GW’s School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) and Law School collaborate in offering a program of study leading to a joint master of science in the field of engineering management (MS) and juris doctor (JD) degree.

Students must be accepted for admission by both schools. Applications should be made separately to each school, with a notice of interest in the joint program. The Law School stipulates that joint degree students must register exclusively in the Law School to complete the first-year JD curriculum. Students should consult with the Law School’s associate dean for student affairs.

Joint degree students must apply for graduation from both schools. All work for this joint degree program must be completed in five years, unless an extension of time is granted by the respective deans.

Credit sharing

SEAS counts 12 credits in courses taken for the JD toward the MS. The Law School counts 12 credits in courses taken for the MS toward the JD.

The 12 credits in MS courses that count toward the JD come from the program’s environmental and energy management focus area and consist of the following: 

EMSE 6260Energy Management
EMSE 6285Analytical Tools for Energy Management
Two 3-credit Engineering Management and Systems Engineering (EMSE) courses in the 6200 range.

The 12 credits in JD courses that can count toward the MS are selected from the following in consultation with the MS program director:

LAW 6406Regulated Industries
LAW 6438Energy Law and Regulation
LAW 6441Energy Law Seminar (Various topics)
LAW 6443Oil and Gas Law
LAW 6447Energy, Climate, and Derivatives
LAW 6451Selected Topics in Energy Law (Various topics))
LAW 6457Sustainable Communities Law and Policy Seminar
LAW 6459Atomic Energy Law
LAW 6545International Project Finance
LAW 6743Ethics in the Energy Transition
Additional energy law courses can be approved as they become available.

Energy law course descriptions are available on the Law School website.