Students pursuing graduate study at Berkeley in the MSW/JD Concurrent Degree Program can earn both degrees in four instead of five years.
Because the J.D. is not a master’s degree, policies governing concurrent master’s degrees do not apply to the MSW/JD Concurrent Degree Program. Students must generally satisfy curriculum requirements for both degrees in their entirety. Students may be able to petition the Social Welfare MSW Head Graduate Advisor for expectations to or substitutions for generalist or specialized practice courses required for the MSW degree, but approval is not guaranteed.
Students entering the MSW/JD Concurrent Degree Program should consult with both the Social Welfare MSW Head Graduate Advisor and the Berkeley Law Dean of Students early in their graduate careers to carefully plan a program of study that satisfies all requirements in four years.