J.D.-M.A. Program in Sociology
The following program
for a joint J.D.-M.A. degree was instituted in 1971 by the
School of Law and the Department
of Sociology.
Administration of the Program The program
is administered by a program committee, consisting of two members
of the Law faculty appointed by the dean of the School of Law,
and two members of the Department of Sociology faculty, nominated
by the department chair and appointed by the dean of the graduate
faculties.
Admission to the Program Students are
required to secure admission separately to the Graduate School
of Arts and Sciences and the Law School through its normal admissions
processes. Students must meet the same standards as any other
applicant, and candidacy for the joint program is not considered
at this stage. Once admitted independently to the two schools,
students may then apply to the program committee for admission
to the joint program.
Graduate
Admissions | Law
School Admissions
Curriculum The joint J.D.-M.A. program
normally takes three and one-half to four years to complete and
requires a minimum of 98 credits. Although the student must complete
the entire first-year program at the School of Law, it is permissible
to begin by completing the first-year program in the Department
of Sociology. Students must meet all requirements set by the respective
departments for the award of both the J.D. and M.A. degrees. In the School of Law, this means that students must complete the required curriculum, meet minimum academic standards, and earn a minimum of 86 credits and six residency semesters in the School of Law.
In the Department of Sociology, minimum requirements
for the M.A. degree include 24 credits in an approved program
and completion of a six-credit thesis under the supervision of a faculty
advisor. With the approval of the Law School representatives on
the program committee, a student may receive up to 12 of the 86
credits required for his or her J.D. degree in appropriate graduate-level
work in the Department of Sociology. Similarly, with the approval
of the graduate advisor in the Department of Sociology, a student
may receive up to six of the 24 credits required for the M.A.
degree in appropriate work in the School of Law. No student may
have more than 12 credits applied toward both degrees.
Change of Status At any point in the
program, the student may terminate plans for a joint program with
the approval of the program committee and continue toward a single
degree at either school.
Grading Standards The student is required
to meet the grading standards of both schools independently to
remain in good standing.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Contact the Law School faculty advisors, Professors John
Monahan or Richard
J. Bonnie (e-mail rbonnie@virginia.edu
or call (434) 924-4764).
Juris
Doctor (J.D.) | Master
of Laws (LL.M.) | Doctor
of Judicial Science (S.J.D.)
Master of Laws in the Judicial
Process (LL.M.) | Joint Degree
Programs