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Prerequisites For & Admissions to The M.J. Program
Q: Are there prerequisites for the M.J. program?
To be eligible for admission to our Master of Jurisprudence (M.J.) program, you must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university or an equivalent academic degree from an educational institution in a country other than the United States.
Q: What factors do you take into consideration for admission?
Most admissions decisions are based on a combination of factors, including the quality and strength of each applicant's undergraduate program, grades, worthwhile community and extracurricular activities, employment during and after college, graduate work, and letters of recommendation. The Admissions Committee recognizes that motivation and a willingness to work are also significant factors contributing to the applicant's success in the M.J. program.
Q: Do I need to take the LSAT to apply to the M.J. program?
Graduate exams are not required to apply to the M.J. program. However, if you have taken a graduate entrance exam in the last five years you are required to provide that information on your application.
Q: How do I apply for admission to the Law School?
Applications should be submitted electronically using the online IU Graduate Application.
Q: When should I apply?
Applications open September 1st. The application deadline is April 1st. Admissions decisions are made on a rolling basis. Generally, you will be notified in about 2-3 weeks after a completed application is submitted.
Q: The application asks in questions 12 and 13 about past illegal behavior. How much detail do I need to give if I have answered “Yes” to either of these questions?
You must attach a statement, giving full details (including the facts and disposition) about all civil and criminal matters – juvenile and/or adult -- that you have been involved in or a party to. Any incident relating to your character, ethics, or integrity should be addressed. This explanation must include details of all incidents that have not been sealed by a court. Please note that expungement and dismissal are distinct, and all offenses that have been dismissed must be disclosed.
You will have a continuing obligation to maintain the accuracy of these statements throughout the admissions cycle. If you are offered admission, your obligation will continue after your admission and during your enrollment as an M.J. student. Failure to disclose may result in the revocation of your admission and/or your M.J. degree.
Finances
Q: How much does it cost to acquire the M.J. degree?
Tuition for the M.J. program is charged on a per-credit-hour basis, so you pay for the registered credits. For the 2024-2025 school year, tuition is $979 per credit hour for Indiana residents and $1,660 per credit for non-residents. IU Online charges an additional $40 per credit hour registration fee for online courses, in addition to the tuition and fees listed above (visit IU Online for further information). Residents of Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, and Wisconsin are eligible for our Midwest Student Exchange Program (MSEP) discount, which means that students who are legal residents of these states will pay no more than 150% of the in-state resident tuition rate. Details about the MSEP may be found at this site: http://msep.mhec.org/.
Based on the above rates, tuition for the entire program for an Indiana resident would be $29,370; the cost of a non-resident would be $48,180. There will also be other costs, including additional university fees, books, etc. You can get a more accurate estimate of your actual tuition and fees charged using the IU Tuition & Fee Estimator.
Q: How do I apply for financial aid?
Many law students finance their legal education, entirely or in part, by some combination of federal and private loans. To be eligible for federal loan assistance, you must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available online beginning October 1st and should be submitted prior to March 10th. The University’s federal school code is 001813 and should be included under “school choices.”
Q: How do I apply for a financial award?
The M.J. application form includes a section for requesting financial assistance. Our merit-based scholarships are awarded for demonstrated superior academic performance and/or professional achievements. All applicants are eligible for this award. Scholarships in the M.J. program are provided in the form of tuition remissions. The remission is pro-rated over the thirty credit hours required to complete the M.J. degree. Loan assistance is only available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents.
Eligibility for loans requires the student to be enrolled at least half time and since the summer Legal Process course is only two credit hours (less than half time), students will not have loan eligibility to assist with the cost of this course.
The Program
Q: What classes can I take as part of the M.J. program?
In the M.J. program, you can take almost all courses that are offered at the law school, with a few exceptions. There are specific courses which are designed to prepare students for the practice of law and therefore are not available to M.J. students. Many of these are skills courses such as Trial Practice and Litigation Drafting. The clinics are also not open to students in the M.J. program, as they are an opportunity for J.D. students to get real experience in the practice of law, including representing clients in court. Please contact the M.J. program if you have any questions about which classes are available. A complete list of M.J.-eligible courses are located on the M.J. website.
Q: How long does it take to graduate from the M.J. program?
Full-time students can graduate in one year by taking the summer Legal Process course (4 credits) and 13 credit hours per semester. Part-time students have up to four years to complete the degree but usually graduate in two to three years.
Q: What will my schedule look like in the M.J. program?
As an M.J. student, you will have the flexibility to design a program as well as a schedule that meets your individual needs, along with the assistance of your faculty advisor. There are two required courses. The first is Legal Process, an online course, which usually begins in late May.. This is a foundational course which will train you to read and brief cases, interpret statutes, apply precedent, synthesize rules, support a party’s position, and prepare you for law school examinations. During the first semester, which starts in August, you will then take a first-year J.D. course. The foundational first-year courses are taken during the first year of a J.D. program. M.J. students may choose to take Contracts, Torts, Property, or Criminal Law, depending on your area of interest.
You will meet in class for one hour per each credit hour. For example, a three-credit-hour course will meet for three hours each week. If taking classes at night, a two-credit hour course usually meets one night a week, and a three-or-four-credit-hour course usually meets twice a week.
Q: Can I start the M.J. program in January?
The M.J. program only begins with the summer Legal Process course. All M.J. students begin the degree program with that summer course; a January start date is not available.
Q: How much time should students expect to devote to studying?
As a general rule, students study about two hours for every hour of class. Thus, students attending class for two hours each evening can count on approximately four hours of study time for each evening's class.
Q: Can I take classes both during the day and in the evening?
Yes, if your schedule permits it, both day and evening classes are available to M.J. students. Some online and hybrid courses are also available.
Acceptance/Being Admitted
Q: When can I expect a decision on my application?
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis by the admission committee starting in September, and applicants will receive a decision approximately 2-3 weeks after the admissions committee has completed their review.
Communications
Q: How will I receive correspondence from the law school?
Most correspondence between the Office of Graduate Programs and applicants is via email; occasionally we will also contact you by mail or phone. It is therefore essential that applicants keep their address, email address, and telephone numbers up to date with the Office of Graduate Programs to avoid missing important correspondence.
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us by e-mail at mjlaw@iu.edu.
