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So finished my first semester of law school. All passing grades. Not sure if the lawyer thing is what I want to do anymore and seeing how much I am in Debt/Job Placement for my school/All other factors. I have been considering doing something else. Does anyone know if there is a masters program out there that takes law school classes as credit to a masters program? Thanks!

BonziCharge wrote:So finished my first semester of law school. All passing grades. Not sure if the lawyer thing is what I want to do anymore and seeing how much I am in Debt/Job Placement for my school/All other factors. I have been considering doing something else. Does anyone know if there is a masters program out there that takes law school classes as credit to a masters program? Thanks!

Most Masters programs accept little to no transfer credits.

Possibly library science? But otherwise, I agree with the above.

Aak the school if you can keep some credits upon transferring to a different program
(Disclaimer: I know nothing, but it might work)

Masters are cash cows for universities. I doubt they'd have any interest in 1L curriculum, esp if it would mean you pay less for courses. Maybe some random 3L class on civics or history, or negotiation overlapping with b-school, but not civ pro or contracts.

Many masters programs take no transfer credits at all. Those that do tend to limit the number they will take to between 6-9 credits.

In order for your credits to transfer, the classes you took in law school would need to be a match to those required for the masters program you're looking at. The only exception might be if your masters programs has open electives. I don't know of any that do.

RoaringMice wrote:Many masters programs take no transfer credits at all. Those that do tend to limit the number they will take to between 6-9 credits.

In order for your credits to transfer, the classes you took in law school would need to be a match to those required for the masters program you're looking at. The only exception might be if your masters programs has open electives. I don't know of any that do.

Eh, the MA program in history where I did grad work required 6 cr. of courses from outside the department. I don't know if they'd take 1L courses - I think 2L/3L courses in more focused subjects would be more likely to count - but it's a possibility. But I agree it wouldn't be much more than 6 or so credits, and the more professional master's programs (MBA, MPP, that kind of thing) may not have those kind of electives.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:

RoaringMice wrote:Many masters programs take no transfer credits at all. Those that do tend to limit the number they will take to between 6-9 credits.

In order for your credits to transfer, the classes you took in law school would need to be a match to those required for the masters program you're looking at. The only exception might be if your masters programs has open electives. I don't know of any that do.

Eh, the MA program in history where I did grad work required 6 cr. of courses from outside the department. I don't know if they'd take 1L courses - I think 2L/3L courses in more focused subjects would be more likely to count - but it's a possibility. But I agree it wouldn't be much more than 6 or so credits, and the more professional master's programs (MBA, MPP, that kind of thing) may not have those kind of electives.

MBA programs usually have one or two required classes in business law, but I don't think that the 1L courses taken are a match for that, so oddly enough, the OP might still have to take business law were they to enter an MBA program. This would be something he'd need to discuss with the program.

RoaringMice wrote:

A. Nony Mouse wrote:

RoaringMice wrote:Many masters programs take no transfer credits at all. Those that do tend to limit the number they will take to between 6-9 credits.

In order for your credits to transfer, the classes you took in law school would need to be a match to those required for the masters program you're looking at. The only exception might be if your masters programs has open electives. I don't know of any that do.

Eh, the MA program in history where I did grad work required 6 cr. of courses from outside the department. I don't know if they'd take 1L courses - I think 2L/3L courses in more focused subjects would be more likely to count - but it's a possibility. But I agree it wouldn't be much more than 6 or so credits, and the more professional master's programs (MBA, MPP, that kind of thing) may not have those kind of electives.

MBA programs usually have one or two required classes in business law, but I don't think that the 1L courses taken are a match for that, so oddly enough, the OP might still have to take business law were they to enter an MBA program. This would be something he'd need to discuss with the program.

ive taken MBA business law classes (mandatory and advanced) as well as 1L courses - both the material and the approach are completely different. An MBA business law class, you're not learning to understand the law, you're learning about the kinds of issues to keep in mind. Basically being taught key concepts to keep yourself out of trouble, and to be able to talk to attorneys and (more or less) understand what they're saying - as in, the attorney knows the technical detail, but the MBA can follow at a high level

My MPA from Penn would take 4 law school classes as electives, you take the other 8 at the grad school. Most of the time people are transferring within Penn, but I know they have also taken it from other regional schools like Temple/Nova. Some masters are more open to this, others are not. Who is applying for may also be a factor.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:But I agree it wouldn't be much more than 6 or so credits, and the more professional master's programs (MBA, MPP, that kind of thing) may not have those kind of electives.

Sorry I didn't read the later responses. Penn MPA would take 4 courses (so 12 credits). I know Kennedy and Wilson would do ad-hoc joint degrees on a individual basis so they would also take probably up to 3-4 courses. Professional programs are more likely to take other credits because it does help to have a broad perspective.

Switching to MPP/MPA from law school to avoid poor job prospects/debt is like moving from kansas to slovakia in search of nice beaches

jbagelboy wrote:Switching to MPP/MPA from law school to avoid poor job prospects/debt is like moving from kansas to slovakia in search of nice beaches

My MPA most certainly have better job prospects than non T14 law schools. And it costs a lot less.

r6_philly wrote:

jbagelboy wrote:Switching to MPP/MPA from law school to avoid poor job prospects/debt is like moving from kansas to slovakia in search of nice beaches

My MPA most certainly have better job prospects than non T14 law schools. And it costs a lot less.

Im sure you can ID the logical flaw here. You're not comparing equal quantities: Your MPA is from Penn, so of course its more employable than TT law schools.

Compared to T7 law schools, what are we looking at?

jbagelboy wrote:

r6_philly wrote:

jbagelboy wrote:Switching to MPP/MPA from law school to avoid poor job prospects/debt is like moving from kansas to slovakia in search of nice beaches

My MPA most certainly have better job prospects than non T14 law schools. And it costs a lot less.

Im sure you can ID the logical flaw here. You're not comparing equal quantities: Your MPA is from Penn, so of course its more employable than TT law schools.

Compared to T7 law schools, what are we looking at?

You logic flaw is assuming that one who exits a TTT law program can't in fact get into a top MPA program. I had classmates who were not top law grads getting a MPA to improve employability/prestige.

ETA as for your comment on comparison, I don't think the MPA program is that far off than Penn Law's employment numbers. Salary will not compare of course, but I feel that getting a decent job (in master's terms) is not that difficult from what I saw.

A. Nony Mouse wrote:Possibly library science? But otherwise, I agree with the above.

cold

jbagelboy wrote:Switching to MPP/MPA from law school to avoid poor job prospects/debt is like moving from kansas to slovakia in search of nice beaches

I literally laughed out loud and spit up my soda while reading this...good one JBagel