Law and Governance (Combined BA/MA)
This dual degree is an accelerated program for undergraduate students with a major in either Political Science or Jurisprudence, Law and Society. The Master of Arts in Law and Governance offers a program of study for students seeking advanced preparation in this field. It provides academic opportunities leading to career enhancement for legal professionals. The degree offerings are on the cutting edge of specialty areas such as conflict management, human resource management, private sector compliance, law office management, legal information management, trademark law, ethics and professional responsibility.
Along with the Law and Governance (Combined BA/MA) degree, the department also offers the following options for graduate study: Law and Governance (MA), Law and Governance with a concentration in Conflict Management and Peace Studies, Law and Governance with a concentration in Governance, Compliance, and Regulation, Law and Governance with a concentration in Intellectual Property, and Law and Governance with a concentration in Legal Management.
Please refer to our programs of study page for a comprehensive list of all of the graduate programs offered within the university.
Undergraduate students with a major in either Political Science or Jurisprudence, Law and Society who are interested in this combined BA/MA program will need to contact one of the advisers in the Law and Governance program – Dr. Tony Spanakos or Dr. Daniel Mengara – by the start of their junior year.
In order to make applying for graduate school as seamless as possible for you, we have
created an application checklist. This checklist can be a reference point for you during the
application process to ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of the steps
needed to apply, as well as all of corresponding supplemental materials for your specific
program of interest.
- Application Deadline: Rolling Admission.
- Submit Online Application: Please create your online account and submit your application by following the general application instructions and pay (or waive) the non-refundable $60 application fee. Once this step has been completed, the online portal will allow you to upload your supplemental materials.
The following is a list of the supplemental materials that will accompany your application for the Law and Governance (Combined BA/MA) program:
- Transcript: One from each college attended.
- Essays/Personal Statement: Please write an integrated essay providing a response to each of the following questions.
- What are your goals for graduate study and your future career?
- In what ways do your academic background and your professional experiences provide evidence of your potential for success in the program you selected and in your eventual career?
- Please give specific examples of relevant coursework and/or experience.
- Is there any further information we should consider in assessing your candidacy?
- Letters of Recommendation: Two.
- Students holding degrees from non-US institutions must request a course-by-course transcript evaluation from a member of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or by Educated Choices. TOEFL (Test of English as a foreign language), IELTS (International English Language Testing System) or Duolingo English Test are required for applicants to any program who earned their degree in a country where English is not the official language. Please check our International Applicants page for more information and for our current TOEFL/IELTS Waiver Policy.
Students will take four master’s-level courses within the MA in Law and Governance program during their senior year: two courses in the fall semester and two courses in the spring semester. The student’s undergraduate major (Political Science or Jurisprudence, Law and Society) will determine which of the first four master’s-level courses in Law and Governance will be taken. Students will enroll in the remaining courses within the MA in Law and Governance program the following year. For more information, please visit the Combined Programs website.
If you have any general questions regarding the application process and requirements, please email or call us:
The Office of Graduate Admissions
Email: graduate@montclair.edu
Telephone: 973-655-5147
Fax: 973-655-7869
If you have specific inquiries regarding your program of interest, please contact the Law and Governance (MA) Program Coordinators:
Dickson Hall 207
973-655-7576
torocarnevaa@montclair.edu
*During the summer months, there will be a rotating department chair available to answer your inquiry. Find the updated summer chair for this program.*