CENTERS > CCELP > Cross-Registration

Concurrent-Degree Master's in ESPM and JD

• It is possible to do a concurrent program between ESPM (resulting in a Master’s degree) and Boalt (resulting in a J.D. degree).  A number of students have chosen this path in the past, taking advantage of the tremendous opportunities here at Berkeley to do inter-disciplinary environmental work in two excellent departments.
• Students need to apply separately to ESPM and Boalt for admission into each program.  There is no guarantee that a student admitted to one program will be admitted to the other program simply because they have indicated interest in a concurrent-degree program.
• Students may start in either ESPM or the law school.  The student must complete their first year of law school entirely in the law school.  However, for subsequent years, the student may take classes from either school. 
• Students interested in applying to ESPM will need to talk with faculty in ESPM in order to find potential mentors or advisors.  These contacts will need to be included in the ESPM application.  Students are strongly recommended to select the “MS/PhD” option on the ESPM application.
• While ESPM will consider providing funding (through grants, Graduate Student Instructor positions, or Graduate Student Research positions), there is no guarantee of funding for the ESPM portion of the program.  Students therefore may be required to fund the ESPM portion of their program with loans.  These loans would not be covered by the law school’s loan forgiveness program (LRAP).
• Once admitted to both schools, students should confer with Dean Ortiz in the law school, and their advisor and Richard Battrick in ESPM about sequencing semesters in the two programs.
• The total time for the program is typically four years.  Generally speaking, students will be able to count up to eight units of ESPM classes towards their law degree and a significant number of their law classes towards their ESPM degree, allowing graduation in four years.  Students will only be required to pay the law school’s Professional Degree Fee (PDF) for three years.
• Information about the different academic calendars and grading systems at the two schools is available at:  http://www.law.berkeley.edu/centers/envirolaw/Boalt_ESPMcrossreg.html
• Further information about the requirements for an ESPM Master’s degree, as well as class lists is available at http://espm.berkeley.edu/gradprograms/index.php
• Students with questions about applying for the concurrent-degree program should contact Prof. Eric Biber in the law school (ebiber@law.berkeley.edu) or Richard Battrick (battrick@nature.berkeley.edu) in ESPM.