School of Law | SIU

In today's competitive legal market, many students are taking advantage of opportunities to earn a joint degree.  These interdisciplinary paths also allow students to apply their specific interests and passions to the profession of law.

Students begin a joint degree program upon the successful completion of their first year of law school, with the exception of the M.D./J.D. program. Students interested in the M.D./J.D. program must apply to both programs simultaneously.

Students begin a joint degree program upon the successful completion of their first year of law school. Admission to a joint degree program is subject to the approval of the Associate Dean of the School of Law and the program representative in the non-law department. Students must gain admission to both programs. See Graduate Catalog for details. Students interested in participating in a joint degree program should apply to both programs and begin making plans for participation during the Spring semester of their first year of law study after their fall grades have been received.

How to Apply

Planning for participation in a joint degree program includes meeting with the Acting Associate Dean of the School of Law and meeting with a representative of the desired non-law degree program. These meetings should take place after receipt of the Fall semester law grades.

Once students have met with the Associate Dean and the non-law program representative, they should complete the Joint Degree Program Application Form and turn it in to the School of Law Registrar's Office. Students will be notified of their acceptance or rejection for participation in the concurrent degree program prior to the end of the Spring semester of their first year of law school.

Guidelines

Participation in a joint degree program is contingent upon compliance with applicable rules in the law school and the non-law degree department. This includes maintaining a 2.600 cumulative gpa in law school work while participating in the joint degree program. Failure to comply with applicable rules and policies may result in the student being withdrawn from the non-law program.

Registration

Registration for a non-law course procedure: Student must bring a Course Request Form from the Graduate School completed and signed by the program representative in the non-law department and the Associate Dean and Director of the Graduate School to the School of Law Registrar. Student must complete and submit an Non-School of Law Course Credit Request Form for each course. Student must also bring a Class Restriction Override Permit completed and signed by the Instructor and program representative in the non-law department if course specific overrides are required for registration. The Registrar’s Office at the School of Law will put the overrides into the registration system to allow the student to self-register for the non-law course(s) via SalukiNet.