Dual Degrees and Other Special Programs

MPA/Juris Doctor Dual Degree Program

The School of Public Affairs and the University of Colorado at Boulder School of Law jointly sponsor a dual degree program leading to the simultaneous granting of the master of public administration (MPA) and juris doctor (JD) degrees. The program may be of particular interest to students who wish to practice law within the public sector, obtain a senior administrative post, represent public-sector clients, represent private-sector clients in transactions with government agencies and institutions and/or develop scholarly expertise in the relationship between law and public administration. Interested persons must separately apply to and be admitted by both SPA and the School of Law. Upon admission, students may begin full-time study at either SPA or the School of Law; however, law study must be initiated no later than the beginning of the second year of enrollment in the program, and the first year of law study must be taken in its entirety and exclusive of non law course work. Through the choice of electives, students may develop a limited substantive specialization within the study of law and public administration. The dual degree program is structured to allow for 12 credits from the law school to be accepted as electives in the 36-credit MPA program, and 12 credits from SPA to be accepted into the law school's 89-credit JD program. Students are thus simultaneously awarded both degrees with a cumulative total of 101 credits; the program therefore allows students to complete all dual degree requirements in approximately four years of full-time study. Students without prior public-sector work experience will be required to complete an internship in an appropriate governmental institution or closely related nonprofit organization. The dual degree program allows students to receive both degrees more quickly than they could by pursuing each separately.

MPA/Master of Urban and Regional Planning

Public administration and urban and regional planning have many aspects in common. To provide students with an excellent education through understanding of both professions, the School of Public Affairs and the College of Architecture and Planning have developed a dual degree program. Students can obtain both master of public administration (MPA) and master of urban and regional planning (MURP) degrees with a minimum of 63 semester hours, as compared to a total of 87 semester hours to complete both degrees independently. To be eligible for the dual MPA/MURP degree program, students must be admitted to each of the two schools under their respective admission procedures and standards and indicate an intention to pursue the dual degree. Students will take all the core courses and the Advanced Seminar in Public Policy and Management required for an MPA, plus the core and concentration requirements necessary for the MURP. Students in each school must apply to the other school before completing 18 hours in their respective programs. Upon admission to both schools, students will be assigned an advisor in each school to work out a specific degree plan.