Law, J.D. & Women's and Gender Studies, M.A. Dual Degree Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University's dual Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in Women's and Gender Studies program provides students with a rigorous, interdisciplinary, and critical study of law, gender and social justice. The program allows students to complete both degrees with significantly less time and expense than if they were obtained separately, with 18 credits counting toward both programs.

Program Highlights

While taking courses through both Saint Louis University School of Law and the women's and gender studies department, students develop research projects that focus on how law and legal policies intersect with gendered social institutions and practices. By pursuing both degrees concurrently, students acquire a broader context for advocating for gender equality in law and policy, along with the distinct analytical training and skill set to navigate the legal system.

Through the SLU LAW Legal Clinics, students can gain first-hand experience representing clients who otherwise would not be able to afford a lawyer, working on issues pertaining to civil and human rights, employment discrimination, prison/sentencing injustice, municipal ordinance violations and more. Students also have the opportunity to assist female entrepreneurs, small business owners and neighborhoods in ways that contribute to the good of the local community.

Dual J.D./M.A. Women's and Gender Studies students at SLU acquire skills applicable to a variety of settings, including:

• Advocating for the rights of women and other disadvantaged groups
• Helping survivors of gender-based violence
• Working in local and national feminist legal organizations
• Practicing law with a clear understanding of how gender issues interconnect with public and private policies

Careers

Attorneys with an M.A. in Women's and Gender Studies are well equipped to work as nonprofit leaders, lobbyists, judges, public defenders and more. They may work in advocacy on behalf of women and other disadvantaged groups or on behalf of victims of gender-based violence, or choose to practice in fields such as employment law, family law, immigration law, health policy/health law, elder law and public interest law. Graduates also may pursue professional opportunities to expand diversity and representation in the legal profession or in higher education.