Degree Requirements: M.J./M.S.W. Dual-Degree Progrm

The program consists of 68 semester hours taken over three years, including two summers. Students spend their first academic year in the School of Social Work taking required courses, including the first field placement. The M.J. curriculum begins the following summer during which students take the introductory law school course and one social work course.

In the second academic year, students concentrate on School of Law M.J. course work.

Third-year students take courses in both schools, including a second field placement and the research practicum in which students undertake research and write a thesis on a subject of interest that integrates law and social work.

In addition, students are required to take one additional two-credit elective from the School of Social Work, and one two-credit elective from the School of Law.

The required curriculum for the dual-degree program is listed here:

Master of Social Work (M.S.W.) (49 hours)
Master of Jurisprudence in Child and Family Law (M.J.) (19 hours)

First Year - Same as first-year M.S.W. curriculum

Fall

500 Human Behavior (3 credit hours)

503 Individuals & Families(3 credit hours)

507 Social Welfare (2 credit hours)

502 Diversity (2 credit hours)

530 Field Instruction I (3 credit hours)

Spring

501 Human Behavior (3 credit hours)

504 Individuals & Families (3 credit hours)

506 Methods of Social Work Research (3 credit hours)

505 Social Work with Small Groups (2 credit hours)

531 Field Instruction II (3 credit hours)

Summer

509 Policies & Strategies for Community Intervention (2 credit hours)

607 M.J. Introduction to Law (2 credit hours)

Second Year

Fall

701 M.J. Legal Research & Writing (2 credit hours)

661 M.J. Introduction to Child Law I (2 credit hours)

703 M.J. Child Law Torts/Civil Pro (2 credit hours)

Spring

704 M.J. Child Law Constitutional/Administrative Law (2 credit hours)

662 M.J. Introduction to Child Law II (2 credit hours)

M.J. Seminar (1 credit hour)

Summer

630/631 Summer Block Placement for Field Instruction III and IV (optional timing)

Third Year - Complete M.S.W. and M.J. programs

Fall

456 Child & Family Law Mediation (2 credit hours)

M.J. Family Law (2 credit hours)

630 Field Instruction III (4.5 credit hours)

Required social work elective (2 credit hours)

Spring

606 Research Practicum (3 credit hours)

610 Social Policy in Practice (2 credit hours)

631 Field Instruction IV (4.5 credit hours)

Required social work elective (2 credit hours)

Time to Completion

As independent degree programs, the M.S.W. degree requires 55 credit hours, and the M.J. degree in Child and Family Law requires 22 credit hours. The full-time M.S.W. program is usually completed over a two-year period; the M.J. program usually requires two years part-time.

In contrast, a full-time student can complete the dual-degree program in three years. It requires 49 credit hours for the School of Social Work and 19 hours for the School of Law.

The dual-degree program also is available on a part-time basis.