J.D./M.P.P. (Master of Public Policy) JOINT DEGREE STUDENT HANDBOOK

Transcription

1 J.D./M.P.P. (Master of Public Policy) JOINT DEGREE STUDENT HANDBOOK GEORGETOWN LAW

2 June 2014 Dear J.D./M.P.P. Student: As a J.D./M.P.P. student, your experience at Georgetown Law will be shaped by the interdisciplinary nature of your program of study as well as your membership in two academic communities with distinct rules, procedures, and cultures. The academic careers of J.D./M.P.P. students are primarily administered by the policies of Georgetown Law and the McCourt School of Public Policy as articulated in the Georgetown Law Student Handbook of Academic Policies and the Graduate School Bulletin and Catalog. The handbook you are currently reading addresses areas in which unique policies have been developed to meet the particular needs of J.D./M.P.P. and other joint degree students. Specifically, this handbook contains (1) Georgetown Law and Main Campus academic calendars, (2) a roster of administrators in the program, (3) summaries of policies and procedures that affect J.D./M.P.P. students, and (4) candid commentary from former J.D./M.P.P. students on a variety of academic and career-related topics offering helpful insight and perspective. A checklist of J.D./M.P.P. degree requirements is included as an Appendix to assist you in planning your program of study. The nature of a joint degree program demands that students keep up with the administrative details of both programs. Both programs will communicate with you via your Georgetown e- mail account. Important Law Center deadlines are also posted via the Master Calendar online at 0tf9AKbNsQ%3D%3D. The Law Center s Office of Career Services (OCS) and Office of Public Interest & Community Services (OPICS) communicate information about programs, opportunities, and deadlines via the Hoya Headlines blog which is available at Please contact me if you have any questions about the material that follows or if I can be of assistance. It is important to keep this handbook throughout your four-year program. Students will be informed of any policy changes by . Please contact me at (202) or [email protected] to schedule an advising appointment. Sincerely, Gilda Mossadegh Director, J.D. Programs 2

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS I. GEORGETOWN LAW ACADEMIC CALENDAR...5 II. MAIN CAMPUS ACADEMIC CALENDAR... 6 III. PROGRAM DIRECTORY...8 IV. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS...10 A. Georgetown Law Requirements B. M.P.P. Requirements C. Program Requirements Grid V. PLANNING YOUR CURRICULUM...12 A. General B. Identifying Courses of Interest Law Courses M.P.P. Courses C. Transitioning between two academic communities D. Clinics VI. ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES...14 A. Credit Load B. J.D. Registration C. M.P.P. Registration D. Cross-Campus Schedule Coordination E. Registration for First-Year M.P.P. Courses F. Exam Conflicts G. Commuting Between Campuses H. Tuition I. Financial Aid VII. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES...18 A. Journal Membership B. Barrister s Council Trial Advocacy Division Appellate Advocacy Division Alternative Dispute Resolution C. Other Activities VIII. GRADES AND ACADEMIC HONORS...21 A. Grading Scales B. Transcripts and Grade Reports C. Dean s List D. Graduation Honors

4 E. Order of the Coif IX. GRADUATION...23 A. Graduation Applications B. Graduation Ceremonies Graduate School Commencement J.D. Commencement C. Cap and Gown Orders X. CAREER PLANNING...24 A. How does the joint degree fit into students career plans? B. Timing issues C. Marketing the Joint Degree APPENDIX

5 I. GEORGETOWN LAW ACADEMIC CALENDAR 2014 FALL SEMESTER Mon., July 28 Mon., Aug. 25 Mon., Aug. 25 Thurs., Aug. 28 Tues., Aug. 26 Wed., Aug. 27 Mon., Aug. 25 Fri., Aug. 29 Mon., Sept. 1 Tues., Sept. 2 Tues., Sept. 2 Tues., Sept. 9 Mon., Oct. 13 Tues., Oct. 14 Wed., Nov Sun., Nov. 30 Sat., Dec. 6 Sat., Dec. 6 and Mon., Dec. 8 Tues., Dec. 9 Sat., Dec. 20 Fri., Dec. 19 Fri., Jan. 2; Mon., Jan. 5; and Tues., Jan SPRING SEMESTER Mon., Jan. 5 Mon., Jan. 5 Mon., Jan. 12 Mon., Jan. 12 Tues., Jan. 20 Mon., Jan. 19 Mon., Feb 16 Tues., Feb. 17 Wed., Feb. 18 Thurs., Feb. 19 Sun., Mar. 8 Sun., Mar. 15 Fri., Apr. 3 Sun., Apr. 5 Sat., Apr. 25 Mon., Apr. 27 Tues., Apr. 28 Tues., May 12 Tues., May 12 Sun., May 17 Tues., May 19 - Thurs., May 21 Tuition due for First Year J.D. Students Tuition due for incoming Graduate Students Registration and Orientation for incoming J.D. Transfer Students Registration and Orientation for incoming J.D. Visiting Students Registration and Orientation for new Graduate Students Tuition due for all Continuing, Transfer and Visiting Students Orientation for new Graduate Students Registration and Orientation for Part-time First Year J.D. Students Registration for Full-time First Year J.D. Students Orientation for Full-Time First Year J.D. Students LABOR DAY HOLIDAY: No classes meet Classes Begin for All Students Add/Drop and Wait-list activity for Fall and Spring Courses COLUMBUS DAY HOLIDAY: No classes meet Monday classes meet instead of Tuesday classes THANKSGIVING HOLIDAY: No classes meet Last Day of Classes Rescheduled Classes and Reading Day Final Exams All Papers Due unless other due date set by the professor Fall 2014 Exam Deferral Dates Spring Tuition due for All Students Week One Classes begin for first-year J.D. Students Week One Mini Courses begin for Upperclass Students Note: Mandatory attendance is required at all Week One class sessions, first-year and upperclass, Monday Friday Note: Some clinics may require their students to begin clinic activities this week Regular, Semester-long Classes begin for All Students Add/Drop and Wait-list activity for Spring Courses MARTIN LUTHER KING HOLIDAY: No classes meet PRESIDENTS DAY HOLIDAY: No classes meet Faculty Retreat: No classes meet Monday classes meet instead of Thursday classes SPRING BREAK: No classes meet EASTER BREAK: No classes meet Last Day of Classes Rescheduled Classes and Reading Day May Graduates Papers Due unless an earlier due date set by the professor Final Exams All Papers Due unless other due date set by the professor Commencement Spring 2015 Exam Deferral Dates 5

6 II. MAIN CAMPUS ACADEMIC CALENDAR 2014 FALL SEMESTER August 18: Orientation for all incoming J.D./M.P.P. Students August 26, 12:00 PM: Mass of the Holy Spirit August 27: Classes Begin; Registration Changes Accepted; Follow Monday class schedule September 1: Holiday Labor Day September 5: Last Day for Late Registration September 6: Add/Drop Ends October 13: Mid-Semester Holiday Columbus Day November 3: Pre-Registration for the Following Spring Begins November 15: Pre-Registration for the Following Spring Ends November 18: Graduate Students: Last Day to Withdraw from Courses November 26: Thanksgiving Recess Begins after Last Class December 1: Classes Resume December 5: Classes End December 6: Registration Completion for Spring Begins December 9: Registration Completion for Spring Ends December 10: Examinations Begin December 18: Examinations End December 20: Add/Drop Continues for Spring January 3: Graduate Grades Due 2015 SPRING SEMESTER January 7: Add/Drop Continues January 7: Classes Begin: Follow Monday class schedule January 16: Last Day for Late Registration January 17: Add/Drop Ends January 19: Holiday Martin Luther King Day February 16: Holiday President s Day March 6: Spring Break Begins after Last Class March 16: Classes Resume March 30: Early Registration for the Following Fall Term Begins April 1: Easter Break Begins after Last Class April 7: Classes Resume April 11: Early Registration Ends April 23: Graduate Students: Last Day to Withdraw from Courses April 27: Last Day of Classes April 28: Registration Completion Begins April 28: Study Days Begin 6

7 April 30: Registration Completion Ends May 1: Examinations Begin May 2: Exam Day May 3: Study Day May 4: Examinations Continue May 9: Examinations End May 10: Add/Drop Begins for Fall May 11: Grades Due for Graduating Students May 15: Commencement Weekend Begins May 18: Grades Due for Graduate Students 7

8 III. PROGRAM DIRECTORY McCOURT SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY Leslie Evertz Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Affairs McCourt School of Public Policy Old North, Suite #206 Phone: (202) Elizabeth Robbins Assistant Director of Employer Relations McCourt School of Public Policy Old North, Suite #105 Phone: (202) /Fax: (202) Nirmala Fernandes Director of Academic Affairs McCourt School of Public Policy Old North, Suite #105F Phone: (202) /Fax: (202) To sign up for an advising appointment: nf168.youcanbook.me Jessye Crowe-Rothstein Admissions Officer Office of Admissions McCourt School of Public Policy Old North, Suite #206 Phone: (202) /Fax: (202) GEORGETOWN LAW Professor Peter Edelman, Co-Director, J.D./M.P.P. Program Georgetown Law 600 New Jersey Ave., NW, McDonough 403 Washington, D.C Phone: (202) / Gilda Mossadegh, Director, J.D. Programs (Joint Degree Programs Advisor) Georgetown Law 600 New Jersey Ave. N.W., McDonough Hall #352 Washington, D.C Phone: (202) /Fax: (202) / 8

9 Office of Admissions Georgetown Law 600 New Jersey Ave. N.W., McDonough Hall #589 Washington, D.C Phone: (202) /Fax: (202) / Marcia Pennington Shannon, Assistant Dean Office of Career Services Georgetown Law 600 New Jersey Ave. N.W., McDonough Hall #328 Washington, D.C Phone: (202) / Barbara Moulton, Assistant Dean Office of Public Interest and Community Service Georgetown Law 600 New Jersey Ave. N.W., McDonough Hall #212 Washington, D.C Phone: (202) /Fax: (202) / Simone Woung, Senior Associate Registrar Office of the Registrar Georgetown Law 600 New Jersey Ave. N.W., McDonough Hall #315 Washington, D.C Phone: (202) /Fax: (202) / LaToya Parnell, Assistant Director Office of Financial Aid Georgetown Law 600 New Jersey Ave. N.W., McDonough Hall #335 Washington, D.C Phone: (202) /Fax: (866) / 9

10 IV. DEGREE REQUIREMENTS J.D./M.P.P. degree candidates must satisfactorily complete all course requirements for both the J.D. and M.P.P. degrees. The J.D./M.P.P. program requires completion of 115 academic credits (76 credits in law and 39 credits in M.P.P. courses) and the graduation requirements for both programs, including the Law Center s residency requirement. J.D./M.P.P. students must also maintain the required minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.00/4.00 in the M.P.P. program and 2.00/4.00 in the J.D. program. In addition to the J.D. and M.P.P. degrees, a Joint Program Certificate will be awarded upon satisfactory completion of the program. A. Georgetown Law Requirements Georgetown Law students must earn at least 85 credits to graduate with the J.D. degree. As a joint J.D./M.P.P. student, 9 credits of M.P.P. coursework count towards the 85 credits needed to earn the J.D. degree. Conversely, 9 credits of law courses count towards the M.P.P. degree requirements. Therefore, J.D./M.P.P. students must complete 76 Georgetown Law credits for the J.D. portion of this joint degree. J.D./M.P.P. students are required to complete all requirements of the J.D. program, including: (1) 31 credits of first year required coursework, (2) a professional responsibility course, (3) the upperclass legal writing requirement, and (4) the residency requirement. All graduation requirements are described in detail in the Georgetown Law Student Handbook of Academic Policies at In addition to the aforementioned J.D. requirements, three law courses are required for the J.D./M.P.P. joint degree program: Administrative Law or Government Processes (first-year course) or Administrative Law and Regulatory Policy; Constitutional Law II; and Legislation and Statutory Interpretation or Lawmaking: Introduction to Statutory and Regulatory Interpretation (first-year elective course) or Legislation or Legislative Process (first-year elective course) or the Federal Legislation and Administrative Clinic. Beyond these requirements, students are free to choose from Georgetown Law s wide range of course offerings. For advice on academic planning, please read Frequently Asked Questions About Course Selection available online at and schedule an advising appointment with the Director of J.D. Programs, Gilda Mossadegh. 10

11 B. M.P.P. Requirements J.D./M.P.P. students must complete 39 credits in the M.P.P. program. Required M.P.P. credits include: (1) 30 credits of required M.P.P. courses, including a two semester capstone project (either Thesis Workshop I & II or Policy Analysis Capstone I & II) and (2) 9 credits of M.P.P. elective courses taken in the second, third, and/or fourth year. C. Program Requirements Grid DEGREES/CERTIFICATE AWARDED DEGREE REQUIREMENTS J.D. M.P.P. (Master of Public Policy) Joint Program Certificate 4 year program 115 credit hours (76 in law, 39 in M.P.P. courses) Satisfactory completion of the upperclass legal writing requirement Professional Responsibility course* Residency requirement TYPICAL CREDIT DISTRIBUTION CURRICULUM/COURSE REQUIREMENTS First Year 31 J.D. credits 31 J.D. credit hours Required first-year law school curriculum Second Year 24 M.P.P. credits 24 M.P.P. credit hours 18 M.P.P. required credits include: Intermediate Microeconomic Theory 1 and 2; Statistical Methods for Policy Analysis; Regression Methods for Policy Analysis; Public Policy Process (or Comparative Policy Process); and Public Management (or Comparative Public Management) and 6 M.P.P. elective credits. Third Year 21 J.D. credits 9 M.P.P. credits 21 J.D credit hours Upperclass law courses, including the required course in Professional Responsibility and satisfactory completion of the upperclass legal writing requirement can be taken during the third or fourth year of study. Three required J.D. courses: Administrative Law (or Government Processes or Administrative Law and Regulatory Policy); Constitutional Law II, and Legislation and Statutory Interpretation (or Lawmaking: Introduction to Statutory and Regulatory Interpretation or Legislation or Legislative Process or the Federal Legislation and Administrative Clinic) 11

12 9 M.P.P. credit hours 6 credits of M.P.P. required courses taken in the third or fourth year: Advanced Regression and Program Evaluation Methods and Ethics, Values, and Public Policy (or Ethics in a Globalized World) + 3 elective credits. Fourth Year 24 J.D. credits 6 M.P.P. credits 24 J.D. credit hours Upperclass law courses, including the required course in Professional Responsibility and satisfactory completion of the upperclass legal writing requirement can be taken during the third or fourth year of study. 6 M.P.P. credit hours A two-semester capstone project (either Thesis Workshop I & II OR Policy Analysis Capstone I & Policy Analysis Capstone II) *Students typically enroll in Professional Responsibility during the same semester as when they plan to take the M.P.R.E. exam (Multistate Professional Responsibility Examination). Detailed information about the M.P.R.E. exam is available online at It is a good idea to check the state bar rules governing the M.P.R.E. for the state where you intend on taking the bar exam in advance. Some states may have special timing rules on when you must take the M.P.R.E. exam. A. General V. PLANNING YOUR CURRICULUM J.D./M.P.P. students take 9 fewer law credits and 9 fewer M.P.P. credits than their colleagues enrolled in the programs individually. As noted above, J.D./M.P.P. students must take a course in Administrative Law, Constitutional Law II, and Legislation. B. Identifying Courses of Interest 1. Law Courses The breadth of Georgetown Law course offerings related to public policy can be overwhelming. The online Curriculum Guide, available at is an excellent research tool to assist students in identifying courses of interest. Using the drop down menu under the Curriculum tab, J.D./M.P.P. students should consult the essays on Administrative Law and Constitutional Law and Government for course offerings. Students may also search for courses by keyword and/or review faculty profiles using the Curriculum Guide. In addition, students should contact the Director of J.D. Programs, Gilda Mossadegh, at 12

13 (202) or to schedule an academic advising appointment. 2. M.P.P. Courses The course descriptions for required M.P.P. courses are posted on the McCourt School of Public Policy Student Blackboard webpage. You can log onto the BlackBoard page at using your NetID and password. Click on the Add Module button, located at the top left-hand side. Then, select My Organizations and submit (you only have to do this the first time). Every time thereafter, when you log onto BlackBoard, you will be able to click on the link that says MPM-PS in the section marked My Organizations. Course descriptions are posted under the folder for Academic Affairs. C. Transitioning between two academic communities The nature of an interdisciplinary program of study requires that students are simultaneously members of two distinct academic communities. One graduate described the differences between J.D. and M.P.P. coursework as follows: Student Note: Law school coursework is largely an independent endeavor. While some students occasionally outline together or ask each other questions right before an exam, grades are based on each student's individual knowledge as set forth in an exam. Coursework in public policy, on the other hand, is a mixture of independent efforts in preparing for examinations and group projects. The group-oriented philosophy of the public policy curriculum reflects the contemporary work place for which the school trains its students. D. Clinics Several of Georgetown Law s clinical programs provide an opportunity for students to gain practical experience in policy advocacy and legislative drafting. The Federal Legislation & Administrative Clinic, Harrison Institute: Policy Clinic, Institute for Public Representation Clinic, and International Women s Human Rights Clinic may be of particular interest to J.D./M.P.P. students. For more detailed information about the clinical program, please visit 13

14 VI. ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES A. Credit Load Completing the joint degree program in four years requires J.D./M.P.P. students to carry a heavier credit load than typical law students. After completing the first year of required courses in both programs, J.D./M.P.P. students will typically have 60 total credits remaining. Thus, J.D./M.P.P. students enroll in an average of 15 credits in each of their four upperclass semesters. Full-time joint degree students must enroll in 12 to 16 credits of Law Center courses in each semester. To meet the Law Center s residency requirement, the student must successfully pass at least 10 of these credits. A full-time joint degree student may be approved to enroll in less than 12 Law Center credits in a given semester if: (1) the combined University-wide (i.e., Law Center and Main Campus) credits total 10 or 11 credits; and (2) the student receives permission from the Registrar or Gilda Mossadegh, the Director of J.D. Programs, prior to the end of the Law Center s add/drop period. If a full-time joint degree J.D. student fails to successfully complete at least 10 University-wide credits in a semester, the student will not have successfully completed that full-time semester and must meet with the Registrar or Ms. Mossadegh to discuss how to meet the residency requirement. Full-time joint degree students may be approved to enroll in 17 or more University-wide credits (no more than 17 of which may be Law Center credits) during the Fall or Spring semester upon receiving the permission of Ms. Mossadegh prior to the end of the Law Center s add/drop period. Ms. Mossadegh can be reached at (202) or by at [email protected]. At the end of the Law Center add/drop period, students who have not been granted permission to overload will be withdrawn from the last course which was added to their course schedule. B. J.D. Registration Georgetown Law students typically pre-register for the following academic year (fall and spring semesters) in late May/early June. Main Campus pre-registration occurs each semester. Therefore, the Main Campus course offerings for the following spring semester won t be available when J.D./ M.P.P. students pre-register for their J.D. courses. Nonetheless, J.D./M.P.P. students are strongly encouraged to pre-register for spring classes at the Law Center and make any necessary adjustments during the appropriate add/drop period. In order to plan for possible alternative schedules on the Main Campus, some J.D./M.P.P. students pre-register for more law courses than they will actually take. Joint degree students may hold up to 22 credits university-wide (i.e., J.D. and M.P.P. credits combined) per semester through the Law Center s add/drop period. However, full-time students must drop to

15 credits per semester by the end of the Law Center s add/drop period (unless approval to overload has been granted by the Director of J.D. Programs). C. M.P.P. Registration Registration for courses in the M.P.P. Program is done each semester. Pre-registration is completed online. Nirmala Fernandes, Director of Academic Affairs, is available to assist students with their academic planning. She can be reached at (202) or by at [email protected]. Ms. Fernandes may you to suggest changes in your registration; you should check your Georgetown account(s) regularly during the pre-registration period. Results of fall and spring semester pre-registration can be checked during the completion period. Changes or late registration can be made during the Main Campus add/drop period (see D. Cross-Campus Schedule Coordination Coordinating course schedules on both campuses can be a challenge for J.D./M.P.P. students. The distance between the location of the Law Center and Main Campus demands that students allow for commuting time when developing their course schedule. In addition, Georgetown Law and the McCourt School of Public Policy have different academic calendars. Consequently, registration and add/drop periods do not coincide. Students who foresee that changes in their M.P.P. course schedule may require that they withdraw from a law course after the end of Georgetown Law s add/drop period should contact the Senior Associate Registrar, Simone Woung at (202) or by at [email protected]. Past joint degree students suggestions for coordinating schedules between the two campuses: Student Notes: 1) You should decide what your key class desires are and arrange everything else around them. Only going to one campus per day sometimes influenced me. 2) Establish good relationships with administrators at Georgetown Law and the public policy department. These people can help you overcome any hurdles that may exist in coordinating your schedule. Additionally, most public policy classes begin around 1:00 and run through the evening, because a high percentage of students work part-time. Some Georgetown Law courses begin early in the morning. Therefore, if you have to be on both campuses in one day (which you should try to avoid as much as possible), schedule law school classes in the morning and public policy classes for later in the day. 3) It seems to work best to start with the law courses you want to take, then fit in M.P.P. around that. In general it seems much harder to get into the law courses, so focus your energy on that. 15

16 E. Registration for First-Year M.P.P. Courses First-year M.P.P. students will register for fall courses during the Summer prior to the start of their first semester at McCourt. Past joint degree students offered the following advice about taking a law course during the first year of the M.P.P. program: Student Notes: 1) M.P.P. students must take quantitative methods, micro, and maybe another economics course. Most of the other core classes can be taken at any time, although most students fulfill a substantial number of these requirements during their first year at the McCourt School. Taking a law school course while in the M.P.P. program actually eases your overall academic burden. 2) Law school is difficult because there is one big exam for each class at the end of the semester. Needless to say the last month of school is the toughest. At the McCourt School there are midterms, finals, and countless memos and group projects. Consequently, students in this program always feel as though there is a small "fire to put out," especially in the middle of the semester. Mixing public policy and law classes in the same semester eases the burdens students would otherwise feel at particular times of the semester from taking classes in just one department by spreading out the work. F. Exam Conflicts Students are encouraged to work with their Main Campus faculty members to resolve exam conflicts because the Main Campus exam schedule is generally more flexible. If this is not possible, Georgetown Law exams can be rescheduled if certain criteria are met. Under Georgetown Law rules, no student is required to take two exams that begin within 25 hours. In addition, a student may seek relief if his/her exam schedule produces three exams within four consecutive days or four exams within five consecutive days, or for extraordinary cause. Generally, the exam for the class carrying the fewest number of credits will be rescheduled. Please note that Georgetown Law exams are blind graded and you should not contact your law professors regarding exam conflicts. Check your exam schedule early in the semester and contact the Georgetown Law Registrar s Office if you need to reschedule your exams. The exam deferral policy is found in the Georgetown Law Student Handbook of Academic Policies at G. Commuting Between Campuses Students may use the GUTS shuttle to get back and forth between the Law Center and Main Campus. Students with a valid GOCard may ride any GUTS route at no charge. The shuttle between Georgetown Law and the Main Campus runs every hour to hour and a half. In addition, the university runs more frequent shuttles to the metro stations at Dupont Circle (Metro s Red line) and Rosslyn (Metro s Blue and Orange lines). The GUTS schedules and NextGUTS app 16

17 tool is available at Another popular and inexpensive commuting option is the DC Circulator bus system. For route maps, fare information, and Next-Bus information for the DC Circulator, please visit For detailed information about Metrobus routes, please visit Parking at Georgetown Law is very limited so J.D./ M.P.P. students, like all law students, may not always find a space. Law Center students may pay to park in the McDonough Hall garage on level P2 on a space available basis, if they have registered their car with and obtained a hangtag from the Law Center s parking office. GOCards issued by the Law Center are automatically programmed to allow access to the garage and will deduct the parking fee of $8.00 per entry. Parking for students at the Law Center garage tends to fill up on weekdays by 9:30 a.m. Students may access the garage for free after 5:00 p.m. When you register your car with the Law Center Parking Office, please confirm that your GOCard has been programmed to allow you access to the McDonough Hall garage. The Law Center s Parking Office is located in McDonough Hall, Room 154 and can be contacted at (202) or [email protected]. The Main Campus does not permit student parking. Students may however pay (in cash) to park in a garage as a visitor if space is available. Past joint degree students offered the following suggestions about commuting between two campuses: Student Notes: 1) I lived in Adams Morgan which worked well because you re in the middle; the Metro goes to Georgetown Law and the GUTS bus goes to the Main Campus from Dupont Circle it s hard to park at the law school during key hours in the day. I almost always took the shuttle. 2) I live in Arlington which is nice because Main Campus has a shuttle route in North Arlington. 3) I live in Crystal City which I recommend just because the rents are pretty good and the apartments are fantastic. It is also incredibly convenient to the Metro (Blue and Yellow lines), which takes you to Rosslyn for M.P.P. (via a GUTS shuttle) or Judiciary Square for Georgetown Law (you have to transfer at Gallery place for this trip). Another good place to live is Rosslyn, again because the rents are cheaper than DC and the apartments are good. The shuttle runs right from Rosslyn to the Main Campus, and the Metro is convenient to get to Georgetown Law. H. Tuition J.D./M.P.P. students pay the full-time M.P.P. tuition in the year when they are in their M.P.P.- only curriculum. M.P.P. full-time tuition for is $43,200 for a student who enrolls in 17

18 24 credit hours (12 credit hours/per semester). If a student enrolls in more than 12 credit hours, they are charged on a per credit hour basis ($1,800/credit hour). J.D./M.P.P. students pay Georgetown Law tuition for the first year of law-only courses and for courses taken on both campuses in the third and fourth year of the J.D./M.P.P. degree. Full-time J.D. tuition for is $53,130. The Law Center s per credit rate for part-time students is $1,875 per credit hour. I. Financial Aid Students starting the joint degree program while attending the Law Center will have their federal and other loan aid administered by the Law Center Financial Aid Office for the duration of the program. Students starting the joint degree program by attending the M.P.P. program will have their financial aid administered by Main Campus for the first year and the Law Center Financial Aid office for the subsequent three years. J.D./M.P.P. students are eligible for scholarships funded by the McCourt School of Public Policy Any funding received from McCourt must be reported to Georgetown Law s Financial Aid office so your financial aid package can be adjusted accordingly. For questions about Financial Aid, please contact LaToya Parnell at (202) or [email protected]. A. Journal Membership VII. EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES J.D./M.P.P. students are eligible for membership on the law journals on the same basis as all other J.D. students. Joint degree students must participate in the write-on competition at the end of their first year at the Law Center. J.D./M.P.P. students who begin the program at Georgetown Law may not wait until the conclusion of their year at the Main Campus to participate. However, it is not uncommon for joint degree students to defer journal service for one year once they have joined a journal. Each journal has its own policy regarding deferral of service interested students should contact the Editor-in-Chief or the Office of Journal Administration for additional information. Past joint degree students offered the following suggestions about journal membership: Student Notes: 1) If you want to use your law degree, then you should write on to a journal. You can either defer acceptance for a year or start during your first year of M.P.P. I recommend starting during your first year of M.P.P. since this is a less busy year academically. That gives you more time to take care of journal responsibilities. Journal work can help a lot with OCI, job hunting, clerkships, etc. 2) I didn t write on. I was way too burnt out at the end of first year. I haven t heard any 18

19 upperclass students on journal saying that it was a good experience. But then again, I don t want to work for a law firm. If you want to write on, remember to do it at the end of your first year because you won t get a second chance. 3) I am currently a Teaching Assistant on the Main Campus and am a Senior Online Editor for the Georgetown Public Policy Review. I highly recommend getting involved on both campuses so that you feel comfortable in each location. Also, being a Teaching Assistant is a great way to maintain and improve skills you have already learned but are worried about losing during your time on the other campus. B. Barrister s Council Participating in Georgetown Law s Mock Trial, Moot Court, or Alternative Dispute Resolution competition is an excellent way to develop practical lawyering skills. The Barristers Council oversees the Mock Trial, Moot Court, and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) programs at Georgetown Law. For additional information about Barrister s Council, please visit 1. Trial Advocacy Division The Trial Advocacy division of the Barristers' Council runs the Law Center's mock trial program and hosts the White Collar Crime Invitational, a national competition that is the only interscholastic mock trial competition that focuses on white collar cases. Mock trial competitors are lawyers in hypothetical cases held before judges and juries who score students based on their advocacy skills. The William H. Greenhalgh Mock Trial Competition: Held in the spring, the William W. Greenhalgh Competition is open to all non-graduating J.D. students. Competitors must prepare a case based on a closed packet and then argue their side to a mock judge and jury. Finalists argue before a prominent member of the local or federal bench. Those who advance to a certain level are invited to join the Barristers Council and to represent Georgetown Law in a national mock trial competition. J.D./M.P.P. Participation: First-year J.D./M.P.P. students may compete in the Greenhalgh Competition. J.D./M.P.P. students who are offered a position on Georgetown s national mock trial teams may choose to compete on the team while they are on the Main Campus during their second year. Alternatively, J.D./M.P.P. students 19

20 may compete in the Greenhalgh Competition during their third year and if selected for a national team, compete nationally during their fourth year of the joint degree program. For more information, contact the Director of the Greenhalgh Competition at [email protected]. 2. Appellate Advocacy Division The Appellate Advocacy division of the Barristers' Council runs the Law Center s moot court program, which includes two Georgetown Law competitions each year. The Council also hosts the Manfred Lachs Space Law Moot Competition, a unique interscholastic moot court competition that deals with emerging international law and space law issues. Robert J. Beaudry Moot Court Competition: The Beaudry Competition is held in the spring and is open to Georgetown Law first-year J.D. students. Competitors must write an appellate brief based on a closed packet and then argue their case in front of a panel of judges. Finalists argue before a panel of prominent local and federal judges. Those who advance to a certain level are invited to join the Barristers' Council and to represent Georgetown Law in an interscholastic moot court competition. The William E. Leahy Moot Court Competition: The Leahy Competition is held in the fall and is open to Georgetown Law LL.M. and upper-class J.D. students. The competition rules are similar to those of Beaudry. For more information on the Appellate Advocacy Division, please contact the Managing Director at [email protected]. J.D./M.P.P. Participation: As a first-year student, J.D./M.P.P. students may compete in the Beaudry Competition. However, if they earn a spot on a team for the following year, they must compete on this team during their year on the Main Campus. J.D./M.P.P. students may compete in the Leahy Competition at any point after their first-year. 3. Alternative Dispute Resolution The Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Advocacy Division of Barristers' Council offers students a unique opportunity to develop sophisticated techniques necessary for competent and ethical representation in ADR proceedings. The ADR Division's record of success is outstanding and reflects the Council's exceptional commitment to training and preparation. Students work closely with an impressive network of highly-regarded ADR scholars and practitioners as they prepare to represent Georgetown Law at regional, 20

21 national, and international competitions focused on arbitration, mediation, client counseling, and negotiation. The Everett Bellamy ADR Competition: Held in the spring, this competition is open to all Georgetown Law students. Competitors are asked to negotiate a problem in teams, based on a closed packet. Those who advance to a certain level are invited to join the Barristers Council and represent Georgetown Law in a national or international ADR competition. J.D./ M.PP. Participation: First-year J.D./ M.P.P. students may compete in the Bellamy ADR Competition. J.D./ M.P.P. students who are offered a position on Georgetown s ADR teams may choose to compete on the team while they are in residence at Main Campus during their second year. Alternatively, J.D./ M.P.P. students may compete in the Bellamy Competition during their third year and if selected for a national team, compete nationally during their fourth year of the joint program. C. Other Activities J.D./M.P.P. students may participate in other Law Center extracurricular activities while they are on the Main Campus. Students should contact student organizations directly to ensure that they receive information about upcoming events and/or to ask questions about participation. For more information about the active student organizations on campus, please visit A. Grading Scales VIII. GRADES AND ACADEMIC HONORS Students are graded on a 4-point scale carried to 2 decimal points at Georgetown Law. The Graduate School also operates on a 4-point system. However, a student s academic averages at the two schools are not combined for the purpose of honors. At Georgetown Law, a student must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.00/4.00 to graduate. Please note that in order to receive your M.P.P. degree from the Graduate School, you must have a cumulative Graduate School GPA of at least B. Transcripts and Grade Reports Your law courses will be reflected on your Law Center transcript. Your M.P.P. courses will be reflected on a separate Georgetown transcript. If you are completing coursework on the Main Campus during a particular semester, the notation JD/ M.P.P. Registration will be added to your Law Center transcript. If you are approved to have a specific Main Campus course count 21

22 toward your J.D. degree, but not the M.P.P. program, the Main Campus course will be recorded on your Law Center transcript. If you request an official transcript from the Law Center Registrar s Office, you will receive both your Law and Main Campus transcripts for a nominal fee. If you request an official transcript from the University Registrar s Office on Main Campus, you will receive both your Main Campus transcript and your Law Center transcript at no charge. Main campus students are charged a one-time transcript fee which covers this cost. Graduate School grades are typically available earlier than Georgetown Law grades. Grade reports for courses in both programs are available online through MyAccess. NOTE: Students must represent Georgetown Law and M.P.P. program grade point averages accurately to potential employers. Attempts to combine or equate the two averages can be misleading. Therefore, students are strongly encouraged to list both GPAs on their resume and indicate which average belongs to which program along with the appropriate grading scales for comparison. C. Dean s List J.D. students whose annual cumulative grade point averages place them in the top one-third of their class at the Law Center will have their transcripts marked Dean s List for the appropriate academic year. All candidates for the J.D. degree at the Law Center are eligible for the Dean s List honor provided they completed, during the academic year, at least 24 credits at the Law Center if enrolled in the full-time program or 16 credits at the Law Center if enrolled in the parttime program. Joint degree students are eligible for Dean s List recognition based solely on their J.D. courses taken at the Law Center, if they complete at least 16 graded J.D. credits at the Law Center during the academic year and maintain full-time status in their joint degree program, if applicable. Dean s List determination is based on a student s annual average for the academic year, not the cumulative average. Courses taken at the Law Center in the preceding Summer session or in the Law Center s Graduate Programs are included in the calculation of the required minimum number of credits for Dean s List eligibility. D. Graduation Honors Georgetown Law graduation honors are based on the student s cumulative grade point average for Georgetown Law courses only. The degree cum laude is awarded to students whose cumulative grade point averages place them in the top one-third of those graduating. The degree magna cum laude is awarded to students whose cumulative grade point average placed them in the top 10%. And, lastly, the J.D. degree summa cum laude is the highest academic honor that the faculty can bestow upon a graduating student. There is no cumulative grade point average 22

23 that automatically entitles a student to that honor. Instead, summa cum laude is granted at the sole discretion of the faculty. To be eligible for consideration for the award of summa cum laude, a graduate must have completed at least 71 credits at the Law Center and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.70/4.00. For the purpose of calculating students eligibility for degrees with honors, students graduating after a Summer session or Fall semester will be included with the class that graduated in the previous Spring semester. M.P.P. grades are not included in computation of averages for Georgetown Law honors. E. Order of the Coif Graduating students whose cumulative grade point average places them in the top 10% of their class and who have completed at least 64 academic credits at Georgetown Law are elected to membership in the Order of the Coif. Order of the Coif is the national law school honor society for the encouragement of scholarship and advancement of ethical standards in the legal profession. M.P.P. grades are not included in computation of averages for the Order of the Coif. A. Graduation Applications IX. GRADUATION Fourth-year students must submit separate degree applications to each school. For the exact graduation application deadlines, refer to the Georgetown Law Registrar s website at and the Main Campus Registrar s website. The approximate deadlines for the Law Center are: Friday, October 10, 2014 Friday, January 23, 2015 Friday, April 10, 2015 Georgetown Law deadline for February 2015 graduation Georgetown Law deadline for May 2015 graduation Georgetown Law deadline for October 2015 graduation B. Graduation Ceremonies J.D./M.P.P. graduates may participate in three graduation ceremonies, which will be held the weekend of May 15-17, Friday morning: Friday afternoon: Graduate School Commencement McCourt School of Public Policy Commencement 23

24 Sunday afternoon: Georgetown Law Commencement 1. Graduate School Commencement The McCourt School commencement is held on Healy Lawn, weather permitting, on Georgetown University s Main Campus. Degrees are conferred in course at the ceremony. J.D./M.P.P. students wear the J.D. tam and gown with the M.P.P. hood. 2. J.D. Commencement The J.D. commencement ceremony is held on Healy Lawn, weather permitting, on Georgetown University s Main Campus on Sunday, May 17, Degrees are awarded in course and diplomas are presented individually after the general commencement ceremony. The students are divided into groups based on their first-year section assignments; each section has a different location, and the diplomas are distributed by faculty members who taught that section the first year. Joint degree graduates typically are grouped together in one section. The Office of Student Life sends expected graduates updates on commencement activities including: photos, graduation regalia, and tickets. For additional information, please contact the Office of Student Life at (202) or [email protected]. C. Cap and Gown Orders J.D./M.P.P. students order the J.D. gown, hood, and tam through the Jostens website at Detailed information about the Law Center s commencement ceremony, including cap and gown orders can be found online at At the J.D. ceremony, J.D./M.P.P. students wear the J.D. gown, hood, and tam. J.D./M.P.P. students do not need to order a gown through the Graduate School, and M.P.P. hoods are purchased at the Main Campus bookstore. X. CAREER PLANNING A. How does the joint degree fit into students career plans? Lawyers participate in policymaking by advocating particular positions, drafting legislation and regulations, negotiating compromises, and challenging existing laws through litigation. Effective policymakers also draw on an understanding of economics, policy content and processes, statistics, and research methodology. Graduates of the J.D./M.P.P. program develop this diverse skills set and are uniquely suited to shape the nation s social policy. J.D./M.P.P. students have varied career plans and draw on their interdisciplinary background in a number of ways throughout their careers. Joint degree students are strongly encouraged to discuss their unique career goals with the Law Center s Office of Career Services (OCS) at (202) or the 24

25 Office of Public Interest and Community Services (OPICS) at (202) and the Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy s Office of Career and Alumni Services. B. Timing issues The four-year program offers J.D./M.P.P. students an additional summer to gain experience, get exposure to different employment settings, or try different geographical locations. This can be a wonderful opportunity for joint degree students to expand their knowledge base before making a commitment to an employer for post-graduation. There are clearly consequences for different choices, and students should carefully consider each employment option and its ramifications based on their own career objectives. For example, students who hope to work in a law firm following graduation should plan to work as a summer associate at the firm in which they have the greatest interest during their third summer, which is the last summer prior to their final year of the program. Many J.D./M.P.P. students who spend their first year at Georgetown Law wait to participate in the Early Interview Week (EIW) program until the August before their third year because large law firms are often most interested in hiring summer associates who are one year away from receiving their degrees and able to join the firm immediately thereafter. The vast majority of large law firms hire entry-level associates through their summer associate program, and it is much more difficult to find employment with large law firms outside of this structure. Small to medium firms, government, and public interest employers vary in their hiring practices, and students are strongly encouraged to speak with an OCS and/or OPICS advisor to discuss their unique career goals. Conversely, J.D./M.P.P. students planning to begin their post-graduate employment in a nonlegal setting should generally plan to spend their final summer working in that setting. The greatest success will come from following the typical employment path for the specific employment setting the student wishes to pursue consult with your career advisors on the best path for you. Past joint degree students gave this advice about maximizing employment opportunities: Student Notes: 1) After your first year of law school, try to find a paying legal job. This is a challenging task, regardless of whether you are looking in the public or private sector. In fact, most students who have completed their first year of law school have difficult time getting jobs with big law firms, especially ones in Washington, D.C. Paying legal jobs in the government are also few in number, but look early. I lucked out and found one at the legal counsel s office in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (find out the deadlines early in the fall for government honors programs as they do not give you much time to prepare your applications). It is important to establish yourself as being primarily interested in being a lawyer for later interviews with law firms. 2) During the academic year of your second and third years of school is an excellent time to 25

26 work in either public policy positions for the government (or nonprofit organizations) or in the legal counsel's office. There are abundant opportunities to work in legal counsel's offices (some pay and some do not), which mix legal and public policy issues to varying degrees. For example, my experience at DOD was strictly legal work but it had policy implications. When I worked at the White House Counsel's Office, I dealt with both legal and public policy issues and drew on skills I developed in both departments. For example, I wrote traditional legal memos analyzing statutes and case law. I also poured through numbers and dealt with lobbyists on certain issues dealing with affirmative action. 3) If you have any intention of working at a law firm after graduation, you should seek a summer associate position during the summers after your second and third years of law school, so that you can keep that door open after graduating. 4) I have worked in both the public and private sectors. I did two internships with the federal government during the first year of my MPP program, a summer in the judiciary, and a summer at a law firm. I plan to work at the law firm after graduation. I think it s much easier to transition from the private to the public sector during your career than from the public to the private sector. Most J.D./M.P.P. students do not participate in the Early Interview Week (EIW) program during the August before their second year. However, as noted in the comments below, students have varying experiences. Obviously, this is only a sampling of student perspectives. Students are strongly encouraged to speak with an OCS or OPICS advisor to identify the recruiting programs and independent employer outreach that will support their career objectives in the current legal market. Student Notes: 1) I didn t participate in EIW my second year because I wanted to have a non-law summer experience. Also, EIW is stressful, time-consuming, and somewhat overwhelming. 2) It s a good idea to do EIW in the 2nd year of the program. It can be hard, because many employers don't want to hire because of the joint degree. Many will consider 2nd years as 1Ls (based on your date of graduation), and so it will be much harder to get a job. However, not all employers feel that way, and you can get a job out of it. If nothing else, it's very good preparation for your next year. 3) The rule is this: if you want to work at a law firm, do EIW your second year. Even if you don't get a job (and I got one just barely), you NEED to learn how to interview with law firms. It is an experience unlike any other. So go through it this year so that you know what you are doing third year when it really counts. Extra bonus: if you get a job, you get something fabulous to put on your resume, an extra summer (as compared to other law students) to figure out which area 26

27 of the law is really for you, big bucks, and a chance to try living in a city where you might want to be long-term. View your extra summer as an opportunity to learn more about the pool before you dive in, because most people have to dive in having learned a lot less than you will. 4) I don t recommend doing EIW your second year! I feel strongly that one of the advantages of the joint program is the extra summer that students get. I urge students to use it to get non-law experience. Such a job will not only be valuable in and of itself, but can give you something to talk about with interviewers who are tired of seeing students who ve done one law thing after another. Policy jobs show a genuine, broad interest in things international. Save EIW for your third year. In my opinion, spending yet another summer working for a law firm doesn t add much to one s experience or resume. C. Marketing the Joint Degree The substantive knowledge gained by earning a joint degree is an extremely effective tool, allowing students and recent graduates an opportunity to bring in-depth, specialized skills and training to a new job. Many graduates of the joint degree programs report that they feel greatly advantaged by earning the dual credential as their on-the-job performance was enhanced by a thorough understanding of the law, as well as public policy. The degree itself, however, is not always viewed as an asset by a potential employer. It is incumbent upon the student to articulate specific reasons for seeking the joint degree and provide examples of how the training will benefit the employee on the job. Any initial skepticism can usually be overcome by explaining the motivation for seeking the dual degree and how that objective is consistent with the employer s specific long-term objectives. For example, an interviewer for a law firm may question whether the M.P.P. is necessary to practice law, and whether the candidate s long term plans are in a different employment setting. In this example, a response that clearly demonstrates how the joint degree curriculum offers insight and skills that will have direct application within the law firm s practice area can turn a potential liability into a real asset. A prior J.D./M.P.P. student offered this advice on discussing your M.P.P. coursework with a potential legal employer: Student Note: Many legal employers either do not know what an M.P.P. is or are only vaguely familiar with it. You will need to explain what your coursework is like at the Public Policy Institute and how this fits into your overall plans in becoming a lawyer. Because I was interested in antitrust work I often explained to employers that my background gave me a better understanding of the economic and statistical issues that are often determinative in antitrust cases. If you are interviewing with policy employers, everyone knows what a law degree is, so you need only 27

28 explain that you have taken a diverse course load (such as admin law, legislation, etc.), which will give you more tools to analyze public policy issues. 28 Date:

29 APPENDIX J.D./M.P.P. REQUIREMENTS CHECKLIST Name: Year: L/E (circle) Expected Graduation Date: J.D. COURSE REQUIREMENTS SEMESTER COURSES 31 credit hours of the required first-year law curriculum Administrative Law or Government Processes (first-year course for curriculum B students or the first-year spring elective for Curriculum A) or Administrative Law and Regulatory Policy Constitutional Law II Legislation and Statutory Interpretation or Lawmaking: Introduction to Statutory and Regulatory Interpretation (first-year elective course) or Legislation or Legislative Process (first-year elective course) or the Federal Legislation and Administrative Clinic Upperclass Legal Writing Requirement Professional Responsibility course Residency Requirement Degree Requirements Credits Year J.D. M.P.P. Total Georgetown Law credits 76 1 st year M.P.P. credits 39* 2 nd year 3 rd year 4 th year TOTAL 115 *With Nirmala Fernandes s approval, 6 of the 39 required M.P.P. credits may be awarded for courses taken in other university departments. Fulfillment of M.P.P. degree requirements should be confirmed directly with Ms. Fernandes. Any Georgetown Law courses counted toward the M.P.P. credit requirements are not counted toward the 76 required J.D. credits. Thus, a minimum of 115 total credits must be completed toward the joint degree. 29