The Dickinson School of Law (DSL) and the School of Forest Resources (SFR) offer joint degree programs leading to the degree of Juris Doctor (J.D.), joined with a Master of Forest Resources (M.F.R.), a Master of Science (M.S.), a Master of Agriculture (M.Agr.) or a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Forest Resources or Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences.
Admissions Requirements
Students must apply to DSL and SFR separately and must meet each school's admissions requirements.
Students are eligible to start taking courses in the SFR programs after successfully completing a minimum of 22 credits with the law school.
College Specific Admissions Requirements
DSL: We consider each application in its entirety, including academic transcripts, leadership activities, community activities, work experience, personal background, letters of recommendation, personal statement(s), LSAT score(s) and LSAT writing sample. Through consideration, the admissions committee seeks to identify candidates for law study who are academically prepared for the study of law and who will contribute to the promotion of diversity and excellence in the student body and the legal profession. The committee has no computational methods for making decisions. An applicant should have acquired significant oral and written communication skills before entering law school. The following are required of applicants: a completed electronic or paper application form for DSL; the $60 application fee (credit card payment acceptable) or the fee waiver application; the Law School Admissions Service (LSAC) Report, which should include the results from the Law School Admissions Test(s) (LSAT), transcripts from every undergraduate school attended, and letters of recommendation (academic references preferred) submitted via the LSAC LOR service; and finally, a current and complete resume, and the personal statement(s) which may be submitted as attachments with your electronic application or paper application.
SFR: A Bachelor's or equivalent degree from an accredited college is a prerequisite for admission to a master's degree program, with a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 and junior-senior average of 3.0, based on a maximum 4.0 system. Master's degree students applying for the joint degree must also take the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) or the LSAT; provide an official undergraduate transcript or transcripts; a personal statement; employment record since high school; and three letters of recommendation. More details on recommended background knowledge for the SFR Master's programs may be found on the SFR Graduate Student website.
Admission to the Ph.D. program requires evidence of research ability, e.g., a master's degree thesis, paper, or equivalent publication and a grade point average of 3.3 or higher in graduate studies work, exclusive of thesis and special problem courses. Baccalaureate degree students graduating from an honors program with a required thesis, or who have authored a refereed publication, may be considered for admittance to the Ph.D. program without a master's degree.
Application Process
Students must complete the following Penn State applications, along with any other requirements in the College Specific Admissions Requirements section above. These applications may be completed simultaneously.
- Select: Apply Now or Continue Application in Progress
- Select: I am applying to, have been admitted to, or am currently enrolled in, the Penn State Dickinson School of Law and wish to apply to an approved joint degree program.
- Print and complete this application and mail it to the address indicated on the last page of the application.
International Applicants
All international applicants whose first language is not English or who have not received baccalaureate or master's degrees from an institution in which the language of instruction is English must take the Test of English as a Second Language (TOEFL) and submit the results of that test with the application for admission. A TOEFL score of 550 on the paper test or a score of 213 on the computer-based test, or 80 points on the new Internet-based test with a minimum of 23 points on the new speaking portion; or the International English Language Testing System (IELTS) with a minimum composite score of 6.5 is required for admission.
Residency
For master's programs, 5 semesters residence is required at the Law School and 3 semesters residence at SFR, although additional time may be required to complete the M.S. thesis requirements. For Ph.D. programs, the same minimum number of semesters will be required, as well as time required to complete additional course work and a dissertation. In addition, Ph.D. candidates must arrange the sequence of semesters such that they are in residence at University Park as a full time student for at least two semesters in a single 12 month period.
College Liaisons
The department and faculty liaisons for DSL shall be the Associate Dean for Academic and the student advisor shall be the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs or such other faculty member(s) as may be designated by the Dean.
The department and faculty liaison for SFR and the student contact for inquiries regarding the joint degree program shall be the current holder of the Maurice K. Goddard Chair in Forestry and Environmental Resources Conservation, or the Director of SFR when there is no current appointee to the Goddard Chair.
College Prescribed Curriculum
DSL: All students in the J.D. program are required to take the first-year curriculum in DSL. In the second or third year, students must take CORE 934 (Professional Responsibility).
SFR: You may find more information regarding the SFR degree programs on the SFR Web site.
Inter-program Transfer of Credits
DSL: A maximum of twelve (12) credits for SFR courses may be transferred for credit toward the 88 credits required for the J.D. degree at DSL. Which twelve (12) credits will be transferred will be subject to the approval of the Associate Dean at the law school. Students must also obtain a grade satisfactory to the J.D. program in order for the approved courses to be transferable.
SFR: The SFR programs are interdisciplinary programs and typically credits from other departments and colleges may be credited. What courses may be credited will be determined by the student's SFR committee. Normally, a maximum of twelve (12) credits of DSL course work will be counted for credit toward the minimum requirements for an SFR Master's degree, subject to approval by the student's SFR committee.
Sequence of Study
The sequence of courses will be determined by the student and their advisors. Students must successfully complete a minimum of 22 credits with the law school before beginning the SFR program. SFR courses completed prior to the successful completion of the minimum 22 law credits will not be permitted to count toward the J.D. degree.
Recommended Program of Study and Advising
All students in the program will have two academic advisors, one from DSL and one from SFR (the committee chair). Periodic interaction between the two advisors will be encouraged. A program of study will be developed for each student, taking into account the fact that some courses in both programs are offered on a rotating or intermittent basis. Many courses are offered every year, but some are offered every two or three years. The standard committee structure will apply to the SFR programs.
Tuition
Students will be charged the applicable DSL tuition to cover the J.D. program and the applicable graduate tuition to cover the SFR degree program. DSL tuition will be paid for the semesters in which the student is registered for DSL courses, and graduate tuition will be paid for the semesters in which the student is registered for graduate courses in the SFR program. A student may take up to one course (3 credit hours) per semester in the program where the student is not primarily registered without any change in tuition, but must pay additional tuition to the program that the student is not primarily registered if he or she wishes to take additional course work pursuant to that program during the semester.
Financial Aid and Assistantships
Decisions on financial aid and assistantships will be made by each school according to that school's procedures.
School of Forestry Resources (SFR) course list
Dickinson School of Law (DSL) course list
