Program Mission and Goals
The JD/MS-GOAL program is designed as a dual-degree program to prepare Creighton law students to assume leadership positions as attorneys working for government entities. Students in the program acquire valuable information and skills useful across the full array of government activity. While the program focuses primarily on the roles of lawyers within the federal government, GOAL graduates emerge from the program well equipped to succeed in state and local government as well. The program is both theoretical and practical: students develop a sophisticated construct of the role of lawyers in government and apply their learning during an intensive full-time externship in a federal governmental office. GOAL offers students:
- A legal/organizational framework for understanding the role of government counsel;
- A set of core competencies to understand and effectively participate as lawyers in leadership and organizational roles in government;
- An enhanced capacity for working as government lawyers in federal agencies;
- Practical skills and techniques in strategic planning, problem solving, collaboration, decision making, and consensus building;
- A detailed understanding of government standards of ethical conduct and ethical principles arising from core values of our society and the Jesuit tradition; and
- Tools to enhance performance and achieve desirable outcomes in career pursuits.
- Graduate in 3 years with dual JD/MS-GOAL degrees.
Program of Study
The degree is a Master of Science in Government Organization and Leadership (MS-GOAL). This degree requires completion of 35 credit hours, an externship in Washington D.C. and a major paper. Thirteen credit hours may be satisfied by courses taken for the JD degree. Five credit hours of GOAL courses may serve as credit toward the JD degree. The program includes a full-time externship at a government office in Washington, DC. While in DC, students take three classes, participate in conferences, networking events, and other opportunities as they arise.
JD and MS-GOAL Dual Degree Program requirements (35 Credits)
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Required Courses Taught in Omaha | ||
| LAW 307 | Administrative Law | 3 |
| LAW 406 | State and Local Governments in a Federal System | 3 |
| GOL 615 | Seminar in Interdisciplinary Leadership Theory | 3 |
| GOL 690 | Workshop: Emerging Perspectives on Governance | 2 |
| GOL 670 | Government Organization and Research | 1 |
| Required Courses Taught in Washington, D.C. | ||
| Courses taken Fall semester, 3rd year of Law School. | ||
| GOL 710 | Counsel Roles and Leadership in Government Agencies | 3 |
| GOL 720 | Ethics in Government | 2 |
| GOL 730 | Externship Program | 11 |
| Electives | ||
| Select at least 7 credits of elective courses from the following. These courses, except for PLS courses, count toward both the J.D. and M.S. degrees. | 7 | |
| Comparative Constitutional Law | ||
| Advanced Constitutional Law | ||
| Copyrights | ||
| Employment Discrimination | ||
| Health Care Insurance Law | ||
| Environmental and Natural Resources Law | ||
| Elder Law | ||
| Estate and Gift Taxation (Federal) | ||
| Energy Law | ||
| Food & Drug Law | ||
| Federal Courts: Jurisdiction and Procedure of the District Courts | ||
| Current Topics in Public Health Law | ||
| Federal Income Taxation | ||
| First Amendment Freedom of Speech | ||
| Health Information Privacy | ||
| Immigration Law | ||
| Health Care Organizations | ||
| Climate Change & International Environmental Law | ||
| Mergers and Acquisitions | ||
| International Criminal Law | ||
| Land Use Law | ||
| Legal Issues in Electronic Commerce | ||
| Employment Law | ||
| Law of Armed Conflict | ||
| Native American Law | ||
| Patent Law | ||
| International Law | ||
| Education Law | ||
| Securities Regulation | ||
| Trademarks and Unfair Competition | ||
| White Collar Crime | ||
| Dynamics of Conflict Resolution and Engagement | ||
| JD First-year Required Courses | 32 | |
| JD Second-year Required Courses | 22 | |
| JD Electives | 35 | |
| 35 elective credits (including the professional skills requirement) are normally required for the JD. 5 GOAL credits count toward JD electives. | ||
| Total Credits | 124 | |