Joint Degree with Law School (MPP/JD)

To complete the joint MPP/JD, students complete 1400 units toward the MPP and 105 credit hours Law School coursework over a four year period. Students typically start their first two years at the Law School.

*student selects which quarter to be in residence at Harris in their last year

At Harris Public Policy:

• Students in this program take the six required core courses at Harris, plus eight electives for a total of 14 courses (1400 units of credit). Ten of the 14 courses must be public policy (PPHA) courses. All 14 are taken during the four quarters of registration at the Harris. The Harris core courses, listed below, provide a foundation in critical analysis, reflecting Harris's belief that mastering quantitative and analytical skills prepares students to be effective public policy leaders:

• Analytical Politics I:

  • PPHA 30800 Analytical Politics I: Strategic Foundations, or

  • PPHA 41501 - PhD Game Theory (instructor approval required).

• Analytical Politics II: 

  • PPHA 31610 Analytical Politics II: Political Institutions

• Statistics Sequence I:

  • PPHA 31002 Statistics for Data Analysis I, or

  • PPHA 31202 Advanced Statistics for Data Analysis I, or

  • Any course in the PhD econometrics sequence (instructor approval required): PPHA 42000, PPHA 42100, or PPHA 42200

• Statistics Sequence II:

  • PPHA 31102 Statistics for Data Analysis II: Regressions, or

  • PPHA 31302 Advanced Statistics for Data Analysis II, or

  • Any course in the PhD econometrics sequence (instructor approval required): PPHA 42000, PPHA 42100, or PPHA 42200

• Microeconomics Sequence I:

  • PPHA 32300 Principles of Microeconomics and Public Policy I, or

  • PPHA 44100 PhD Advanced Microeconomics for Policy Analysis I (instructor approval required)

• Microeconomics Sequence II:

  • PPHA 32400 Principles of Microeconomics and Public Policy II, or

  • PPHA 44200 PhD Advanced Microeconomics for Policy Analysis II (instructor approval required)

At the Law School:

• For the JD degree, students must successfully complete 105 credit hours, plus residency/registration requirements. Students may apply one academic quarter of up to four 100 unit courses taken within Harris toward the hours required to obtain their law degree. This enables students to earn both degrees in four years. Both degrees must be awarded in the same quarter.
• For detailed information regarding the Law School’s curriculum, please visit their website or direct your inquiries to admissions@law.uchicago.edu.

Students who wish to participate in this program must complete the separate admissions processes to both the Harris and the Law School. Students already admitted to the Harris may apply during their first year to the Law School; those admitted to the Law School may apply during their first or second year to Harris.

• A cumulative GPA of 2.7 for all courses, based on a 4.0 scale, for all courses used toward the MPP degree

• A grade of C- or better for the 6 core courses

• Completion of the math requirement (support available)

• Completion of an practical experience requirement (more information)

• No more than 2 reading/research, independent study, or internship courses

• No more than 1 course taken Pass/Fail (core courses cannot be taken pass/fail)

• Courses with grades of F, I, W, or with no reported grade do not apply toward course requirement for the program.

• Policies on the the results of not meeting these requirements can be found on the Harris policies page.

• Any questions about these requirements can be sent to the Harris Dean of Students Office at harrisdeanofstudents@uchicago.edu.

Each division determines tuition charges for the quarters in which students are in residency with either division. Tuition rates can be found at the Bursar’s website:

• Year 1: Residency with the Law School (most common); billed the Law School Tuition Rate.
• Year 2: Residency with the Law School (most common); billed the Law School Tuition Rate.
• Year 3: Residency with Harris; billed the Harris Tuition Rate.
• Year 4: Split Residency, one quarter billed Harris tuition and two quarters billed Law tuition. 

Harris scholarships for joint degree students are awarded only when in residence at Harris, and Harris scholarships for MPP/JD students are pro-rated based on the modified degree requirements from a standard MPP student. The MPP/JD degree allows for reduction in the number of required classes to complete the MPP. There is a corresponding reduction in the amount of Harris Scholarship that mirrors the residency plan. 

• Year 1: No Harris Scholarship (Law School Residency) 
• Year 2: No Harris Scholarship (Law School Residency)
• Year 3: Harris Scholarship
• Year 4: 44% of the original Harris scholarship; this represents the same “discount rate” as the full year in Harris residency.

Interested applicants will need to apply and be admitted to both the Harris MPP and the Law School JD program to pursue the joint degree. Students already admitted to the Harris may apply during their first year to the Law School; those admitted to the Law School may apply during their first or second year to Harris. Admissions decisions for each side of the joint degree are made independently of one another. Inquiries regarding the admissions process for the JD program should be directed to admissions@law.uchicago.edu.