Juris Doctor/Master of Arts in Cybersecurity

This joint degree draws on the strengths of both the law school and the Cybersecurity Program and offers integrated and intensive training in both the technology and the law of information security.  Graduates of this program would have an effective means to enter and to advance in this increasingly critical line of work.

The joint degree program would allow a student to earn both the Master of Arts in Cybersecurity (MA) and Juris Doctor (JD) in an accelerated period of study. 

Students who enroll in the joint degree program must complete 18 of the credits for the master’s degree and 78 credits of the credits for the law degree.  The School of Law and the School of Engineering, Computing, and Construction Management will each accept 12 transfer credits from the other. 

The effect of these credit transfers between the School of Law and the School of Engineering, Computing and Construction Management would be to reduce the overall time needed to complete both degrees from four and a half years to three and a half years, assuming full time study.

Required Cybersecurity courses that are transferable to the Law School:

SEC 502 Cybersecurity Fundamentals (3 Credits)
SEC 550 Computer Networks (3 Credits)
SEC 520 Digital Forensics (3 Credits)
SEC 530 Principles of Cyber Intelligence (3 Credits)

Remaining required Cybersecurity courses to earn M.A. degree:

SEC 605 Cybersecurity and Networks Auditing (3 Credits)
SEC 650 Advanced Problems in Cybersecurity (3 Credits)

Up to a total of 12 credits of the below Law School courses listed below are transferable to Cybersecurity:

LAW 627 Criminal Procedure: Investigation (3 Credits)
LAW 677 Privacy Law (3 Credits)
LAW 740 Intellectual Property (3 Credits)
LAW 760 Constitutional Law II (3 Credits)
LAW 794 National Security (2 credits)
LAW 797 Corporate Counsel Externship (4 credits) and Corporate Counsel Seminar (2 credits)

For a full listing of juris doctor courses, visit the RWU School of Law site.

Applicants applying for the Joint JD/Cybersecurity degree must be in good standing at the end of their first year of study in the RWU School of Law. Prior to starting the application through the RWU Office of Graduate Admissions, students should meet with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Colleen A. Brown. Applications should be submitted sufficiently in advance of the application deadline to assure adequate processing time at both Schools. Student transcripts will be obtained from the School of Law. Applicants must apply to and earn acceptance into both programs separately. Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis and using a portfolio approach, wherein all aspects of the application are considered by the admission committee.

Apply to the J.D./M.A. Online

Close Course Type Descriptions

Course Types

We have classified RWU Law classes under the following headers. One of the following course types will be attached to each course which will allow students to narrow down their search while looking for classes.

Core Course

Students in the first and second year are required to take classes covering the following aspects of the law—contracts, torts, property, criminal law, civil procedure, and constitutional law, evidence, and professional responsibility.  Along with these aspects, the core curriculum will develop legal reasoning skills.

Elective

After finishing the core curriculum the remaining coursework toward the degree is completed through upper level elective courses.  Students can choose courses that peak their interests or courses that go along with the track they are following.

Seminar

Seminars are classes where teachers and small groups of students focus on a specific topic and the students complete a substantial research paper.

Clinics/Externships

Inhouse Clinics and Clinical Externships legal education is law school training in which students participate in client representation under the supervision of a practicing attorney or law professor.  RWU Law's Clinical Programs offer unique and effective learning opportunities and the opportunity for practical experience while still in law school.