Law and Education

Over the second half of the 20th century, law and education became inextricably intertwined. The U.S. Supreme Court's landmark decision in Brown v. Board of Education (1954) spurred countless reforms affecting all aspects of education. In the years following Brown, the law has increasingly provided a forum for resolving disputes over the nature, scope, content, and organization of public and private education.

Law has also been a catalyst for reform in all aspects of education, from laws aimed at individual students (i.e., special education) to laws aimed at systemically reforming the national and state education systems (i.e., the Massachusetts Education Reform Act (1993), the "No Child Left Behind" Act (2002), the Higher Education Act (1999)).

In 1997, Boston College created the Law and Education Dual Degree Program to address the institution's commitment to social justice issues and to the importance of interdisciplinary study.

The Program was designed to prepare future legal practitioners and leaders to face the reality of this enduring relationship between the legal and education systems. It combines the study and practice of education and law in an effort to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to better serve one's clients and constituencies.

The Program is a reflection of Boston College's mission to promote social justice and to serve those who have traditionally not been well-served by the nation's schools; it is designed for students who are interested in serving the combined legal and education needs of students, families, and communities in our nation.

Mission Statement
The Law and Education Dual Degree Program seeks to identify and develop students committed to the pursuit of social justice and quality education for all people. Coursework provides professional background and foundations in both law and education, an interdisciplinary understanding of the relationships between law and education, and access to field-based learning experiences that serve to empower students desiring to incorporate educational advocacy into their professional agenda. The degree is designed to prepare students for a wide range of career opportunities including professional careers as legal advocates, legislators, education administrators, policy analysts and teachers. The over-arching aim of the program is to prepare graduates of the Program to be powerful advocates in a broad range of education issues.

Admission to the Program
Students seeking to pursue a dual degree in law and education (J.D./M.Ed. or J.D./M.A.) must be admitted separately to each of the two schools. Currently, the Law and Education dual degree program can be done in conjunction with the following education degrees: Curriculum and Instruction (M.Ed.), Education Administration (M.Ed.) or Higher Education (M.A.).

Requirements

1. Applicants for the joint degree program apply to both degree programs; applications can be submitted either simultaneously or during the first year of study at Boston College School of Law. Applicants must be accepted independently into each program; application materials are reviewed by each school's admission committee. Students may submit the LSAT with both applications.
   
   
2. Students must be registered as full-time students throughout the program unless they are pursuing summer study or have already completed six full-time semesters of study.
   
   
3. Students must complete the normal first year curriculum of the Law School in consecutive semesters before taking any other Law School classes. Ordinarily, students are advised to begin the Joint Degree program after this first year of Law School study. Students, however, may also begin the program during the summer before the first year at the Law School or in part-time study in the School of Education prior to the first year at the Law School.
   
   
4. Students must complete five semesters of residency at the Law School, as required by the American Bar Association. Students must also complete one semester of residence at the Lynch School of Education, as required by the university.
   
   
5. Degree Requirements for the School of Education:
   
   
   • Advisement in the School of Education for students participating in the Joint Degree Program will be done by the appropriate faculty advisor in the students' SOE program. All joint degree students must have their program of study approved by their faculty advisor and department chairperson.
     
     
   • The School of Education requires 30 credit hours for the M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction, Education Administration and Higher Education, 9 of which may be taken in selected Law School courses.
     
     
6. Degree Requirements for the Law School:
   
   
   • The Law School requires 85 credit hours for the JD degree, 12 of which may be taken in selected School of Education courses.
     
     
7. In conjunction with a faculty advisor, students will choose elective courses that complement their career interests. Such courses may come from any school at Boston College, including social sciences and professional programs.
   
   
8. Students in the joint degree program are expected to take ED705, Education Law and Policy and are strongly encouraged to take ED878, Seminar in Higher Education Law, or ED 956 Seminar in Law and Education Reform.
   
   
9. Students receive two transcripts, with a grade point average (GPA) calculated separately for the Law School. Although students receive credit toward the degree from cross-registered courses, these courses are accepted as pass/fail by both schools and do not count toward students’ GPAs.

The joint degree program normally requires 3 years, including one summer of part-time course work.

Frequently asked questions