Overview
The JD/MSCJS degree will be granted upon completion of 104 credits earned. Of this number, 80 credits must be completed in the Law School and 24 credits in the College of Arts & Sciences MSCJS curriculum. Specific course selections are arranged through the Associate Dean’s office in the Law School and the MSCJS program director.
All summer credits applied to the final semester of the dual degree program have been determined based on the semester credits of each individual program so as not to permit students to enroll in fewer than two credits in the final semester.
All dual degree candidates are subject to Section II (G) of the Rules and Regulations limiting credit for ungraded activities to two credits per semester. Any student who is not in good academic standing is disqualified from the dual degree programs. Law School Regulation VII (E) states that a dual degree candidate, who is academically deficient (as defined in the Law School regulations) within the Law School curriculum, shall be disqualified from the dual degree.
Application to the dual degree program may be made before entering Suffolk University, during the first year of full-time study in the MSCJS program, or during the first or second year of study in the Law School. The following tracks correspond to the three possible points of entry: first year MSCJS; first year Law School; second year Law School.
Curriculum
Degree Requirements: 104 credits (80 Law School credits, 24 College of Arts & Sciences credits)
Track I
This track is for students in full-time MSCJS study.
First Year Fall Semester
Choose two courses from an approved list of courses in a specialized area of Crime & Justice Studies.
First Year Spring Semester
Choose two courses from an approved list of courses in a specialized area of Crime & Justice Studies.
Second Year
See requirements for Juris Doctor in the Law School Academic Catalog
After the first year of Law School, students must complete a Professional Responsibility course, as specified by the Law School.
Fourth Year
Electives in Law
Students are encouraged to pursue specific areas relevant to their interest in crime and justice by selecting classes and clinics/internships from available offerings. Evening students who have not completed their MSCJS requirements may elect to enroll in the Internship in Crime and Justice Studies course (CJ-783) to obtain direct experience in the field.
Track II
Track II of the JD/MSCJS program is substantially the same as Track I except that the first- and second-year curricula are reversed. This track is for first-year law students entering the dual degree program.
Track III
This track is for second-year law students entering the dual degree program. During years three and four, these students will take both law and MSCJS courses.