Dual Master’s Programs

Policy and law are critical to the historic preservation field. This program provides both the JD and MHP degrees allowing a student to earn both in just four years, eliminating approximately one year of academic work. In addition to the competitive advantage the program provides, UGA’s School of Law was recently named the “best value in legal education in the United States” by National Jurist. Students must submit separate applications to the Law School and the Graduate School and be accepted by both units to participate in the program. For information about applications to the Juris Doctor program contact the Law School Admissions Office, (706) 542-7060; for historic preservation applications and information, contact the Director for Graduate Studies in Historic Preservation at (706) 542-1816.

Applicants must be considered for and receive admission to each program separately, and may be granted a GRE exemption if they submit satisfactory scores from the LSAT or have already been admitted to the University of Georgia Law School. Admissions decisions are made by faculty committees in each program (and approved by the Graduate School in the case of MHP). JD/MHP students choose between two academic sequences:

1. MHP-JD-JD-Split: Students spend their first year in the MHP program, their second and third years in Law School, and their fourth and final year finishing up requirements in both academic units.
2. JD-JD-MHP-Split: Students complete their first two years in the Law School, their third year in the MHP program, and their fourth and final year finishing up requirements in both academic units.

In either sequence, JD/MHP students must take their first two years in the Law School consecutively.

For more information, contact:

[email protected]
College of Environment and Design
Jackson Street Building
285 S. Jackson Street, Athens, GA
(706) 542-4720

The profession of urban planning frequently involves careful navigation of the local, state, and federal laws which govern city planning. To an urban planning, the ability to contend with administrative, constitutional, environmental, tax, tort, and real property law would be a tremendous advantage. This dual degree aims to uniquely prepare its students to not only become exceptional city planners through the MUPD program, but skillful lawyers as well through the JD program.

The degree shortens the course of study from five years to four years without sacrificing the breadth of instruction. Ideally, students would spend two years of the program principally working on the JD, followed by a year of overlap. The course necessitates completion of 120 credit hours, exceeding the minimum instruction required by the American Bar Association before a JD can be awarded.

With the interdisciplinary skill set this degree develops, a wide range of career opportunities become available. Students may enter a variety of fields such as provision of design services, advocacy, governmental regulation, and policymaking, all of which can be applied to the public, private, and nonprofit areas.

For more information, contact Umit Yilmaz:
[email protected]
College of Environment and Design
Tanner Building
199 Fulton Street, Athens, GA
(706) 542-4723

The Master of Public Administration program (MPA) in the Department of Public Administration and Policy at the University of Georgia (UGA) is collaborating with the College of Environment + Design’s Master of Urban Planning program (MUPD) to offer a dual MPA/MUPD degree. This academic program will allow a student to earn both degrees in three years, eliminating approximately one year of academic work.

Planning and public administration are complementary professions. Students with a substantiative understanding of planning often find they need management, budget, and policy analysis skills to advance in their organizations. Students trained in public administration working in local government often find they need to develop specialized knowledge in land use, planning, and design. By offering students a pathway to connect these professions while in graduate school, the University of Georgia prepares students with the diverse skillsets necessary to improve the quality of local and regional planning in Georgia.

Students completing this degree program will be well prepared for jobs in city and county planning departments, in one of the twelve regional commissions across the State of Georgia, or in private sector firms that support planning and design processes in communities in Georgia and across the country.

For more information, contact Umit Yilmaz:
[email protected]
College of Environment and Design
Tanner Building
199 Fulton Street, Athens, GA
(706) 542-4723