| Semester | JD‐MS CJ After 2L | JD‐MS CJ After 2L |
|---|---|---|
| 1L Fall | Classes | Classes |
| 1L Spring | Classes | Classes |
| Summer | JD Co-op | JD Classes |
| Fall | JD Classes | JD Co‐op |
| Spring | JD Co-op | JD Classes |
| Summer | JD Classes | JD Co‐op |
| Fall | CJ Courses | CJ Courses |
| Spring | J Courses | CJ Courses |
| Summer | JD Co‐op | JD Co-op |
| Fall | JD Classes | JD Classes |
Home / Academics / Programs / JD / Dual Degrees /
Criminal Justice
JD/MS and JD/PhD in Criminal Justice
The disciplines of criminal justice and law share common interests in identifying opportunities to create the conditions for justice, social equality and societal well-being.
Given the growing importance of legal issues and human rights in the study of crime, and the historical prominence of criminal justice issues in the field of law, the School of Law and the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice have developed two advanced dual-degree programs: a JD/MS in criminal justice and a JD/PhD in criminology and justice policy.
JD/MS in Criminal Justice
This accelerated program provides students with both a law degree and a Master of Science in criminology, giving students the skills they need to pursue a career in criminal justice. Students obtain a comprehensive interdisciplinary understanding of the sources of crime and the criminal justice system, as well as the social science and legal skills necessary for tackling criminal justice problems. With interdisciplinary skills, students will be well-positioned for co-ops and post-graduate work in criminal justice agencies, such as the US Attorney’s Office, public defender offices and law firms that do criminal defense work.
Possible Patterns of Attendance
JD/PhD in Criminology and Justice Policy
This six-year program allows students interested in criminology and justice policy to delve deeply into how the legal system informs both the study and practice of criminal justice. This program will provide students with a comprehensive interdisciplinary understanding of what influences criminal justice problems and the opportunity to conduct original research in issues relating to law and criminal justice.
| Year | Fall | Spring | Summer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | JD Classes | JD Classes | JD Co-op | |
| Year 2 | CSSH | CSSH | JD Classes | |
| Year 3 | JD Co-op | JD Classes | JD Co-op | |
| Year 4 | CSSH | CSSH | JD Classes | |
| Year 5 | CSSH | CSSH | ||
| Year 6 | CSSH | CSSH |
Examples of JD Courses in the Program
- Criminal Justice
- Evidence
- Advanced Criminal Procedure: Wrongful Convictions and Post-Conviction Remedies
- Advanced Criminal Procedure: Investigation
- Balancing Liberty and Security Seminar
- Civil Rights and Restorative Justice Clinic
- Prisoners’ Rights Clinic
- Advanced Criminal Procedure: Adjudication
- Domestic Violence Clinic
- Federal Courts and the Federal System
- Juvenile Courts: Delinquency, Abuse, Neglect
- Health Care Fraud and Abuse
- Trial Practice
Examples of Criminal Justice Courses in the Program
- Global Criminology
- The Criminal Justice Process
- Law and Society
- Law and Psychology
- Juvenile Law
- Criminal Law and Procedure
- Courts and Sentencing
- Crimes Against Humanity
- Special Topics in Law and Justice
- Punishment and Social Control
- International Law and Justice
- Transnational Crime
Examples of Co-ops
Students in both the JD/MS and the JD/PhD programs are required to satisfy the law school's co-op requirement. In the JD/PhD program, one co-op may be teaching a course in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice.
- Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, Boston
- Committee for Public Counsel Services, Boston
- US Attorney’s Office, New York, Boston, San Francisco, Anchorage, et al.
- US Depart of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section (and other sections), Washington, DC
- Alaska Public Defender Agency, Anchorage
- California Appellate Project, San Francisco
- Brooklyn Defender Service, Brooklyn
- Boston Police Department, Legal Advisor’s Office, Boston
- Capital Post-Conviction of Louisiana, New Orleans
- Federal Defender Office, Boston and San Francisco
- Hedges & Tumposky, Boston
- Kradel Defense, Seattle
- Legal Aid Society of New York, Criminal Defense, Kew Gardens
- Shapiro, Weissberg & Garin, Boston
- US District Court, Boston, Providence, Detroit, Philadelphia, San Juan, et al.
- Northern Virginia Capital Defender Office, Arlington
- Alaska Department of Law, District Attorney’s Office, Palmer
- Citizens for Juvenile Justice, Boston
- Georgia Resource Center, Atlanta
- Youth, Rights and Justice, Portland (Oregon)
Admission
JD/MS: Candidates for the JD/MS program must independently apply and gain admission to the School of Law and the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. Admission to one school does not ensure admission to the other. Candidates must take the LSAT for admission to the combined program. Admission is competitive. Students may apply prior to matriculating in either school or to the MS program during their first year of law school.
JD/PhD: Candidates for the JD/PhD apply to the law school and the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice simultaneously and prior to matriculation in either program. Candidates must complete the admission requirements for both programs, and take both the LSAT and the GRE (for admission to the Ph.D. program). A small number of students may also apply to the joint program during their first year at either school.
For more information, contact:
Dakotah Kennedy
Graduate Program Administrator
School of Criminology and Criminal Justice
Northeastern University
204 Churchill Hall, 360 Huntington Avenue
Boston, MA 02115
Email: dak.kennedy@northeastern.edu
Phone: 617.373.8849