Program: Social Work & Juris Doctor Dual M.S.W./J.D. - University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Apr 06, 2025

2012-2013 Graduate Catalog

Juris Doctor/Master of Social Work (JD/MSW) degree program that allows students admitted to both programs to pursue the two degrees concurrently.

Pursued individually, the JD requires the completion of 89 credit hours and the MSW requires the completion of 63 credit hours. The dual MSW/JD degree would require the completion of 80 law credit hours and 54 social work credit hours, as 9 hours of law courses are accepted toward the MSW and 9 hours of social work courses are accepted toward the JD.

Applicants to the JD/MSW degree program must apply for, and gain admission to, both the Boyd School of Law JD program and to the School of Social Work MSW program, respectively. Admission requirements are the same as those listed under the regular JD and MSW programs.

While applications from current students in either program will be considered, students normally should seek and satisfy admission to enter both programs upon entering the university. However, petitions requesting admission to the dual JD/MSW program from students at more advanced stages in either program will be considered. Those interested are encouraged to submit a request for permission to participate in the program, along with applications for admission, at the earliest possible time. Contact the William S. Boyd School of Law at (702) 895-2440 and the UNLV School of Social Work programs at (702) 895-3311 for further information on admissions requirements.

JD/MSW Curriculum

Required Law Courses - Total Credits: 44*

Civil Procedure/Alternative Dispute Resolution I	3
Civil Procedure/Alternative Dispute Resolution II	3
Constitutional Law I	3
Constitutional Law II	3
Contracts	5
Criminal Law	3
Lawyering Process I	3
Lawyering Process II	3
Upper-level writing-intensive course (one of various courses)	2-3
Professional Responsibility	3
Property I	3
Property II	2
Torts	4
Third Semester Lawyering Process Course	3

* First-year required courses are prerequisites to all upperlevel law courses.

Required MSW Courses - Total Credits: 54

Proposed MSW Degree Requirements
M.S.W. Program - Total Credits: 63
Foundation courses required for all regular M.S.W. program students:
• SW 701 - Social Welfare Policy I
• SW 703 - Social Welfare Policy II
• SW 715 - Human Behavior and the Social Environment I
• SW 716 - Social Work Research I
• SW 719 - Foundation Practice I
• SW 720 - Foundation Practice Methods I
• SW 726 - Social Work Research II
• SW 729 - Foundation Practicum II
• SW 730 - Macro Theory and Practice

Direct Practice concentration
For students pursuing the Direct Practice concentration, the following courses are required in addition to the foundation courses:
• SW 707 - Developing Cross Cultural Competence
• SW 739 - Field Practicum I (DP)
• SW 740 - Direct Practice I
• SW 747 - DSM: Assessment and Diagnosis
• SW 749 - Field Practicum II (DP)
• SW 750 - Direct Practice II
• SW 776 - Legal and Ethical Issues in Social Work
• SW 785 - Special Topics in Advanced Policy
• SW 795 - Capstone Seminar

• In addition, students must complete 9 graduate elective credits.

Management and Community Practice concentration
For students pursuing the Management and Community Practice concentration, the following courses are required in addition to the foundation courses:
• SW 707 - Developing Cross Cultural Competence
• SW 759 - Field Practicum I (MCP)
• SW 760 - Management and Community Practice I
• SW 765 - Financial Management and Resource Development
• SW 769 - Field Practicum II (MCP)
• SW 770 - Management and Community Practice II
• SW 776 - Legal and Ethical Issues in Social Work
• SW 775 - Advanced Policy Practice
• SW 795 - Capstone Seminar

• In addition, students must complete 9 graduate elective credits.

Free Electives at Law School - Total Credits: 24

Students in the JD/MSW program must complete 24 other credits of “free” electives at the law school. These free electives may come from the list of directed electives or from any other elective offered at the law school. Students anticipating practice in a certain area are encouraged to refer to the Course Planning Guide in the Law School Student Policy Handbook for suggested course sequences.

MSW Electives - Total Credits: 9

Principles of Public Administration	3
Personnel Administration	3
Fiscal Administration	3
Cross-cutting Issues in Child Welfare	3
Legal and Ethical Issues in Social Work	3
Child Welfare Policy and Services	3
Child Welfare Administration and Supervision	3
Advanced Practice with Children	3
Advanced Seminar in Policy	3

Directed Electives at Law School - Total Credits: 12

Administrative Law	3
Alternative Dispute Resolution Survey	3
Bill of Rights in Law and Regulation	2-3
Bioethics and the Law	2-3
Business Organizations I	3-4
Capital Defense Clinic	1-6
Child, Parent, and the State	2-3
Children in Society: Selected Problems	2-3
Child Welfare Clinic	1-6
Civil Rights Litigation	3
Congressional Externship	6
Criminal Procedure I	3
Criminal Procedure II	3
Disability Law	3
Domestic Violence and the Law	3
Education Law and Policy	2-3
Employment Discrimination Law	3
Employment Law	3
Family Law	3
Federal Income Tax	3
Feminist Jurisprudence	2-3
First Amendment Rights	3
Government & Public Interest Externship	1-12
Health Care Liability and Quality Regulation	3
Health Care Organization and Finance	3
Immigration Clinic	1-6
Immigration Law	3
International Human Rights Law	2-3
Interviewing Counseling and Negotiations	3
Judicial Externship	3-6
Juvenile Justice Clinic	1-6
Juvenile Law	2-3
Land Use Regulation	3
Law and the American Indian	3
Law and Social Justice	3
Legislative Externship	1-12
Mediation	2-3
Negotiation	2-3
Seminar in Race, Gender, Sexual Orientation & the Law	2-3

* Students in the JD/MSW program must successfully complete at least 12 credits from the following list.

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