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The University of Chicago is renowned for its interdisciplinary culture, and doctoral students can pursue a variety of joint or dual degree programs. Opportunities to create a specific combination can be discussed with one’s Director of Graduate Study.

Existing programs include:

PhD in Political Economy

Offered jointly between the Department of Political Science and the Harris School of Public Policy , the PhD program in Political Economy provides accelerated training in formal theory and statistical methods alongside deep engagement with political science. 

Joint PhD in Anthropology and Linguistics

In addition to linguistic anthropology as a sub-field within the Department of Anthropology , a joint Ph.D. program is available to students who are admitted to both the Department of Anthropology and the  Department of Linguistics . Administratively, the student is admitted to, and remains registered in, the primary, or “home” department, and subsequently seeks admission to the second department in joint residence status. Students approved to pursue the joint degree program must complete the requirements of both departments, including the distinct introductory and advanced courses stipulated by each, the departmental qualifying examination in appropriate special fields, and the language requirements, including additional foreign languages for the Linguistics Ph.D. Students should declare interest in the Joint Degree Program on the initial graduate application to the Department, and should discuss this interest personally with linguistic anthropology faculty soon after arrival on campus.

Joint PhD in Psychology and Linguistics

Students in the Department of Linguistics in the Division of the Humanities who wish to work toward a joint PhD in Psychology's Cognition Program and in Linguistics must be admitted to the Department of Psychology .

Joint PhD in Financial Economics

Established in 2006, the Joint PhD Program in Financial Economics is offered jointly by the Kenneth C. Griffin Department of Economics and the Finance dissertation area at  Chicago Booth . The aim of this program is to leverage the strengths of both sponsors in training PhD students interested in financial economics. Students must satisfy program requirements for the PhD in both departments.

Joint PhD in Psychology and Business

Established in 2009, the Joint Program in Psychology and Business is overseen jointly by the  Department of Psychology  and the  Behavioral Science dissertation area  at Chicago Booth. The aim of this program is to connect the large number of social, cognitive, and organizational psychologists at Chicago Booth and within the Department of Psychology. To qualify for the joint program, a student must be admitted into either the Psychology or the Business graduate program.

JD/PhD Programs

Doctoral students in Social Sciences who are also admitted to the University of Chicago Law School may pursue a concurrent PhD/JD program , where there is an explicit and authorized close association between legal education and doctoral training. Students in the concurrent degree program alternate registration sites between the two units. Students complete all requirements for both degrees. Applicants must apply to both programs separately. The University of Chicago Law School has established a fellowship program to support students pursuing a concurrent JD/PhD at the University of Chicago, which may grant fellowship aid during the Law School years.

MD/PhD in Medicine, the Social Sciences, and Humanities

The program in  Medicine, the Social Sciences and Humanities (MeSH)  at the University of Chicago trains medical students to become innovative physician-scholars at the critical interface of medicine and society. The MeSH program is an opportunity for students interested in obtaining an MD and a PhD in a field outside of the traditional biological and physical sciences. Students interested in MeSH may pursue a doctoral degree among any of the graduate programs relevant to the social sciences and humanities at the University of Chicago.

Joint PhD in Social Thought & Classics

The  Joint Ph.D. Program in Social Thought and Classics  is intended for students whose study of a particular issue or text from the ancient Greek and Roman world requires a broadly inter-disciplinary approach alongside a professional mastery of philological skills. Those interested in pursuing this joint degree program must first be admitted in EITHER the  Committee on Social Thought  OR the  Department of Classics  and complete at minimum the two quarter language survey (Greek or Latin), offered by the Department of Classics, with an average grade of B or higher. Application shall then be made to the second department and, provided that the standards of admission to that department are met, students will be admitted to joint degree status. 

Joint PhD Social Thought & Philosophy

The  Joint Ph.D. Program in Social Thought and Philosophy  is designed to provide students with equal in-depth training, simultaneously provided by the Committee on Social Thought and the Department of Philosophy . Those interested in pursuing this joint degree program must first be admitted in EITHER the Committee on Social Thought OR the Department of Philosophy. After commencing the program of study, application shall then be made to the second department and, provided that the standards of admission to that department are met, students will be admitted to joint degree status. 

Other Joint and Ad Hoc Degree Possibilities

Students admitted to any doctoral program in Social Sciences may subsequently petition the University to create a joint program with another department. Such individually-created joint degree programs begin in the second year of graduate studies or later. In all cases, students complete the separate program requirements for each degree, with no additional residence requirement, and write one Ph.D. dissertation that separately meets the dissertation requirements of each department.

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Joint and Dual Degree Programs

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With more than 100 graduate degree programs, the University of Chicago is uniquely able to offer students the advantages of combining opportunities through interdisciplinary work or by pursuing multiple degree programs. The details vary from program to program, and in most cases require applications to both programs. Please review the information provided by both departments to determine the application and course requirements for each pair of degrees.

Definitions:

  • Dual degree—completing requirements for two separate degrees, including, for Ph.D., producing two dissertations. Degrees may be within the same academic unit or across academic units.
  • Joint degree—completing requirements for two degree programs with possibly overlapping or coordinated degree requirements. Degrees may be within the same academic unit or across academic units.

Joint/Dual Programs

Biological Sciences Division

  • ISTP (MD/PhD ) – Interdisciplinary Scientist Training Program
  • MD/MPH – Master of Public Health degree

Chicago Booth School of Business

  • MBA/MPP –  Harris School of Public Policy
  • MBA/JD –  Law School
  • MBA/MD –  Pritzker School of Medicine
  • MBA/MPCS –  Master’s Program in Computer Science
  • MBA/AM – Crown Family  School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice
  • MBA/AM (International Relations) – Social Sciences Division
  • MBA/AM in Area Studies ( Eastern Europe/Russia ,  Middle East ,  South Asia ) –  Social Sciences Division
  • PhD joint programs in  Business and Psychology  or  Financial Economics  –  Social Sciences Division
  • PhD/JD –  Law School

Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice

  • AM/MBA –  Booth School of Business
  • AM/MPP –  Harris School of Public Policy
  • AM/MDiv –  Divinity School – Chicago Theological Seminary ,  Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago ,  McCormick Theological Seminary ,  Meadville/Lombard Theological Seminary , and the  Catholic Theological Union

The Divinity School

  • MDiv/AM – Crown Family  School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice
  • MDiv/JD –  Law School
  • MDiv/MPP –  Harris School of Public Policy

Harris School of Public Policy

  • MPP/JD –  Law School
  • MPP/AM – Crown Family  School of Social Work, Policy, and Practice
  • MPP/MDiv –  Divinity School
  • MPP/MBA –  Booth School of Business
  • MPP/AM (Middle Eastern Studies) –  Social Sciences Division
  • MA/MA (International Relations) –  Social Sciences Division

Humanities Division

  • Doctoral Joint Degree Program

The Law School

  • Law School Dual Degree Overview
  • JD/MBA –  Booth School of Business
  • JD/PhD  – Booth School of Business and Social Sciences Division
  • JD/MPP –  Harris School of Public Policy
  • JD/MDiv –  Divinity School
  • JD/MA (International Relations) –  Social Sciences Division

Pritzker School of Medicine

  • MD/MBA – Booth School of Business
  • MD/MA in Public Policy – Harris School of Public Policy
  • MeSH (MD/PhD) – Medicine, the Social Sciences and Humanities
  • MSTP (MD/PhD) – Medical Scientist Training Program
  • GDDTP(MD/ PhD ) – Growth, Development and Disabilities Training Program
  • MD/MS – Biomedical Informatics

Social Sciences Division

  • JD/MA (International Relations) – The Law School
  • MPP/MA (Middle Eastern Studies) –  Harris School of Public Policy
  • MBA/MA – International Relations with Booth and CIR
  • MBA/AM in Area Studies ( Eastern Europe/Russia ,  Middle East ,  South Asia ) – Booth School of Business
  • MA/MA (International Relations) –  Harris School of Public Policy
  • PhD in Anthropology and Linguistics – Humanities Division
  • PhD in Cognition and Linguistics – Humanities Division
  • PhD in Financial Economics – Booth School of Business
  • PhD in Psychology and Business – Booth School of Business
  • JD/PhD – Law School
  • PhD in Social Thought and Classics – Humanities Division
  • PhD in Social Thought & Philosophy  – Humanities Division

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  • Joint & Dual Degrees

Your interests and goals may span multiple academic disciplines or areas of expertise. That is why the Stanford MBA Program empowers you to combine studies. This flexibility offers a rich and valuable academic experience.

Generally, about 20 percent of Stanford MBA students take advantage of a joint or dual degree to complement their MBA. As a student, you may also take courses in any department or graduate school at Stanford University.

Joint Degrees

Your Stanford joint degrees must be conferred simultaneously upon completion of degree requirements for both programs. While in the Stanford MBA Program, you may not pursue concurrently more than one additional degree. Learn more about joint degree programs below.

Hilary Bartlett

“It is not at all an overstatement to say that my four years in the joint JD/MBA program at Stanford have been life-changing. Committed professors and inspiring peers have challenged me to expand my vision of what is possible for myself and for the world. I am graduating with greater confidence, a clearer sense of self, and an excitement for what the future holds. Not only do I dream bigger as a result of my time at Stanford, but my dreams feel more attainable. I am leaving Stanford with so much more than the foundational skill set I was seeking.”

Owen Wurzbacher

“The GSB’s joint degree program allowed me to explore the intersection of two passions: investing and education. It provided the flexibility to study both fields and illustrated the opportunities for applying business skills to education in an informed way. Using tools developed and relationships built, I look forward to influencing the education field and inspiring a love of learning in young people during my career.”

Dual Degrees

Interested in an additional discipline that is not represented in our joint degree programs? You can pursue a master’s degree from another Stanford program along with your MBA. While in the Stanford MBA program, you may not pursue concurrently more than one additional degree.  

You may pursue a dual degree with any graduate program at Stanford University. Candidates must apply to and be accepted by the other program separately, and then notify Stanford GSB. You may apply concurrently to both programs or apply to the dual degree program during your first year as an MBA student; some graduate programs also permit you to apply in your second year. As with joint degrees, you may only pursue one additional degree while in the MBA program.

Justin Norden

“After starting medical school at Stanford, I decided to pursue an MBA at the GSB to develop the skills to become a leader at the intersection of health care, technology, and medicine. Business school has not only taught me many valuable leadership skills, but also opened my eyes to think about problems in completely new ways. The best part about the GSB, however, has been getting to know and learn from so many wonderful classmates.”

Study Opportunities Outside Stanford

Stanford MBA students may also pursue degrees with certain professional schools at other universities. Check with each school regarding its policy and timeline.

Eligible Degree Programs & Requirements

  • Harvard Kennedy School: MPA, MPA-ID, or MPP
  • Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS): MA
  • Princeton School of Public and International Affairs: MPA
  • Yale Law School: JD
  • Yale Medical School: MD

You may enroll in either a joint or dual degree with another graduate program at Stanford or a degree from an external university, but not both.

Degree Requirements

Paths to completion by school, harvard kennedy school, johns hopkins sais, and princeton school of public and international affairs.

You must spend five quarters of full-time study at Stanford GSB. The combined degree programs must be completed in one of the following timelines. Note that some programs may require a particular academic path in order to successfully complete both degrees.

Yale Medical School and Yale Law School

You must spend five quarters of full-time study at Stanford GSB and complete at least one year at YMS or YLS first. Consult with YMS or YLS for timeline requirements.

Things to Consider

Benefits of these experiences.

  • Completing two degrees in a shorter amount of time while also saving on tuition
  • Expanding one’s network outside of Stanford GSB
  • Enhancing marketability for certain career opportunities
  • Personalizing and individualizing your academic experience to meet your specific learning goals
  • Limited capacity for electives that don’t count toward either degree program
  • Higher quarterly enrollment load compared to peers pursuing the MBA only
  • Possibly not graduating with your MBA cohort (depending upon your program)
  • Additional moving expenses and logistical challenges if pursuing a program in a different location
  • Not being able to participate in specific activities or courses that occur during a quarter that you are away from Stanford GSB (e.g., Arbuckle Leadership Fellows, View From The Top Leaders, Peer Advisors, TALK coach, Leadership Perspectives course assistants)
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2024 Best Online Masters PhD Combined Programs

Masters and PhD combined programs are designed to help you study two different majors.

Masters PhD Combined Programs

These dual degree programs typically combine complementary courses from the two different majors so you can equip yourself with broad but targeted expertise.

Editorial Listing ShortCode:

If you’re after a career with complex professional demands, dual masters and PhD online programs may be an intriguing option.

Universities Offering Online Masters and Doctorate Dual Degree Programs

Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer degree programs online or in a hybrid format.

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Fairleigh Dickinson University offers a dual degree program for students interested in obtaining both a master’s and a doctorate in a field.

Applicants must meet the admissions requirements for the second degree program while maintaining a GPA of 3.0 or higher. Students may choose to study Business Administration, Public Administration, Health Science, Psychology, Public Health, or Pharmacy and Health Science.

Fairleigh Dickinson University  is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

George Mason University

George Mason University offers a dual degree program for those interested in receiving a Juris Doctorate and a Master of Business Administration.

The program can usually be completed in 3 years when studying full-time or 4 years when studying part-time. Applicants must submit GMAT or GRE scores and 2 letters of recommendation and may be required to complete an interview when applying.

George Mason University  is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Mercer University

Mercer University offers a Doctor of Pharmacy and a Master of Science in Health Outcomes dual degree program. Applicants must submit a statement of purpose and a resume to apply.

Students in the program are given academic advice from the program director and a graduate advisor to help guide them through their thesis or capstone project. A GPA of 2.75 in the Doctor of Pharmacy courses and 3.0 in Health Outcomes must be maintained to graduate.

Mercer University  is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

National University

National University offers a dual degree for those interested in obtaining both a Master of Arts in Sport Psychology and a Doctor of Clinical Psychology. The program offers both full-time and part-time options and allows students to take the courses for the master’s degree online.

Applicants can apply year round and may have the GRE score requirements waived depending on their GPA. A team of advisors is available to help applicants through each step of the admissions process.

National University  is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission.

New York University

New York University offers a number of dual degree programs for students interested in obtaining either two master’s degrees or a doctorate and a master’s degree.

Applicants must submit additional test scores when applying. Those interested in getting a doctorate and a master’s may get a Juris Doctorate and Master of Business Administration or a Doctor of Dental Surgery and Master of Business Administration.

New York University  is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Nova Southeastern University

Nova Southeastern University’s College of Health Care Science offers a dual degree program for those interested in obtaining Master and Doctor of Health Science degrees.

The program can typically be completed within 7 years. Both programs require students to have a bachelor’s degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher, GRE scores, and prior health care experience.

NSU  is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

Rutgers University

Rutgers University offers a dual degree program for those interested in a Master and a PhD in Social Work. The program can usually be completed in 4 years.

Those interested in the program may apply directly to the program or after their first year of study in the Master of Social Work program. Official transcripts, GRE scores, 2 personal statements, and 3 letters of reference must be submitted when applying.

Rutgers  is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Texas Tech University

Texas Tech University’s School of Law offers a number of dual degree programs. Students may receive a Juris Doctorate with a master’s degree in a variety of business, science, engineering, sports management, or government fields.

Applicants interested in a dual degree program may contact the law faculty advisor to learn more about their program of interest.

Texas Tech University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

University of St Thomas

The University of St. Thomas School of Law offers a dual degree program for those interested in receiving a Juris Doctor and a Master of Business Administration.

The program can typically be completed in 4 years, but students may also choose to take the program part-time or online. Applicants must submit LSAT scores, their undergraduate GPA, letters of recommendation, and a personal statement.

The  University of St. Thomas  is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.

Widener University

Widener University offers a dual degree program for a Master in Criminal Justice and a Doctor of Psychology.

The program can typically be completed in 5 years and offers a clinical experience through practicum training, field placements, and internships. Applicants must have an undergraduate degree with a GPA of 3.0 or higher to be eligible. Though having a major in psychology may help with admittance, it is not required.

Widener University  is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Online Masters and PhD Combined Programs

Masters and PhD Combined Programs

Just as some universities offer students the opportunity to earn a bachelors and masters at the same time , there are some doctoral programs that allow you to get a masters as you complete your doctorate. The masters degree serves as a gateway, or an optional exit point, on the longer path to completing the doctoral degree.

In this article, we’ll talk mostly about blended or dual degree programs. These types of programs allow students to work toward simultaneously earning a masters and doctoral degree in two different but complementary majors, such as business and medicine or business and law.

Here are some advantages of combined masters and PhD programs:

  • Combine complementary courses from two distinct graduate degree majors
  • Allow you to earn two degrees within a reasonable time frame
  • Help prepare you for a specific professional niche

The following are some disadvantages of combined masters and PhD programs:

  • Can take longer to complete than a masters degree program alone
  • Can include very different specialty courses designed for distinct majors
  • Might involve coordinating a study plan with two independent departments

Most dual masters and doctorate degree programs online are designed to help you earn the two degrees in a reasonable time frame.

Common Masters and Doctorate Combined Programs

Masters and Doctorate Combined Programs

Many combined degree programs culminate in a professional doctorate and are designed to equip students to work in complex professional settings. A professional doctorate tends to emphasize more practical skills for the workplace.

MBA / Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

In this dual program, you’ll learn business administration fundamentals while you gain expertise in a range of concepts, practices, and regulatory standards related to nursing.

This combination can help position you for senior management roles or for positions on HR teams with large hospitals or managed care networks.

MBA / Doctor of Medicine (MD)

MBA / Doctor of Medicine

This graduate degree combination can qualify you to practice medicine while also providing you with lots of business administration skills.

Professionals with these qualifications might work in governance roles at a hospital, help design and manage innovative managed healthcare business models, or work in the development and sale of medical technologies.

MBA / Doctor of Psychology (PsyD)

Dual masters and PsyD programs combining a specialization in industrial and organizational psychology with a masters degree in business administration can open doors to a range of senior management opportunities in large organizations.

Alternately, professionals might specialize in psychotherapy and use their clinical qualifications and business savvy to manage or develop psychotherapy service networks. They may also fill executive leadership roles with mental health service providers.

MBA / Juris Doctor (JD)

MBA / Juris Doctor

Students in this dual degree program often specialize in business law, accessing and blending course offerings from both MBA and JD graduate programs.

This combined program can create an advanced business law degree pathway for future jobs in the business sector or in private law firms.

Master of Public Policy (MPP) / Juris Doctor (JD)

Legal hurdles and legislative complexities can make or break public policy initiatives. A dual MPP and JD program can be a strategic way to develop expertise doing legal analysis work with regard to developing or improving public policy.

With this double-edged expertise, you might pursue any number of roles in public interest law, legislative work, or public policy analysis and advocacy.

Master of Science (MS) / Medical Doctor (MD)

With preparation in an MS and MD combined degree program, you can equip yourself to practice medicine while also learning specialized science research skills.

Depending on your areas of specialization, you might be positioned to work in medical research and development or with organizations engaged in testing, evaluating, monitoring, or regulating new medical practices or products.

Master of Public Health (MPH) / Medical Doctor (MD)

Master of Public Health

In this blended degree program, you can access a range of graduate courses in the field of public health as you train to become a medical doctor.

If you have an interest in specializing in infectious diseases, preventive medicine, epidemiological research, or public health policy and advocacy roles, this combined degree program can give you advanced training.

Master’s and PhD Admissions Requirements

Master’s and PhD Admissions

Admissions requirements will vary by school and program, but most dual masters and PhD programs online require criteria similar to these:

  • Bachelor’s degree
  • Satisfactory college GPA
  • GRE or GMAT scores (if required)
  • LSAT or MCAT scores (for JD and MD programs, when required)
  • Letters of recommendation

Depending on the major, graduate degree programs may also require the completion of specified prerequisites in math or science as well as other academic or professional requirements.

Accreditation

Masters PhD Combined Programs Accreditation

It can be beneficial to stick with fully accredited schools and programs. If you anticipate pursuing careers in fields that involve professional licensing, accreditation may be a precondition for licensing. Fields that typically require licensing include law, medicine, psychology, nursing, education, and public health.

Accreditation can also be a precondition for some forms of financial aid. Organizations such as the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) have more information about accreditation and finding accredited schools.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Masters PhD Combined Programs Financial Aid

Many graduate students rely on financial aid for help with tuition and other upfront costs. If you plan to apply for need-based aid, you can start by filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) .

Common forms of aid include state and federal education grants. If you’re eligible, you can also  apply for any number of need-based or merit-based scholarships. Some employers also offer tuition assistance programs.

Many financial aid offers also include student loans. Terms of loan offers and other awards can vary, so it’s helpful to review all financial aid offers carefully.

Can You Get Your Masters and PhD at the Same Time?

masters and doctorate programs

Yes, in most programs you’ll pursue your masters and doctorate together, taking courses that are part of an already blended curriculum or enrolling in courses that straddle two departments.

If you’re in the type of program where you’re pursuing just one major, you’ll typically fulfill your masters requirements first as a qualifying step for proceeding with the PhD requirements.

When you’re pursuing two complementary majors in a dual degree program, you’ll generally be working toward both degrees at the same time.

Can You Leave a PhD Program with a Masters?

PhD Program with Masters

You can leave a PhD program with a masters if you fulfill the required academic and administrative steps for doing so. These requirements can vary by school and program.

Some single-track PhD programs make earning a masters degree programmatic for their PhD candidates, usually awarding the masters after comprehensive qualifying exams. In dual programs, your masters and PhD courses can belong to complementary but distinct academic disciplines, which may complicate matters.

In these cases, you may want to talk to an academic advisor about options that would allow you to exit the doctoral track while still earning a masters in the other major.

Do You Need a Masters to Get a PhD?

PhD programs without masters degrees

There are many PhD programs that do not require any prior master’s degree for admissions.

If you’ve already earned a bachelor’s degree, you may find options to enroll in online master degree, PhD, or dual degree programs . Admissions requirements can vary by school and by major in some cases. Some PhD programs offer you the opportunity to earn a masters along the way.

Does Your PhD Have to Be the Same as Your Masters?

PhD program after earning a masters

If you are applying to a PhD program after earning a masters, your masters does not typically have to be in the same academic discipline. Requirements can vary, though, by school and program.

What will matter are the more general admissions requirements or prerequisites. You may have more admissions hurdles to overcome if you don’t have the right prerequisite training before you apply, regardless of what kind of masters degree you have.

Holding a masters degree, even if it’s in another discipline, may still help you demonstrate that you’re a motivated and capable PhD candidate. There are also many joint masters and PhD programs that combine separate but complementary disciplines.

What Can You Do with a Joint Master and PhD Degree?

Joint Master and PhD Degree

Receiving training from dual graduate programs can give you a strong foundation for senior research, management, or leadership positions. There is a vast range of career paths you can take, depending on your specializations and degree combinations.

For example, graduates who pair a masters in public health or science with an MD may pursue positions as epidemiologists or medical scientists respectively. Those interested in business law may want to combine their JD with a Master of Business Administration, making them more marketable for prospective future clients or firms.

Getting a PhD can also qualify you for jobs in postsecondary teaching and research. You may join a PhD in your desired field with a masters in education or teaching to boost your credentials.

Professional doctorates are often designed for professionals who want to enhance their practical skills and advance in their field. They may even pursue top executive roles.

How Long Does It Take to Get a Combined Masters-PhD Degree Online?

Masters-PhD Degree Online

It’s common for a dual program to take 4 to 6 years to complete. Time to completion can vary significantly by program, especially when it comes to dissertations, other capstone projects, or supervised field work requirements.

All that said, many of today’s combined masters and doctoral programs online have highly targeted course programs to help you finish more quickly. Some dual masters and doctorate online programs are designed to help you complete most or all of your requirements in as little as 3 to 4 years if you study full-time, year-round.

Is a Masters and PhD Dual Degree Worth It?

Masters and PhD Dual Degree

Yes, a masters and PhD dual degree is worth it for many students. A dual degree program can help equip you with credentials for jobs that require complex management, consulting, or leadership roles.

When considering a dual program option, you may want to plan backwards. In other words, you might ask yourself if the careers that most interest you require specialized knowledge across two different domains.

Some examples include business law or healthcare management. Business law straddles business and law, and a career in healthcare management benefits from knowledge of both business administration and healthcare practices and services.

Dual degree programs can be especially beneficial if your sights are set on careers requiring combined skills.

Getting Your Masters / PhD Combined Degree Online

Masters / PhD Combined Degree Online

Dual degree programs allow you to get creative when it comes to choosing the right kind of masters and PhD combination for your individual career interests and goals.

Regionally accredited schools and programs offer a range of dual degree programs online. Their creative curriculum design options are tailored to today’s complex professional landscape.

You may even try designing your own ideal graduate degree program for the niche you want. There’s a chance that program is already out there and just waiting for you to find it!

joint phd and masters programs

Dual and Joint MS Overview

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The dual and joint degree programs enable graduate students to obtain multiple graduate degrees concurrently or consecutively. Students apply to and complete the course requirements for each department separately. 

Dual Degrees

Joint MS&E and Law Degrees

Joint MS&E and Master of Public Policy Degree

In the dual degree program, students obtain two graduate (usually MS) degrees concurrently or consecutively, completing all of the course requirements for each department. A total of 90 units is required to complete two master degrees.

Students doing a PhD degree, may also complete one MS degree (in the same or in a different department) and one PhD minor, without needing to take any additional units.

Admission Students must apply and be admitted to each program separately. Students may apply to only one department initially. After the first quarter at Stanford, students may apply to be admitted to the second department.

Advising Every student has one adviser in each degree program.

Joint MS&E and law degrees

The School of Law and the Department of Management Science and Engineering offer joint degree programs leading to a JD degree and an MS degree in MS&E, or to a JD and PhD in MS&E. These programs are designed for students who wish to prepare for careers in areas relating to both law and to the decision making, policy making and problem-solving knowledge and skills developed in the MS&E program. Students interested in either joint degree program must apply and gain admission separately to the School of Law and the Department of Management Science and Engineering, and, as an additional step, must secure consent from both academic units to pursue degrees in those units as part of a joint degree program. Interest in either joint degree program should be noted on the student’s admission applications and may be considered by the admission committee of each program. Alternatively, an enrolled student in either the Law School or MS&E may apply for admission to the other program and for joint degree status in both academic units after commencing study in either program.

Joint degree students may elect to begin their course of study in either the School of Law or MS&E. Students are assigned to a joint program committee composed of at least one faculty member from Law and one from MS&E. This committee plans the student’s program jointly with the student. Students must be enrolled full-time in the Law School for the first year of law studies, and it is recommended that students devote exclusively one autumn quarter to the MS&E MS program to initiate their MS&E work. After that time, enrollment may be in MS&E or Law, and students may choose courses from either program regardless of where enrolled. A candidate in the joint JD/PhD program should spend a substantial amount of full-time residency in MS&E. Students must satisfy the requirements for both the JD and the MS or PhD degrees as specified in the Stanford Bulletin or by the School of Law. The School of Law may approve courses from MS&E or courses in the student’s MS&E program from outside of the Department of Management Science and Engineering that may count toward the JD degree, and MS&E may approve courses from the School of Law that may count toward the MS or PhD degree in MS&E. In either case, approval may consist of a list applicable to all joint degree students or may be tailored to each individual student’s program. The lists may differ depending on whether the student is pursuing an MS or a PhD in MS&E.

In the case of a JD/MS program, no more than 45 units of approved courses may be counted toward both degrees. In the case of a JD/PhD program, no more than 54 units of approved courses may be counted toward both degrees. In either case, no more than 31 units of courses that originate outside the School of Law may count toward the law degree. To the extent that courses under this joint degree program originate outside the School of Law but count toward the law degree, the law credits permitted under Section 17(1) of the Law School Regulations are reduced on a unit-per-unit basis, but not below zero. The maximum number of Law School credits that may be counted toward the MS in MS&E is the greater of: (a) 18 units in the case of the MS, or (b) the maximum number of hours from courses outside the department that an MS candidate in MS&E is permitted to count toward the applicable degree under general departmental guidelines or under departmental rules that apply in the case of a particular student.

Tuition and financial aid arrangements are normally through the school in which the student is then enrolled.

Joint MS&E and Master of Public Policy degree

MS&E MS students who wish to apply their analytical and management skills to the field of public policy can simultaneously pursue a master's degree in MS&E and a master's degree in Public Policy. The MPP is a two-year degree program, but MS MS&E students who pursue the joint program can earn both degrees in a minimum of two years, depending on prior preparation and elective choices, by counting up to 45 quarter units of course work toward both degrees. After admission to the Department of Management Science and Engineering, incoming or current MS students request that their application file be forwarded to the MPP program director for review.

Students in the joint program normally will spend most of their first year taking MS&E core and concentration courses. The second year is typically devoted to the MPP core, concentration, and practicum. The joint degree requires 90 quarter units.

Tuition for the first year of study is paid at the Graduate Engineering rate, the remaining time at the Graduate rate.

Dual Degrees: J.D. / Ph.D.

The Duke University Graduate School and the School of Law are revising the joint degree J.D./Ph.D. program. New applications are not being accepted until further notice.

Applicants for the J.D./Ph.D. must apply separately to the Law School and the Graduate School. Students who apply directly and successfully to the J.D./Ph.D. program will be admitted into both programs from the date of their matriculation at Duke, even though they will initially be pursuing the joint J.D./master's degree en route to the subsequent Ph.D. It is expected that once they have completed their initial three years of study, students will subsequently register solely in the doctoral program and have access to the normal mechanisms of financial support available to other Ph.D. students in the relevant departments. (Some departments may permit J.D./Ph.D. students to begin their teaching assistant experience while still in Law School.) In most instances, completion of the Ph.D. should take no more than 3 years beyond receipt of the J.D./master's degree.

  • Joint Degrees

MBA/PhD with the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

The joint-degree program offers an MBA in combination with a PhD in the sciences or humanities from the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

An MBA may be pursued in combination with a PhD in one of a wide array of  areas of study , in the biological sciences, engineering and applied sciences, the humanities, the physical sciences, and social sciences. An MBA/PhD is not available in the  management disciplines .

Students typically complete both degrees in approximately seven years, rather than the eight or more that would be required if the degrees were pursued separately. Programs are highly customized to fit each student's individual course of study, and are generally determined at the time of admission. Students must complete one full year at Yale SOM, during which they complete the integrated MBA curriculum, and one year taking courses at both schools. Students typically begin their full year at Yale SOM after PhD qualifying exams have been passed.

Students receive financial support from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences during the semesters in which they are enrolled there. They pay tuition during the three semesters during which they are enrolled at Yale SOM.

Learn more about admission to the Yale School of Management. Learn more about admission to the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.

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JD/PhD Combined Degree Program

  • Degree Requirements

Learn more about the program by visiting the Northwestern's JD-PhD program

See related Interdisciplinary Clusters and Certificates

Degree Types: JD/PhD

Northwestern’s Graduate School and School of Law offer an integrated JD and PhD program for students interested in pursuing a career in academia or another research setting (e.g., a policy research organization) and whose teaching and research will be enriched by both the JD and PhD degrees. The JD/PhD Combined Degree Program prepares students to conduct innovative research on law at the cross section of disciplines. Recognizing that a growing trend among top law schools is to hire faculty who have PhDs as well as law degrees, Northwestern offers the most efficient, cohesive, and affordable option for future academics wishing to pursue their doctoral and law degrees simultaneously.

The program’s curriculum allows students to complete both degrees more efficiently than they would through consecutive degree programs. Students can complete the entire program (including dissertation) in as few as six years, depending on the requirements of the particular PhD program.

Students can select a doctoral program in any discipline, provided they can incorporate their interest in law with their graduate research and they can complete a dissertation that draws on both disciplines.

Application to the JD/PhD program requires acceptance into both The Graduate School and the Law School.

Additional resources:

  • Department website
  • Program handbook(s)

Program Statistics

Visit PhD Program Statistics for statistics such as program admissions, enrollment, student demographics and more.

Program Co-Director: Kyle Rozema Program Co-Director: Nadav Shoked

Program Overview

Northwestern's JD-PhD program is open to students who intend to pursue an academic or research career and whose teaching and research will be enriched by both degrees. The program is designed to allow students to complete both degrees more effectively than they would through consecutive degree programs.

Graduation Requirements

The JD and PhD degrees are awarded concurrently after all degree requirements are satisfied for both programs, including completion of:

  • Two years of Law School credit (at least 59 credit hours) in addition to the 14 credit hours awarded for law-related interdisciplinary graduate course work, 
  • All Law School JD requirements (apart from course hours), and
  • 12 credit hours will be awarded toward the JD upon completion of the dissertation
  • JD-PhD students are required to have a member of the Northwestern Law faculty on their dissertation committee.

Typical Program Structure 1

 Subject to PhD departmental requirements.

Last Updated: September 12, 2023

Joint Degree Programs

Joint degree programs with the stanford law school.

The Department of Economics and the Stanford Law School offer a joint program leading to either a J.D. degree combined with an M.A. degree in Economics or to a J.D. degree combined with a Ph.D. in Economics. In addition, there are several abbreviated law programs open to economics graduate students that involve some exposure to law and lead to a masters level nonprofessional degree rather than to a J.D.

J.D.M.A. and J.D./Ph.D. Programs

The J.D./M.A. and J.D./Ph.D. degree programs are designed for students who wish to prepare themselves intensively for careers in areas relating to both law and economics. Student interested in either joint degree program must apply and gain entrance separately to the School of Law and the Department of Economics and, as an additional step, must secure permission from both academic units to pursue degrees in those units as part of a joint degree program. Interest in either joint degree program should be noted on the student's admission applications and may be considered by the admission committee of each program. Alternatively, an enrolled student in either the Law School or the Economics Department may apply for admission to the other program and for joint degree status in both academic units after commencing study in either program.

Joint degree student may elect to begin their course of study in either the School of Law or the Department of Economics. Faculty advisors from each academic unit will participate in the planning and supervising of the student's joint program. Students must be enrolled full time in the Law School for the first year of law school, and, at some point during the joint program, may be required to devote one or more quarters largely or exclusively to studies in the Economics program regardless of whether enrollment at that time is in the Law School or in the Department of Economics. At all other times, enrollment may be in the graduate school or the Law School, and students may choose courses from either program regardless of where enrolled. Students must satisfy the requirements for both the J.D. and the M.A. or Ph.D. degrees as specified in the Stanford Bulletin or elsewhere.

The Law School shall approve courses from the Economics Department that may count toward the J.D. degree, and the Economics Department shall approve courses from the Law School that may count toward the M.A. or Ph.D. degree in Economics. In either case, approval may consist of a list applicable to all joint degree students or may be tailored to each individual student's program. The list may differ depending on whether the student is pursuing an M.A. or a Ph.D. in Economics.

In the case of a J.D./M.A. program, no more than 30 semester (45 quarter) hours of approved courses may be counted toward both degrees. In the case of a J.D./Ph.D. program, no more than 36 semester (54 quarter) hours of approved courses may be counted toward both degrees. In either case, no more than 24 semester (36 quarter) hours of courses that originate outside the Law School may count toward the law degree. To the extent that courses under this joint degree program originate outside the Law School but count toward the law degree, the law school credits permitted under Section 17(1) of the Law School Regulations shall be reduced on a unit-per-unit basis, but not below zero. The maximum number of law school credits that may be counted toward the M.A. or the Ph.D. in Economics is the greater of: (i) 3 1/3 semester (5 quarter) hours in the case of the M.A. and 6 2/3 semester (10 quarter) hours in the case of the Ph.D.; or (ii) the maximum number of hours from courses outside of the department that M.A. or Ph.D. candidates in Economics are permitted to count toward the applicable degree under general departmental guidelines or in the case of a particular student's individual program. Tuition and financial aid arrangements will normally be through the school in which the student is then enrolled.

Other Joint Law Programs

Other joint programs may be arranged - for example, the Ph.D. in Economics combined with one or two years of study in the School of Law, leading either to the nonprofessional Master of Legal Studies (M.L.S.) degree or the nonprofessional Master of Jurisprudence (J.M.) degree. These joint programs do not involve counting any courses toward both the economics and the law degree. See the Law School Bulletin for details.

Joint Degree Program in PH.D. in Economics and Master in Public Policy

The Ph.D./M.P.P. joint degree is designed for students who wish to prepare themselves for careers in areas relating to both policy and economics. Students interested in this degree first apply to the Economics Department, indicating an interest in the joint program. There is one admissions application and one fee. If the decision is made by the department to admit the applicant, the file is then forwarded to the M.P.P. program. An admission decision, based on the information in the Ph.D. application, is made promptly, and the department informs the student of the decision.

Students may also apply to the M.P.P. after having commenced study in the Economics Department at Stanford, by first receiving the consent of the Director of Graduate Studies in Economics and then applying to the Public Policy program.

Students must have a faculty adviser from the Economics Department to assist with the planning and supervising of the joint program. The adviser is usually chosen from among the department's Public Policy-affiliated faculty.

Requirements for the M.P.P./Ph.D. in Economics

Core m.p.p. curriculum of 45 units.

Up to a maximum of 45 units, or one year, of the University residency requirement can be credited toward both graduate degree programs.  This recognizes that there is a subject matter overlap between the fields comprising the joint degree.

All core courses must be taken for a letter grade. Students must maintain a 3.0 (B) grade point average overall in courses applicable to the degree.  All units must be taken in upper division (100-level) courses per university policy.

  • PUBLPOL 301A: Microeconomics (4 units)
  • ECON 102A: Introduction to Statistical Methods (Postcalculus) for Social Scientists (5 units)
  • PUBLPOL 301B: Economic Policy Analysis for Policymakers (4 units)
  • PUBLPOL 206: Law and Economics (3-4 units)  or  PUBLPOL 302B: Economic Analysis of Law
  • PUBLPOL 303D: Applied Econometrics for Public Policy (4 units)
  • LAW 7508: Problem Solving and Decision Making for Public Policy and Social Change*Preferred Option
  • GSBGEN 646: Behavioral Decision Making
  • ECON 137: Decision Modeling and Information
  • OB 381: Conflict Management and Negotiation
  • PUBLPOL 306: Writing and Rhetoric for Policy Audiences *Requirement for MPP students only; MA students may take as an elective (4 units)
  • PUBLPOL 307: Justice (4 units)
  • PUBLPOL 308: Political Analysis for Policymakers (4 units)
  • PUBLPOL 311: Public Policy Colloquium (3 units)

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  • JD Admissions
  • Dual Degree Programs

JD/PhD and JD/MA Programs

New York University School of Law (Law) and Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) offer coordinated dual degree programs leading to a Juris Doctor (JD) and either a PhD or MA degree in two Arts and Science disciplines:

Law and GSAS also offer dual degree programs leading to a JD and MA in the following disciplines:

  • French Studies
  • Latin American and Caribbean Studies

Law and GSAS also offer dual degree programs leading to a JD and PhD in the following disciplines:

  • American Studies
  • Comparative Literature
  • Computer Science
  • Hebrew and Judaic Studies
  • Italian Studies
  • Mathematics
  • Middle Eastern and Islamic Studies
  • Neural Science
  • Psychology (Cognition and Perception)

Students enrolled in these dual degree programs will work closely with faculty advisors in both the School of Law and GSAS to develop an integrated program of study and research. The programs are particularly aimed at students interested in pursuing academic careers. We expect that students who complete the JD/PhD program will be strong candidates for faculty positions in both law schools and in arts and sciences programs. The JD/MA programs provide rigorous interdisciplinary training for students interested in legal academia, but also for students who plan to pursue other career paths related to law.

These coordinated programs reduce the amount of time required to complete both degrees. The School of Law will count 12 credits of GSAS coursework toward the total of 83 credits required for the JD degree, typically allowing dual degree students to complete their JD coursework in five semesters rather than the usual six. All coursework must be approved by the respective program to count towards the dual degree program. Likewise, some law school coursework will count toward the PhD and MA program requirements, allowing students to accelerate the completion of those degrees. For students in the JD/MA program, both degrees are typically conferred at the end of four years (eight semesters) rather than the usual five years to complete both degrees separately. For students in the JD/PhD program, the JD is typically conferred at the end of the fourth year, while the student continues to complete the PhD requirements.

Prospective dual degree students must apply independently to both the School of Law and GSAS and be admitted to both. Current law students or GSAS doctoral students may apply to enter a dual degree program during their first year. Students looking to start the JD/PhD program at GSAS should inquire with the School of Law about the program sequence. Please refer to the GSAS website for information regarding funding for PhD candidates.

Students interested in a dual degree program are encouraged to contact Amy Chu, Senior Director of Academic Services and Registration at the School of Law ( [email protected] or 212-998-6020) or Tania Barnes at GSAS ( [email protected] ) for more information.

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Joint phd program in social work and social science, joint phd program funding.

The Joint Program provides all incoming doctoral students with a multi-year funding package.

Read publications written by PhD students at the School of Social Work.

PhD Students on the Job Market

Curricula vitae and research summaries for doctoral students from the U-M SSW Joint Doctoral Program.

As a Joint PhD student, you will be a member of a select group of outstanding scholars and researchers who study, collaborate and work in an interdisciplinary environment. Joint PhD students earn an interdisciplinary degree in Social Work and one of four social science fields. Joint PhD students reflect the populations they serve and address society’s challenging issues through scientifically rigorous social and behavioral research.

Social Work/Social Science Joint PhD

Joint PhD students earn an interdisciplinary degree in Social Work and one of three social science fields:

  • Anthropology

Top-Ranked Faculty

U-M faculty create a robust interdisciplinary culture and formulate solutions to serious worldwide problems. Together, Joint PhD students mentored by faculty tackle society’s most pressing problems- poverty, homelessness, mental illness, violence towards children and addiction to name a few. U-M faculty empower students to extend their reach, deepen their impact and create real social change.

Learn more about SSW faculty »

Social Work Joint PhD Program Offers

  • Generous scholarships (minimum of 5 terms full scholarship)
  • Funded teaching and research opportunities
  • Opportunities for international collaborations and research
  • Funded health care plan

Apply to the Joint PhD Program

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PhD Office 1080 South University Room B660 Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1106

Phone: (734) 763-5768 Email: [email protected]

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Dual and Joint Programs

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Students interested in completing more than one graduate degree may be interested in our MD/PhD, dual MBA/MS or joint JD/PHD/MS programs. Please contact [email protected] for questions regarding any of the below programs.

Students interested in a career-oriented toward bioengineering and medicine can pursue the combined MD/PhD program. Stanford provides two ways to earn an MD/PhD: 

  • US citizens and permanent residents can apply to the  Medical Scientist Training Program  and can be accepted with funding from both the MD and PhD programs with stipend/tuition. They can then select a bioengineering laboratory for their PhD.
  • Students not admitted to the Medical Scientist Training Program must apply and be admitted separately to the MD program and the PhD program of their choice.

The PhD degree is administered by the Department of Bioengineering. To be formally admitted as a PhD degree candidate in this combined degree program, the student must apply through normal departmental channels and must have earned or have plans to earn an MS in bioengineering or another engineering discipline at Stanford or another university. The MS requires 45 units of coursework, which consists of core bioengineering courses, technical electives, seminars and 6 unrestricted units. In addition, students will be expected to pass the Department of Bioengineering PhD qualifying examination. For students fulfilling the full MD requirements who earned their master’s-level engineering degree at Stanford, the Department of Bioengineering will waive its normal departmental requirement that the 15 units applied toward the PhD degree (beyond the master’s degree level) be formal course work. Consistent with the university’s PhD requirements, the department will instead accept 15 units comprised of courses, research or seminars that are approved by the student’s academic advisor and the department chair. Students not completing their MS engineering degree at Stanford will be required to take 15 units of formal course work in engineering-related areas, as determined by their academic advisor.

Dual MBA/MS

Stanford offers the opportunity to pursue a dual MS/MBA, which combines its world-leading programs in engineering and business. Admitted students fulfill the degree requirements for each degree with advising from BioE and GSB. Students may choose to pursue the dual MS/MBA concurrently or consecutively.

Candidates interested in pursuing the dual MS/MBA must apply to and be accepted by the other program separately, then notify the BioE program or GSB. Candidates may apply concurrently to both programs or apply to the dual degree program during the first year as an MBA or MS student.

For more information about applying to the MBA and BioE MS program, please consult the  MBA admissions website  and  BioE graduate admissions website.

Joint JD/MS/PhD

The School of Law and the Department of Bioengineering offer joint programs leading to either a JD degree combined with an MS degree in Bioengineering or to a JD combined with a PhD in Bioengineering.

The JD/MS and JD/PhD degree programs are designed for students who wish to prepare themselves intensively for careers in areas relating to both law and bioengineering. Students interested in either joint degree program must apply and gain entrance separately to the School of Law and the Department of Bioengineering and, as an additional step, must secure permission from both academic units to pursue degrees in those units as part of a joint degree program. Interest in either joint degree program should be noted on the student’s admission applications and may be considered by the admission committee of each program. Alternatively, an enrolled student in either the Law School or the Bioengineering Department may apply for admission to the other program and for joint degree status in both academic units after commencing study in either program.

Joint degree students may elect to begin their course of study in either the School of Law or the Department of Bioengineering. Faculty advisers from each academic unit will participate in the planning and supervising of the student’s joint program. Students must be enrolled full time in the Law School for the first year of law school, and, at some point during the joint program, may be required to devote one or more quarters largely or exclusively to studies in the Bioengineering program regardless of whether enrollment at that time is in the Law School or the Department of Bioengineering. At all other times, enrollment may be in the graduate school or the Law School, and students may choose courses from either program regardless of where enrolled. Students must satisfy the requirements for both the JD and the MS or PhD degrees as specified in the Stanford Bulletin or elsewhere.

The Law School shall approve courses from the Bioengineering Department that may count toward the JD degree, and the Bioengineering Department shall approve courses from the Law School that may count toward the MS or PhD degree in Bioengineering. In either case, approval may consist of a list applicable to all joint degree students or may be tailored to each student’s program. The lists may differ depending on whether the student is pursuing an MS or a PhD in Bioengineering.

In the case of a JD/MS program, no more than 45 units of approved courses may be counted toward both degrees. In the case of a JD/PhD program, no more than 54 units of approved courses may be counted toward both degrees. In either case, no more than 36 units of courses that originate outside the Law School may count toward the law degree. To the extent that courses under this joint degree program originate outside of the Law School but count toward the law degree, the Law School credits permitted under Section 17(1) of the Law School Regulations shall be reduced on a unit-per-unit basis, but not below zero.

The maximum number of Law School credits that may be counted toward the MS or PhD in Bioengineering is the greater of: (i) 15 units; or (ii) the maximum number of units from courses outside of the department that MS or PhD candidates in Bioengineering are permitted to count toward the applicable degree under general departmental guidelines or in the case of a particular student’s individual program. Tuition and financial aid arrangements will normally be through the school in which the student is then enrolled.

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Joint Degree and Cooperative Programs

Joint degrees within stanford university.

Stanford Law School offers three types of joint degree—JD/Master’s, JD/MD, and JD/PhD—in 21 subject areas.

JD/Master’s

Our JD/Master’s programs are ideal for students who plan to practice law after graduation, though they may also be helpful for students interested in an academic career. Most JD/Master’s degrees can be completed in three years, although several may take longer, depending on the specific master’s degree.

Three of the world’s most high-impact fields — law, medicine, and biosciences — come together in Stanford Law’s JD/MD program. Stanford is one of just a handful of universities with top-ranked schools of both law and medicine as well as a robust program in biosciences. A university-wide tradition of encouraging and nurturing innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration — along with a location in Silicon Valley, with its thriving biotech and medtech industries — makes Stanford a particularly welcoming home for work that merges these three dynamic disciplines. See Law and Medicine for more info .

Students interested in an academic career—or those seeking greater depth in another discipline—may want to consider a JD/PhD. The length of time required for these degrees varies depending how long it takes to complete a dissertation, but under Stanford Law’s innovative programs, the typical JD/PhD can be completed in anywhere from 18 months to two years less time than required anywhere else. More important, a Stanford JD/PhD can be completed at one–third the cost of a similar joint degree anywhere else.

Because of the cross-crediting of units and because JD/PhD candidates are expected to spend only one year in full-time residence at the law school (the rest of their academic career is spent in the PhD department with full funding and with allowances made to register for courses at the law school), students need at most to pay for one year of law school.

Note to applicants: The Knight-Hennessy Scholars program awards full funding to Stanford graduate students from all disciplines, with additional opportunities for leadership training and collaboration across fields.

Applications for the Knight-Hennessy Scholars are due in early Autumn one year prior to enrollment. View dates and deadlines . You can also sign up for Knight-Hennessy Scholars email alerts to stay up to date on the availability of their online application.

Learn more about the Knight-Hennessy Scholars program

Established Joint Degrees

Hearing from previous joint degree students.

Joint Degree and Cooperative Programs

SLS Students Offer Advice to Those Considering a Joint Degree

Joint Degree and Cooperative Programs 1

SLS Students Describe What a "Typical Day" Is Like For Those Getting a Joint Degree

Joint Degree and Cooperative Programs 2

SLS Students Discuss the Advantages of Getting a Joint Degree at Stanford

Cooperative Programs with Other Universities

Stanford JD students also have pursued degrees with other universities. For example, Stanford JD students have pursued degrees at Harvard Kennedy School, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, and Princeton Woodrow Wilson School. The approval process begins after you are admitted, independently, to both programs you wish to pursue. Please note, you may enroll in either a joint degree among schools at Stanford or a degree from an external university, but not both.

Degree Requirements

  • Of the 111 quarter units required for the JD, you must earn at least 80 units at the Law School under a Law School course listing. You may fulfill up to all of the remaining 31 units via coursework taken in your other program, whether at Stanford University or another institution; however, restrictions may apply and you should check with the bar examiners of the state in which you intend to practice about any restrictions they may impose. (In the case of JD/PhD programs, Stanford Law School may award the JD degree upon completion of the JD degree requirements.)
  • You must spend 7 quarters of full-time study at the Law School.

Course Requirements

Both schools related to the joint degree must approve your curriculum choices. In some instances, you may work from a preapproved list of joint degree courses; in others, you may customize a course of study. In any case, however, you will be able to work with particular advisors from both schools to determine and obtain approval for your curriculum.

To the extent that courses under a joint degree program originate outside the law school but count toward the law degree, law school credits shall be permitted only in accordance with ABA accreditation standards. To learn more about course requirements, please see links to specific degrees.

  • Academics /

Joint Undergraduate and Graduate Program

This Joint Program provides an accelerated pathway to earn both a bachelor’s and master’s degree at Harvard.

Online with On-Campus Experience

Average Course Tuition

Undergraduate: $2,040; Graduate: $3,220

What You'll Learn

Build the skills to meet today’s demand for the T-shaped professional. In our Joint Program, you experience a broad liberal arts background that fosters cross-cultural understanding, evidence-based communication, and peer-to-peer collaboration.

You also develop the deep, focused learning of a specific graduate field, such as management, finance, sustainability, software engineering, digital media design, information management systems, psychology, international relations, or biology.

  • Earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree for less money and time—you double count four courses toward both degrees.
  • Continuous enrollment, with no gap in time between undergraduate and graduate coursework.
  • Add a certificate to your graduate degree course planning, and advance your career with an additional credential.

Getting Started: Admissions and Degree Requirements

In the Joint Program, you earn a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree, plus a Master of Liberal Arts degree in any field we currently offer.

Once approved for Joint Program participation, four graduate-level courses will count toward both degrees. Students must earn a B or higher in these four courses to continue in the program.

Eligibility

In order to apply to the program, you must meet the following requirements:

  • Be an admitted degree candidate to the  Bachelor of Liberal Arts program
  • Earned 96 credits toward the Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree with a 3.5 or higher GPA
  • If you already possess a bachelor’s degree, you are ineligible for the joint program.

Application Materials

You apply to the Joint Program by submitting the following materials:

  • Joint Program application form
  • Current résumé
  • Essay outlining your reasons for wanting to pursue the Master of Liberal Arts degree, specifically stating how your professional experience or goals aligns with your graduate field interest.

Cost and Financial Aid

Affordability is core to our mission. When compared to our continuing education peers, it’s a fraction of the cost.

After admission, you may qualify for financial aid. Typically, eligible students receive grant funds to cover a portion of tuition costs each term, in addition to federal financial aid options.

Completing the Program

This program is designed for students who are highly motivated and strong academic performers.

Advising Tip: If interested in the Joint Program, which many ALB candidates are, we advise you to work closely with your ALB advisor as you’ll want to avoid enrolling in specific ALM preadmission and core degree requirements prior to receiving Joint Program approval due to our repeat policy (e.g., you cannot repeat a course for graduate credit that you have already taken for undergraduate credit). Moreover, any graduate-level course taken prior to Joint Program approval cannot be counted toward the ALM degree, as you need to be close to finishing your ALB before embarking on graduate-level work.

In order to successfully earn both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, you must fulfill the following requirements:

Grade Requirements

You must receive a B or higher in all four courses that double count toward the degree. If not, the courses will not double count, they will only apply towards the Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree, and you’ll be ineligible to move forward with the Joint Program. Earning even one grade below B (including B-) will disqualify you from the program, this includes withdrawal grades.

Double counting of credit is not offered unless you apply and are accepted to the Joint Program. Courses taken prior to acceptance will not be counted.

Repeat Courses

Credit is not awarded for any course that duplicates the subject matter of a previous course taken at the Extension School or Harvard Summer School for which undergraduate or graduate credit has already been received. The only exception to the repeat rule are creative writing courses with an R in the course number (e.g., CREA 100R). You may repeat those courses once.

Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree Requirements

Meet all degree, academic standing, and on-campus requirements for both degrees.  For the Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree, you’ll need to complete four courses on campus. Weekend and three-week options are available. On-campus requirements for the Master of Liberal Arts vary by program. Visit the graduate degree field of your choice for details.

On-campus housing is available through Harvard Summer School for full-time study and a separate fee. The F-1 student visa for international students is available for full-time study at the Harvard Summer School only. Ordinarily, on-campus requirements for the both the bachelor’s and master’s degrees can be easily met via Harvard Summer School.

Graduate with your Harvard University Degrees: You participate in the annual Harvard Commencement twice, first receiving your Bachelor of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies and, later your Master of Liberal Arts in Extension Studies from Harvard University.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) at Harvard University is dedicated to bringing rigorous academics and innovative teaching capabilities to those seeking to improve their lives through education. We make Harvard education accessible to lifelong learners from high school to retirement.

Harvard Division of Continuing Education Logo

Georgetown Law

Joint & dual degree programs.

Georgetown Law sponsors degree programs in which students may simultaneously earn a Juris Doctor (J.D.) from the Law Center and a graduate degree from the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business (M.B.A.), McCourt School of Public Policy (M.P.P.), Walsh School of Foreign Service (M.S.F.S., M.A.A.S., M.A.E.R.E.S., M.A.G.E.S., M.A. Latin American Studies, or M.A.S.S.P.), the Department of Government (J.D./Ph.D.), the Department of Philosophy (J.D./M.A., J.D./Ph.D.), or the graduate program at Georgetown Law (J.D./LL.M.). A J.D./M.P.H. is also offered in cooperation with the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

joint phd and masters programs

Naveen Jindal School of Management

The Naveen Jindal School of Management (JSOM) offers a range of degree options and program formats designed to serve the diverse needs of a student population composed of working adults, traditional full-time graduate students and residential undergraduate students.

Graduate programs stress the theory and use of applied sciences for successful management and administration of private and public institutions. Courses provide an opportunity to gain integrated and detailed knowledge of the functional areas of management as well as analytical tools for effective appraisal and decision-making. Seminars and research on specific projects are designed to develop creativity and to stimulate the student toward an integrated application of acquired knowledge.

The Naveen Jindal School of Management's mission is to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing, technology- driven, global society by partnering with the business community to:

  • deliver high quality management education to a diverse group of undergraduate and graduate students and practicing executives;
  • develop and continuously improve programs advancing management education and practice; and,
  • conduct world-class research enhancing cutting-edge management knowledge.

NOTE> Please be advised, the degrees/certificates offered section below feeds in from a separate page. Any changes made to the degrees/certificates offered section below will not be retained. Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

Degrees Offered

Masters Programs

Master of Science in Accounting and Analytics (36 semester credit hours minimum)

Master of Business Administration (53 semester credit hours minimum)

Master of Science in Business Analytics (STEM) (36 semester credit hours minimum)

Master of Science in Energy Management (STEM) (36 semester credit hours minimum)

Master of Science in Finance (36 semester credit hours minimum)

Master of Science in Financial Technology and Analytics (STEM) (36 semester credit hours minimum)

Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership and Management (36 semester credit hours minimum)

Master of Science in Information Technology and Management (STEM) (36 semester credit hours minimum)

Master of Science in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (36 semester credit hours minimum)

Master of Science in International Management Studies (36 semester credit hours minimum)

Master of Science in Management Science (STEM) (36 semester credit hours minimum)

Master of Science in Marketing (36 semester credit hours minimum)

Master of Science in Supply Chain Management (STEM) (36 semester credit hours minimum)

Master of Science in Systems Engineering and Management (STEM) (36 semester credit hours minimum) 1

Doctoral Programs

Doctor of Philosophy in International Management Studies (75 semester credit hours minimum beyond the baccalaureate degree)

Doctor of Philosophy in Management Science (STEM) (75 semester credit hours minimum beyond the baccalaureate degree)

Executive Education

Executive Education Programs

Certificates Offered

  • Certificate in Applied Machine Learning (12 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Business Intelligence and Data Mining (12 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Corporate Innovation (9 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Cybersecurity Systems (12 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Intelligent Enterprise Systems (9 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Executive and Professional Coaching (15 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Fintech (12 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Financial Data Science (12 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Global Marketing (15 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Healthcare Information Technology (9 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Healthcare Informatics Leadership (11 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Lean Six Sigma (Yellow/Green) in Healthcare Quality (12 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in New Venture Entrepreneurship (9 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Negotiation and Mediation (12 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Organizational Consulting (12 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Product Lifecycle and Supply Chain Management (15 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Project Management (12 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Research Foundations in Accounting (15 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Strategic Human Resources (12 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Systems Engineering (12 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Systems Management (12 semester credit hours minimum)
  • Certificate in Transformational Leadership (12 semester credit hours minimum)

1. Program offered jointly by the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science and the Naveen Jindal School of Management.

NOTE> Please be advised, the faculty section below feeds in from a separate database. Any changes made to the faculty section below will not be retained. Please contact Rosa Thompson ([email protected]) with any questions or changes.

FACG> jsom-~-ms,jsom-~-ma,jsom-~-phd,jsom-~-mpp,jsom-~-online

Professors: Ashiq Ali @axa042200 , Alain Bensoussan @axb046100 , Gary Bolton @gxb122130 , Metín Çakanyildirim @metin , Huseyin Cavusoglu @huseyin , Jianqing Chen @jxc111031 , William M. Cready @wmc041000 , Milind Dawande @milind , Gregory G. Dess @ggd021000 , Umit G. Gurun @ugg041000 , Dorothée Honhon @dbh130130 , Bin Hu @bxh180009 , Kyle Hyndman @tdp062000 , Varghese S. Jacob @vjacob , Sanjay Jain @sxj164830 , Ganesh Janakiraman @gxj091000 , Elena Katok @emk120030 , Dmitri Kuksov @dgk120030 , Nanda Kumar @nkumar , Seung-Hyun Lee @sxl029100 , Ningzhong Li @nxl124130 , Stanley Liebowitz @liebowit , Zhiang (John) Lin @zlin , Sumit K. Majumdar @skm021100 , Stanimir Markov @sxm079200 , Amit Mehra @axm078200 , Syam Menon @sxm021300 , Vijay S. Mookerjee @vijaym , B. P. S. Murthi @murthi , Vikram Nanda @vkn150030 , Özalp Özer @oxo091000 , Mike W. Peng @mxp059000 , Hasan Pirkul @hpirkul , Cuili Qian @cxq170330 , Suresh Radhakrishnan @sradhakr , Srinivasan Raghunathan @sraghu , Ram C. Rao @rrao , Brian Ratchford @btr051000 , Michael J. Rebello @mjr071000 , Gil Sadka @gxs143630 , Sumit Sarkar @sumit , Suresh P. Sethi @sethi , Kathryn E. Stecke @kes021000 , Upender Subramanian @uxs092000 , Riki Takeuchi @rxt173730 , Wing Kwong (Eric) Tsang @wkt071000 , Jun Xia @jxx132030 , Ying Xie @yxx124930 , Harold Zhang @hxz054000 , Zhiqiang (Eric) Zheng @zxz062000

Associate Professors: Mehmet Ayvaci @mua120030 , Nina Baranchuk @nxb043000 , Zhonglan Dai @zxd051000 , Rebecca Files @rlf092000 , Michael Hasler @mxh190031 , Bin Hu @bxh180009 , Ying Huang @yxh124430 , Surya N. Janakiraman @suryaj , Robert L. Kieschnick Jr. @rkiesch , Atanu Lahiri @axl144730 , Jun Li @jxl128031 , Ningzhong Li @nxl124130 , Maria Loumioti @mxl175830 , Lívia Markóczy @lxm055000 , Ramachandran (Ram) Natarajan @nataraj , Naim Bugra Ozel @nbo150030 , H. Dennis Park @hxp174230 , Anyan Qi @axq140430 , Young U. Ryu @ryoung , Serdar Simsek @axs158032 , Harpreet Singh @hxs104000 , Upender Subramanian @uxs092000 , Shaojie Tang @sxt146930 , Mengxin Wang @mxw230006 , Shouqiang Wang @sxw163830 , Yining Wang @yxw220006 , Kelsey D. Wei @kdw061000 , Junfeng Wu @jxw175430 , Han (Victor) Xia @hxx110930 , Steven Xiao @sxx150930 , Yexiao Xu @yexiaoxu , Alejandro Zentner @axz051000 , Jieying Zhang @jxz146230 , Yuan Zhang @yxz122931 , Zhe (James) Zhang @zxz145430 , Feng Zhao @fxz082000 , Yibin Zhou @yxz066000

Assistant Professors: Ziyi Cao @zxc230012 , Mingliu Chen @mxc230032 , Qingqing Chen @qxc230004 , Khai Chiong @kxc173030 , Hyesook Chung @hxc220020 , Rafael Copat @rxc190027 , Soraya Fatehi @sxf200005 , Andrew Frazelle @aef180002 , Junfan Huang @jxh230025 , Ying Huang @yxh124430 , Joonhwi Joo @jxj180020 , Sora Jun @sxj177030 , Jason Kautz @jdk200000 , Tongil Kim @txk200012 , Karren Knowlton @kxk230060 , Xinyao Kong @xxk230000 , Heeseung Lee @hxl220030 , Jennifer Lee @jxl220041 , Sheen Levine @ssl140530 , Meng Li @mxl120531 , Ning Alex Li @anl230000 , Christopher Mace @cxm200014 , Samir Mamadehussene @sxm200118 , Jean-Marie Meier @jmm172030 , Zixuan Meng @zxm200005 , Neda Miraeian @nxm220040 , Radha Mookerjee @rvm019000 , Jedson Pinto @jpp200002 , Christopher Reilly @cxr220013 , Ignacio Rios Uribe @iar200000 , Alejandro Rivera Mesias @axr150331 , Alessio Saretto @axs125732 , Anavir Shermon @axs230255 , Frederico Siano @fxs220013 , Simon Siegenthaler @sxs177933 , Kirti Sinha @kxs190050 , Shujing Sun @sxs200168 , Xiaoxiao Tang @xxt180003 , Shervin Tehrani @sst180003 , Ashwin Venkataraman @axv190029 , Christian Von-Drathen @cxv141430 , Guihua Wang @gxw130630 , Hongchang Wang @hxw140930 , Mengxin Wang @mxw230006 , Pingle Wang @pxw200007 , Xiaoning Wang @xxw230006 , Nicole West @nxw230005 , Junfeng Wu @jxw175430 , Steven Xiao @sxx150930 , Wensi Zhang @wxz161430 , Yingjie Zhang @yxz180067 , Hongda Zhong @hxz230006

Professors of Practice: Gregory Ballew @geb011100 , Tiffany A. Bortz @tabortz , Ranavir Bose @rxb132730 , Alexander Edsel @ade012000 , Charles Haseman @cxh180018 , Rajiv Shah @rxs079000 , Donald Taylor @det190000 , Keith Thurgood @klt160130

Clinical Professors: John Barden @jpb063000 , Britt Berrett @brb051000 , Abhijit Biswas @axb019100 , Shawn Carraher @smc130730 , Larry Chasteen @chasteen , Paul Convery @pxc141930 , Tevfik Dalgic @tdalgic , Howard Dover @hfd021000 , John Gamino @jpg140630 , Randall S. Guttery @rxg112530 , William Hefley @weh150130 , Robert Hicks @rfh041000 , Robert Kaiser @rck180000 , Marilyn Kaplan @mkaplan , Van Latham @vml170230 , Sonia Leach @sel120030 , Peter Lewin @plewin , Jeffrey Manzi @jxm158130 , John F. McCracken @jfm , Diane S. McNulty @dmcnulty , Larry Norton @lxn171230 , Divakar Rajamani @dxr020100 , Daniel Rajaratnam @dxr143430 , Kannan Ramanathan @kxr087000 , Prakash Shrivastava @pcs130130 , Mark Thouin @mxt083000 , McClain Watson @jmw077000 , Jeff Weekley @jaw160330 , Habte Woldu @wolduh , Fang Wu @fxw052000 , Laurie L. Ziegler @ziegler

Clinical Associate Professors: Shawn Alborz @sxa063000 , Dawn Owens @dmo130130 , Parneet Pahwa @pxp030100 , Carolyn Reichert @carolyn , Avanti P. Sethi @asethi , Ramesh Subramoniam @rxs179630 , Aysegul Toptal @axt083100 , David Widdifield @dsw180001

Clinical Assistant Professors: Athena Alimirzaei @axa134231 , Christina (Krysta) Betanzos @clb120030 , Moran Blueshtein @mxb135230 , Jerome Gafford @jmg171130 , Jeffery (Jeff) Hicks @jnh061000 , Dupinderjeet Kaur @dxk110730 , Revansiddha Khanapure @rbk160130 , Kristen Lawson @kal110030 , Liping Ma @lxm133730 , Ravi Narayan @rln130030 , Parneet Pahwa @pxp030100 , Jason Parker @jap090020 , Drew Peabody @sdp093020 , Nassim Sohaee @nxs045000

Senior Lecturers: Juliann Chapman @jgc160130 , Madison Pedigo @mfp013000

Professors Emeriti: R. Chandrasekaran @chandra , John J. Wiorkowski @wiorkow

Associate Professors Emeriti: J. Richard Harrison @harrison , Jane Salk @jes025000 , David J. Springate @spring8

Professors of Instruction: Semiramis Amirpour @sxa130731 , Mary Beth Goodrich @goodrich , Chris Linsteadt @ccl019000 , Suzette Plaisance Bryan @stp170002 , Matt Polze @mmp062000 , Luell (Lou) Thompson @lot013000

Associate Professors of Instruction: Vivek Arora @vxa081000 , Judd Bradbury @jdb101000 , Monica E. Brussolo @meb049000 , Amal El-Ashmawi @ahe013000 , Ayfer Gurun @axg119030 , Maria Hasenhuttl @h1562 , Julie Haworth @haworth , Thomas (Tom) Henderson @txh093000 , Jennifer G. Johnson @jxj091000 , Sarmann Kennedyd @sik220001 , Kathryn Lookadoo @kxl164330 , Sarah Moore @sem054000 , Mohammad Naseri Taheri @mxn121930 , Hirofumi Nishi @hxn210016 , Daniel Sibley @dcs170002 , Agnieszka Skuza @axo027000 , Tristan Whalen @tgw100020 , Lidong Wu @lxw097120 , Hubert Zydorek @hxz120930

Assistant Professors of Instruction: Negin Enayaty Ahangar @nxe180001 , Jennifer G. Johnson @jxj091000 , Daniel Karnuta @dxk173030 , Joseph Mauriello @jam151430 , Victoria D. McCrady @vdm130030 , Edward Meda @exm150330 , Rasoul Ramezani @rxr145930 , Gaurav Shekhar @gxs150130

The Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree program provides students with a broad managerial education drawing from all business disciplines. The Jindal School of Management offers several approaches to obtaining an MBA degree.

The MS in Accounting (MS ACCT) degree program enables students to tailor their degree in preparation for specific career goals by selecting electives from various fields, including corporate accounting, assurance services, taxation services, internal audit, and governmental accounting. The Jindal School of Management offers two options (see the program details).

The MS in Business Analytics (MS BUAN) is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degree program that addresses the collection, management and analysis of data using information technology tools and sophisticated mathematical models that can provide deep business insights for formulating and implementing business strategies. The Jindal School of Management offers two options (see the program details).

The MS in Energy Management (MS EM) is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degree program that trains students in the fundamentals of global energy markets and provides them with skills necessary to make managerial decisions faced by diverse energy companies. The curriculum addresses concepts related to economics, finance, business strategy, risk management, public policy, technology and energy supply chain with the objective of identifying challenges and opportunities.

The MS in Finance (MS FIN) is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degree program that provides students with the practical and theoretical knowledge needed by finance professionals. Students learn the quantitative skills required to analyze financial information, make financial decisions and valuations, select and analyze portfolios and manage risk. The program is designed for students with or without previous educational background in finance. The Jindal School of Management offers two options (see the program details).

The MS in Financial Technology and Analytics (MS FTEC) is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) cohort degree program that requires a minimum of 36 semester credit hours. This Fintech program provides students with the practical and theoretical knowledge needed to pursue careers involving digital financial technologies and financial data analytics. The program is designed for students with or without previous educational background in finance, but with a proclivity toward more computer-based approaches to financial issues.

The MS in Healthcare Leadership and Management (MS HMGT) prepares students for roles in the leadership and management of the U.S. healthcare industry by building a foundation in advanced business management theory and practice with an understanding of the structure, operation, and financing of the U.S. healthcare system. The Jindal School of Management offers four options (see the program details).

The MS in Information Technology and Management (MS ITM) is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degree program that prepares students to apply information technology to business problems and create efficient and effective solutions. The MS ITM is available as an on-campus or an online degree program and also offers opportunities for students to concentrate in specific tracks, depending on their interests and goals.

The MS in Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MS IE) prepares students for successful business careers in entrepreneurial new ventures, entrepreneurial finance (venture capital/private equity), or innovation-related roles in mature organizations (product planning, product marketing, product development, and more). The program offers two options: the Innovation within the Corporation concentration and the New Venture concentration, which includes the Startup Launch specialty as a separate option. The program provides a solid foundation in the management disciplines essential to innovation, with specific focus on the tools, techniques and skills required to develop and lead product, service and business-model innovation.

The MS in International Management Studies (MS IMS) degree program provides relevant knowledge and training in international management, which includes trade across national boundaries, management practices within multinational firms and international organizations. The program provides students the opportunity to learn the (1) functional areas of management, (2) international management practices and strategies, and (3) cultural, sociopolitical and geographical constraints affecting international business decisions.

The MS in Management Science (MS MSc) is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degree program that is highly flexible and customizable and provides students the opportunity for specialized education in a specific management discipline by designing a program of study that fits their specific needs. Students choose their own course of study, selecting a variety of elective courses and concentrations to gain an in-depth knowledge of a specific business area. The MS MSc is available as an on-campus or an online degree program.

The MS in Marketing (MS MKT) program prepares students seeking higher level positions in marketing and/or pursuing a graduate program to further advance their marketing knowledge. The MS in Marketing program offers five specialized tracks: advertising and branding, digital advertising and marketing, marketing analytics and insights, product management, and a general track of marketing management track.

The MS in Supply Chain Management (MS SCM) is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degree program that explores the key issues associated with the design and management of industrial supply chains, sourcing, production and logistics and provides students with advanced knowledge on how to identify, resolve, and manage such complex operational problems. Students acquire not only the crucial knowledge of business management but also analytical decision-making skills along with real-life experiences gained through industry projects with area companies. The MS SCM is available as an on-campus or an online degree program.

The MS in Systems Engineering and Management (MS SEM) is a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) degree program that teaches both technical and human-centered courses. The program is taught in two formats - (a) Professional and (b) Traditional. The Professional format is directed towards students with three or more years of professional experience, as well as corporate employees, or those presently working and hence can attend classes only on weekends or evenings. The traditional format is meant for regular full-time students with less than three years of work experience, and those presently not working and hence can attend classes during the weekday. Target industries for the program include aerospace and defense, business and data analytics, control and mechatronics, cybersecurity and information assurance, energy and infrastructure, enterprise and data management, entrepreneurship and innovation management, global supply chain and operations management, healthcare systems, optimization theory and operations research, telecom, IT and multimedia networks, and transportation.

Combined/Joint Degree Programs

The MD/MBA program is a joint effort of the school of medicine at UT Southwestern Medical Center and the Naveen Jindal School of Management. Students usually complete the first three years of the medical curriculum (all basic science courses and third-year clinical rotations) and then take a one-year leave of absence from the medical school to complete the business curriculum. Students then return to the medical school for completion of the medial curriculum in the required fourth-year clinical clerkships and electives. At the end of the five years, the medical degree will be awarded by UT Southwestern and the MBA by UT Dallas.

The MS EE/MBA is a unique combined master's degree program, graduate students may earn an MS EE degree from the Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science in combination with an MBA , or an MS degree from the Naveen Jindal School of Management. This combined degree program is ideal for students interested in managing new technologies, from conceptualization and development to introduction and production. Students must meet the admission requirements in both schools and have an advisor in both schools. The combination of MS EE and MBA degrees can be earned by completing a minimum of 68 graduate semester credit hours, compared to 86 semester credit hours if completing the two degrees separately. The combination of MS EE and MS degrees can be earned by completing a minimum of 51 semester credit hours beyond prerequisites, compared to 69 semester credit hours if completing the two degrees separately.

The joint Executive MS SEM/MBA degree program at the Naveen Jindal School of Management and the Erik Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science provides both deep knowledge in SEM and all areas of management with an enhanced worldwide perspective of business leadership for increasing productivity, efficiency and profitability. The program is suitable for experienced graduate students seasoned by three or more years as workforce professionals who seek a more comprehensive education in technical skills as well as broad-based business-leadership capabilities for the global economy. A joint MS SEM/MBA degree is also available to regular full-time students in the traditional format of the program. In the joint program, students can earn both degrees with a minimum of 63 semester credit hours.

MS/MBA Double Degree Requirements

The MS/MBA double degree provides an opportunity for students to potentially share coursework between two degrees while taking advantage of time and tuition benefits. Students interested in this option will pursue the Professional MBA Flex program with a Master of Science program. Students enrolled in the MS/MBA double degree program must maintain a core, degree, and cumulative GPA of 3.0 in both programs to qualify for both degrees. In addition, MS/MBA students must complete both programs at the same time to be awarded both degrees. In the MS/MBA double degree, students can earn both degrees with a minimum of 63 semester credit hours.

Double Degree Master of Science Options*:

  • MS Accounting Flex
  • MS Business Analytics (STEM)
  • MS Energy Management (STEM)
  • MS Finance Flex (STEM)
  • MS Healthcare Leadership and Management
  • MS Information Technology and Management (STEM)
  • MS Innovation & Entrepreneurship
  • MS International Management Studies
  • MS Management Science (STEM)
  • MS Marketing (STEM)
  • MS Supply Chain Management (STEM)
  • MS Systems Engineering and Management (STEM)

*All MS degrees are not fully available online.

PhD Programs

The PhD in International Management Studies provides the opportunity to conduct research in the analysis of international business, emphasizing a strong foundation in theory and research in organizations and strategy. International Management Studies focuses on the analysis of organizations, industries and markets as interdependent systems, stressing structural, strategic, environmental, and international considerations and their implications for management. Topics such as corporate strategy, international business, multinational management, organization design and change, technological and industrial development, and managerial decision-making are examined using management theories and empirical methods.

The PhD in Management Science provides the opportunity to conduct research in a functional business area to contribute to the knowledge in that field with respect to its intellectual content or professional practice. The Naveen Jindal School of Management defines Management Science as the use of economics, behavioral science, mathematics and statistics to conduct rigorous scientific research. It encompasses both theory and empirical analysis. Management Science embraces areas of specialization such as accounting, finance, information systems, marketing and operations management. It has no clear boundaries among the various areas, places emphasis on science, and is not constrained by the culture of individual disciplines. It is the underlying orientation of science and integration that distinguishes Management Science from other philosophies and approaches to the study of management.

Both doctoral programs offer preparation for academic and/or research positions in universities, with organizations such as the World Bank, and in industry, both in the United States and in other countries.

The Naveen Jindal School of Management also offers Executive Education degree programs. Executive Education MBA programs are offered for students with eight years of experience. These include (1) the Executive MBA program, (2) the Global Leadership Executive MBA is a hybrid program with both classroom and distance learning with a focus on exploring geographic regions, entering in new geographic markets and leading and executing in those markets, (3) the Executive MBA with emphasis in project management that highlights managing complex projects, (4) the Executive MBA with concentration in Product Lifecycle and Supply Chain Management, and (5) the Healthcare Leadership and Management Executive MBA for physicians interested in learning how to improve the leadership and management of their organizations. Students in Executive Education programs are assessed program-related fees beyond those charged to other graduate students to cover the additional costs of unique scheduling, events and services associated with these programs. Each of these programs requires a minimum 53 semester credit hours to graduate.

The Naveen Jindal School of Management opened its 203,000 square-foot JSOM I building in Fall 2003. The three wings, arranged around a courtyard, provide classrooms, meeting rooms, office space, and state-of-the-art wireless access to the Internet throughout the facility. JSOM II building, opened in December 2014 with an additional 108,000 square feet of space.

NOTE> Please be advised, the admissions section below feeds in from a separate page. Any changes made to the admissions section below will not be retained. Please contact [email protected] with any questions.

Admission Requirements to Master's Programs

Please visit the University's general admission criteria for the graduate programs. The following factors are considered in arriving at an admission decision:

  • A bachelor's degree from an institution in the United States, or its equivalent (all majors are considered),
  • International applicants must submit a TOEFL score of at least 80 on the Internet-based test that is less than two years old,
  • Personal essay outlining academic interests and goals,
  • All master's programs will require at least one letter of recommendation which can be either academic or professional. For the MBA programs, at least one letter must be professional,

Applications are due in the Admissions Office 90 days prior to registration for international students and 45 days prior to registration for all other students. Students are admitted three times per year and can start their studies during any one of the three semesters. Students may apply for the Dean's Excellence Scholarship , which provides financial support in the form of scholarships.

Admission Requirements to Full-time (Cohort) MBA program: In addition to the factors required for admission to the evening programs, admission to the Full-time, Cohort MBA program requires the capability to perform well in a fast-paced, team-oriented curriculum. Applicants are admitted based on a composite evaluation of the submitted measures of performance which include GPA, recommendation letter, and work experience, as well as initiative and interest suggested through essays. A GRE/GMAT test score is not required, and students have the option to submit a test score if desired. A GRE/GMAT test score will only be used for admission purposes if one is provided by the applicant. Students are admitted each fall.

Admission Requirements to Executive MBA programs: Admissions are based on academic transcripts, a personal essay, three letters of recommendation, professional growth and experience and the potential that they will bring to the cohort. Students must have eight years of business experience with relevant managerial or/and international experience. A GRE/GMAT test score is not required, and students have the option to submit a test score if desired. A GRE/GMAT test score will only be used for admission purposes if one is provided by the applicant. Each applicant will interview with the program director.

Admission Requirements of the Executive Track Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership and Management for Physicians and the Healthcare Management Executive MBA for Physicians are an MD or DO degree from an accredited School of Medicine or School of Osteopathy, a copy of a current unrestricted license to practice medicine in the U.S. and a Medical School transcript.

Admission Requirements of the Executive Track Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership and Management for Healthcare Professionals and the Healthcare Management MBA for Healthcare Professionals are a Bachelor's degree from an accredited undergraduate school; letters of recommendation; statement of personal and educational objectives; professional certifications or licensure if applicable and a personal interview at the discretion of the program director.

Admission Requirements to Master of Science in Systems Engineering and Management (SEM): The Executive MS SEM is primarily for working professionals with at least three years of professional experience who can enroll only in cohort classes specially offered late on Fridays and on Saturdays. Typical students also have a bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, math, physics, chemistry, economics or finance. The Traditional MS SEM is primarily for full-time students who can enroll in regularly offered weekday and weekday evening classes. A GRE/GMAT test score is not required, and students have the option to submit a test score if desired. A GRE/GMAT test score will only be used for admission purposes if one is provided by the applicant. Typical students have a bachelor's degree in engineering, computer science, math, physics, chemistry, economics or finance.

Admission Requirements to Non-Degree Seeking Students: Students may be admitted as non-degree seeking students. To be admitted as a non-degree seeking student, students will have to meet all the admission requirements specified for degree-seeking students including relevant test scores (TOEFL). A GRE/GMAT test score is not required, and students have the option to submit a test score if desired. A GRE/GMAT test score will only be used for admission purposes if one is provided by the applicant. Students who want to switch to degree-seeking status, will have to apply to the degree program. If they are admitted, at most six credits taken as a non-degree seeking student can be transferred to the degree program.

Academic Certificate Application and Completion Requirements:

Students interested in pursuing an academic certificate must formally apply and be admitted to the certificate program at least one semester prior to completing all coursework in the certificate program. Currently enrolled students apply via the Student Center in Orion under "Apply to a Certificate Program." Prospective students who have not yet matriculated must submit an application as a non-degree seeking student using the UT Dallas Graduate Application Portal prior to enrolling in certificate coursework. Furthermore, all students pursuing a certificate must submit an application to graduate from the certificate program in the semester in which they complete their certificate coursework. Contact JSOM Graduate Advising for instructions on how to submit an application to graduate from a certificate program. Failing to apply to graduate from a certificate program in the semester in which all certificate coursework is completed may result in the assessment of additional fees.

Additional Master's Degrees

Students at the Naveen Jindal School of Management are encouraged to pursue additional master's degrees at The University of Texas at Dallas. To the extent that the requirements of some master's degrees overlap, some of the semester credit hours taken in pursuit of previously earned master's degrees at UT Dallas may be counted toward an additional master's degree. The only limitation is that more than one-half of the semester credit hours for any master's degree earned at UT Dallas must be satisfied by new coursework. A student is required to develop an approved plan of studies through the department or program offering the master's degree prior to enrolling in that degree. Similarly, a student wishing to earn two master's degrees concurrently must develop an approved plan of studies through both relevant departments and programs. All coursework for any degree must meet the academic standards of that degree.

Admissions Consideration for Applicants with Three-Year Undergraduate Degrees

Applicants with three-year undergraduate degrees will be considered for admission into our MS and MBA programs. Their candidacy will be reviewed holistically considering all of the following variables: Admission test scores, English proficiency scores if applicable, undergraduate grade point average, official transcripts from all previous institutions, undergraduate degree major and awarding institution, resume, recommendations and personal objective statement.

Substitutions and Transfers of Credit

Substitutions of program requirements may be granted in recognition of previous coursework taken in a specific business program area. Substitutions allow students to skip a core course and take the next higher level course in that area with no reduction in the overall program semester credit hour requirements. Transfers of credit may be granted for equivalent graduate coursework taken at other universities with a grade of "B" or better within the past six years. Substitutions must be approved by the program director and the area coordinator and the Dean of Graduate Education. The total number of transfers of credit toward the completion of a master's degree cannot exceed nine semester credit hours toward the MS degree, and 12 semester credit hours toward the MBA degree. Applications for approval of substitutions and transfers of credit may be obtained in and submitted to the Naveen Jindal School of Management Advising Office.

Prerequisites for Graduate Programs

Students pursuing graduate programs require to complete one semester credit hour of Professional Development course (except MS Accounting, MS  Accounting Cohort, MS Finance Cohort, MS Financial Engineering and Risk Management and MBA programs). In addition, knowledge of calculus is a requirement for certain programs (see individual degree programs for details). Students who have not completed an undergraduate calculus course may satisfy the prerequisite by completing OPRE 6303 Quantitative Foundations of Business with a grade of "B" or better. Degree credit is not earned for program prerequisites, however, the grade achieved in OPRE 6303 will count toward the student's grade-point average (GPA). Prerequisites must be satisfied within the first 12 semester credit hours of graduate study as a degree-seeking student.

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PhD Program

A PhD degree in Physics is awarded in recognition of significant and novel research contributions, extending the boundaries of our knowledge of the physical universe. Selected applicants are admitted to the PhD program of the UW Department of Physics, not to a specific research group, and are encouraged to explore research opportunities throughout the Department.

Degree Requirements

Typical timeline, advising and mentoring, satisfactory progress, financial support, more information.

Applicants to the doctoral program are expected to have a strong undergraduate preparation in physics, including courses in electromagnetism, classical and quantum mechanics, statistical physics, optics, and mathematical methods of physics. Further study in condensed matter, atomic, and particle and nuclear physics is desirable. Limited deficiencies in core areas may be permissible, but may delay degree completion by as much as a year and are are expected to remedied during the first year of graduate study.

The Graduate Admissions Committee reviews all submitted applications and takes a holistic approach considering all aspects presented in the application materials. Application materials include:

  • Resume or curriculum vitae, describing your current position or activities, educational and professional experience, and any honors awarded, special skills, publications or research presentations.
  • Statement of purpose, one page describing your academic purpose and goals.
  • Personal history statement (optional, two pages max), describing how your personal experiences and background (including family, cultural, or economic aspects) have influenced your intellectual development and interests.
  • Three letters of recommendation: submit email addresses for your recommenders at least one month ahead of deadline to allow them sufficient time to respond.
  • Transcripts (unofficial), from all prior relevant undergraduate and graduate institutions attended. Admitted applicants must provide official transcripts.
  • English language proficiency is required for graduate study at the University of Washington. Applicants whose native language is not English must demonstrate English proficiency. The various options are specified at: https://grad.uw.edu/policies/3-2-graduate-school-english-language-proficiency-requirements/ Official test scores must be sent by ETS directly to the University of Washington (institution code 4854) and be received within two years of the test date.

For additional information see the UW Graduate School Home Page , Understanding the Application Process , and Memo 15 regarding teaching assistant eligibility for non-native English speakers.

The GRE Subject Test in Physics (P-GRE) is optional in our admissions process, and typically plays a relatively minor role.  Our admissions system is holistic, as we use all available information to evaluate each application. If you have taken the P-GRE and feel that providing your score will help address specific gaps or otherwise materially strengthen your application, you are welcome to submit your scores. We emphasize that every application will be given full consideration, regardless of whether or not scores are submitted.

Applications are accepted annually for autumn quarter admissions (only), and must be submitted online. Admission deadline: DECEMBER 15, 2024.

Department standards

Course requirements.

Students must plan a program of study in consultation with their faculty advisor (either first year advisor or later research advisor). To establish adequate breadth and depth of knowledge in the field, PhD students are required to pass a set of core courses, take appropriate advanced courses and special topics offerings related to their research area, attend relevant research seminars as well as the weekly department colloquium, and take at least two additional courses in Physics outside their area of speciality. Seeking broad knowledge in areas of physics outside your own research area is encouraged.

The required core courses are:

In addition, all students holding a teaching assistantship (TA) must complete Phys 501 / 502 / 503 , Tutorials in Teaching Physics.

Regularly offered courses which may, depending on research area and with the approval of the graduate program coordinator, be used to satisfy breadth requirements, include:

  • Phys 506 Numerical Methods
  • Phys 555 Cosmology & Particle Astrophysics
  • Phys 507 Group Theory
  • Phys 557 High Energy Physics
  • Phys 511 Topics in Contemporary Physics
  • Phys 560 Nuclear Theory
  • Phys 520 Quantum Information
  • Phys 564 General Relativity
  • Phys 550 Atomic Physics
  • Phys 567 Condensed Matter Physics
  • Phys 554 Nuclear Astrophysics
  • Phys 570 Quantum Field Theory

Graduate exams

Master's Review:   In addition to passing all core courses, adequate mastery of core material must be demonstrated by passing the Master's Review. This is composed of four Master's Review Exams (MREs) which serve as the final exams in Phys 524 (SM), Phys 514 (EM), Phys 518 (QM), and Phys 505 (CM). The standard for passing each MRE is demonstrated understanding and ability to solve multi-step problems; this judgment is independent of the overall course grade. Acceptable performance on each MRE is expected, but substantial engagement in research allows modestly sub-par performance on one exam to be waived. Students who pass the Master's Review are eligible to receive a Master's degree, provided the Graduate School course credit and grade point average requirements have also been satisfied.

General Exam:   Adequate mastery of material in one's area of research, together with demonstrated progress in research and a viable plan to complete a PhD dissertation, is assessed in the General Exam. This is taken after completing all course requirements, passing the Master's Review, and becoming well established in research. The General Exam consists of an oral presentation followed by an in-depth question period with one's dissertation committee.

Final Oral Exam:   Adequate completion of a PhD dissertation is assessed in the Final Oral, which is a public exam on one's completed dissertation research. The requirement of surmounting a final public oral exam is an ancient tradition for successful completion of a PhD degree.

Graduate school requirements

Common requirements for all doctoral degrees are given in the Graduate School Degree Requirements and Doctoral Degree Policies and Procedures pages. A summary of the key items, accurate as of late 2020, is as follows:

  • A minimum of 90 completed credits, of which at least 60 must be completed at the University of Washington. A Master's degree from the UW or another institution in physics, or approved related field of study, may substitute for 30 credits of enrollment.
  • At least 18 credits of UW course work at the 500 level completed prior to the General Examination.
  • At least 18 numerically graded UW credits of 500 level courses and approved 400 level courses, completed prior to the General Examination.
  • At least 60 credits completed prior to scheduling the General Examination. A Master's degree from the UW or another institution may substitute for 30 of these credits.
  • A minimum of 27 dissertation (or Physics 800) credits, spread out over a period of at least three quarters, must be completed. At least one of those three quarters must come after passing the General Exam. Except for summer quarters, students are limited to a maximum of 10 dissertation credits per quarter.
  • A minimum cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.00 must be maintained.
  • The General Examination must be successfully completed.
  • A thesis dissertation approved by the reading committee and submitted and accepted by the Graduate School.
  • The Final Examination must be successfully completed. At least four members of the supervisory committee, including chair and graduate school representative, must be present.
  • Registration as a full- or part-time graduate student at the University must be maintained, specifically including the quarter in which the examinations are completed and the quarter in which the degree is conferred. (Part-time means registered for at least 2 credits, but less than 10.)
  • All work for the doctoral degree must be completed within ten years. This includes any time spend on leave, as well as time devoted to a Master's degree from the UW or elsewhere (if used to substitute for credits of enrollment).
  • Pass the required core courses: Phys 513 , 517 , 524 & 528 autumn quarter, Phys 514 , 518 & 525 winter quarter, and Phys 515 , 519 & 505 spring quarter. When deemed appropriate, with approval of their faculty advisor and graduate program coordinator, students may elect to defer Phys 525 , 515 and/or 519 to the second year in order to take more credits of Phys 600 .
  • Sign up for and complete one credit of Phys 600 with a faculty member of choice during winter and spring quarters.
  • Pass the Master's Review by the end of spring quarter or, after demonstrating substantial research engagement, by the end of the summer.
  • Work to identify one's research area and faculty research advisor. This begins with learning about diverse research areas in Phys 528 in the autumn, followed by Phys 600 independent study with selected faculty members during winter, spring, and summer.
  • Pass the Master's Review (if not already done) by taking any deferred core courses or retaking MREs as needed. The Master's Review must be passed before the start of the third year.
  • Settle in and become fully established with one's research group and advisor, possibly after doing independent study with multiple faculty members. Switching research areas during the first two years is not uncommon.
  • Complete all required courses. Take breadth courses and more advanced graduate courses appropriate for one's area of research.
  • Perform research.
  • Establish a Supervisory Committee within one year after finding a compatible research advisor who agrees to supervise your dissertation work.
  • Take breadth and special topics courses as appropriate.
  • Take your General Exam in the third or fourth year of your graduate studies.
  • Register for Phys 800 (Doctoral Thesis Research) instead of Phys 600 in the quarters during and after your general exam.
  • Take special topics courses as appropriate.
  • Perform research. When completion of a substantial body of research is is sight, and with concurrence of your faculty advisor, start writing a thesis dissertation.
  • Establish a dissertation reading committee well in advance of scheduling the Final Examination.
  • Schedule your Final Examination and submit your PhD dissertation draft to your reading committee at least several weeks before your Final Exam.
  • Take your Final Oral Examination.
  • After passing your Final Exam, submit your PhD dissertation, as approved by your reading committee, to the Graduate School, normally before the end of the same quarter.

This typical timeline for competing the PhD applies to students entering the program with a solid undergraduate preparation, as described above under Admissions. Variant scenarios are possible with approval of the Graduate Program coordinator. Two such scenarios are the following:

  • Students entering with insufficient undergraduate preparation often require more time. It is important to identify this early, and not feel that this reflects on innate abilities or future success. Discussion with one's faculty advisor, during orientation or shortly thereafter, may lead to deferring one or more of the first year required courses and corresponding Master's Review Exams. It can also involve taking selected 300 or 400 level undergraduate physics courses before taking the first year graduate level courses. This must be approved by the Graduate Program coordinator, but should not delay efforts to find a suitable research advisor. The final Master's Review decision still takes place no later than the start of the 3rd year and research engagement is an important component in this decision.
  • Entering PhD students with advanced standing, for example with a prior Master's degree in Physics or transferring from another institution after completing one or more years in a Physics PhD program, may often graduate after 3 or 4 years in our program. After discussion with your faculty advisor and with approval of the Graduate Program coordinator, selected required classes may be waived (but typically not the corresponding Master's Review Exams), and credit from other institutions transferred.
  • Each entering PhD student is assigned a first year faculty advisor, with whom they meet regularly to discuss course selection, general progress, and advice on research opportunities. The role of a student's primary faculty advisor switches to their research advisor after they become well established in research. Once their doctoral supervisory committee is formed, the entire committee, including a designated faculty mentor (other than the research advisor) is available to provide advice and mentoring.
  • The department also has a peer mentoring program, in which first-year students are paired with more senior students who have volunteered as mentors. Peer mentors maintain contact with their first-year mentees throughout the year and aim to ease the transition to graduate study by sharing their experiences and providing support and advice. Quarterly "teas" are held to which all peer mentors and mentees are invited.
  • While academic advising is primarily concerned with activities and requirements necessary to make progress toward a degree, mentoring focuses on the human relationships, commitments, and resources that can help a student find success and fulfillment in academic and professional pursuits. While research advisors play an essential role in graduate study, the department considers it inportant for every student to also have available additional individuals who take on an explicit mentoring role.
  • Students are expected to meet regularly, at a minimum quarterly, with their faculty advisors (either first year advisor or research advisor).
  • Starting in the winter of their first year, students are expected to be enrolled in Phys 600 .
  • Every spring all students, together with their advisors, are required to complete an annual activities report.
  • The doctoral supervisory committee needs to be established at least by the end of the fourth year.
  • The General Exam is expected to take place during the third or fourth year.
  • Students and their advisors are expected to aim for not more than 6 years between entry into the Physics PhD program and completion of the PhD. In recent years the median time is close to 6 years.

Absence of satisfactory progress can lead to a hierarchy of actions, as detailed in the Graduate School Memo 16: Academic Performance and Progress , and may jeopardize funding as a teaching assistant.

The Department aims to provide financial support for all full-time PhD students making satisfactory progress, and has been successful in doing so for many years. Most students are supported via a mix teaching assistantships (TAs) and research assistantships (RAs), although there are also various scholarships, fellowships, and awards that provide financial support. Teaching and research assistanships provide a stipend, a tuition waiver, and health insurance benefits. TAs are employed by the University to assist faculty in their teaching activities. Students from non-English-speaking countries must pass English proficiency requirements . RAs are employed by the Department to assist faculty with specified research projects, and are funded through research grants held by faculty members.

Most first-year students are provided full TA support during their first academic year as part of their admission offer. Support beyond the second year is typically in the form of an RA or a TA/RA combination. It is the responsibility of the student to find a research advisor and secure RA support. Students accepting TA or RA positions are required to register as full-time graduate students (a minimum of 10 credits during the academic year, and 2 credits in summer quarter) and devote 20 hours per week to their assistantship duties. Both TAs and RAs are classified as Academic Student Employees (ASE) . These positions are governed by a contract between the UW and the International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW), and its Local Union 4121 (UAW).

Physics PhD students are paid at the "Assistant" level (Teaching Assistant or Research Assistant) upon entry to the program. Students receive a promotion to "Associate I" (Predoctoral Teaching Associate I or Predoctoral Research Associate I) after passing the Master's Review, and a further promotion to "Associate II" (Predoctoral Teaching Associate II or Predoctoral Research Associate II) after passing their General Examination. (Summer quarter courses, and summer quarter TA employment, runs one month shorter than during the academic year. To compendate, summer quarter TA salaries are increased proportionately.)

  • UW Physics Department fact sheet .
  • MyPhys , UW Physics Department intranet with policies and information for enrolled students.
  • UW Graduate School information for students and postdocs.
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Doctorate in Communication

With one of the nation's premier doctoral programs in Communication, the Annenberg School is a tight-knit, supportive community of scholars committed to advancing knowledge of our media environment.

Founded through the generosity and vision of publisher, diplomat, and philanthropist Walter Annenberg, the Annenberg School for Communication is devoted to furthering our understanding of the role of communication in public life through research, education, and service. Our five-year doctoral program has a strong reputation as one of the best in Communication, based on Annenberg’s unparalleled combination of world-class faculty , students , and alumni , as well as access to the larger intellectual and cultural resources of the University of Pennsylvania and Philadelphia .

Three photo collage of graduate students during daily activities

In an inherently interdisciplinary field, Annenberg researchers are engaged with a spectrum of topics related to health, politics, media systems, networks and digital culture, journalism, race and gender, and more, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies.

Three students posing in their graduation gowns

Our Ph.D. program allows students to tailor a curriculum to suit their specific interests, and provides them the financial resources to launch their academic career. 

In addition to a full tuition waiver, our students currently receive an annual stipend as well as a budget for research and travel and health insurance for all five years.

Annenberg is the smallest of the 12 schools at Penn, and it functions as close-knit community of scholars whose doors are always open to one another. Our students also appreciate our staff , who routinely go above and beyond to support them.

Please note that we do not have a standalone master’s degree program at this time. All students are admitted directly into the doctoral program.

Request for More Information

Our Students By the Numbers

Here are some fast facts about our students and the admissions process . Get to know Annenberg!

Students currently in the program

Different nationalities represented by our students, applicants each year, students accepted each year, average undergraduate gpa of applicants, average toefl of admitted candidates, of students came from a previous graduate degree program, of students worked in a career before joining annenberg, of students came straight to annenberg from an undergraduate degree.

Guobin Yang seated at a table and speaking during a meeting

Our Faculty

Our graduate faculty is at the heart of the school. Their innovative work, often in collaboration with students, pushes the field of Communication forward.

Students on Video

Hear from some of the Annenberg School's doctoral students as they talk about their work and what brought them to Annenberg.

A woman smiling at the camera as she's being interviewed outdoors

What is it like to be a doctoral student at the International Communication Association annual conference? We followed four students to find out.

Kelly Diaz Speaking Outdoors

During the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, doctoral candidate Kelly Diaz used her phone to document the many signs displayed in yards and windows around her West Philadelphia home. She has now collected that body of work into a  photo essay .

Roopa Vasudevan

Doctoral Candidate and artist Roopa Vasudevan studies the ways that the everyday technologies shape our daily lives.

Three student faces spliced together into a triptych

What is it like to be a Ph.D. student? We followed five of our students through their daily activities.

Prateekshit Pandey laughing

Prateekshit Pandey works with the Communication Neuroscience Lab to study how the brain reacts to humor. 

Maria Celeste Wagner

Buenos Aires-native María Celeste Wagner looks at how gender influences credibility in news. 

Jennifer Henrichsen seated with shelves of library books behind her

Jennifer Henrichsen studies the way that journalists adopt information security technologies to protect themselves and their sources.

Our Students

Annenberg's doctoral students represent a broad spectrum of interests, methodologies, and backgrounds. Here are just a few of our incredible students.

Arlene Fernandez

Arlene C. Fernández

Azsaneé Truss

Azsaneé Truss

Antoine Haywood

Antoine Haywood

Danielle Clark

Danielle Clark

Neil Fasching

Neil Fasching

Tom Etienne Headshot

Tom W. Etienne

Group of people posing for a photo

From Philly to Delhi: the Inaugural Global Media Cultures International Doctoral Institute

Organized by the Center for Advanced Research in Global Communication (CARGC), the Institute convened students and faculty from Annenberg and the University of Hyderabad.

Melissa B. Skolnick-Noguera, Florence Zivaishe Madenga, Jeanna Sybert, Brendan Mahoney, Antoine Haywood, Sophie Maddocks, Darin Johnson, David S. Cordero, Fallon Alexandria Parfaite

Congratulations to Annenberg’s 2024 Ph.D. and M.A. Graduates

Kate Okker-Edging in a tent with several people in the background

Student Profile Video: Kate Okker-Edging

closeup of light pink blossoms on a spring day with Annenberg School in the background

Proust, Smith, and Truss Win 2024 James D. Woods Award

Philly skyline view from Penn's campus; Photo by University of Pennsylvania

Azsaneé Truss Receives Penn Prize for Excellence in Teaching

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Explore the Program

Learn more about life in the Annenberg Ph.D. program.

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Financial Support

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Curriculum & Milestones

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Student Life

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Applications for 2025-2026 will open by October

More in doctorate in communication.

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VIDEO

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  4. Launch of the Joint Masters/LL.M. in Intellectual Property Law and Management

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  6. AAC2023 Panel 3b: Asian Donors

COMMENTS

  1. Dual Degrees: Combined Master's and Ph.D. Programs

    This list highlights nine of the most popular types of combined master's and doctorate. These dual degrees bring together diverse fields such as business, medicine, and education. 1. MBA & Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Combining skills in business and nursing, a dual MBA/DNP prepares you for leadership positions in nursing and healthcare.

  2. Joint/Dual Doctoral Programs

    Joint PhD in Psychology and Business. Established in 2009, the Joint Program in Psychology and Business is overseen jointly by the Department of Psychology and the Behavioral Science dissertation area at Chicago Booth. The aim of this program is to connect the large number of social, cognitive, and organizational psychologists at Chicago Booth ...

  3. Joint and Dual Degrees

    Joint/Dual Programs. Biological Sciences Division. MD/PhD. ISTP (MD/PhD) - Interdisciplinary Scientist Training Program. MD/MPH - Master of Public Health degree. Chicago Booth School of Business. MBA/MPP - Harris School of Public Policy. MBA/JD - Law School. MBA/MD - Pritzker School of Medicine.

  4. Joint Masters and PhD Programs

    Dual masters and PhD programs allow you to seamlessly earn a masters degree then a PhD. Referred to as dual degrees, joint degrees, or masters and PhD combined degrees, grad schools with these practical programs provide a formal plan of study for completing two degrees at the same time. Explore this list of a dozen partner grad schools with ...

  5. Dual/Joint Degree Programs » Rackham Graduate School: University of

    Graduate education at the University of Michigan is a shared enterprise. The Rackham Graduate School works together with faculty in the schools and colleges of the University to provide more than 180 graduate degree programs and to sustain a dynamic intellectual climate within which graduate students thrive.

  6. Joint PhD and Cotutelle Programmes

    Written by Mark Bennett. A joint PhD is a doctoral programme that is awarded by two or more universities in collaboration with each other. Also known as cotutelle PhDs, these degrees offer students the opportunity to spend their time at more than one university, benefiting from parallels between different research specialisms at each institution.

  7. Combined Degrees

    MC/MPA students can pursue a dual degree with the Geneva Graduate Institute.. You will spend your first year at the Geneva Graduate Institute studying in the Master in International and Development Studies Program. Your second and final year is spent at HKS in the Mid-Career Master in Public Administration Program, where you are part of an extraordinary cohort of accomplished and forward ...

  8. Joint & Dual Degrees

    That is why the Stanford MBA Program empowers you to combine studies. This flexibility offers a rich and valuable academic experience. Generally, about 20 percent of Stanford MBA students take advantage of a joint or dual degree to complement their MBA. As a student, you may also take courses in any department or graduate school at Stanford ...

  9. 2024 Best Online Masters PhD Combined Programs

    Rutgers University. Rutgers University offers a dual degree program for those interested in a Master and a PhD in Social Work. The program can usually be completed in 4 years. Those interested in the program may apply directly to the program or after their first year of study in the Master of Social Work program.

  10. Dual and Joint MS Overview

    MS&E MS students who wish to apply their analytical and management skills to the field of public policy can simultaneously pursue a master's degree in MS&E and a master's degree in Public Policy. The MPP is a two-year degree program, but MS MS&E students who pursue the joint program can earn both degrees in a minimum of two years, depending on ...

  11. PDF Harvard Kennedy School Joint and Concurrent Degree Programs

    In recent years, about 25 percent of our two-year master's students enroll in a joint or concurrent degree program. Typically, you complete your degree in one year less than if you earned them consecutively. For instance, it takes five years to earn a Master in Public Policy (MPP) and a Juris Doctor (JD) separately—.

  12. Dual Degrees: J.D. / Ph.D.

    Programs and Degrees. Dual, Joint, and 4+1 Degrees. Dual Degrees: J.D. / Ph.D. The Duke University Graduate School and the School of Law are revising the joint degree J.D./Ph.D. program. New applications are not being accepted until further notice. Applicants for the J.D./Ph.D. must apply separately to the Law School and the Graduate School.

  13. MBA/PhD with the Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences

    Master's in Technology Management One-year business & leadership program designed exclusively for Yale College engineering students; Joint Degrees Environment, Global Affairs, Medicine, Law, Public Health, Architecture, Drama, Divinity, PhD; Silver Scholars for College Seniors Opportunity for college seniors to immediately pursue a Yale MBA.

  14. JD/PhD Combined Degree Program

    The JD/PhD Combined Degree Program prepares students to conduct innovative research on law at the cross section of disciplines. Recognizing that a growing trend among top law schools is to hire faculty who have PhDs as well as law degrees, Northwestern offers the most efficient, cohesive, and affordable option for future academics wishing to ...

  15. Joint Degree Programs

    Joint Degree Program in PH.D. in Economics and Master in Public Policy. The Ph.D./M.P.P. joint degree is designed for students who wish to prepare themselves for careers in areas relating to both policy and economics. Students interested in this degree first apply to the Economics Department, indicating an interest in the joint program.

  16. JD/PhD and JD/MA Programs

    New York University School of Law (Law) and Graduate School of Arts and Science (GSAS) offer coordinated dual degree programs leading to a Juris Doctor (JD) and either a PhD or MA degree in two Arts and Science disciplines: Economics. Politics. Law and GSAS also offer dual degree programs leading to a JD and MA in the following disciplines:

  17. Program Offerings

    Program Offerings. Graduate students at Princeton may pursue a number of interdepartmental and joint degree programs once enrolled as a Princeton graduate student. This includes certificate programs in select fields. This wide range of interdisciplinary opportunities complements and enriches our degree-granting programs, while promoting ...

  18. Joint PhD Program

    As a Joint PhD student, you will be a member of a select group of outstanding scholars and researchers who study, collaborate and work in an interdisciplinary environment. Joint PhD students earn an interdisciplinary degree in Social Work and one of four social science fields. Joint PhD students reflect the populations they serve and address ...

  19. Dual and Joint Programs

    Students interested in completing more than one graduate degree may be interested in our MD/PhD, dual MBA/MS or joint JD/PHD/MS programs. ... Consistent with the university's PhD requirements, the department will instead accept 15 units comprised of courses, research or seminars that are approved by the student's academic advisor and the ...

  20. Joint Degree and Cooperative Programs

    More important, a Stanford JD/PhD can be completed at one-third the cost of a similar joint degree anywhere else. Because of the cross-crediting of units and because JD/PhD candidates are expected to spend only one year in full-time residence at the law school (the rest of their academic career is spent in the PhD department with full funding ...

  21. Joint Undergraduate and Graduate Program

    In the Joint Program, you earn a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree, plus a Master of Liberal Arts degree in any field we currently offer. Once approved for Joint Program participation, four graduate-level courses will count toward both degrees. Students must earn a B or higher in these four courses to continue in the program. Eligibility

  22. J.D. Joint & Dual Degree Programs

    J.D. Program Graduate Programs Transnational Programs Academic Resources Executive and Continuing Legal Education Experiential Learning Expand Navigation. Clinics Pro Bono & Community Service Externships Simulations Practicums Centers & Institutes

  23. Joint Programs-Tsinghua University

    Tsinghua University-Tokyo Institute of Technology Joint Master's Program. Department of Chemical Engineering. School of Materials Science and Engineering. School of Humanities. School of Medicine. School of Life Sciences etc. Tokyo Institute of Technology (Japan) 3. Tsinghua University-HEC Paris Joint MBA Program.

  24. Naveen Jindal School of Management

    The MS EE/MBA is a unique combined master's degree program, graduate students may earn an MS EE degree from the Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science in combination with an MBA, or an MS degree from the Naveen Jindal School of Management. This combined degree program is ideal for students interested in managing new technologies ...

  25. Master's & PhD Programs

    The Department of Tropical Medicine, Medical Microbiology, and Pharmacology offers graduate programs leading to the MS and PhD in Biomedical Sciences (Tropical Medicine). Faculty conduct extensive research on pathogenic microorganisms and the diseases they cause using laboratory-based, field-based and clinic-based techniques.

  26. J.D./M.P.P. PROGRAM

    The J.D. / MPP Program is offered in conjunction with the Sanford School of Public Policy at Duke University. The program allows Day Program students to complete both a Juris Doctor degree and a Masters of Public Policy in less than the usual five-year period that would regularly be necessary to obtain each degree separately. The Juris Doctor ...

  27. About Binghamton University

    The University provides Binghamton students and their instructors with opportunities to learn through study, research and service in cooperation with other educational institutions. These include education abroad and international joint-degree programs, collaborative undergraduate and graduate programs, and cross-registration at all SUNY schools.

  28. PhD Program

    A PhD degree in Physics is awarded in recognition of significant and novel research contributions, extending the boundaries of our knowledge of the physical universe. Selected applicants are admitted to the PhD program of the UW Department of Physics, not to a specific research group, and are encouraged to explore research opportunities throughout the Department.

  29. Find Online Ph.D. Programs

    A doctor of philosophy, or Ph.D., is a specific type of doctorate focused primarily on academic research. Ph.D. students are expected to conduct original research and add to their field's discourse. Most Ph.D. programs also require you to write and defend a dissertation. All Ph.D.s are doctorates, but not all doctorates are Ph.D.s.

  30. Doctorate in Communication

    Doctorate in Communication. With one of the nation's premier doctoral programs in Communication, the Annenberg School is a tight-knit, supportive community of scholars committed to advancing knowledge of our media environment. Founded through the generosity and vision of publisher, diplomat, and philanthropist Walter Annenberg, the Annenberg ...