What courses count for the theory requirement?

The theory course should relate to the student’s SIS concentration. Choose one of the following (parenthesis indicate the SIS MA program that offers the course, e.g. USFP= United States Foreign Policy and National Security (see the JD/MA Advising Notes for more detail):

  • SIS-672 Theories of Comparative and International Studies (CRS)

  • SIS-665 International Trade Relations (IER; Prerequisite: SIS-616 International Economics)

  • SIS-666 International Financial Relations (IER, Prerequisite: SIS-616 International Economics)

  • SIS-640 International Communication (IC)

  • SIS-682 Foreign Policy: Institutions and Processes (USFP)

  • SIS-689 Foreign Policy: Theories of Decision Making (USFP)

  • SIS-660 Environment and Politics (GEP)

  • SIS-733 Theories of Violence and War (IPCR)

  • SIS-619 Peace and Conflict Resolution Seminar 1 (IPCR)

  • SIS-637 International Development (ID)

  • SIS-619 Foundations of Global Security (GGPS)

  • SIS-619 Foundations of Global Governance (GGPS)

Theory Courses Previously Available to JD/MA students that are now restricted or no longer offered. These courses fulfill the SIS Theory requirement for JD/MA students who took them when they were available:

  • SIS-619 Global International Relations Theory (GGPS)

  • SIS-607 Peace Paradigms (IPCR)

Which courses count towards the five credits of international law coursework?

Most general courses in international law may fulfill the requirement, as may courses from the Chile or Paris/Geneva programs. Please contact your JD/MA Graduate Academic Advisor with any questions.

Which courses count towards the economics requirement at WCL?

Any upper level international law class that focuses on business, trade or economics may fulfill the requirement. Please contact your JD/MA Graduate Academic Advisor with any questions.

What is the SIS Tool of Research (TOR) language requirement (non-credit)?

All SIS graduate students, including JD/MA students must fulfill the non-credit language requirement, which must demonstrate proficiency in a language other than English. Proficiency is defined as:

  • reading proficiency at the intermediate level

  • ability to read an article written in the language with good comprehension using a dictionary only for specialized terminology

Most JD/MA students fulfill this requirement by taking the free on campus “Tool of Research” (TOR) exam offered by the Center for Language Exploration Acquisition and Research (CLEAR). Students can take the TOR exam up to three times. Neither the grade nor any exam failures are recorded on a student’s transcript. Students are strongly encouraged to take the TOR exam during their 2L year and no later than their 3L fall semester. Taking the exam allows students to evaluate their current level of language proficiency and how much time they may need to devote to language study to stay on track for their MA graduation timeline. More information about the TOR exam (including how to register) is available at http://www.american.edu/cas/clear/tor.cfm. Please consult the SIS Graduate Advising website for information on additional ways to satisfy this requirement.

Do the language courses count toward the degree requirements?

Language courses do NOT count toward the total of 101 units.

What is the SIS non-credit Professional Experience requirement?

JD/MA students must demonstrate evidence of professional experience relevant to their MA program. This may include:

  • A prior or current professional experience

  • An internship registered for academic credit in SIS (SIS-691)

  • An internship registered for non-credit in SIS (SIS-091)

  • An externship registered at WCL

  • Participation in PILPP or International Human Rights Clinic at WCL

Please see the SIS Grad Advising website for additional information regarding this requirement. Students are required to file paperwork to fulfill this requirement (exception being PILPP and International Human Rights Clinic). Students should contact their JD/MA Graduate Academic Advisor if they have questions regarding which form they need to submit to have their professional experience reviewed.

What are the requirements of an internship and can they be paid?

Internships can be registered in WCL, as well as in SIS, but internships can never be registered in both schools at the same time. For questions regarding how to register the internship at WCL, please contact the WCL Registrar.

To register an internship in SIS (either for credit or not-for-credit), please see the SIS Graduate Advising website at http://www.american.edu/sis/gradadvising/internships.cfm. Non-credit internships are used to fulfill the Professional Experience requirement. Internships for academic credit can fulfill the Professional Experience requirement and may be counted towards academic program requirements, e.g. Elective. Consult your advisor for more information. All paperwork to register an internship in SIS must be completed and submitted prior to the add/drop deadline of the semester in which the student will be pursuing the internship.

What are skills institutes and how do they count towards my degree?

SIS offers 1-credit Skills Institutes (SIS-730; formerly also SIS-633, SIS-638, and SIS-639). Skills institutes are intensive, weekend-long workshops designed to relevant professional skills. JD/MA students are not required to take skills institutes; however, many JD/MA students choose to incorporate them into their MA program. JD/MA students can take up to six (6) skills institutes, provided they count toward the student’s MA degree requirements. All JD/MA students can take skills institutes to count toward their three-credit SIS elective. JD/MA students can also count skills institutes toward their SIS concentration credits, if the topic of the institutes relates to their concentration. Skills institutes may not count towards the SIS professional methods requirement for the JD/MA program.

Skills institutes are typically offered over the weekend; however, the specific dates and meeting times vary among institutes. Students are encouraged to read the Schedule of Classes closely for the meeting dates and times.

When and how do I register for skills institutes?

Students can register Skills Institutes online via the myAU portal, prior to the semester’s add/drop deadline. Skills Institutes may be added or dropped up until two (2) days prior to the start of the institute. After the add/drop deadline, skills institutes need to be added/drop via a Request for Registration Action Form. Students must email the completed Registration Action form to sis-skills@american.edu. If a Skills Institute is dropped online after the add/drop deadline, a “W” grade will be recorded on the student’s transcript. In order to avoid the “W” grade on their transcript, students should complete the above-mentioned Registration Action form to have the course fully dropped. More information regarding skills institutes is available at http://www.american.edu/sis/skillsinstitutes/

Will my journal article count for the WCL portion of the writing requirement?

The journal article counts for the WCL writing requirement if it is on an international topic.

What other papers count for the WCL portion of the writing requirement?

The Upper Level Writing Requirement counts for the WCL portion of the writing requirement. It may be satisfied by writing a single topic paper of not less than 30 pages in connection with a law school seminar or other law school activity typically of 3-credit hours, as long as it is prepared under faculty supervision. Textual footnotes which contain substantial legal analysis (i.e., such as are found in student scholarly journals) may count against the page length requirement only with the consent of the faculty member supervising the project. The 30-page minimum length may be varied when the supervising faculty member determines in the exercise of her or his discretion that exceptional circumstances exist which warrant such action. Students must remember to let their JD/MA academic advisor know with which course they have completed this requirement.

How do the Chile and Paris/Geneva study abroad programs fit into the JD/MA program?

The two classes, international law and economic law, will fulfill the general international law JD/MA requirements and/or the economics requirement.

What level SIS classes count for the JD/MA program?

Any SIS class that is 600-level or above will count for the program.

When can JD/MA students start taking MA classes?

JD/MA students may begin taking courses after the completion of their 1L year of law school (summer or fall semester).

If I leave the Washington, DC area because I have completed my JD, passed the bar and found a job in another state, is it possible to complete the remaining requirements of the MA?

Yes. Students can do an independent studies and research anywhere in the world and be supervised by a faculty advisor. The skills institutes are offered on weekends to allow out of town students the opportunity to take weekend trips back to Washington, D.C. to complete this requirement. Additionally, in exceptional circumstances, JD/MA students may request to enroll in online-SIS courses to complete their requirements.

What are the residency requirements for the SIS MA program? Do they require students to enroll in a certain number of courses at main campus? If so, how many courses/credits? At which juncture should these be fulfilled?

Students need to take a minimum 21 hours on main campus, which is about 7 classes. These have to be SIS classes; however, independent studies and internships can be completed anywhere as long as they are registered in SIS. All students entering the SIS program must reserve a minimum of 6 credits for the semester after they graduate from WCL. Students must finish their JD program before they complete the MA program.

Is it possible to spend my last summer studying for the bar and starting a firm job wile postponing my remaining SIS requirements to the Fall term? If so, can I complete the required courses in the evenings while employed? If so, can this be done in one semester?

Yes, a lot of students postpone their last semester to the fall term. Courses are offered in the evenings, but it usually takes 2 semesters to complete the requirements if the student is working full time.

Can I take classes at a university other than AU for the final semester of the MA?

The final semester must be completed in the School of International Service (exception: ECON-603 Intro to Economic Theory); however, the student may complete independent studies, internships, and research anywhere in the world as long as they are registered in SIS. Transfer credit from other universities is NOT accepted.

What are my options for my third summer in the program?

  • Students can take the bar, start work in September and finish classes in the evening, as most SIS graduate classes are offered in the evening OR

  • Students can take a summer associate position, take classes in the fall and take the bar in the following February OR

  • Students can finish course work during the summer and fall, start a job in the fall and make arrangements with an employer to take the bar in February.

How long is the JD/MA program?

The program length is a minimum of 3½ years. Students receive their law degrees at the end of 3 years and their Master’s degree at the end of a minimum 3½ years.

If I select my courses carefully with an eye towards fulfilling the MA and JD requirements simultaneously, how long will it take to complete the joint degree program? What if I am a part-time student, how long will it take to complete the program, assuming that courses are selected carefully?

The JD/MA is a 3½ year program (minimum time depending on the number of SIS credits taken during a student’s JD semester(s)) with the Washington College of Law (WCL) and the School of International Service (SIS). Students cannot graduate from both the JD and MA in the same semester and must complete at least six (6) credits of SIS coursework after the completing their JD degree. SIS cannot guarantee that students will be able to complete their post-JD SIS credits from outside DC. This is subject to course availability and students’ remaining requirements. Students should expect to be in DC for their final MA semester. Students who are planning to leave DC after graduating their JD should contact their JD/MA Graduate Academic Advisor to discuss their options.

The program is 4½ years for part-time student, but can be completed in 4 if the student graduates from law school in 3½.

I am a full-time law student at WCL with an interest in the SIS MA program. If I did not apply to the Master’s program prior to enrolling at WCL, is it too late to apply during my first year?


No, it is not too late. JD students may apply anytime during their enrollment in law school. If you are already a law student:

  • Obtain and complete the form from the Asst. Dean of Academic Services & Registrar

  • Ask the Registrar’s Office to send your file to SIS Graduate Admissions

What are the additional costs for JD/MA students to obtain an SIS degree? Is it possible to receive federal funding for the MA program, if a student has taken out the maximum aid for law school?

While enrolled at WCL, fulltime JD/MA students are charged the JD bulk tuition for the fall and spring semesters. SIS courses taken while a student is still an active JD student are covered by the JD bulk tuition and are also included towards the WCL “credit cap” per semester. SIS credits taken during the summer semesters in which a JD/MA student is still an active JD student (i.e. the summer between 1L/2L and 2L/3L) are billed at the WCL per-credit summer tuition rate. All SIS credits taken after the completion of students’ JD degree are billed at the SIS per-credit tuition rate.

All information regarding WCL JD-tuition and fees may be found here: https://www.wcl.american.edu/finaid/cost.cfm

All information regarding SIS MA-tuition and fees (for post-JD credits) may be found here: http://www.american.edu/finance/studentaccounts/Tuition-and-Fees-Information.cfm

What resources can I use to secure an internship?

In addition to the Career Center at WCL, students are more than welcome to use the full resources of the SIS Graduate Advising team. All SIS Career Advisors can offer support in career exploration, informational interviews, internships, interview preparation, job search strategy, mock interviews, networking, personal branding, offer negotiation, practicum applications, resume/cover letter writing, and other career concerns.

All information regarding SIS Graduate Career Advising may be found here: http://www.american.edu/sis/career/advisors.cfm

How do I register for SIS courses?

Full-time MA students usually take nine (9) credit hours per semester; typically, three, 3-credit courses. Students should consult the Schedule of Classes for a list of courses currently planned for the upcoming semester. SIS graduate classes are listed under the Subject “SIS - International Service” (not SISG). Students should make note of the prefix, course number and section number (e.g. SIS-600-005) for each course for which they wish to register. Students will enter this information into Student Planning to plan and register the courses. Students should also make note of any course restrictions and/or pre-requisites, and discuss any applicable pre-requisite waivers with their JD/MA Graduate Academic Advisor. Graduate students must register all courses that will fulfill degree requirements for the letter grade option (A-F), unless the course is only offered P/F (e.g. skills institutes and non-credit internships). Students can review this information in more detail under the “Grading” section of this packet. If a course for which a student would like to register is full (including “Closed”), students can choose to add themselves to the waitlist for the course. Should a space become available in the course, students will be notified via email and have 24-hours to register for the course. It is, therefore, critical that students check their AU email daily. Graduate students may be waitlisted for a total of three (3) courses at any one time, and may only be on the waitlist for one section of any given course. Skills institutes are not available for waitlisting.

Please note that WCL and SIS academic calendars may not match in any given semester. Please check the appropriate academic calendar (links below) for add/drop deadlines, registration dates, and other important information. Since WCL and SIS may run on different academic calendars, please note that there are separate terms in the Student Planner interface. When registering for SIS courses, students will either need to toggle forward to the “Regular Term” to review their planned schedule for a given semester or click the “plus [+]” sign to create a new “Regular Term” tab (instead of the “Wash Col of Law” Term) to register SIS courses.

Students who are encountering problems accessing Student Planning, or have any technical difficulties should contact the AU Help Desk at helpdesk@american.edu. JD/MA students with specific questions about their degree requirements or classes should contact the JD/MA Graduate Academic Advisor.

What if I have a question which was not answered on this website?

Please contact your JD/MA academic advisor.

Who is my JD/MA Academic Advisor?

Jessica MacArthur is the JD/MA Academic Advisor for students with last names A-J. Contact info: jmacarth@american.edu; (202) 885-1645 (Office).

Melanie Brisse is the JD/MA Academic Advisor for students with last names K-Z. Contact info: mbrisse@american.edu; (202) 885-1659 (Office).

Additional resources and links: