Master's / Juris Doctor Joint Degree

MDiv/JD and MTS/JD programs

In 1983 Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and the School of Law at Duquesne University established a joint degree program leading to the Master of Divinity and Juris Doctor (JD) degrees. And in 2019, we expanded that relationship to include the Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies/JD and Master of Theological Studies/JD joint degrees.  

 

In the Judeo-Christian tradition the relationship is very close between justice and law and the ministry of the people of God. The practice of ministry is frequently intertwined with the administration of law. This joint effort enables students to receive both the M.Div. and JD degrees in five years of post-baccalaureate study instead of the usual six.

The joint degree program provides a full course of study in both theology and law. This is accomplished by allowing certain courses taken in each school to be used as electives in the other. To increase student access, Pittsburgh Seminary offers all our master's degrees in hybrid format.

Careers for Master's/JD Grads

  • Legal Work for Religious Institutions
  • Legal Advocacy
  • Public Policy
  • Parish Ministry

Application Instructions

Admission to the joint program may be obtained prior to the first year of study at either school. Admission into the program is determined by each institution separately; admission into one institution does not guarantee admission to the other. Interested candidates to the joint degree program should refer to each school’s program brochures or websites for specific admission requirements. Prospective students should be advised that admission into the JD portion of this program does require satisfactory LSAT scores. JD applications should be received by March 1 for priority consideration. 

Inquiries about the School of Law at Duquesne University should be directed to Duquesne University School of Law at 412-396-6300 or .

Request Information

* required