Dual Degrees

Master of Public Administration (MPA) / Juris Doctor (JD)

The dual degree program in law and public administration allows students to pursue a Juris Doctor and Master of Public Administration.

Careers

Individuals graduating with a MPA/JD can work as:

Administrators in government and not-for-profit agencies
City attorneys
Court administrators
Legal counsel for government agencies
Private practice

How to apply

Students must apply and be accepted to both the MPA and JD programs. Please consult the WVU College of Law for their application process. For information on the MPA program, click here.

Degree requirements

To complete the MPA/JD, students must complete 30 hours in the public administration program and 85 hours in the College of Law. The College of Law requires students to complete both programs to receive the six hours of credit toward the JD. The Department of Public Administration may accept up to 9 credit hours of law school courses whether or not the student completes the JD curriculum.

For more information about the MPA/JD program, contact Dr. Karen Kunz in the Department of Public Administration and Jamie VanNostrand in the College of Law.

Master of Public Administration (MPA) / Master of Social Work (MSW)

A dual degree program comprised of the Master of Social Work and Master of Public Administration is available to graduate students. Students who are pursuing the MSW and MPA dual degree can follow one of two full-time degree plan options: Advance Standing and Regular Standing.

The MSW/MPA dual degree program can be completed in 3 years for Regular Standing students and 2.5 years for Advanced Standing students, including summer coursework. Detailed degree plans for both MSW/MPA options are available in the MPA Student Handbook.

Students interested in the dual degree program must apply to and be accepted by each program (MSW and MPA) separately. For more information MPA/MSW program, contact Dr. Maja Holmes in the Department of Public Administration and Jacki Englehardt in Social Work.

Learn more about the MPA admission requirements

Learn more about the MSW admission requirements

Individually designed dual degrees

Students may pursue an individually designed dual degree that combines the MPA with another graduate degree. This allows students to complete complementary degrees by applying some courses to both degrees. Generally, students apply 9 credit hours of courses from the other degree program to the MPA electives requirement. The other degree program may accept some public administration courses to meet their program requirements.

Individually designed dual degree programs are approved on a case-by-case basis. Students should consult their academic advisors in the MPA and other degree program to review respective program and graduate school requirements. Students must prepare and submit for approval a formal program of study for the dual degree.

MPA students have pursued individually designed dual degrees with the following departments:

Communication Studies
Educational Leadership
Geography
Industrial Engineering
Journalism
Legal Studies
Nursing
Political Science
Public Health
Public History
Recreation, Parks and Tourism Resources
Resource Management
Sociology