The Juris Doctor-Master of Arts in Public Administration (JD-MAPA) dual degree program at William Mitchell College of Law in St. Paul and Minnesota State University, Mankato, may be your key to a rewarding, law-related career in public administration.
What is the JD-MAPA dual degree?
The JD-MAPA dual degree program allows students interested in both law and public administration to concurrently enroll in the Juris Doctor (J.D.) program at William Mitchell College of Law and in the Master of Arts in Public Administration (MAPA) program at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
Unlike a joint degree, which combines two disciplines into one course of study and results in just one degree, the dual degree allows you to earn two degrees, each from a different institution. Upon completion of the dual degree program, you will be fully credentialed in two separate, but related, fields.
Engage in multidisciplinary study and enjoy the complete professional, educational experience. You will benefit from interaction with faculty and colleagues who share similar interest, better integrate cross-disciplinary course work, a broader perspective of the issues involved in both fields, and an enhanced in-class discussion.
You will also save time and money. Because up to nine credit hours of elective courses may be accepted at both institutions, you will spend less money and take fewer classes than if you were to pursue J.D. and MAPA degrees separately.
The program can be completed in as little as 4 years if you attend William Mitchell full-time and MSU, Mankato part-time in the evenings or on weekends. Each degree must be completed within 6 years.
All J.D. courses are held on the William Mitchell College of Law St. Paul campus, convenient by freeway to all parts of the metro area.
MAPA courses are offered either at MSU, Mankato (approximately 90 miles southwest of the Twin Cities), or in Twin Cities metro area locations on evenings and weekends.
Most MAPA courses are taught by full-time faculty, all of whom hold the Ph.D. degree in public administration or political science. Periodically, MAPA courses will be taught by adjunct faculty, who bring to the classroom special expertise in public policy and administration. Law school courses are taught by full-time and adjunct faculty of William Mitchell. All professors bring to the classroom significant experience working in either the public sector or in law.
Read further in this brochure for answers to other questions you may have about the dual degree program on topics like required courses, admission, tuition and fees, and more. Then, contact a representative from either William Mitchell or MSU, Mankato to discuss your options.
This requirement may be satisfied in part by up to nine credit hours earned at William Mitchell College of Law.
Students may choose from lists of skills and statutory courses to satisfy this requirement. Course listings are available in the Student Handbook or online at the William Mitchell College of Law website
This requirement can be met by completion of MSU’s required Thesis or Alternate Plan Paper.
This requirement may be satisfied in part by up to nine credit hours earned at MSU, Mankato.
Admission to both William Mitchell’s J.D. program and to MSU’s MAPA program is required. We recommend that you seek admission concurrently to both programs.
Your tuition and fees are based on the fee structure of the school where the credits are earned. If enrolled in both schools simultaneously, submit financial aid data to the school in which you are primarily enrolled, and that school will process the application, incorporating your projected expenses for the other school.
Each student will accept up to nine credits earned at the other school, which will be deemed electives at the non-offering school. Independent studies do not qualify for cross-credit courses. At William Mitchell, you must seek approval for transfer credits from an associate academic dean. At MSU, you must seek approval from your committee. You may alter your plan of study subject to the same approval process.
Although you may start with either the J.D. or the MAPA program, William Mitchell will grant credit for completed coursework at MSU only after you matriculate at William Mitchell. Once you matriculate in the JD program, you must take the first-year JD courses (Torts, WRAP and Contracts at a minimum) in the same academic year and may not take MAPA courses during that year.
We suggest completing the foundation courses from both disciplines separately before pursuing cross-enrollment. Then, to enhance the multi-disciplinary experience, you should seek to take upper-level JD courses and MAPA courses concurrently.
You will establish a Graduate Examining Committee shortly after beginning the dual degree program. In consultation with your committee, you must prepare a proposed course of study, including a list of courses for which you will seek transfer credit. You will then seek approval for the proposed course of study from both William Mitchell and MSU. Each school will evaluate the appropriateness of your proposed course of study. One member of this committee must be a full-time professor at William Mitchell; the other members will be full-time professors at MSU.
Governed by MSU’s academic requirements, the committee will supervise your course of study, evaluate your Thesis or Alternate Plan Paper, and generally advise you on your dual degree program.
You must complete either the MSU Thesis or Alternate Plan Paper requirements. Completion of the MSU Thesis or Alternate Plan Paper will satisfy the William Mitchell Advanced Research and Writing Requirement, although the credits and grade will not be counted toward the William Mitchell degree.
The offering school will not count grades received in cross-credited courses in determining your GPA and class rank.
You must complete all requirements of the JD degree to receive that degree and all requirements of the MAPA degree to receive that degree.
Each school has academic standards, a conduct code, and rules governing attendance and similar matters. A student who fails to comply with these rules is subject to the sanctions normally employed by the school where the offense occurred. An offense at one school does not necessarily affect the student’s standing at the other school. Note: A sanction within the JD program may be reported to the bar examiners or other authorities as required by law.
For a course to be credited at the non-offering school, you must receive a grade in that course equal to, or better than, the good-standing grade at the offering school. Currently, a student must receive a grade of “B” or better to remain in good standing at MSU and a grade of “C” or better at William Mitchell.
Generally, a student must complete the JD and the MAPA programs within the times set by each school. Exceptions to this requirement will be handled on an individual basis following the process in place at each school.
A private, independent, nonprofit law school, William Mitchell College of Law is accredited by the American Bar Association and is a member of the Association of American Law Schools.
William Mitchell offers students the flexibility to pursue a law degree full or part-time, day or evening. Nationally, employers, scholars and other law professionals recognize William Mitchell for its rigorous academic program, accomplished faculty, and distinguished alumni.
Approximately 1,000 students attend William Mitchell each year. Our diverse student body ranges from age 20 to 60. About half come to William Mitchell directly from undergraduate institutions. Others come from professional careers or parenting or both. About half of all William Mitchell students enroll part-time. Graduates pursue careers not only in traditional law practice but also in science and technology, health care, accounting and financial services, marketing, government, and education.
A public, multipurpose university, Minnesota State University, Mankato serves over 13,000 students, including approximately 2,200 graduate students in 70 master and specialist programs. The university is accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools and 21 discipline specific accrediting associations.
The university was founded in 1867 with the first graduate program authorized in 1953. All of the university’s facilities are located on a 400-acre campus and are new and of high quality. The greater Mankato community has a combined population of approximately 50,000 people. The community is situated in the scenic Minnesota River Valley approximately 65 miles southwest of the Twin Cities.
The MAPA courses in the Twin Cities are currently being offered at Burnsville High School, a modern facility with excellent classrooms and accommodations. Some classes are offered in other Twin Cities facilities depending on pedagogical requirements.
A program of William Mitchell College of Law and Minnesota State University, Mankato
