202 Law Building

412-648-1400

http://www.law.pitt.edu

admissions@law.pitt.edu

The primary mission of the School of Law is to provide, through its three-year JD program, an opportunity for qualified students to develop a sophisticated understanding of the law in society and to acquire the necessary skills to enable the graduate lawyer to serve clients effectively and make a contribution to an increasingly diverse and rapidly changing society. In addition, the School of Law offers continuing education for practicing lawyers and education for non-lawyers about the legal process and legal system. The School of Law offers a one-year LL.M. Program for foreign law graduates (see International and Comparative Law) and a one-year Master of Studies in Law (MSL) program for people who use law -- or will use law -- in their careers and who want to learn more about it, but who do not want to become lawyers. Students may obtain the MSL degree in one year full-time, or part-time over the course of up to four years. The MSL Program provides one course (Introduction to Law and Legal Reasoning) for those specifically in this program; all other courses are regular law school courses with JD students. There are over 20 areas of concentration from which to choose. In addition, JD students may participate in one of the School of Law's five Certificate programs: Environmental Law, Science and Policy; Health Law; Intellectual Property and Technology Law; International and Comparative Law; and Civil Litigation. Through its Innovation Practice Institute, the School also offers programming and courses that prepare students to serve as legal advisors to entrepreneurs. The School of Law also offers joint-degree programs with the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs (GSPIA), the Joseph M. Katz Graduate School of Business, the Graduate School of Public Health, the School of Social Work, and the School of Arts and Sciences (medical ethics track) that provide rigorous, integrated training effectively merging law with allied fields. These programs are unique, given the range of master's degree options available. For Law and GSPIA, those options include the JD/MPA in law and public management and policy; the JD/MPIA in law and international affairs; and the JD/MID in International Development. The joint program between Law and Business provides an opportunity for students to earn the JD/MBA in law and business administration. The joint program with the Graduate School of Public Health provides an opportunity to earn the JD/MPH in law and public health and the joint program with the School of Social Work permits students to earn the MSW/JD in social work and law. The joint program in bioethics provides an opportunity for the student to receive a JD/MA while exploring in depth the bioethical issues that arise in health law. The School of Law also offers cooperative degree programs with the Carnegie Mellon University Heinz School of Public Policy and Management through which students can earn a JD/MS in law and public policy and management or a JD/MA in law and arts management, and with CMU's Tepper School of Business through which students can pursue a JD/MBA in law and business administration.