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Dual Degrees

OU College of Law offers flexible dual degree options for J.D. students wishing to concentrate their studies in a specific area of practice.

OU Law has the advantage of being part of a comprehensive research institution, a distinction that allows our J.D. students to enrich their studies by earning a second specialized graduate degree.

Our dual degree program, offered in partnership with other schools and colleges across University of Oklahoma, allows students to complete two advanced degrees in less time than if earned independently, typically in three to four years.

Explore our dual degree opportunities, from combining your J.D. with business administration and public health, to building your own degree based on your career goals.

Those interested in pursuing a dual degree program must make regular application for admission to and be accepted by both the College of Law and the college with which they wish to pursue a dual degree.  For more information, please contact the OU Law Registrar, Becky Lucas, and the Registrar in the college for which a dual degree is requested.

Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration (J.D./M.B.A.)

Businesses of all sizes, from Main Street to Wall Street, need expert legal counsel. If you’re looking to complement your legal training with a foundation in business and finance, the J.D./M.B.A. dual degree program may be a good fit for you.

Requirements:

The business administration requirements for the dual J.D./M.B.A. degree are identical to the Price College of Business' MBA requirements, with one exception: instead of taking 18 credit hours of elective business courses as normally required, the candidate will take six credit hours from a list of business-related law courses.

The law requirements for the dual degree are identical to the College of Law's J.D. requirements, with two exceptions:

  • 78 rather than 90 hours are required;
  • A student may receive no more than four credit hours in approved curricular activities.

Those interested in pursuing the dual J.D./ M.B.A. program must make regular application for admission to and be accepted by both the College of Law and the Graduate College. For further information on the M.B.A. program, contact the Price College of Business graduate office in Price Hall 1040, 1003 Asp Ave., or email GradInfo@ou.edu.

Juris Doctor and Master of Public Health (J.D./M.P.H.)

If serving as legal counsel for an NGO, practicing health law, or working with health policy interests you, consider the J.D. and M.P.H. program.

The dual degree in law and public health allows you to gain academic grounding in law and public health. The program, offered by OU College of Law and the College of Public Health, emphasizes the increasing convergence of these two subject areas. The objective of the program is to combine the three-year J.D. and the two-year M.P.H. into four years of study.

Requirements:

The J.D. requires a minimum of 90 hours, and the M.P.H. requires a minimum of 44 hours. A dual-degree student will complete 81 hours of coursework at the law school, while also receiving credit for nine hours of relevant coursework completed at the College of Public Health.  

Likewise, the College of Public Health will grant a dual-degree student 9 hours of course credit for relevant courses completed at the law school. All J.D./M.P.H. students must begin their studies at the law school for an entire year. After that year, the student may begin taking courses at the College of Public Health.  Any elective courses will be chosen by the student with the approval of faculty from each college.

As part of the required M.P.H. hours, a dual-degree student must satisfactorily complete both a Practicum in accordance with College policies and an examination covering the practicum and the student’s coursework at the College of Public Health.

Students interested in the dual program must be accepted by both colleges. Both degrees will be awarded during the same academic season. While each college should be consulted for current requirements, you may view a list of required courses for the J.D. Program and the M.P.H. program.

For more information, contact Steven Mattachione at steven-mattachione@ouhsc.edu.

Juris Doctor and Master of Arts in International Studies (J.D./MAIS)

If what’s happening politically, economically, and socially around the world fascinates you, you might wish to consider practicing law in a global context. The accelerated J.D. and Master of Arts in International Studies program will prepare you for a career of this nature.

Requirements/Application Process:

Those interested in pursuing the dual J.D./MAIS program must make regular application for admission to be accepted by both the College of Law and the Graduate College. Applicants should apply to MAIS during the second semester of their first year of law school, by Feb. 15, to begin the following fall semester. Nine hours of the elective credits will count toward both J.D. and MAIS requirements, allowing the opportunity to combine into four years of study both the three-year J.D. program offered by the College of Law and the two-year MAIS offered by the College of International Studies.

For more information on the MAIS, email mais@ou.edu or call (405) 325-2337.

Juris Doctor and Master of Arts in Native American Studies (J.D./N.A.S.)

OU is known for its expertise in Native American studies. Our innovative dual degree program allows you to combine your J.D. degree with a specialty in indigenous peoples’ law—a perfect program for those wishing to work with Native America tribes or organizations.

Graduates will be not only well-versed in law, but also will achieve a broader understanding of its historical and social contexts, as well as the varieties of tribal experience, language, literature, and culture.

This interdisciplinary program, offered between OU Law and the Department of Native American Studies, allows a student to earn both a J.D. and an MA in only three years, rather than the four years required for separate study.

For more information on the N.A.S., email nas@ou.edu or call (405) 325-2312.

Juris Doctor and Masters of Health Administration (J.D./MHA)

If practicing health law or serving as in-house counsel for a health care organization interests you, the J.D. and masters of health administration may be the right dual degree for you.

The College of Law and the College of Public Health’s Department of Health Administration and Policy offer this dual degree option to equip legal professionals with an in-depth understanding of the complexities of local, state, and national health policies, laws, and organizations Law classes are held at the OU Norman Campus, and public health classes are conducted at the OU Health Sciences Center Campus

Students in this program are able to combine the three-year J.D. and the two-year MHA into four years of study.

Requirements:

The J.D. requires a minimum of 90 hours, and the MHA requires a minimum of 60 hours. A dual-degree student will complete 81 hours of coursework at the law school, while also receiving credit for 9 hours of relevant coursework completed at the College of Public Health.  Likewise, a JD/MHA student will complete 51 hours of coursework at the College of Public Health and receive 9 hours related to legal coursework.

As part of the MHA, a dual-degree student must satisfactorily complete:

  • an administrative internship;
  • an examination covering the internship experience and the student's coursework at the College of Public Health.

Application process:

Students interested in pursuing the joint J.D./MHA program must apply separately to the College of Law and to the College of Public Health. Admission and retention in the joint program is based upon meeting the separate requirements of the two colleges. For more information on the MHA, email coph@ouhsc.edu or call (405) 271-2308.

Build Your Own Dual Degree: Juris Doctor and Master's Degree

Our dual degree options are not limited to the programs outlined on this page. You have the flexibility to create your own program. Take advantage of the scores of graduate offerings at OU. To explore your possibilities, view the full listing of graduate programs offered at OU.

Requirements:

Applicants must be admitted separately to the graduate program on the Norman Campus. Students wishing to pursue such a program should contact the College of Law Office of the Registrar early on in the application process to obtain a suggested course of action.

Thank you for your interest in applying to OU Law

Please select your program of interest to learn more about the application process.

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