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JD/MA in Law and Peace and Justice Concurrent Degree Program

JD/MAPJ Program

Training practitioners of law, peace and justice

The interdisciplinary Juris Doctor (JD) and Master of Arts in Peace and Justice (MAPJ) Concurrent Degree is the only program in the country that combines graduate studies in peacebuilding and human rights advocacy with legal training. Through the USD School of Law and the Kroc School, JD/MAPJ Concurrent Degree students study law and policy while gaining a deep understanding of the historical, institutional and cultural factors that drive conflict, injustice, oppression and poverty.

#1

nationally ranked peace and justice master's program

4

years to complete (with JD, flexible, part-time options available)

80%+

students receive scholarship or financial support

Courses that equip and empower

Through a curriculum that emphasizes experiential learning through local and international field-based courses, applied peacebuilding within classes and an internship, students learn multiple approaches to law in peace and justice from world-class experts.

Our Students and Faculty

Learn with world-class experts in peace and justice

Associate Professor

Dustin Sharp

Rethinking transitional justice for the 21st century

Associate Professor

Sarah Federman

Do companies need to atone for their historic participation in wars, genocides, slavery, or ecological destruction?

Associate Professor

Topher McDougal

Black markets and the COVID-19 crisis

Career Outcomes

Building careers in law, peace and justice

JD/MAPJ graduates make global impact through careers in the public and private sector, as well as intergovernmental organizations and nonprofits. Graduates pursue careers in immigration, human rights, advising global clientele, as lawyers who influence policy and as public interest lawyers who seek to tackle broad questions of social justice using both law and policy frameworks.

*This is not an exhaustive list of all graduate employers and doesn't guarantee employment with listed employers.

Student Profiles

Alumni making an impact

JD/MAPJ alumni stand out for their capacity to analyze the root causes of violence, oppression and injustice, and apply impactful peacebuilding strategies to address them.

Anya Janssen, 22

Turning her passion for environmental justice into hands-on experience, Anya used the JD/MAPJ program to pave the way for a career in environmental law.

Emily Kawahara, '23

Former Editor-in-Chief of the San Diego Law Review, advocate for victims of human rights abuse with the DOJ and Advocates for Human Rights, and graduate of the JD/MAPJ program.