The M.A. degree in Jurisprudence and Social Policy is only available to current Berkeley Law J.D. students or JSP Ph.D. students. Applicants interested in applying to the M.A. must follow the same application procedures as for the Ph.D. but indicate that they are interested in the master's program at the end of the application.
In order to obtain the M.A. degree, students must pursue one of two plans, and spend at least a minimum of two semesters of academic residence at Berkeley. Plan I requires at least twenty semester units of upper division or graduate courses and a thesis. Plan II, preferred by the program, requires at least twenty-four units of upper division or graduate courses and an oral M.A. examination. Whatever plan is chosen, the student must have completed the JSP coursework requirements (a list appears here).
Plan II requires an oral examination, and students who are interested in this path to obtaining a M.A. degree should alert the GSAO at least a month ahead of time. In consultation with the Graduate Advisor, the GSAO will recruit an Examination Committee of at least two JSP faculty to conduct the exam.