Program Overview

Women's and Gender Studies, M.A. and Law, J.D. Dual Degree

Overview

The dual Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in Women's and Gender Studies program at Saint Louis University provides students with a rigorous, interdisciplinary, and critical study of law, gender, and social justice. This program allows students to complete both degrees with significantly less time and expense than if they were obtained separately, with 18 credits counting toward both programs.

Admission

Students apply for admission to each program independently. Students begin the J.D. program first and then apply for admission to the Master of Arts in Women's and Gender Studies program during their first year in law school.

Requirements

The program is designed to be completed in four years. Students choose 18 credits (six courses) that count simultaneously toward both degrees. Examples of courses include:

• Gender and Culture
• Sexuality and the Law
• Employment Discrimination
• Family Law
• Disability Law

Of the 89 credits required for the J.D., nine credits are satisfied by the completion of womens and gender studies courses. Credit from law courses will be accepted toward completion of the credits required for the womens and gender studies degree.

Continuation Standards

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 in all graduate/professional courses.

Program Highlights

• While taking courses through both Saint Louis University School of Law and the Department of Women's and Gender Studies, students develop research projects that focus on how law and legal policies intersect with gendered social institutions and practices.
• By pursuing both degrees concurrently, students acquire a broader context for advocating for gender equality in law and policy, along with the distinct analytical training and skill set to navigate the legal system.
• Through the SLU Law Legal Clinics, students can gain first-hand experience representing clients who otherwise would not be able to afford a lawyer, working on civil and human rights issues, employment discrimination, prison/sentencing injustice, and municipal ordinance violations and more.

Careers

Attorneys with an M.A. in women's and gender studies are well-equipped to work as nonprofit leaders, lobbyists, judges, public defenders, and more. They may work in advocacy on behalf of women and other disadvantaged groups or on behalf of victims of gender-based violence, or choose to practice in fields such as employment law, family law, immigration law, health policy/health law, elder law, and public interest law.

Accreditation

Saint Louis University School of Law has been continuously accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA) since December 1924. The accrediting body is the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654.