Students can simultaneously earn a Juris Doctor and Ph.D. or Ed.D. on an accelerated track
The Drake University Law School and the School of Education have established a new joint degree program that enables students to earn a Juris Doctor from the Law School alongside either a Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Ph.D.) or Doctor of Education in Leadership (Ed.D.) from the School of Education on an accelerated and integrated track.
The joint program—which will begin enrolling students for the fall 2026 semester—is designed for students whose professional goals include education leadership, policy development, or academic careers at the intersection of law, education, and public policy.
“The partnership between the Law School and the School of Education reflects Drake’s commitment to interdisciplinary innovation,” said Roscoe Jones, dean of the Drake University Law School. “We are fostering a collaborative environment where legal theory and educational research meet to help shape the next generation of education policy and legal professionals.”
“To navigate the complexities of an evolving policy landscape in education, we need leaders who can work across disciplines to build environments in which every student can thrive,” said Ryan Wise, dean of the Drake University School of Education. “This new joint program provides a unique bridge, allowing students to combine deep educational research with the legal expertise necessary to succeed and solve complex challenges.”
About the programs
When the degrees are pursued simultaneously, the joint program is designed to be completed in approximately five to six years, depending on dissertation progress, with graduates being awarded both degrees concurrently upon completion of all requirements. Students also have the option to first pursue the Juris Doctor before enrolling to earn their Ph.D. or Ed.D. The accelerated format is made possible in part through courses eligible for cross-credits toward both degrees, which include Law School courses such as Education and Law Policy, Administrative Law, and Civil Rights Litigation, as well as School of Education courses such as Foundations of Doctoral Education, Program Evaluation, and Policy and Cultural Diversity.
- Drake’s Juris Doctor (JD) provides a practical approach to legal education, helping graduates launch successful careers for more than 150 years. The new joint program with the School of Education builds upon a range of existing and successful joint programs between Drake’s Law School, Zimpleman College of Business, and College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, as well as other partner institutions.
- Drake’s Doctor of Philosophy in Education (Ph.D.) offers emphasis in education, theory, ethics, technology, evaluation and assessment, and research methodologies with opportunities for development as a research scholar and intensive apprenticeship experience.
- Drake’s Doctor of Education in Leadership (Ed.D.) emphasizes the practical study of leadership in education and is adaptable to a number of leadership-level careers. Unique to the degree is the option of pursuing and completing a capstone project in place of a dissertation. The capstone project provides an opportunity for the Ed.D. candidate to design and complete a significant summative project that focuses on addressing a problem of practice within the student’s professional community.
Enrollment
Prospective students must apply to and be accepted by both the Drake University Law School and the School of Education independently. Candidates may apply to both programs simultaneously or seek admission to the second program during their first year of initial enrollment. Students will focus exclusively on the Juris Doctor curriculum during their first year of law study before beginning concurrent coursework in both programs.
Learn more at https://www.drake.edu/eddoc/joint-jd/.