Journalism (JD/PhD)

The University of Missouri School of Journalism and School of Law offer an integrated program for students seeking both a PhD degree in journalism and a JD degree in law. Students should consider this program if they are interested in teaching or in senior-level practice or policy work in either of these fields, nationally or internationally. Although a PhD degree in journalism normally requires three years of study, and a JD requires three, students may be able to complete the full program in as few as five years.

Application Procedure

Applicants to the dual degree program must submit formal applications for admission to the School of Law and to the School of Journalism, accompanied by a statement requesting permission to pursue the dual degree program. Students must meet the requirements for admission to both programs. Contact the School of Journalism and the School of Law for further information on admissions requirements.

Students normally should declare an intent to enter both programs before entering the University. This request should be submitted before a student has substantially completed the requirements of either program. However, petitions requesting admission to the program from students at more advanced stages in either program may be considered.

Degree Requirement Summary

Requirements for the JD degree are met with 89 credit hours: 45 hours of required courses and 44 hours of elective courses. Students in the JD-PhD program satisfy those 89 hours with 83 hours of credit in courses taken at the School of Law and 6 hours of credit in courses taken at the School of Journalism.

Requirements for the PhD degree in journalism are met with 72 credit hours of courses in the School of Journalism and 9 credit hours of specialized courses within the School of Law. The detailed program of study in journalism is subject to approval by the student’s advisor and committee in the School of Journalism and by the Director of Graduate Studies. In general, a maximum of 21 credits of the doctoral plan may be counted toward both degrees (see example).

The Law School’s independent study course, 644L Research, may be taken in partial satisfaction of both the law school’s elective requirement and the School of Journalism’s dissertation research requirement. Interested students should register for 644L Research, and the credits earned for that course will also be counted toward the journalism research requirement.

School of Law Required Courses

89 hours required for graduation

1st Year

5010, 5015 Civil Procedure (5)

5020, 5025 Contracts (6)

5035 Criminal Law (4)

5040 Property I (3)

5070 Torts (4)

5080 Legal Research and Writing (3)

5085 Advocacy and Research (3)

5095 Lawyering (2)

2nd Year

5220 Constitutional Law (4)

5260 Evidence (4)

2nd or 3rd Year

5045 Property II (3)

5240 Criminal Procedure (3)

5280 Professional Responsibility (3)

Law electives – 36 credits

Journalism electives – 6 credits (at level 7000 or higher)

*Students who are placed on probation at the end of the fall semester of the first year will be required to take Foundations of Legal Studies II in the spring semester. This course is designed to assist students in meeting their graduation requirements.

School of Journalism Required Courses

Journ 9000 Doctoral Theory and Research I (3)

Journ 9087 Professional Development (1 credit/semester until student passes comprehensive examination, totaling 4)

Journ 8008 Qualitative Methods (3)

Journ 8006 Quantitative Methods  (3)

Either Journ 8010 Advanced Qualitative Methods or Journ 8012 Advanced Quantitative Methods (3)

One method course outside of Journalism (3)

Two Theory based courses within Journalism, one from within student’s research area and one from an outside research area (6)

Journ 9008 Reading Hours During Comprehensive Exam semester (5)

Journ 9090 Dissertation Research Hours (9)

The remainder of the required hours (33 hours) are comprised of transfer credit from the student’s MA degree. A typical student will average 18 hours of transfer. The remaining 15 hours will be theory classes either within or outside of journalism.

Sample Degree Plan

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Policy

  1. Law students who receive credit under the dual degree program for taking journalism courses may not receive credit for taking other classes outside the School of Law.
  2. Occasionally, students entering the Ph.D. program in journalism are required to strengthen their undergraduate experience by taking extra course work to round out their graduate programs. The most commonly required additional courses are American government, American history, and economics. These courses do not count as part of the Ph.D. program.
  3. A dual degree candidate who subsequently decides to pursue only one of these degrees must complete degree requirements subject to the same rules as a student not pursuing a dual degree.
  4. Student honors and class ranks at the School of Law will be computed on classes enrolled in as law courses.
  5. The School of Law cannot award credit for any class taken before matriculation at the School of Law. Dual degree candidates must, therefore, enroll at the School of Law before taking any journalism courses to be counted toward the J.D. degree.
  6. The School of Law cannot award credit for any class taken before matriculation at the School of Law. Dual degree candidates must, therefore, enroll at the School of Law before taking any journalism courses to be counted toward the J.D. degree.
  7. The listing of courses does not constitute a binding commitment that the courses will be offered during the student’s course of study.
  8. Students in the dual degree program are subject to the same rules and regulations that apply to all students at the School of Law and the School of Journalism.