Dual Degree for Northwestern Undergraduates (BS/BA-MSL Program)
The BS-MSL and the BA-MSL are dual degree programs that include an undergraduate BS or BA degree from either the McCormick School of Engineering or the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences plus a Master of Science in Law degree (MSL) from the Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. Undergraduate students can be admitted to the program as early as their junior year, allowing them to immediately begin participating in various Law School activities. Admitted students have the option of enrolling in certain MSL courses during their senior year.
Joining a BS or a BA with the MSL in one coordinated program allows students to integrate their different spheres of knowledge and to enter the marketplace with a unique set of interdisciplinary tools. Graduates of this dual degree program are differentiated from their STEM peers; upon completing the program, they have a more nuanced perspective and are well-prepared for a wide variety of positions in industry, policy, and entrepreneurial settings.
"In the MSL Program, I have found that being a leader means being able to find hidden strengths in others.
I have become close with many of my classmates. I am still surprised by some of the skills that pop up."
The BS-MSL and the BA-MSL degrees are designed for Northwestern STEM undergraduates who are interested in developing a multi-disciplinary perspective that better prepares them to apply their STEM skills in a strategic and leadership context. Students who aspire to leadership roles or who have participated in entrepreneurship or policy-related activities make strong applicants.
Application and Admission
Students may apply to the program in either their junior or senior year of undergraduate study.
Applications should be submitted by April 1. Applicants will be notified of decisions within two weeks of the submission.
The application includes the regular MSL application, with the requirement of an additional letter of recommendation (total of two letters). The MSL’s TOEFL requirement is waived for international Northwestern undergraduates.
Tuition and Scholarships
Weinberg & McCormick students who are accepted to the dual degree program will continue to pay undergraduate tuition and will not be charged additional tuition for MSL courses they take while they are still undergraduates. Once students officially transition to the MSL Program, they will begin paying MSL tuition.
Dual degree students will automatically receive an MSL scholarship award equal to 20% of the MSL tuition.
Classes, Credits and Transcripts
Students admitted to one of the dual programs who wish to begin MSL study while still undergraduates will meet with advisors from both schools. With advisors’ approval, admitted students can take up to 4 MSL courses during their senior year. These MSL classes can be taken during two MSL terms; the second half of fall semester (Fall 2 term) and the first half of spring semester (Spring 1 term).
For Weinberg Students:
Credits earned in MSL courses while the student is an undergraduate will be counted toward the MSL degree and not toward the undergraduate degree. When Weinberg graduates matriculate in the MSL program, they will complete only the number of credits remaining after the credits they completed as undergraduate students are subtracted from the required total of 28 credits.
For McCormick Students:
Credits earned in MSL courses while the student is an undergraduate will be counted either toward the undergraduate degree or the MSL degree; the decision about where to apply the credits will be made by the student with advisor approval. If the credits are applied toward the bachelor’s degree, then, once enrolled in the MSL, the student will take the full number of credits required to complete the MSL degree. If the credits are applied toward the MSL degree, then, once enrolled in the MSL, the student will be required to complete only the number of credits remaining after the credits completed as an undergraduate are subtracted from the required total of 28 credits. If any of the MSL courses completed while the student is an undergraduate are required courses, the student will not have to repeat those courses as an MSL student, regardless of whether the credits for those courses are counted toward the bachelor’s degree or towards the MSL degree.
For both Weinberg and McCormick Students:
MSL courses taken while the student is an undergraduate will appear on the undergraduate transcript. Notations will be made on the law transcript if the student is counting MSL credits taken while an undergraduate toward the MSL degree and also if the student has satisfied particular MSL requirements prior to enrollment in the MSL program. Since bachelor’s and law degrees are reflected on separate transcripts, students will need both documents to demonstrate completion of the respective coursework and degrees.