March 25, 2005

Joint Degree Program at Cooley Law School, WMU, Enjoys Growth

Lansing, Michigan — The joint JD/MPA degree program at Cooley Law School and Western Michigan University is undergoing some changes designed to make the degree even more beneficial to those taking part.

The spirit of cooperation between the two schools that has served as the guiding principal for these programs remains strong, noted Gus Breymann, Director of International & Extended Programs at Cooley.

Transfer credits for the program have been increased from nine credits to 12 credits, with both WMU and Cooley sharing the transfer responsibility equally. Six credits transfer in both directions for a total course reduction of 12 semester hours. Other changes primarily increase the flexibility of the program.

Among the other improvements:

1. The class, “Cooley Online Pre-Law Program,” is no longer required prior to enrolling in any MPA courses, although it remains a recommended option.

2. The class, PADM 600, or Foundations of Public Administration, is no longer required to be taken before beginning law school courses.

3. The number of eligible 600-level MPA courses transferable to Cooley increases, as does Cooley advisers’ discretion to include other 600-level courses.

4. A clarification has been made that students may apply to both Cooley and the WMU MPA program simultaneously, or sequentially.

Many things remain the same for the joint program. Students still start with their program of primary interest. They must complete at least 27 hours at Cooley before starting the MPA degree at WMU. If they start at WMU first, they must complete 18 hours in their MPA work before starting their courses at Cooley.

“ We know that a large number of Cooley students have expressed interest in a joint degree program,” Breymann said, “and this will be a great time for them to apply for admission to the MPA degree.”

The concept behind the joint degree is that the combination of knowledge from the legal and public administration disciplines works to provide a solid foundation.

“ This is an excellent opportunity for Cooley students to acquire new knowledge and skills in management and for WMU students to become firmly grounded in the constitutional and legal underpinnings of public administration,” Breymann explained.

Additional information about the Cooley/WMU joint degree program can be found on the Cooley Web site at www.cooley.edu or on the Western Michigan University Web site at www.wmich.edu/spaa/.