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Joint Degrees | GMU's Degree Programs in Law & Economics | Courses | Admissions | Fellowships | Contacts George Mason University's School of Law and Department of Economics offer several joint degrees in Law & Economics. These programs have been given final approval by the faculties of the School of Law and the Department of Economics. JD/PhD Joint Degree ProgramThe JD/PhD Joint Degree Program in Law and Economics provides a combined training in law and modern economic theory and quantitative methods and stresses a critical evaluation of legal, political, and social institutions in analyzing real world issues. It provides students with the most advanced and systematic training in these fields of research, preparing them for careers in academia (both law schools and economics departments), government and policymaking. Joint Degree students would normally earn a joint JD and PhD in 12 semesters, including dissertation, obtaining joint credit for a total of 18 credit hours. This schedule is premised on participants being able to earn 9 credit hours in each program for coursework completed in the other program through recognition of "joint credit" for upper division coursework. LLM/PhD Joint Degree ProgramThe LLM/PhD Joint Degree Program in Law and Economics is designed to provide advanced training in applied law and economics in conjunction with a systematic doctoral degree in economics. Admission to the LLM requires a JD or equivalent degree. This combination of degrees is particularly suitable to both U.S. and foreign lawyers who plan to acquire the most advanced and systematic training in the field of Law and Economics, preparing them for careers in academia (both law schools and economics departments), government and policymaking. Joint Degree students would normally earn a joint LLM and PhD in 9 semesters, including dissertation, obtaining joint credit for a total of 12 credit hours. This schedule is premised on participants being able to earn 6 credit hours in each program for coursework completed in the other program through recognition of "joint credit" for upper division coursework. JD/MA Joint Degree ProgramThe JD/MA Joint Degree Program in Law and Economics provides law degree students with an opportunity to master the fundamentals of modern economic analysis and quantitative methods. It provides students with full legal training and a solid focus on economics, preparing them for careers in legal academia, government and policymaking. Joint Degree students would normally earn a joint JD and MA in economics in 10 semesters, obtaining joint credit for a total of 12 credit hours. This schedule is premised on participants being able to earn 6 credit hours in each program for coursework completed in the other program through recognition of "joint credit" for upper division coursework. LLM/MA Joint Degree ProgramThe LLM/MA Joint Degree Program in Law and Economics provides LLM students with an opportunity to master the fundamentals of modern economic analysis and quantitative methods. Admission to the LLM requires a JD or equivalent degree. This combination of degrees is particularly suitable to both U.S. and foreign lawyers who plan to acquire the most advanced and systematic training in the field of Law and Economics, preparing them for careers in academia (both law schools and economics departments), government, and policymaking. Joint Degree students would normally earn a joint LLM and MA in economics in 6 semesters, obtaining joint credit for a total of 10 credit hours. This schedule is premised on participants being able to earn 5 credit hours in each program for coursework completed in the other program through recognition of "joint credit" for upper division coursework. George Mason's Degree Programs in Law and EconomicsAt George Mason, we recognize the importance of interdisciplinary studies. Our specialized programs ensure that our graduates can demonstrate depth as well as breadth in their education and that they are prepared for academic, legal and policy careers into the 21st Century. As Henry Manne wrote when tracing the intellectual history of George Mason's law and economics program, economics has proven to be the most powerful and applicable cross-disciplinary tool to use in conjunction with law: "There simply are more fields of law that can use economics profitably than is true of any other discipline." In 1996, the American Bar Association Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar drafted a proposal identifying the basic areas of knowledge that are important to a sophisticated legal education and to the development of a competent attorney. Two are of particular interest to us:
JD ProgramThe School of Law teaches the wide range of traditional topics that form the bulk of modern practice, but in most courses a focus on quantitative and economic aspects of legal problems enhances the traditional doctrinal approach. Our JD program probably offers the greatest variety of specialized courses in the profession and JD students will have the unique opportunity to acquire a concentration in legal and economic theory and systematic training in economic analysis of law, which will benefit their career and academic research. All our JD students, whether specializing in law and economics or not, are required to take a course in Economic Foundations of Legal Studies, which provides the foundation for the economic approach to law. Our curriculum introduces students to legal methods along with economic and quantitative tools, stressing the application of the nonlegal methods in legal contexts. We reinforce this strategy in most courses at the School of Law, where almost every professor of law is also expert in some area or areas of economics and quantitative methods. Students will also have the opportunity to study law and economics through our Exchange Program with the University of Hamburg, Germany. All George Mason law students are required to satisfactorily complete 89 credit hours for graduation. Forty of those credit hours are in general courses; the remaining credit hours are in elective courses. See the Law School's web site for additional information concerning the JD degree requirements. PhD ProgramThe PhD Program in Economics provides training in modern economic theory and quantitative methods and also stresses it's a critical evaluation of economic and social organizations in analyzing real world issues. It prepares students for careers in academia, business, and government. The program requires candidates to satisfactorily complete a minimum of 72 credit hours of course work, which includes up to 24 credit hours of dissertation work. Requirements for the degree include two courses of Microeconomic Theory (Econ 611 and 812), two courses of Macroeconomic Theory (Econ 715 and 816) and one course each of Mathematical Economics (Econ 630), and Econometrics (Econ 637). Also required are two courses in each of two fields of concentration. Students are required to pass preliminary examinations in Micro Theory and Macro Theory, both typically taken after the first year of full-time study, and in each of two fields of concentration. Full-time doctoral students typically take 9 - 12 credit hours of coursework each semester. Part-time students are encouraged to arrange their schedules to take two courses per semester for at least their first year of study. Specialized fields in graduate economics include Austrian Economics, Constitutional/ Institutional Economy, Public Choice, Law and Economics, Comparative Economic Systems, Industrial Organization, International, Monetary, Public Finance Additional information concerning the PhD degree requirements can be obtained on-line at the Department of Economics web site. LLM Program in Law and EconomicsThe LLM in Law & Economics offered at the School of Law is a natural outgrowth of the prominence that the Law School has achieved in this area and will be the only advanced degree in law and economics offered anywhere in the United States. The LLM program in Law & Economics happily complements the strength of our new research in these blooming fields of research. Students have the opportunity to interact with leading figures in academia and to learn from an outstanding group of scholars whose work is at the frontier of current research. The school regularly hosts a number of distinguished speakers and scholars in the field of law and economics. Our curriculum is probably the most advanced in the profession, and LLM students will have the unique opportunity to acquire a systematic training in economic analysis of law, which will benefit their future career and academic research. The schedule of taking courses is intended to be flexible. Students will be required to finish the program within two years, but most are expected to complete the degree in two semesters. Students will also have the opportunity to study law and economics through our Exchange Program with the University of Hamburg, Germany. Admissions: For admissions to the LLM program, please contact the Admissions Office. Courses in Law and EconomicsA representative selection of offerings in law and economics and related disciplines is listed below. Law courses:Antitrust (Law 156) Economics courses:Political Economy and Public Policy I (Econ 825) Admissions and Academic RequirementsJoint degree applicants must qualify for admission in the respective programs according to the standards independently established by School of Law and Economics Department. Applications should be sent to the respective Admissions Offices, indicating that a parallel application is filed for another program under the joint degree program. The School of Law and the Economics Department independently establish the requirements for graduation in each program. Joint degree students are subject to all such degree requirements with the exception of an allowance of joint credit for specified courses and for a maximum of 18 joint credits for JD/PhD program (9 credits from law courses and 9 credits from economics courses), 12 joint credits for LLM/PhD and JD/MA programs (6 credits from law courses and 6 credits from economics courses), and 10 credits for the LLM/MA program (5 credits from law courses and 5 credits from economics courses). A matriculant in the School of Law who has been accepted into an approved joint degree program with the Department of Economics may substitute a specified number of credits in the Department of Economics for credits required to qualify for degrees in the School of Law, as follows: JD/PhD in Economics: 9 hours; JD/MA in Economics: 6 hours; LLM in L& E/PhD in Economics: 6 hours; LLMin L& E /MA in Economics: 5 hours. Academic credit awarded in the School of Law under this provision will be considered ungraded credit for purposes of computing GPA in the School of Law. As a general rule, academic credit awarded under this provision may be substituted only for unrestricted electives in the School of Law. However by special permission granted upon an individual student's application, the School of Law's academic director for the applicable joint degree program may permit up to 3 hours of credit in the Department of Economics to be substituted for the required School of Law course in Legal and Economic Methods, where no legal educational purpose would be served by requiring the individual student to complete that required course in the School of Law; such special permissions will not increase the total amount of cross-credit permitted under this regulation. FellowshipsThrough the Levy Fellowship Program in Law and Liberty George Mason Law School encourages young scholars to enter the academic field of law and economics by sponsoring their pursuit of a JD degree at this Law School. Fellowship grants cover tuition and fees and provide a substantial stipend for up to three years. To be eligible for a Levy Fellowship, an applicant must either (1) have earned a PhD in economics, political science, finance, or a related field from an accredited university or (2) have successfully completed all course work in one of the above fields and have passed a general exam for a PhD from an accredited university. Additionally, each fellow must pledge that it is his or her intention to pursue a policy-related or academic career with an interdisciplinary teaching and research specialization. Two or more fellowships per year are granted to entering law students. Fellowship grants cover tuition and fees at the George Mason University School of Law and provide an average annual stipend of as much as $22,000 for up to three years. Fellowships are granted for one academic year and are renewable, on evidence of satisfactory progress, for up to two additional years. Contact InformationFor Law School admissions, please contact 703-993-8010. For Economics Department admissions, please contact the Economics Graduate Studies Office at 703-993-1135 |
