JD/MA in Urban & Public Affairs Dual Degree

As the world's cities continue to grow, USF's dual JD/MA in Urban and Public Affairs Program will equip you with the skills and knowledge to be an effective lawyer and leader in 21st century urban and public policy challenges.
With a Master of Arts in Urban and Public Affairs from the USF College of Arts and Sciences and a Juris Doctor from the USF School of Law, graduates are uniquely prepared to be effective and ethical leaders in urban and public policy and community organizing. This four-year program is designed to prepare law school graduates with the knowledge and hands-on experience of applied urban research and community engagement and organizing. A comprehensive background in urban history, political dynamics, and sociology is combined with tools for community-based research, policy design, policy analysis, and implementation.
The dual degree program leverages the advantages of USF’s location in one of the most dynamic urban environments in the United States. It provides students with the opportunity to build their legal and research careers through immersion experiences in San Francisco and other Bay Area cities.
The dual degree program provides a cost and time savings of more than a year. Students may begin their course of study in either program.
JD/MA In Urban and Public Affairs Curriculum
To receive the JD/MUPA dual degrees, students must earn at least 87 law units (including 50 units in required core law courses) plus 36 MUPA units. MUPA units equal 9 units in required MUPA core courses plus 15 units in elective MUPA courses (including 3 units of law externship or legal clinic and 3 units of law upper level research and writing) plus 12 units from approved law school electives).
Law School to MUPA Pathway
First-Year Law Courses (28 Law units) | Law Units |
---|---|
LAW 600, 601 Civil Procedure | 6 units |
LAW 602, 603 Contracts | 6 units |
LAW 604 Criminal Law | 3 units |
LAW 605 Criminal Procedure | 3 units |
LAW 606, 607 Legal Research, Writing & Analysis | 6 units |
LAW 613 Skills for Future Lawyers | 1 units |
LAW 610 Torts | 4 units |
Second-Year UPA Courses (18 MUPA units) | MUPA Units |
---|---|
UPA 630 Urban Power Seminar (required) | 3 units |
Five UPA Elective Courses selected from the following: | 15 units |
UPA 660 Issues in Public Policy | 3 units |
UPA 661 Urban & Regional Planning | 3 units |
UPA 662 Non-Profits and Public Policy | 3 units |
UPA 663 Globalization, Social Justice and the City | 3 units |
UPA 664 Cities, Law, and Inequality | 3 units |
PA 665 Urban Racial Politics | 3 units |
UPA 666 Applied Democratic Theory | 3 units |
UPA 667 Housing, Community, and Public Policy | 3 units |
UPA 668 Campaigns and Political Mobilization | 3 units |
UPA 669 Urban Field Class: San Francisco Bay Area | 3 units |
UPA 670 Policy Theme Seminars (rotating themes: education, food policy, immigration, economic development, etc.) | 3 units |
UPA 670 Policy Theme Seminars (rotating themes: education, food policy, immigration, economic development, etc.) | 3 units |
UPA 680 Practical Politics Theme Seminars (rotating themes: political communications, labor and community organizing, etc.) | 3 units |
UPA 690 Special Topics | 3 units |
UPA 698 Directed Study | 3 units |
Third-Year Law Courses (28-32 Law units) | Law Units | MUPA Units |
---|---|---|
LAW 637 Administrative Law | 3 units | |
LAW 614, 615 Constitutional Law | 6 units | |
LAW 616 Evidence | 4 units | |
LAW 608, 609 Property | 6 units | |
Law Electives and/or Floating Required Law Courses | 9-13 units | 12 units |
Fourth-Year Law Courses | Law Units | MUPA Units |
---|---|---|
Legal Externship in Public Agency or Organization (or Legal Clinic) | Variable | 3 units |
LAW 617 Legal Ethics or Professional Responsibility | 3 units | |
Law Experiential Unit Requirement | 4 Units | |
Legal Drafting | 2 Units | |
Advanced Legal Analysis | 2 Units | |
Law Upper Level Legal Research & Writing Requirement | Variable | 3 units |
Law Electives and/or Floating Required Law Courses | Variable |
- The legal externship in an appropriate public agency or organization or legal clinic may be used to simultaneously earn law units and satisfy the Urban and Public Affairs three-unit internship requirement with joint approval of Law and Urban and Public Affairs faculty.
- The law Upper Level Legal Research and Writing Requirement will satisfy the Urban and Public Affairs Masters Capstone Project requirement with joint approval of Law and Urban and Public Affairs faculty.
- The concurrent degrees will be awarded after the conclusion of all required courses, presuming normal progress, after the completion of the fourth year of the program
MUPA TO LAW SCHOOL PATHWAY
First-Year MUPA Courses (18 MUPA units) | MUPA Units |
---|---|
UPA 630 Urban Power Seminar (required) | 3 units |
Five MUPA Elective Courses selected from the following: | 15 units |
MUPA 602 Issues in Urban Public Policy Seminar (3 units) | |
MUPA 603 Research Methods in Urban Affairs (3 units) | |
MUPA 604 Urban Field Study: San Francisco Bay Area (3 units) | |
MUPA 611 Urban Policy Analysis (3 units) | |
MUPA 612 Non-Profits and Public Policy (3 units) | |
MUPA 613 Race, Organizing & Policy Advocacy (3 units) | |
MUPA 614 Globalization, Social Justice & the City (3 units) | |
MUPA 615 Critical Sustainabilities (3 units) | |
MUPA 616 Urban Political Economy (3 units) | |
MUPA 617 Public Finance and Fiscal Management (3 units) | |
MUPA 618 Urban Politics: San Francisco (3 units) | |
MUPA 620 Policy Theme Seminar (various topics) (3 units) |
Second-Year Law Courses (28 Law units) | Law Units |
---|---|
LAW 600, 601 Civil Procedure | 6 Units |
LAW 602, 603 Contracts | 6 Units |
LAW 604 Criminal Law | 3 Units |
LAW 605 Criminal Procedure | 3 Units |
LAW 606, 607 Legal Research, Writing & Analysis | 6 Units |
LAW 613 Skills for Future Lawyers | 1 Unit |
LAW 610 Torts | 4 Units |
Third-Year Law Courses (28-32 Law units) | Law Units | MUPA Units |
---|---|---|
LAW 637 Administrative Law | 3 Units | |
LAW 614, 615 Constitutional Law | 6 Units | |
LAW 608, 609 Property | 6 Units | |
LAW 616 Evidence | 4 Units | |
Law Electives and/or Floating Required Law Courses | 9 -13 units | 12 units |
Fourth-Year Law Courses | Law Units | MUPA Units |
---|---|---|
Legal Externship in Public Agency or Organization (or Legal Clinic) | Variable | 3 units |
LAW 617 Legal Ethics or Professional Responsibility | 3 units | |
Law Experiential Unit Requirement | 4 Units | |
Legal Drafting | 2 Units | |
Advanced Legal Analysis | 2 Units | |
Law Upper Level Legal Research & Writing Requirement | Variable | 3 units |
Law Electives and/or Floating Required Law Courses
|
Variable |
- The legal externship in an appropriate public agency or organization (or legal clinic) may be used to simultaneously earn law units and satisfy the Urban and Public Affairs three unit internship requirement with joint approval of Law and Urban and Public Affairs faculty.
- The law Upper Level Legal Research and Writing Requirement will satisfy the Urban and Public Affairs Masters Capstone Project requirement with joint approval of Law and Urban Public Affairs faculty.
- The dual degrees will be awarded after the conclusion of all required courses, presuming normal progress, after the completion of the fourth year of the program.
Keep Exploring
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Argue in moot court, find an externship, work in a law clinic, clerk for a judge. Learn from legal scholars who consider your success a victory.
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Join the Bay Area's dynamic culture of grassroots organizing and advocacy. Develop community-driven public policy for more equitable cities and regions. Prepare for leadership roles in community organizing, public service, and political advocacy.
Urban & Public Affairs, MA
2130 Fulton St.
San Francisco, CA 94117
Urban & Public Affairs, MA
2130 Fulton Street
San Franciscio, CA 94117-1080