MS / JD with Pace
Kristine Pierce MS/MI '12 and Abby Osgood MS/JD '12
“The Bard CEP program offers a great refresher on the many technical aspects of environmental issues that no serious environmental law student should miss.” —Steven Sarno, M.S./J.D. ’09
Students must apply separately to both programs. For more information about Pace Law School programs, contact the Pace Law School Office of Admission at (914) 422-4210 or admissions@law.pace.edu or visit them online.
Students must apply separately to both programs. For more information about Pace Law School programs, contact the Pace Law School Office of Admission at (914) 422-4210 or admissions@law.pace.edu or visit them online.
Dual Degree: Master of Science and Juris Doctorate with Pace Law School (M.S./J.D.)
This program combines Bard’s innovative graduate curriculum with one of the nation’s top environmental law programs. The M.S./J.D. dual-degree program allows students to complete, in an accelerated period, a master of science degree in either environmental policy or climate science and policy at Bard College and a doctorate in jurisprudence with a certificate in environmental law at Pace University.
Pace Law School has an excellent selection of courses that cover national and international environmental, climate, energy, and land-use topics, an abundance of research opportunities, expert faculty, and hands-on experiences available to its students. The M.S./J.D. dual degree provides a level of depth and understanding that is unmatched, and is excellent preparation for a career in environmental decision-making.
Pace Law School has an excellent selection of courses that cover national and international environmental, climate, energy, and land-use topics, an abundance of research opportunities, expert faculty, and hands-on experiences available to its students. The M.S./J.D. dual degree provides a level of depth and understanding that is unmatched, and is excellent preparation for a career in environmental decision-making.
Pioneering Curriculum Design
The program is designed to enhance students’ learning and provide vital preparation for law school. Lawyers with a background in environmental policy or climate science and policy are equipped to understand complex environmental problems, enabling in-depth analysis and problem solving in the scientific, political, and economic arenas.
The MS/JD program consists of four years in residence, two-and-a-half years at Pace and one-and-a-half years at Bard. Students usually begin the dual degree at Bard in either the MS in Environmental Policy or the MS in Climate Science and Policy and gain a foundation in economics, science, policy, and law.
After completing the first year of coursework at Bard, students begin a full-time course of study at Pace for the next two and a half years. The internship requirement for Bard CEP may be fulfilled through completion of a previously approved Pace internship, externship, or clinic program that has an environmental focus. (First year law students at Pace can apply to the dual degree, and if accepted, commence their MS degree in year two, and then return to Pace for three more semesters.)
All students return to Bard in the spring of the fourth year to complete final courses and a master’s thesis, supporting the development of deep individual expertise. In this way, students develop broad knowledge of environmental policy and law; a suite of analytical, communication, and problem solving skills; professional experience in their chosen field; and finally, they become experts on topics that they have selected.
M.S./J.D. Dual Degree Timeline
Students must apply separately to both programs. For more information about Pace Law School programs, call or email the Pace Law School Office of Admission at (914) 422-4210 or admissions@law.pace.edu or visit them online www.pace.edu/school-of-law.
The MS/JD program consists of four years in residence, two-and-a-half years at Pace and one-and-a-half years at Bard. Students usually begin the dual degree at Bard in either the MS in Environmental Policy or the MS in Climate Science and Policy and gain a foundation in economics, science, policy, and law.
After completing the first year of coursework at Bard, students begin a full-time course of study at Pace for the next two and a half years. The internship requirement for Bard CEP may be fulfilled through completion of a previously approved Pace internship, externship, or clinic program that has an environmental focus. (First year law students at Pace can apply to the dual degree, and if accepted, commence their MS degree in year two, and then return to Pace for three more semesters.)
All students return to Bard in the spring of the fourth year to complete final courses and a master’s thesis, supporting the development of deep individual expertise. In this way, students develop broad knowledge of environmental policy and law; a suite of analytical, communication, and problem solving skills; professional experience in their chosen field; and finally, they become experts on topics that they have selected.
M.S./J.D. Dual Degree Timeline
- Year 1: First-year course work at Bard (in chosen degree)
- Year 2: Pace Law School course work
- Summer Y2: Pace internship/externship
- Year 3: Pace Law School course work
- Summer Y3: Pace internship/externship
- Year 4: Completion of classes at Pace and Bard
- Fall: Final Pace classes; master’s thesis proposal submitted to Bard CEP adviser
- Spring: Final Bard classes; completion of master’s thesis
Students must apply separately to both programs. For more information about Pace Law School programs, call or email the Pace Law School Office of Admission at (914) 422-4210 or admissions@law.pace.edu or visit them online www.pace.edu/school-of-law.
