JD/MS in Journalism
The JD/MS in Journalism joint degree program at the University of Kansas combines into approximately 3 1/2 years of full-time study the Juris Doctor (J.D.) program offered by the School of Law and the Master of Science (M.S.) program offered by the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications.
The program is designed to offer students academic grounding in both disciplines to prepare them for the professional practice of journalism, law or a combination of media law.
This joint degree prepares students to address legal, ethical and policy problems facing communicators and media managers, legal practitioners and scholars. They face complex issues within their own disciplines as well as pressing societal issues in biosciences, technology, business, intellectual property and constitutional law. Graduates of this combined degree will assume responsibilities in the public and private sectors.
The goal of the joint program is to develop leaders with technical and philosophical approaches to address and communicate complex issues to policymakers and to various communities and audiences.
Contacts for prospective law students:
- KU Law Office of Admissions, 785-864-4378 or admitlaw@ku.edu
- Assistant Dean Matt Tidwell, journalism, 913-897-8416 or mtidwell@ku.edu
Contacts for current students:
- Associate Dean Leah Terranova, law school
- Assistant Dean Matt Tidwell, journalism, 913-897-8416 or mtidwell@ku.edu
JD/MS in Journalism Program Information
Learn more about admission requirements, degree requirements and the typical program format for the JD/MS in Journalism joint degree program using the tabs below.
Students must conclude their joint degree program enrolled in courses offered in the law school. In all cases, students must receive their joint degrees concurrently.
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the joint JD/MS program, an applicant must hold an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, complete the admission processes and meet the admission requirements for both the Schools of Law and Journalism. Also, the applicant must be admitted by both schools no later than the end of the first year of study in the School of Law or the completion of more than 18 credit hours of graduate work in the School of Journalism.
All students must provide a reportable LSAT or GRE score for admission to the joint degree program. An applicant or student who is interested in entering the joint degree program should discuss their plans with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the School of Law and the Assistant Dean for Graduate and Professional Studies in the J-School as early as possible.
Degree Requirements
To receive the JD/MS, a student must complete a minimum of 109 credit hours. Of these, at least, 81 credit hours must be from courses offered by the School of Law and 28 must be from the master's program in journalism.
Students in the joint degree program should note that while the School of Law requires a 2.0 grade point average in JD coursework to remain in good standing and for graduation, the master’s degree in journalism follows the Graduate School regulation requiring a 3.0 cumulative grade point average for coursework that is counted toward the MS portion of the joint degree.
In planning their enrollments, students should inform themselves of course prerequisites and plan their course schedules accordingly. Please refer to the School of Journalism and School of Law websites for the most current information about admission and graduation requirements.
J.D. Requirements
The following law courses are required for all J.D. candidates. Learn more about J.D. Program Degree Requirements.
| Course | Credit hours |
|---|---|
| First-Year Courses | |
| LAW 804 Civil Procedure | 4 |
| LAW 806 Introduction to Constitutional Law | 4 |
| LAW 809 Contracts | 4 |
| LAW 814 Criminal Law | 4 |
| LAW 820 Lawyering Skills I | 2 |
| LAW 821 Lawyering Skills II | 3 |
| LAW 826 Property | 4 |
| LAW 831 Torts I | 4 |
| Upper-Level Courses | |
| LAW 972 Professional Responsibility must be completed by the time a student finishes 60 hours. | 2 |
| 3 courses from among the following: | |
| LAW 892 Business Organizations | 4 |
| LAW 873 Commercial Law: Secured Transactions | 3 |
| LAW 881 Conflict of Laws | 3 |
| LAW 878 Criminal Procedure: Investigation | 3 |
| LAW 908 Evidence | 3 |
| LAW 909 Family Law | 3 |
| LAW 845 Jurisdiction | 3 |
| LAW 996 Trusts and Estates | 4 |
| In addition to all the JD/MS in Journalism program course requirements, students must satisfy the law school's Upper-Level Writing Intensive Course Requirements and the Experiential Course Requirements. | |
Students must complete all required first-year courses (29 credit hours) during their first year of law school enrollment. In addition to these course requirements, the School of Law has an upper-class writing requirement, a residence requirement, and a time limit for completion of the degree. Please refer to the current School of Law Catalog for details.
JD/MS in Journalism Joint Degree Candidate Requirements
In addition to the 43 credit hours of coursework (described above) required of all law students, students in the joint JD/MS program must complete the following coursework:
| Course | Credit hours |
|---|---|
| Any of the 4 following courses | |
| LAW 888 Copyright Law in a Digital Age | 3 |
| LAW 951 Global Data Protection Law | 3 |
| LAW 968 Intellectual Property | 4 |
| LAW 958 Media and the First Amendment | 3 |
| LAW 959 First Amendment Advocacy | 3 |
| LAW 994 Special Topics (when offered for at least 3 credits on a topic related to media, law and technology)* | 3 |
| 1 or more of the following courses for a total of at least 2 credits | |
| LAW 894 Field Placement Program (when completed for at least 3 credits with a government agency or nonprofit or public international organization related to media, law and technology)* | 3 |
| LAW 924 Independent Research (written work on a topic related to media, law and technology* for at least 2 credits) | 2 |
| LAW 937 and/or 940 Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy (written work on a topic related to media, law and technology* for at least 2 credits) | 2 |
| LAW 950 Law Review (written work on a topic related to media, law and technology for at least 2 credits)* | 2 |
| LAW 955 Legislative Simulation and Study | 3 |
| LAW 976 Public Policy Practicum | 3 |
| 1 or more of the following courses for a total of at least 2 credits | |
| LAW 964 National/International Moot Court Competitions (competition on the First Amendment or other media-related subject)* | 1-2 |
| LAW 971 Product Liability | 3 |
| LAW 977 Patent Law | 4 |
| 2 of the following courses | |
| LAW 850 Administrative Law | 3 |
| LAW 886 Civil Rights Actions | 3 |
| LAW 891 Elections and Campaign Finance | 3 |
| LAW 910 Federal Courts and the Federal System | 3 |
| LAW 933 Judicial Field Placement Program | 3 |
| LAW 954 Legislation and Statutory Interpretation | 3 |
| LAW 956 Local Government Law | 2 |
| *Enrollment for credit toward the joint degree is subject to approval by the director of the Media, Law & Technology Certificate Program at the School of Law. | |
The Academic Committee shall have the authority to make changes or substitutions to this list upon showing of changed circumstances, such as changes in the fundamental nature of a course or the discontinuance of a course.
In addition to the coursework described above, students in the joint JD/MS program may count 9 credit hours of master's journalism courses toward their JD degree. Students may choose courses to complete the remaining hours necessary to reach the total of 81 hours of law school credit needed for the joint degree from any part of the law school curriculum.
Journalism Requirements
All candidates for the MS in Journalism must complete the following required courses:
| Mass Communications (37 hours) and Joint Degree in Journalism in Law - Professional Track |
|---|
| Foundation Core Courses (16 hours) |
| EPSY 710/711 Intro to Statistics (4) JOUR 801 Media and Communication Theory (3) JOUR 802 Media Communication Methods (3) JOUR 803 Research in Action (3) JOUR 804 Qualitative Research (3) OR JOUR 805 Quantitative Research (3) |
| Advanced Courses (18 hours) |
| JOUR 840 Seminar (3) JOUR 840 Seminar (3) JOUR 851 Professional Skills I or Elective (3) Elective (3) Elective (3) Elective (3) |
| Project/Thesis (3 hours) |
| JOUR 899 Thesis (3) |
| Mass Communications (30 hours) and Joint Degree in Journalism in Law - Marketing Communications Track |
|---|
| Marketing or media-related experience: |
| 2 years |
| Core Courses (12 hours) |
| JOUR 820 Marketing Fundamentals (3) OR JOUR 840 Marketing Fundamentals II (3) JOUR 828 Financial Fundamentals (3) or JOUR 840 Financial Fundamentals II JOUR 829 Marketing Communications Research (3) JOUR 850 Capstone Course in Marketing Communications (3) |
| Professional Courses (18 hours) |
| JOUR 819 Writing for Marketing Communications (3) JOUR 821 Integrated Marketing Communications & Sales Strategies (3) JOUR 822 Database Development and Management (3) JOUR 823 Branding in Marketing Communications (3) JOUR 824 Creative Process (3) JOUR 825 Relationship Marketing (3) JOUR 826 Innovation in the Management of Marketing Communications (3) JOUR 827 Marketing Ethics (3) JOUR 831 Technology in Marketing Communications (3) JOUR 832 Leadership and Management in Marketing Communications (3) JOUR 834 International and Multi-cultural Marketing Communications (3) JOUR 840 Seminar in: ___ (3) May be taken twice on different topics |
Graduate Degree Requirements (All Courses of Study): All Journalism master’s candidates must complete a minimum of 30 graduate credit hours in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) and 37 graduate credit hours in Mass Communications with at least a B (3.0) average. In addition, students must complete Core Course requirements, Professional Course requirements and Advanced Course requirements.
Core Course Requirements: The core graduate courses help students develop research and critical thinking skills.
Advanced Course Requirements: A Mass Communications student must complete a project/thesis. Two seminars on topics of current research or professional practice help students explore and learn to present research findings.
Enrollment Requirements after Completing Course Requirements: A student must enroll for at least 3 hours of credit in the semester in which he or she graduates. The student must complete 3 hours of JOUR 899 (Thesis/Project).
Enrollment in Elective Courses Outside the School of Journalism: Up to 6 credit hours of course work may be completed outside the School of Journalism & Mass Communications, with the approval of the graduate director or graduate committee. Students who wish to take a course or courses outside the School must have permission from both the instructor of the course and from the School. The student should submit a written proposal to the graduate director and should indicate how the course contributes to the student's master’s program.
Typical Program Format
The policies of the two schools (Journalism and Law) and the University of Kansas Graduate School govern waivers, substitutions and all other degree requirements. Students should consult the respective associate deans if they have questions about degree requirements.
| Law School | Journalism | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Year | 29 | 0 | 29 |
| Second Year | 15 | 18 | 33 |
| Third Year | 21 | 10 | 31 |
| Fourth Year | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Total Credit Earned | 81 | 28 | 109 |
| Law Credit Allowed | - | 9 | 9 |
| Journalism Credit Allowed | 9 | - | 9 |
| Total Credit Required | 90 | 37 | 127 |
Admission Requirements
To be admitted to the joint JD/MS program, an applicant must hold an earned baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university, complete the admission processes and meet the admission requirements for both the Schools of Law and Journalism. Also, the applicant must be admitted by both schools no later than the end of the first year of study in the School of Law or the completion of more than 18 credit hours of graduate work in the School of Journalism.
All students must provide a reportable LSAT or GRE score for admission to the joint degree program. An applicant or student who is interested in entering the joint degree program should discuss their plans with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the School of Law and the Assistant Dean for Graduate and Professional Studies in the J-School as early as possible.
Degree Requirements
To receive the JD/MS, a student must complete a minimum of 109 credit hours. Of these, at least, 81 credit hours must be from courses offered by the School of Law and 28 must be from the master's program in journalism.
Students in the joint degree program should note that while the School of Law requires a 2.0 grade point average in JD coursework to remain in good standing and for graduation, the master’s degree in journalism follows the Graduate School regulation requiring a 3.0 cumulative grade point average for coursework that is counted toward the MS portion of the joint degree.
In planning their enrollments, students should inform themselves of course prerequisites and plan their course schedules accordingly. Please refer to the School of Journalism and School of Law websites for the most current information about admission and graduation requirements.
J.D. Requirements
The following law courses are required for all J.D. candidates. Learn more about J.D. Program Degree Requirements.
| Course | Credit hours |
|---|---|
| First-Year Courses | |
| LAW 804 Civil Procedure | 4 |
| LAW 806 Introduction to Constitutional Law | 4 |
| LAW 809 Contracts | 4 |
| LAW 814 Criminal Law | 4 |
| LAW 820 Lawyering Skills I | 2 |
| LAW 821 Lawyering Skills II | 3 |
| LAW 826 Property | 4 |
| LAW 831 Torts I | 4 |
| Upper-Level Courses | |
| LAW 972 Professional Responsibility must be completed by the time a student finishes 60 hours. | 2 |
| 3 courses from among the following: | |
| LAW 892 Business Organizations | 4 |
| LAW 873 Commercial Law: Secured Transactions | 3 |
| LAW 881 Conflict of Laws | 3 |
| LAW 878 Criminal Procedure: Investigation | 3 |
| LAW 908 Evidence | 3 |
| LAW 909 Family Law | 3 |
| LAW 845 Jurisdiction | 3 |
| LAW 996 Trusts and Estates | 4 |
| In addition to all the JD/MS in Journalism program course requirements, students must satisfy the law school's Upper-Level Writing Intensive Course Requirements and the Experiential Course Requirements. | |
Students must complete all required first-year courses (29 credit hours) during their first year of law school enrollment. In addition to these course requirements, the School of Law has an upper-class writing requirement, a residence requirement, and a time limit for completion of the degree. Please refer to the current School of Law Catalog for details.
JD/MS in Journalism Joint Degree Candidate Requirements
In addition to the 43 credit hours of coursework (described above) required of all law students, students in the joint JD/MS program must complete the following coursework:
| Course | Credit hours |
|---|---|
| Any of the 4 following courses | |
| LAW 888 Copyright Law in a Digital Age | 3 |
| LAW 951 Global Data Protection Law | 3 |
| LAW 968 Intellectual Property | 4 |
| LAW 958 Media and the First Amendment | 3 |
| LAW 959 First Amendment Advocacy | 3 |
| LAW 994 Special Topics (when offered for at least 3 credits on a topic related to media, law and technology)* | 3 |
| 1 or more of the following courses for a total of at least 2 credits | |
| LAW 894 Field Placement Program (when completed for at least 3 credits with a government agency or nonprofit or public international organization related to media, law and technology)* | 3 |
| LAW 924 Independent Research (written work on a topic related to media, law and technology* for at least 2 credits) | 2 |
| LAW 937 and/or 940 Kansas Journal of Law and Public Policy (written work on a topic related to media, law and technology* for at least 2 credits) | 2 |
| LAW 950 Law Review (written work on a topic related to media, law and technology for at least 2 credits)* | 2 |
| LAW 955 Legislative Simulation and Study | 3 |
| LAW 976 Public Policy Practicum | 3 |
| 1 or more of the following courses for a total of at least 2 credits | |
| LAW 964 National/International Moot Court Competitions (competition on the First Amendment or other media-related subject)* | 1-2 |
| LAW 971 Product Liability | 3 |
| LAW 977 Patent Law | 4 |
| 2 of the following courses | |
| LAW 850 Administrative Law | 3 |
| LAW 886 Civil Rights Actions | 3 |
| LAW 891 Elections and Campaign Finance | 3 |
| LAW 910 Federal Courts and the Federal System | 3 |
| LAW 933 Judicial Field Placement Program | 3 |
| LAW 954 Legislation and Statutory Interpretation | 3 |
| LAW 956 Local Government Law | 2 |
| *Enrollment for credit toward the joint degree is subject to approval by the director of the Media, Law & Technology Certificate Program at the School of Law. | |
The Academic Committee shall have the authority to make changes or substitutions to this list upon showing of changed circumstances, such as changes in the fundamental nature of a course or the discontinuance of a course.
In addition to the coursework described above, students in the joint JD/MS program may count 9 credit hours of master's journalism courses toward their JD degree. Students may choose courses to complete the remaining hours necessary to reach the total of 81 hours of law school credit needed for the joint degree from any part of the law school curriculum.
Journalism Requirements
All candidates for the MS in Journalism must complete the following required courses:
| Mass Communications (37 hours) and Joint Degree in Journalism in Law - Professional Track |
|---|
| Foundation Core Courses (16 hours) |
| EPSY 710/711 Intro to Statistics (4) JOUR 801 Media and Communication Theory (3) JOUR 802 Media Communication Methods (3) JOUR 803 Research in Action (3) JOUR 804 Qualitative Research (3) OR JOUR 805 Quantitative Research (3) |
| Advanced Courses (18 hours) |
| JOUR 840 Seminar (3) JOUR 840 Seminar (3) JOUR 851 Professional Skills I or Elective (3) Elective (3) Elective (3) Elective (3) |
| Project/Thesis (3 hours) |
| JOUR 899 Thesis (3) |
| Mass Communications (30 hours) and Joint Degree in Journalism in Law - Marketing Communications Track |
|---|
| Marketing or media-related experience: |
| 2 years |
| Core Courses (12 hours) |
| JOUR 820 Marketing Fundamentals (3) OR JOUR 840 Marketing Fundamentals II (3) JOUR 828 Financial Fundamentals (3) or JOUR 840 Financial Fundamentals II JOUR 829 Marketing Communications Research (3) JOUR 850 Capstone Course in Marketing Communications (3) |
| Professional Courses (18 hours) |
| JOUR 819 Writing for Marketing Communications (3) JOUR 821 Integrated Marketing Communications & Sales Strategies (3) JOUR 822 Database Development and Management (3) JOUR 823 Branding in Marketing Communications (3) JOUR 824 Creative Process (3) JOUR 825 Relationship Marketing (3) JOUR 826 Innovation in the Management of Marketing Communications (3) JOUR 827 Marketing Ethics (3) JOUR 831 Technology in Marketing Communications (3) JOUR 832 Leadership and Management in Marketing Communications (3) JOUR 834 International and Multi-cultural Marketing Communications (3) JOUR 840 Seminar in: ___ (3) May be taken twice on different topics |
Graduate Degree Requirements (All Courses of Study): All Journalism master’s candidates must complete a minimum of 30 graduate credit hours in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) and 37 graduate credit hours in Mass Communications with at least a B (3.0) average. In addition, students must complete Core Course requirements, Professional Course requirements and Advanced Course requirements.
Core Course Requirements: The core graduate courses help students develop research and critical thinking skills.
Advanced Course Requirements: A Mass Communications student must complete a project/thesis. Two seminars on topics of current research or professional practice help students explore and learn to present research findings.
Enrollment Requirements after Completing Course Requirements: A student must enroll for at least 3 hours of credit in the semester in which he or she graduates. The student must complete 3 hours of JOUR 899 (Thesis/Project).
Enrollment in Elective Courses Outside the School of Journalism: Up to 6 credit hours of course work may be completed outside the School of Journalism & Mass Communications, with the approval of the graduate director or graduate committee. Students who wish to take a course or courses outside the School must have permission from both the instructor of the course and from the School. The student should submit a written proposal to the graduate director and should indicate how the course contributes to the student's master’s program.
Typical Program Format
The policies of the two schools (Journalism and Law) and the University of Kansas Graduate School govern waivers, substitutions and all other degree requirements. Students should consult the respective associate deans if they have questions about degree requirements.
| Law School | Journalism | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Year | 29 | 0 | 29 |
| Second Year | 15 | 18 | 33 |
| Third Year | 21 | 10 | 31 |
| Fourth Year | 16 | 0 | 16 |
| Total Credit Earned | 81 | 28 | 109 |
| Law Credit Allowed | - | 9 | 9 |
| Journalism Credit Allowed | 9 | - | 9 |
| Total Credit Required | 90 | 37 | 127 |