JD-MPA Joint Degree Program
The JD-MPA joint degree program enables students to earn both a JD and an MPA degree simultaneously at Villanova.
Applicants must apply to the Charles Widger School of Law and the MPA program and must meet the criteria for admission to both programs. Applicants must take the LSAT exam and include their LSAT score report in their application to the MPA program. The GRE is waived for JD-MPA students. Applicants may apply to both programs before they begin their studies in either program. Students cannot take MPA classes during their first year in Law School, so they need to work with Graduate Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to take a leave or postpone their MPA studies for one academic year if they are accepted into the JD-MPA program. Alternatively, JD students may apply to the MPA program in the second semester of their enrollment in the JD program. While it is possible to start the JD program before taking MPA courses, it is not possible to start the MPA program before taking JD classes. MPA applications should be submitted by May 1st.
Four law courses will count towards the JD and the MPA degree. Four MPA courses will count towards the JD and the MPA degree. Only students enrolled in the JD-MPA Program may have four courses in each program double counted as described above.
The MPA Director and the School of Law’s Associate Dean for Academic Affairs identify the Law and MPA courses that may count in each program. The School of Law will accept the four MPA courses toward the JD so long as the student earned a “C” or better. The School of Law will change the MPA courses to appear as Law courses on the transcript, but the grades for those courses will not affect the Law school grade point average (GPA).
The CLAS Graduate Dean will accept four Law courses toward the MPA so long as the student earned a “C” or better. The Registrar will list the Law courses as Law courses on the MPA transcript, but the grades will not affect the MPA program GPA. In short, the Law courses will be treated as “transfer” credits.
Students must maintain a 2.75 GPA in the School of Law and a 3.00 GPA in the MPA program in order to remain in the JD-MPA program.
Students may complete one of Villanova’s joint graduate programs. For example, students may complete the JD-MBA or the JD-MPA, but not both.
While completing the JD degree, students must complete at least the four MPA courses that will count only in the MPA program and the four MPA courses that will count in both programs. The remaining four MPA courses may be taken after completing the JD degree. The MPA degree must be completed within the normal timeframe stated by Graduate Studies. Students in the JD-MPA joint degree program must complete the six required MPA courses.
Students may not take MPA courses at another institution to complete the degree.
If a Law student works an externship approved by the Law School and by the MPA Director, then MPA 8010 will be waived. Otherwise, the student must complete an internship for an additional 3 MPA credits.
At the completion of the MPA program, students will be required to take the written comprehensive exam. The comprehensive exam serves as a capstone experience in the MPA program. It is designed to provide students with the opportunity to integrate and apply the knowledge gained through their coursework in the program.
MPA CURRICULUM
We periodically update the types of courses we offer to reflect trends in the study of public administration as well as faculty expertise and interests. Individual research courses are reserved for advanced students with specific needs not met by available elective coursework. Approval for the individual research course must be obtained from the MPA Director. The MPA Director may also permit students to take as many as two elective courses from another program.