Joint Degrees in Law and Women's Studies

A joint degree program between the law school and the Women's Studies program was established in March of 2000.  In order to qualify for the joint program, students must be accepted by both the Columbian College of Arts & Sciences as well as the George Washington University Law School.  All students must complete their first year of coursework in the law school.  The joint agreement between the two schools allows for certain classes to be counted toward the fulfillment of requirements for both degrees, thus allowing the student to complete the joint LLM Programs in two years and the joint JD Programs in four.  For more detailed descriptions of each degree program, click below:

JD/MA Women's Studies
JD/MA Public Policy with a Concentration in Women's Studies
LLM/MA Women's Studies
LLM/MA Public Policy with a Concentration in Women's Studies
FAQs

JD/MA Women's Studies

The program will normally take a full-time student four years to complete.  Every student in the program will initially complete the required first-year law school curriculum.  Subsequently the student will spend three years combining courses in the law school with courses in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.  Six law-school credit hours may be counted toward the M.A. degree from among the following:*

  • Law 6348, Family Law
  • Law 6392, Gender Discrimination and the Law
  • Law 6394, Sexuality and the Law
  • Other courses with approval of the Women's Studies Program

In addition, up to 12 hours in Women's Studies courses and related Columbia College courses may count toward the law school's 84 hour requirement for graduation.    Students may choose from among the following: 

Each student in the program must complete the following requirements:

  • WSTU 6220, 6221, 6225 (or approved equivalent);
  • A four course concentration in Law (12 WSTU credits: 8 Law credits)
  • Three additional WSTU or other CSAS courses;
  • Thesis option, WSTU 6998-6999 (6 WSTU credits: 4 Law credits); OR non-thesis option, WSTU 6283, Practicum in Women's Studies (6 WSTU credits; 4 Law credits) or approved equivalent.

*It is understood and agreed by all parties that every three-credit course within the joint degree program at the Columbian College will transfer as two credits in the Law School, and that every two-credit course within the joint degree program at the Law School will transfer as three credits in the Columbian College.

JD/MA Public Policy with a Concentration in Women's Studies

The program will normally take a full-time student four years to complete.  Every student in the program will initially complete the required first-year law school curriculum.  Subsequently the student will spend three years combining courses in the law school with courses in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences.  Six law-school credit hours may be counted toward the MA degree from among the following:*

Other courses with approval of the Women's Studies Program

In addition, up to 12 hours in Women's Studies courses and related Columbia College courses may count toward the law school's 84 hour requirement for graduation.    Students may choose from among the following: 

  • WSTU 6221, Research Issues in Women's Studies
  • WSTU 6240, Women and Public Policy
  • ECON 6217, Survey of Economics
  • PPPA 6010, Politics and Public Policy
  • PPPA 6012, Research Methods in Public Policy
  • Other courses with approval of the law school

Each student in the program must complete the following requirements: 

*It is understood and agreed by all parties that every three-credit course within the joint degree program at the Columbian College will transfer as two credits in the Law School, and that every two-credit course within the joint degree program at the Law School will transfer as three credits in the Columbian College.

LLM/MA Women's Studies

This program will normally take a full-time student two academic years to complete.

The curricular requirements are as follows:

The LLM will be in International and Comparative Law.  Each student must complete:

  • 24 credit hours, including a minimum of 12 credit hours in International and Comparative Law courses.  Up to 6 credit hours toward the 24 hour requirement may be in courses in Women's Studies as approved by the law-school's Director of the International and Comparative Law Program;
  • Four credit hours of thesis;
  • Thesis option, WSTU 6998/6999 (6 WSTU credits: 4 Law credits); OR non-thesis option, WSTU 6283 (6 WSTU credits: 4 Law credits), or approved WSTU equivalent. (Unlike the JD joint degree, students may submit the Women's Studies thesis for approval to satisfy the LLM thesis requirement.  Prior consultation with the Director of the International and Comparative Law Program as to the thesis topic is required).

LLM/MA Public Policy with a Concentration in Women's Studies

This program will normally take a full-time student two academic years to complete.

The curricular requirements are as follows:

The LLM will be in International and Comparative Law.  Each student must complete:

  • 24 credit hours, including a minimum of 12 credit hours in International and Comparative Law courses.  Up to 6 credit hours toward the 24 hour requirement may be in courses in Women's Studies as approved by the law-school's Director of the International and Comparative Law Program;
  • Four credit hours of thesis;
  • Thesis option, WSTU 6299/6300 (6 WSTU credits: 4 Law credits); OR non-thesis option, WSTU 6283 (6 WSTU credits: 4 Law credits), or approved WSTU equivalent. (Unlike the JD joint degree, students may submit the Women's Studies thesis for approval to satisfy the LLM thesis requirement.  Prior consultation with the Director of the International and Comparative Law Program as to the thesis topic is required).

If you have further questions regarding any of these programs, please contact us.  If your questions specifically concern Women's Studies and its role, contact the Women's Studies Program, wstu@gwu.edu.

If your questions concern the role of the Law School and its requirements, please contact Ralph Steinhardt, Associate Dean for International and Comparative Legal Studies, rstein@main.nlc.gwu.edu, or Naomi Cahn, Professor of Law, ncahn@main.nlc.gwu.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Do I need to take both the LSAT and the GRE?
    Yes.  You need to be accepted by both schools and therefore both tests are required.  The median LSAT for the law school is around 163.  The Columbian College requires the GRE and a GPA of 3.0 for non-probationary admission.
  • Can I go directly into the LLM program?
    The joint MA/LLM are designed for those who have a prior law degree (JD or LLB).  If you do not have a prior degree in law, the JD programs would be appropriate.