JD/MA in Economics
The JD/MA in Economics joint degree program at the University of Kansas combines into three years and one summer session the three-year J.D. program offered by the School of Law and M.A. in Economics program offered through the Department of Economics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Students in the program complete 81 credits in law and 18 credits in economics.
There has been a recent trend toward substantial use of economic analysis in many areas of the law. Examples include regulated industries, environmental law, torts, consumer law and labor law. The JD/MA in Economics joint degree program develops a student’s understanding and appreciation of the converging disciplines of law and economics.
Near the end of the course of study, each candidate must successfully pass a written comprehensive examination administered by the Department of Economics. The J.D. and M.A. diplomas will be awarded concurrently after completion of the joint-degree program requirements.
Contacts for prospective law students:
- KU Law Office of Admissions, 785-864-4378 or admitlaw@ku.edu
- Michelle L. Morrison, economics & mathematics academic advisor, 785-864-0627 or michmor@ku.edu
Contacts for current students:
- Associate Dean Leah Terranova, law school
- Michelle L. Morrison, economics & mathematics academic advisor, 785-864-0627 or michmor@ku.edu
JD/MA in Economics Program Information
Learn more about admission requirements, degree requirements and the typical program format for the JD/MA in Economics 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
The joint JD/MA program is open to those who have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and whose undergraduate record indicates that the applicant has the capacity to complete the law and economics programs.
Applicants for the JD/MA in Economics program must meet the admissions requirements of the School of Law, the Department of Economics and the Graduate School. Applicants must apply and be admitted to each school separately. Students first apply to the School of Law. Once admitted, the student can then apply to the M.A. in Economics program during the first year of law school.
All students must provide a reportable LSAT or GRE score for admission to the joint degree program. All undergraduate prerequisite courses (e.g., ECON 520, ECON 522, MATH 121, MATH 122 and MATH 526) also apply. A student who enters the program while enrolled in the first year of the J.D. or M.A. in Economics curriculum must consult and obtain approval from both the School of Law and the Department of Economics. No student may enter the program after completing more than 32 credits in the School of Law or 12 credits in the Department of Economics.
Degree Requirements
Total Credit Hours
| Credit Hours Required: | For JD | For MA |
|---|---|---|
| Law courses required for all JD candidates | 43 | 0 |
| Law courses required for all joint degree candidates | 12 | 12 |
| Economics courses required of joint degree candidates | 9 | 18 |
| Elective law courses | 26 | 0 |
| Elective economics courses | 0 | 0 |
| Minimum credit hours required | 90 | 30 |
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/MA in Economics program course requirements, students must satisfy the law school's Upper-Level Writing Intensive Course Requirements and the Experiential Course Requirements. | |
JD/MA in Economics Joint Degree Candidate Requirements
The following table outlines courses that are required specifically for J.D./M.A. in Economics joint degree candidates.
| Course | Credit hours |
|---|---|
| 4 courses from the following list: | |
| LAW 863 Antitrust Law | 3 |
| LAW 963 Energy Law and Policy | 3 |
| LAW 913 Federal Income Taxation | 3 |
| LAW 864 Advanced International Trade Law | 3 |
| LAW 944 International Trade Law | 3 |
| LAW 945 International Commerce & Investment | 3 |
| LAW 939 Labor Law | 4 |
| LAW 971 Product Liability | 3 |
Economics Requirements
The following table outlines economics courses required for all joint degree candidates. A maximum of 9 hours below the 700 level may be taken.
| Course | Credit hours |
|---|---|
| At least 9 elective credit hours subject to the approval of the Dept. of Economics | 9 |
| Elementary Econometrics | 3 |
| Survey of Microeconomics | 3 |
| Survey of Macroeconomics | 3 |
Typical Program Format
The following table outlines the typical program format for students completing the JD/MA in Economics joint degree program.
| Law School | Economics | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Year | 29 | - | 29 |
| Second Year | 25 | 6 | 31 |
| Third Year | 22 | 6 | 28 |
| Summer | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| Total Credit Earned | 81 | 18 | 99 |
| Law Credit Allowed | - | 12 | 12 |
| Economics Credit Allowed | 9 | - | 9 |
| Total Credit Allowed | - | - | 21 |
| Total Credit Required | 90 | 30 | 120 |
The University of Kansas Graduate School Catalog states that degree candidates are not eligible to graduate if the graduate grade-point average (GPA) is lower than 3.0 in all courses acceptable for graduate credit. However, students should understand that the grades received in law courses that are credited toward fulfillment of the M.A. in Economics degree are not incorporated into the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences' grade point average, which ultimately must be B (3.0) for the M.A. in Economics degree to be awarded.
All joint degree students also must fulfill the Upper-Level Writing Intensive course requirements and the Experiential course requirements in the School of Law. Please see the current School of Law Catalog for details.
Admission Requirements
The joint JD/MA program is open to those who have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and whose undergraduate record indicates that the applicant has the capacity to complete the law and economics programs.
Applicants for the JD/MA in Economics program must meet the admissions requirements of the School of Law, the Department of Economics and the Graduate School. Applicants must apply and be admitted to each school separately. Students first apply to the School of Law. Once admitted, the student can then apply to the M.A. in Economics program during the first year of law school.
All students must provide a reportable LSAT or GRE score for admission to the joint degree program. All undergraduate prerequisite courses (e.g., ECON 520, ECON 522, MATH 121, MATH 122 and MATH 526) also apply. A student who enters the program while enrolled in the first year of the J.D. or M.A. in Economics curriculum must consult and obtain approval from both the School of Law and the Department of Economics. No student may enter the program after completing more than 32 credits in the School of Law or 12 credits in the Department of Economics.
Degree Requirements
Total Credit Hours
| Credit Hours Required: | For JD | For MA |
|---|---|---|
| Law courses required for all JD candidates | 43 | 0 |
| Law courses required for all joint degree candidates | 12 | 12 |
| Economics courses required of joint degree candidates | 9 | 18 |
| Elective law courses | 26 | 0 |
| Elective economics courses | 0 | 0 |
| Minimum credit hours required | 90 | 30 |
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/MA in Economics program course requirements, students must satisfy the law school's Upper-Level Writing Intensive Course Requirements and the Experiential Course Requirements. | |
JD/MA in Economics Joint Degree Candidate Requirements
The following table outlines courses that are required specifically for J.D./M.A. in Economics joint degree candidates.
| Course | Credit hours |
|---|---|
| 4 courses from the following list: | |
| LAW 863 Antitrust Law | 3 |
| LAW 963 Energy Law and Policy | 3 |
| LAW 913 Federal Income Taxation | 3 |
| LAW 864 Advanced International Trade Law | 3 |
| LAW 944 International Trade Law | 3 |
| LAW 945 International Commerce & Investment | 3 |
| LAW 939 Labor Law | 4 |
| LAW 971 Product Liability | 3 |
Economics Requirements
The following table outlines economics courses required for all joint degree candidates. A maximum of 9 hours below the 700 level may be taken.
| Course | Credit hours |
|---|---|
| At least 9 elective credit hours subject to the approval of the Dept. of Economics | 9 |
| Elementary Econometrics | 3 |
| Survey of Microeconomics | 3 |
| Survey of Macroeconomics | 3 |
Typical Program Format
The following table outlines the typical program format for students completing the JD/MA in Economics joint degree program.
| Law School | Economics | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Year | 29 | - | 29 |
| Second Year | 25 | 6 | 31 |
| Third Year | 22 | 6 | 28 |
| Summer | 5 | 6 | 11 |
| Total Credit Earned | 81 | 18 | 99 |
| Law Credit Allowed | - | 12 | 12 |
| Economics Credit Allowed | 9 | - | 9 |
| Total Credit Allowed | - | - | 21 |
| Total Credit Required | 90 | 30 | 120 |
The University of Kansas Graduate School Catalog states that degree candidates are not eligible to graduate if the graduate grade-point average (GPA) is lower than 3.0 in all courses acceptable for graduate credit. However, students should understand that the grades received in law courses that are credited toward fulfillment of the M.A. in Economics degree are not incorporated into the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences' grade point average, which ultimately must be B (3.0) for the M.A. in Economics degree to be awarded.
All joint degree students also must fulfill the Upper-Level Writing Intensive course requirements and the Experiential course requirements in the School of Law. Please see the current School of Law Catalog for details.