Maine Law’s J.D./M.P.P.M. dual degree program with the University of Southern Maine’s Muskie School of Public Service is an accelerated program that allows students to obtain a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and a Master of Policy, Planning and Management (M.P.P.M.) degree in four years or less rather than five. Students will gain interdisciplinary knowledge and skills to prepare them for the work in public policy as well as law.
Normally, the J.D. program takes three years to complete (90 credit hours) and the M.P.P.M. program takes two years to complete (36 credit hours). Students will begin by taking the required first year law curriculum. In the remaining years, students will take a combined course of study with upper-level law courses, core M.P.P.M. courses, a public service-related externship, and a public policy-focused writing project. Some summer classes will be necessary to complete the program in less than four years. This dual degree program involves each school accepting some credits from the other for a total of 105 credits (rather than 126 if a student took both programs separately). Faculty at both schools work together to create a program individualized for each student.