Water Resources Concurrent J.D. Degree
Entry Requirements
Completion of requirements for admission to both the College of Law and the specific Water Resources option area is required for (M.S. and Ph.D.) admission to earn the Water Resources Concurrent J.D. Degree. Students are required to apply separately to the College of Law and to the Water Resources Program in the College of Graduate Studies, and on acceptance to each college, must apply to the concurrent degree program. Acceptance to both colleges does not have to occur simultaneously. The Director of the Water Resources Program and one member of the Water Resources Law faculty makes admission decisions to the concurrent degree program.
Common/Core Courses
All students seeking to earn the Water Resources concurrent J.D. degree are required to complete coursework as specified for the particular Water Resources Option Area for the M.S. or Ph.D., as well as coursework required by the Law School for a J.D.
Elective Courses
The student and faculty committee will select courses appropriate to satisfy the requirements of the Water Resources Program in the College of Graduate Studies and the J.D. in the College of Law.
Concurrent Degree Details
Students in the Water Resources concurrent J.D. track must meet all graduation requirements set forth by the College of Graduate Studies for the M.S. or Ph.D. degrees and the College of Law for the J.D. Each student shall have a "graduate committee." The student’s graduate committee must meet the requirements of the College of Graduate Studies and must have at least one member from the faculty of the College of Law.
A total of 18 credits may be double counted for a J.D./M.S. concurrent degree, and a total of 21 credits may be double counted for a J.D./Ph.D. concurrent degree under the following guidelines:
- No more than 12 credits of M.S. and Ph.D. graduate school credit are allowed toward the J.D. degree. The courses must be approved by the student’s advisor in the College of Law with the following guidelines: Courses approved for credit toward a J.D. must be complementary to an emphasis in water law, must enhance the candidate's ability to serve clients and the legal profession in the area of water law, and must not be the equivalent substantive coverage to a course offered in the College of Law and available to the student.
- No more than 6 credits from Law are allowed toward the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Engineering & Science and Science & Management option areas. No more than 12 credits from Law are allowed toward the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in the Law, Management & Policy option area. Courses may be selected from the following list:
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 8520 | NREL Field Course | 2 |
| LAW 9070 | Administrative Law | 3 |
| LAW 9340 | Land-Use Law and Planning | 3 |
| LAW 9380 | Intl Environ & Water Law | 3 |
| LAW 9390 | Law, Science, & Environment | 2 |
| LAW 9420 | Water Law of the American West | 3 |
| LAW 9470 | Environmental Law | 3 |
| LAW 9480 | Public Lands and Resources Law | 3 |
| LAW 9490 | Native American Law | 3 |
| LAW 9790 | Native American Natural Resource Law | 3 |
Satisfactory completion of both degrees is required to qualify for the dual-degree credit; the degrees are granted concurrently. The first year of study for concurrent M.S. or Ph.D. students must be exclusively in the College of Law. Ph.D. students are required to write a dissertation. If the student fails to complete the M.S. or Ph.D. in Water Resources, only 6 credits from the Water Resources Program are allowed toward the J.D. degree. If a student fails to complete the J.D. degree, the student must satisfy all requirements for the particular option area in the Water Resources Program to receive the M.S. or Ph.D. degree.
Questions regarding the concurrent degree program should be addressed to the Water Resources Program Director (208-885-0111) or to the College of Law (208-885-2300).