Joint-Degree Programs

College of Business Faculty & Staff

College of Law Faculty & Staff

The J.D./M.B.A. program is designed for those students seeking advanced education in business administration in addition to education in the law.

Applicants for the J.D./M.B.A. program must apply separately to the College of Law and to the College of Business graduate programs and be accepted individually to both. The schools together will determine whether the applicant is eligible for the combined program.

Normal degree requirements of 90 credit hours (juris doctor) and 33 credit hours in 700- and 800-level coursework (master of business administration) are complemented and reduced to 81 credit hours (juris doctor) and 24 credit hours (master of business administration). Each degree program's requirements are reduced by 9 credit hours as each program accepts, as part of its elective requirements, 9 credit hours from the other program.

Program Requirements

Upon completion of the program, the student will be awarded two separate degrees. The requirements for both must be completed, however, before either degree can be awarded.  The student must be enrolled in both degree programs simultaneously to take advantage of the tuition and credit hour discounts.

Students failing to meet all of the requirements of the program are awarded the Juris Doctor or Master of Business Administration degree only if they fulfill the complete, non-reduced requirements for the individual degree as outlined in the College of Law or College of Business graduate bulletins, respectively.

• Juris Doctor | Degree Requirements
• Master of Business Administration | Degree Requirements

The J.D./M.P.A. program is designed for those seeking an advanced degree in the field of governmental administration. This program is offered by the University of New Orleans (UNO) through the UNO Graduate School. The program is interdisciplinary, with participation from the Graduate School of the Master of Public Administrative program at UNO.

Applicants for this joint program must apply separately to the College of Law and to the UNO MPA program and be accepted individually to both. The schools together will determine whether the applicant is eligible for the combined program. The applicant must present satisfactory evidence of having earned an undergraduate degree.

Normal degree requirements of 90 semester hours (juris doctor) and 42 credit hours including a six-hour thesis or project (M.P.A.) are complemented and reduced to 81 semester hours (juris doctor) and 33 credit hours (M.P.A.) plus the thesis or project. Each program is thus reduced by nine semester hours as each accepts, as part of its requirements, nine semester hours from the other program.

Upon completion of the program, the student will be awarded two separate degrees. The requirements for both must be completed, however, before either degree can be awarded. A student will not be allowed to enroll in Loyola College of Law courses in Clinical Seminar, Legal Research, or Independent Study. The nine hours of credit earned at UNO in the M.P.A. program will count toward the total earned hours at Loyola but will not affect the student’s cumulative Loyola grade point average. No credit will be awarded for a course taken in the UNO M.P.A. program unless the grade is at least equal to a C+ on the Loyola grading scale. No credit will be accepted until a student has successfully completed the first year of study at Loyola with an average of 2.3 or better. The student must maintain an average of 3.0 or better in the M.P.A. program.

Students failing to meet all of the requirements of the program are awarded either the juris doctor or master of public administration degree only if they fulfill the requirements for the individual degree as outlined in the Loyola College of Law or UNO graduate bulletins, respectively.

For further information on the M.P.A., please contact Dr. John Kiefer, University of New Orleans, at jkiefer@uno.edu or (504) 280-3842.

The J.D./M.U.R.P. program is designed for those seeking professional training in planning cities and regions with specific emphasis given to their social, economic, environmental, political, and physical aspects, as well as the interaction of these factors. This program is offered in conjunction with the University of New Orleans (UNO) through its Department of Planning & Urban Studies in the College of Liberal Arts. The objective of the program is to prepare students to be planners in city, regional, state, and federal planning agencies; private consulting firms and public service organizations; and other public or private institutions.

Applicants for this joint program must apply separately to the College of Law and to the UNO Department of Planning and Urban Studies and be accepted individually to both. The schools together will determine whether the applicant is eligible for the combined program. The applicant must present satisfactory evidence of having earned an undergraduate degree.

Normal degree requirements of 90 semester hours (juris doctor) and 45 credit hours (M.U.R.P.) are complemented and reduced to 81 semester hours (juris doctor) and 36 credit hours (M.U.R.P.)  Each program is thus reduced by nine semester hours as each accepts, as part of its requirements, nine semester hours from the other program.

Upon completion of the program, the student will be awarded two separate degrees. The requirements for both must be completed, however, before either degree can be awarded. A student will not be allowed to enroll in Loyola College of Law courses in Clinical Seminar, Legal Research, or Independent Study. The nine hours of credit earned at UNO in the M.U.R.P. program will count toward the total earned hours at Loyola but will not affect the student’s cumulative Loyola grade point average. No credit will be awarded for a course taken in the UNO/M.U.R.P. program unless the grade is at least equal to a C+ on the Loyola grading scale. No credit will be accepted until a student has successfully completed the first year of study at Loyola with an average of 2.3 or better. The student must maintain an average of 3.0 or better in the M.U.R.P. program.

Students failing to meet all of the requirements of the program are awarded either the juris doctor or master of urban and regional planning degree only if they fulfill the requirements for the individual degree as outlined in the Loyola College of Law or UNO graduate bulletins, respectively. For further information on the M.U.R.P., contact Dr. Marla Nelson, University of New Orleans, mnelson@uno.edu or (504) 580-3110.

Loyola students have the option of completing a joint J.D./LL.M. in seven semesters. Students must apply and be accepted into both programs by the beginning of their last semester in the J.D. program. Scholarships and financial aid are available. 

3Ls and 4Ls graduating in May 2023 must apply by April 29, 2023 to be eligible. Joint degree students will complete their requirements for the J.D. in the spring semester and may sit for a bar examination in summer before returning to complete the LL.M. semester.

Students graduating with a J.D. from Loyola College of Law may apply up to 9 credit hours in qualifying courses from the J.D. program of study to the LL.M. program of study, allowing them to complete the LL.M. program in one semester.

All of the required credit hours may be taken from among any courses in the College of Law’s course catalog, except courses that are associated with service on our law journals. 

• The J.D./LL.M. degree includes a writing requirement which may be fulfilled by taking a two-credit hour law school seminar or a two-credit independent legal research project (LAW L898) under the supervision of a faculty member. An LL.M. student may be able to substitute the two-credit independent legal research project by completing a more extensive thesis (LAW L898) under faculty supervision for up to a total of six credit hours. 
• Up to four credit hours may be earned through a pass / fail externship with a law firm, court, or government agency. The College of Law does not promise that an externship will be available to the potential LL.M. candidate, but we will make best efforts to assist. 

Loyola’s LL.M. degree requires completion of 24 semester credit hours and a thesis paper of publishable quality. The thesis requirement may completed as part of a health course or by taking Legal Research (LAW L898). Students graduating with a J.D. from Loyola College of Law may apply up to 9 credit hours in qualifying courses from the J.D. program of study to the LL.M. program of study, allowing them to complete the LL.M. program in one semester. Students are cautioned to confirm that the necessary required courses are offered in the semester in which they plan to complete the program.

Required Core Courses (9 credits total) 

LAW L807 Introduction to Health Law (3 hrs)
LAW L912 Health Law II:  Access, Regulation, Compliance and Strategy (3 hrs)
LAW L844 Administrative Law (3 hrs) or LAW L940 Risk and the Administrative State (3 hrs)

Elective Courses: Law (15 hours total)

LAW L746 Business Organizations I (3 hrs)
LAW L747 Business Organizations II (3 hrs)
LAW L781 Law and Poverty (2 hrs)
LAW L801 Intellectual Property Law (3 hrs)
LAW L817 Mediation and Arbitration (3 hrs)
LAW L822 Bioethics and the Law (3 hrs)
LAW L825 Medical Malpractice (2 or 3 hrs)
LAW L830 Comparative Reproductive Bioethics and the Law (1 hr)
LAW L834 Environmental Justice (2 hrs)
LAW L854 Insurance Law (3 hrs) 
LAW L896 Professional Seminar in Public Health (1-3 hrs)
LAW L896 Professional Seminar: Medicare Law (2 hrs)
LAW L800 Health Care Privacy and Security (3 hrs)
LAW L914 Health Care Compliance (3 hrs)
LAW L902 Elder and Disabled Law (2 hrs)
LAW L906 Advanced Legal Research (1-3 hrs)
LAW L937 Selected Topics in Immigration (2 hrs)
LAW L938 Health in Immigration and Citizenship Law (1 hr)
LAW L980 Income Taxation 
LAW L___ Negotiation: Health, Safety, and the Environment (2-3 hrs)
LAWM L705 U.S. Law and Legal Analysis (1 credit)
LAWM L710 Graduate Seminar in Health and Environmental Law (3 hrs) or LAW L900 Externship (3 hrs)

Elective Courses: Non-Law (0-3 hours) 

MGT B700 Organizational Behavior and Leadership (3 Credits)
MGT B705 Strategic Communication (3 credits)
MGT B710 Operations and Process Management (3 credits)
MGT B725 Quality and Performance Excellence (3 credits)

The Joint J.D. / LL.M. with Concentration in Environmental Law allows students to complete both their J.D. and LL.M. in Environmental Law in as short as three and a half years. Typically, students complete their J.D. degree and then stay an extra semester to achieve their LL.M. Students enrolled in the J.D. program at Loyola University New Orleans, College of Law, may jointly pursue the LL.M. with Concentration in Environmental Law by completing added requirements during summer sessions, or in an additional semester. Students intending to complete the joint J.D./LL.M. must apply and be accepted into the LL.M. program by the beginning of their last semester in the J.D. program. The joint J.D./LL.M with Concentration in Environmental Law program allows new and existing Loyola University New Orleans College of Law students to apply nine credits from the required courses toward both J.D. and LL.M degrees.

Required Core Courses (15 credits total) 

• LAW L844 Administrative Law* (3 credits)
• LAW L858 Environmental Law* (3 credits)
• LAW L835 Natural Resources Law* (3 credits)
• Capstone project (3 credits)
• One experiential offering, or other pre-approved equivalent offering or experience, including:
  • LAW L900 Academic Externship (3 credits)
  • LAW L976 Environmental Law and Policy Lab (3 credits)
  • LAW L976 S50 Environmental Law and Policy: Florida Keys (3 credits)
  • LAW L977 Environmental Litigation: Theory and Practice (3 credits) 
  • Any other experiential opportunity (including work experience) with approval

For the remaining credit hours necessary for the LL.M. degree, students may choose from an array of courses from law, environmental, non-law, and non-environmental offerings, (Note: generally, non-environmental and/or non-law courses are capped at six credits that apply toward the degree, unless otherwise pre-approved).

Elective Courses: Environment and Law (9 credits total) (no more than 6 hours combined non-environmental and non-law)

• LAW L900 Academic Externship (3 credits)
• LAW L864 Admiralty 1 (3 credits)
• LAW L879 Admiralty Seminar: Marine Pollution (2 or 3 credits)
• LAW L822 Bioethics and the Law (3 credits)
• LAW L819 Construction Industry & Sustainability Seminar (2 credits)
• LAW L913 Disaster Law and Policy (2 credits)
• LAW L975 Energy Law and Policy (2 or 3 credits)
• LAW L929 Energy and the Environment in International Law (2 credits)
• LAW L976 S50 Environmental Law and Policy: Florida Keys (May Term, 3 credits, in Florida)
• LAW L976 Environmental Law and Policy Lab (3 credits) 
• LAW L886 Environmental Law Seminar (2 credits) (may take more than one), including:
  • Law and the Climate Crisis; 
  • Environmental Enforcement and Compliance; 
  • Hot Topics in Environmental Law
• LAW L834 Environmental Justice (2 or 3 credits) 
• LAW L977 Environmental Litigation: Theory and Practice (3 credits) 
• LAW L911 Introduction to American Indian Law: Overlapping Jurisdictions (3 credits)
• LAW L837 Property and Land Use Seminar (2 or 3 credits)
• LAW L817 Mediation and Arbitration (3 credits)
• LAW L835 Natural Resources Law (3 credits) 
• LAW L896 Professional Seminars (2 credits) (may take more than one), including:
  • Green Building
  • Introduction to International Law of the Sea
• LAW L837 Property and Land Use Seminar: Property, Land Use and Justice (3 credits)
• LAW L856 State and Local Government Law (2 credits)
• LAW L838  Oil and Gas Law (3 credits) 

Non-Law Elective Courses (no more than 6 hours combined non-environmental and non-law)

• RELS V265 Eco-Feminist Theologies
• PHIL W245 Environmental Ethics
• PHIL U243 Environmental Philosophy
• ENVA H295 Environmental Policy
• SOCI A355 Environmental Sociology
• ENVA A194 Foundations in Environmental Science
• ENVA A105 Foundations in Environmental Studies
• SOCI X236 Global Environmental Crisis
• HIST Q236 Historical Geography 
• HIST Q234 Technology, Nature and the West
• HIST Q294 Water and Society

For a fuller list of possible courses, review the topics below in the undergraduate bulletin:

Environmental courses
Food Studies courses
Business, Decision Science and Entrepreneurship
Political Science courses 
Sociology courses

Please note: not all courses are offered every semester. For more information, please contact Marianne Cufone, Director of the Center for Environmental Law and Land Use. 

The LL.M. with a concentration in Immigration and Citizenship Law offers practicing attorneys or students who have earned a law degree in the U.S. or overseas, the opportunity to explore in-depth the United States law of migration and citizenship, within the international framework.  The LL.M. program explores issues of migration through the lens of human rights, including the rights of persons who are members of racial and ethnic minorities, the rights of women and gender diverse persons, and social and economic justice.  Students are encouraged to think of migration in its global context as one of many interrelated forces, like climate change, economic stability, and political stability that pose continuing challenges for the United States in the 21st century.  The program emphasizes experiential learning, focusing on the work of attorneys in practice, whether in nonprofit, private or government practice.  The program offers students opportunities to develop more specialized knowledge through scholarship or projects primarily the result of the students’ design. 

LL.M. students complete 24 hours of coursework in immigration and citizenship law and related courses.  As part of their required course of study, students choose to author an academic research paper of high professional quality concerning immigration or citizenship law, or complete a capstone project. 

Students enrolled in the J.D. program at Loyola may pursue the LL.M. with a concentration in Immigration and Citizenship Law by completing the course requirements in an additional semester of 15 credit hours.  Students must apply and be accepted into the LL.M. program by the beginning of their last semester in the J.D. program. 

Required Courses (14 credit hours total)

• LAW L832 Immigration and Citizenship Law (3 credit hours)
• LAW L933 Asylum and Refugee Law (3 credit hours)

         The remaining 8 credit hours to be selected from the following courses:*

• LAW L936 Immigration Justice:  Practice, Policy & Process:  Selected Problems (2 credits)
• LAW L937 Selected Topics in Immigration (2 credits)
• LAW L934 Detention and Removal Defense (2 credits)
• LAW L932 Immigration Law Seminar (1 or 2 credits) (may be taken more than once)
• LAW L897 Immigration Clinic – one semester (5 credits)
• LAW L899 Independent Study (thesis or capstone) (2-6 credits)

*Courses listed above are also available to complete the elective credit requirements, if they are not used to satisfy the required course credits.  These courses may not be offered every academic year.

Elective Courses (10 credit hour minimum)*

• LAW L844 Administrative Law (3 credits)
• LAW L955 Advanced Constitutional Law (3 credits)
• LAW L816 Comparative Law Seminar (1, 2 or 3 credits)
• LAW L877 Constitutional Law Seminar (2 credits)
• LAW L842 Courts in a Federal System (3 credits)
• LAW L913 Disaster Law and Policy (2 credits)
• LAW L840 Employment Law (3 credits)
• LAW L820 Employment Discrimination (3 credits)
• LAW L834 Environmental Justice (3 credits)
• LCOM L800 Family Law (3 credits)
• LAW L823 First Amendment (2 or 3 credits)
• LAW L885 Gender Law in Practice (3 credits)
• LAW L912 Health Law II – Access, Regulation, Compliance and Strategy (3 credits)
• LAW L924 Human Rights Advocacy Project (3 credits)
• LAW L897 Immigration Clinic – one semester (5 credits)
• LAW L878 International Law (3 credits)
• LAW L884 International Law Seminar (2 credits)
• LAW L911 Introduction to American Indian Law (3 credits)
• LAW L886 Law and the Climate Crisis (2 credits)
• LAW L805 Law of the European Union (3 credits) 
• LAW L781 Law and Poverty (3 credits)
• LAW L900 Academic Externship (up to 3 credits) (Academic externships must be approved by program faculty)

* Not all electives are offered in every academic year. 

LL.M. Thesis  (2 to 6 Independent Study credits)

Students who choose the thesis option must complete an academic research paper of high professional quality concerning immigration or citizenship law.  Students fulfill this requirement in conjunction with one of the program’s required or elective courses and an independent study of two to six credits, under the supervision of program faculty.  The thesis paper is presented to program faculty and the law school community, and is advised or co-advised by program faculty.  Advance approval of the topic is required. 

Capstone Project (2 to 6 Independent Study credits)

Students may opt to complete a capstone project instead of a written thesis.  The project may take various forms including a performance essay, a case study, a data generating research project, surveys, or a product, and/or the presentation of a thesis or data through alternative media including film, cartoons, photographic series, posters or other types of presentations.  Projects may be undertaken in conjunction with an immigration and citizenship course under the supervision of the faculty member teaching the course, and through independent study of two to six credits under the supervision of program faculty.  Capstone projects are presented at the end of the course of study to program faculty and to the law school community.