Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in Transformational Leadership (JD/MATL)

Admission Requirements for the Joint Degree Program

Students are required to be admitted separately to both the School of Law and the School of Theology and Ministry and should consult the Graduate Catalog (seattleu.edu/registrar) or the website (seattleu.edu/home/admission/graduate/academics_schools.asp) for the specific admissions requirements for each school. Students may be admitted to both schools before starting in the joint program; alternatively, students may seek admission to the other program during their first year at Seattle University. In any case, students will be expected to meet the respective school’s admissions deadlines for the coming year.

Length of Program

The length of time required to complete the joint degree program is four years for full-time students. The length of time required for completion of the joint degree program may be longer if the student is part-time.

Credit Requirements

Students in the joint program are required to complete 90 semester credits for the JD degree and 54 quarter credits for the MATL degree. In the joint degree program, students can satisfy the requirements for each degree by using a specified number of crossover credits to be chosen from a list of approved courses in each school. This allows the student, whether full-time or part-time, to complete the two degrees in a shorter period of time than if the student sought to obtain the JD and MATL degrees independently. Of the 90 semester credits required for the JD degree, 12 semester credits can be satisfied by 18 quarter credits chosen from a list of specified courses from the School of Theology and Ministry. (One quarter credit is the equivalent of .67 semester credits. So, for example, a 3 quarter credit crossover MATL course could be used to satisfy 2 semester credits for the JD degree). Of the 54 quarter credits required for the MATL degree, 39 are required credits and 15 are elective. A student enrolled in the joint program may satisfy 12 of the elective quarter credits with credits earned in the School of Law from a list of approved courses.

Joint JD/MATL Degree Summary

1. Students must be admitted to both programs under the programs’ standard requirements.
2. Students may be admitted to the joint degree program before beginning any studies and may then take their first year in either program. Alternatively, students in their first year in either the School of Law or MATL program may apply for admission to the joint degree program during the fall term of their first year at Seattle University.
3. Candidates for the joint JD/MATL program must satisfy all of the requirements for the MATL degree and for the JD degree.
4. During the first two semesters in law school, joint degree students may not take courses in the School of Theology and Ministry.
5. The JD degree for joint JD/MATL students requires 90 semester credits, consisting of at least 78 semester credits earned in the law school and up to 12 semester credit equivalents (18 quarter credits) earned in the MATL program.
6. The MATL degree for joint JD/MATL students requires 54 quarter credits, consisting of 39 required credits and 15 elective credits. Twelve of the elective quarter credits (8 semester credits) may be earned in the School of Law.
7. The following courses may be used to satisfy elective credits toward the JD and MATL degrees. Not all courses are offered each quarter, semester, or year, and some courses may require particular sequencing or have prerequisites. In addition to the courses listed below, students may, upon approval, receive crossover credit for other appropriate courses that may be offered from time to time. Crossover credit will not be granted for courses that are substantially similar to courses already taken in the other school.