Program in Law and Public Policy School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs Northeastern University

Graduate Programs in Law and Public Policy at Northeastern University

The School of Public Policy and Urban Affairs at Northeastern University includes the Law and Public Policy program that offers MS, PhD, and JD/MS degrees. This interdisciplinary program examines public policy from both a legal and social science perspective.

Students conduct public policy analysis and research in a variety of areas including crime, law, and justice; environmental policy; health policy; urban policy; labor markets; education and workforce development; and culture, race, and gender policy.

The Law and Public Policy program is ideal for mid-career individuals who have practical experience, but it is open to others as well. It trains students for careers in research, teaching, government agencies, non-profit organizations, and legal institutions.

Master of Science in Law and Public Policy

The MS in Law and Public Policy program can be pursued on a full-time (2 years of study) or part-time (3 years of study) basis. Its curriculum consists of 32 semester hours of coursework including 7 core courses and 1 elective course that is taken in the law school.

Core courses include interdisciplinary approaches to policy and advocacy; economic analysis for law, policy, and planning; law and legal reasoning; research and statistical methods I and II; theories in law policy and society; and strategizing public policy.

Students work with faculty advisers to develop individual plans of study in their areas of interest. Each student graduates from the program with a solid foundation in public policy theory, in-depth training with research methodologies, and expertise in at least 1 policy focus area.

Doctor of Philosophy in Law and Public Policy

Students in the PhD in Law and Public Policy program take 7 core courses that cover theory, research methodology, and economics. They design individualized plans of study that include these courses as well as courses in their policy focus areas.

Students take courses from the law school and may choose classes from nearly any other graduate school at Northeastern University. After they complete their coursework, students take a comprehensive examination that covers the core courses and representative literature.

They then receive PhD candidacy and begin work on their dissertations. Finally, students defend their dissertations during public meetings that are conducted by their dissertation committees.

JD/MS Dual Degree in Law and Public Policy

The Juris Doctor and Master of Science program in Law and Public Policy (LPP) is designed for individuals who are seeking a solid foundation in both public policy and law.

First, students complete the law degree and then they take 1 year of courses in public policy. The LPP program includes core courses in theories of public policy, research methodology, law, and economics.

The cores courses are incorporated into students' individualized curricula, which focus on their public policy areas of interest and their career interests. Students also each complete a capstone course that integrates aspects of law and public policy.

Research in Law and Public Policy

Because it is interdisciplinary in nature, research in the LPP program is conducted in several academic departments, graduate schools, and research centers within Northeastern University.

The research centers are excellent resources because they make it possible for students and faculty members from various academic departments to collaborate on research projects. Centers and institutes include the Center for Community Health Education, Research, and Service; the Center for Criminal Justice Policy Research; the Center for Labor Market Studies; the Institute on Race and Justice; and the Public Health Advocacy Institute.

Law and Public Policy Faculty Members

The Law and Public Policy program includes core faculty members and talented affiliated faculty members - from many departments throughout Northeastern University - who teach LPP courses and serve on PhD students' dissertation committees.

Professor Joan Fitzgerald, Director of the Law and Public Policy program, is a prolific writer and researcher who has published 3 books including "Emerald Cities: Urban Sustainability and Economic Development." In addition, Dr. Fitzgerald also receives research grants and scholarships for her outstanding work. For instance, she was recently named a Fulbright Senior Scholar and was awarded a travel grant from the German Marshall Fund of the United States that will be used to investigate climate change strategies in European cities.

Financial Aid

In addition to federal loans and work study programs, students may be eligible to receive tuition assistantships, scholarships, and fellowships.Assistantships and fellowships include stipends and tuition waivers.

Northeastern University

Northeastern University is a private institution of higher learning that was established in 1898. It is located in Boston, Massachusetts, in the northeastern region of the United States.

The university provides approximately 20,000 students with more than 90 undergraduate programs and over 160 master's, doctoral, and graduate certificate programs. Its renowned co-operative (co-op) education program enables students to acquire theoretical knowledge in their disciplines while gaining as many as 18 months of paid, practical experience.

NEU's location in Boston is ideal because the city is an international focal point for culture, recreation, commerce, and education. Therefore, graduate students have excellent opportunities to gain real-world professional experience as well as expand their social and cultural horizons.

More information is available regarding The College of Social Sciences and Humanities, graduate applications and graduate studies at Northeastern University.

• Degrees Offered
• Major Degree Levels Offered
• Juris Doctor/Doctor of Philosophy (JD/PhD)
  Master of Science (MS)
  Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

• Degrees Awarded
• Master's Degrees 5
• Doctoral Degrees 6
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported
• * Shows the number of degrees awarded for the last academic year that data was reported.

• Earning Your Degree
• Part-time study available? Yes
• Evening/weekend programs available? Yes
• Distance learning programs available? No
• Terminal master's degree available? No

• Degree Requirements
• Master's Degrees Required
• Doctoral Degrees Required and Required
• First Professional Degrees Not reported
• Other Advanced Degrees Not reported

• Acceptance Rate
• Applied39
• Accepted20
• Acceptance Rate51%
• Enrolled6
• Applying
• Application Fee - Domestic $50
• Application Fee - International $50
• Electronic applications accepted? No
• Applications processed on a rolling basis? Not Reported
• Application Deadlines
• Type Domestic International Priority Date
• Fall deadline February 1st Not Reported Not Reported
• Winter deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Spring deadline Not Reported Not Reported Not Reported
• Entrance Requirements
• Master's DegreesGRE General Test
• Doctoral's DegreesGRE General Test or LSAT
• First-Professional's DegreesNot Reported
• Other Advanced DegreesNot Reported
• International DegreesTOEFL required

• Tuition & Fees
• In-state tuition *Not Reported
• Out-of-state tuition *Not Reported
• International student tuitionNot Reported
• * Tuition for full-time graduate student per academic year
• Fees
• Per-academic year feesNot Reported
• Per-term feesNot Reported
• One-time feeNot Reported
• * Fees for full-time graduate students
• Financial Support
• Financial award applicants must submitFAFSA
• Application deadlines for financial awardsFebruary 1
• Types of financial support availableTuition Waivers, Graduate Assistantships

• Gender
• Total Graduate Students62
• Female Percentage56%
• Male Percentage44%
• Participation
• Total Graduate Students62
• Part-time Percentage35%
• Full-time Percentage65%
• Ethnicity
• Hispanic / LatinoNot Reported
• Black / African AmericanNot Reported
• White / CaucasianNot Reported
• American Indian / Alaskan NativeNot Reported
• AsianNot Reported
• Native Hawaiian / Other Pacific IslanderNot Reported
• Two or more racesNot Reported
• UnknownNot Reported

• Faculty Breakout
• Total Faculty51
• Full-time Percentage65%
• Part-time Percentage35%
• Female Percentage47%
• Male Percentage53%

• Existing Research
• Focus of faculty researchPolicy issues in health, crime, and labor; urban studies; education; law and environmental issues; economic development; international trade and law
• Externally sponsored research expenditures last yearNot Reported