Offered jointly with DePaul’s Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM), the JD/MS in Information Systems integrates legal education with graduate study in computer science and allows students to complete a professional and graduate degree concurrently in less time than it would take to complete each program separately, typically within four years.
The program is structured for students who seek to develop technical expertise alongside legal training in areas such as software development, high-technology innovation, information processing, internet and telecommunications services and digital media.
Coursework addresses legal and technological issues involving intellectual property acquisition and licensing, the assertion and defense of intellectual property rights, regulation of information use and protection and contractual and business practices in technology-driven sectors. Areas of study may include, information technologies, e-discovery, network security, digital media and related computer science fields.
Patent Bar Eligibility
Some students in the program may seek to qualify for the patent bar. Membership in the patent bar is required only to file and prosecute patent applications before the United States Patent and Trademark Office and is not required for general patent law practice. The MS in Information Systems does not itself confer eligibility to sit for the patent bar examination, but relevant coursework may assist students in meeting applicable requirements.
Students should consult the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s General Requirements Bulletin for current eligibility standards.
| Program Requirements | Semester Hours |
|---|---|
| JD Requirements | 76 |
| Total hours required | 76 |
| Program Requirements | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|
| MS Requirements | 36 |
| Total hours required | 36 |
- Determine the main business impact from emerging trends in Information Systems (IS).
- Describe key outcomes in each of the five phases of a systems development life cycle.
- Explain key benefits and challenges of best practices in IS projects.
- Use diagrams for IS requirements and conceptual design specifications (e.g., context diagram, data flow diagram, use case diagram, entity relationship diagram), given a short business case.
Core Required Courses
| Course | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 101 | APPLIED LEGAL SKILLS * | 1 |
| LAW 105 | CONTRACTS * | 4 |
| LAW 112 | LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION I * | 2 |
| LAW 115 | LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATION III | 3 |
| LAW 119 | LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATIONS II * | 3 |
| LAW 120 | CIVIL PROCEDURE * | 4 |
| LAW 130 | PREPARING TO PRACTICE I * | 0 |
| LAW 131 | PREPARING TO PRACTICE II * | 0 |
| LAW 140 | CONSTITUTIONAL LAW * | 4 |
| LAW 160 | PROPERTY * | 4 |
| LAW 170 | TORT LAW * | 4 |
| LAW 481 | LEGAL PROFESSION | 3 |
| or LAW 252 | APPLIED LEGAL ETHICS | |
| LAW 506 | CRIMINAL LAW * | 3 |
- *
Courses that are counted toward the BA for students in the 3+3 (BA/JD) program. These courses will be completed in the combined final year of the undergraduate degree and first year of the law degree.
Experiential Education Requirement
Students must complete at least six credit hours of experiential education courses from the list of approved courses below. Most, but not all, courses are offered for three credit hours. A single course may not be used to satisfy both the Experiential Education and Advanced Writing requirements.
| Course | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select at least six credit hours of the following: | 6 | |
| ADVANCED BRIEF WRITING | ||
| DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PRACTICUM | ||
| PATENT & TRADEMARK SEARCHING | ||
| INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW CLINIC (Spring Only) | ||
| ADVANCED INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW CLINIC (Spring Only) | ||
| INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW FIELD WORK | ||
| ANATOMY OF A DEAL: FROM INCEPTION TO CLOSING | ||
| TRIAL ADVOCACY II | ||
| PROSECUTING & DEFENDING CRIMINAL CASES | ||
| RESTORATIVE JUSTICE | ||
| LITIGATION LAB | ||
| BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS AND DOCUMENTATION | ||
| LITIGATION STRATEGY: PRE-TRIAL, CIVIL | ||
| LEGAL CLINIC I | ||
| MEDIATION | ||
| TRIAL ADVOCACY I | ||
| COMMERCIAL ARBITRATION | ||
| BUSINESS PLANNING | ||
| LITIGATION STRATEGY: INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY | ||
| NEGOTIATIONS | ||
| LEGAL CLINIC II | ||
| EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM | ||
| NATIONAL TRIAL TEAM | ||
| ADVANCED LEGAL RESEARCH | ||
| EXTERNSHIP SEMINAR | ||
| FIELD CLINIC SEMINAR | ||
| FIELD CLINIC PRACTICE | ||
| PRACTICAL LEGAL RESEARCH | ||
| THE PRACTICE OF HEALTH CARE LAW | ||
| HEALTH LAW MOOT COURT | ||
Advanced Writing Requirement
A single course may not be used to satisfy both the Experiential Education and Advanced Writing requirements.
| Course | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select one of the following: | ||
| SENIOR RESEARCH SEMINAR | ||
| CHILDREN'S HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW | ||
| WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW | ||
| APPELLATE TECHNIQUE | ||
| INDEPENDENT STUDY | ||
| LEGAL CLINIC I (Advanced Criminal Appeals ONLY) | ||
| LEGAL DRAFTING | ||
| LEGAL CLINIC II (Advanced Criminal Appeals ONLY) | ||
| FOREIGN EXCHANGE: MADRID, SPAIN (Master's Thesis) | ||
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Requirement
JD students must complete one course from the list of approved courses below. These courses include substantial engagement with the legal system's relationship with social inequality, racism, and/or other forms of bias; and/or include substantial opportunities for students to learn about and practice skills in cross-cultural competence.
Courses that meet both the Diversity Requirement and the Experiential Education Requirement can be counted for both requirements. Courses that meet both the Diversity Requirement and the Advanced Writing Requirement can be counted for both requirements.
| Course | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Select at least one of the following: | 2-3 | |
| EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMINATION | ||
| SEX, GENDER, AND THE LAW | ||
| DOMESTIC VIOLENCE PRACTICUM | ||
| CHILDREN'S HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW | ||
| CATHOLIC SOCIAL JUSTICE & THE LAW | ||
| SENIOR RESEARCH SEMINAR (Critical Race Theory; Citizenship; Crimmigration; Feminist Jurisprudence; When Justice Fails; or other approved topic) | ||
| WOMEN'S HUMAN RIGHTS UNDER INTERNATIONAL LAW | ||
| INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW CLINIC | ||
| SPECIAL TOPICS IN LAW ( Trauma-Informed Lawyering; Human Rights in Latin America; Transnational Criminal Law; Reproduction and the Law; or other approved topic) | ||
| JUVENILE JUSTICE | ||
| ADOPTION LAW | ||
| RESTORATIVE JUSTICE | ||
| ELECTION LAW | ||
| ANTISEMITISM, THE HOLOCAUST, AND THE LAW | ||
| POST-CONFLICT JUSTICE | ||
| LEGAL CLINIC I (Asylum and Immigration Law; Civil Litigation; Civil Rights; Croak Civil; Croak Criminal; Criminal Appeals) | ||
| PUBLIC HEALTH LAW | ||
| PREDATORY LENDING | ||
| FIRST AMENDMENT: FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND RELIGION | ||
| INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS I | ||
| HOUSING LAW | ||
| EDUCATION LAW & POLICY | ||
| RACE, RACISM AND UNITED STATES LAW | ||
| HATE CRIME LAW | ||
| CIVIL RIGHTS | ||
| LEGAL CLINIC II (Asylum and Immigration Law; Civil Litigation; Civil Rights; Croak Civil; Croak Criminal; Criminal Appeals) | ||
| IMMIGRATION LAW AND POLICY | ||
| ASYLUM AND REFUGEE LAW AND POLICY | ||
| MISSION-BASED LAWYERING: LEGAL PRACTICE IN THE NON-PROFIT SECTOR | ||
| CHILDREN & THE LAW | ||
| POVERTY LAW | ||
| FIELD CLINIC PRACTICE (Family Law) | ||
| STUDY ABROAD: MADRID, SPAIN | ||
| STUDY ABROAD: HEREDIA, COSTA RICA | ||
| GLOBAL GOVERNANCE DURING TIMES OF CRISIS | ||
| STUDY ABROAD: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA | ||
| STUDY ABROAD: HAVANA, CUBA | ||
| ELDER LAW | ||
| HEALTH POLICY AND THE LAW | ||
| HEALTH EQUITY AND THE LAW | ||
| DISABILITY LAW | ||
Electives
Elective courses are open to all students who meet the prerequisites for the course in question. For information on specializations, see the section on Certificates.
Credit Hour Limitations
Non-Classroom Credit Hours: 12-Credit Limit
A JD student may earn a maximum of 12 credit hours for non-classroom (indirect instruction) courses. Courses that count toward the 12-credit non-classroom limit include the following:
| Course | Title | Semester Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Limit of 12 credit hours of the following: | 12 | |
| LEGAL ANALYSIS RESEARCH AND COMMUNICATIONS TEACHING ASSISTANTS | ||
| LAW REVIEW | ||
| JOURNAL FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE | ||
| ASP TA | ||
| JOURNAL OF SPORTS LAW AND CONTEMPORARY PROBLEMS | ||
| GENERAL TEACHING ASSISTANT | ||
| BUSINESS AND COMMERCIAL LAW JOURNAL | ||
| JOURNAL OF ART TECHNOLOGY & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY EDITORIAL BOARD | ||
| GUIDED RESEARCH | ||
| INDEPENDENT STUDY | ||
| JOURNAL OF HEALTH CARE LAW EDITORIAL BOARD | ||
| EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM | ||
| NATIONAL MOOT COURT COMPETITION | ||
| INTERSCHOLASTIC COMPETITION | ||
| FIELD CLINIC PRACTICE | ||
| INTENSIVE EXTERNSHIP | ||
Distance Education Credit Limit
JD students may earn a maximum of 28 credit hours toward the JD degree for distance education courses. The College of Law offers both fully online and hybrid courses. A hybrid course is a course in which some, but not all, of the instructional time is online. All fully-online courses, and some hybrid courses, qualify as distance education courses.
Degree Requirements
The following rules apply to this joint degree:
- Students may substitute up to 16 CDM credit hours for up to 10 of the 86 required law semester hours, reducing their law course requirements to 76 semester hours. However, students cannot substitute CDM credit hours for required courses in the College of Law, such as Legal Profession or Advanced Writing Requirement courses.
- Only CDM courses taken after enrollment in the College of Law may be substituted for law courses.
- Students may substitute up to 8 law semester hours for up to 3 CDM master's degree courses, reducing their CDM course requirements to 9 courses plus any necessary introductory courses.
- Students must graduate from both schools on the same date, in the same semester/quarter, and in the same year. Double counting of credit hours occurs only after the student concurrently completes both degree programs. Students should consult with the joint degree advisors regarding any questions about coordinating the completion of the two degrees.
- Students must adhere to CDM introductory course grade requirements as specified for their CDM major.
- Students also adhere to CDM grade and GPA requirements as specified for their CDM major in all CDM courses beyond the introductory courses.
- CDM requires that students must maintain a GPA of 2.50 or higher while pursuing their joint degrees.
Graduation Requirements
The joint degree candidate must complete all CDM requirements at the end of the fall quarter and all law requirements at the end of the fall semester to be eligible for a December degree award. Students who plan to graduate in spring must complete their CDM coursework by the end of the spring quarter and their law requirements by the end of the spring semester to be eligible for a spring degree award. Students who complete CDM requirements in the spring that they expect to graduate may not have their degrees granted in time to be certified for the July bar exam. Students cannot be certified for admission to the Bar and sit for the bar exam until all degree requirements are completed for both degrees.
Course Requirements
Full-time students must complete the regular first year JD program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 before being admitted to the Joint Degree. Part-time students must complete at least three law semesters with a minimum GPA of 3.0 before being admitted to the Joint Degree. The second and third years provide some flexibility to tailor a student’s program. For example, students might take three law courses in the Fall Semester and two law courses in the Spring Semester, while taking one CDM course in the Fall Quarter, two CDM courses in the Winter Quarter, and two CDM courses in the Spring Quarter. The fourth year might consist of three law courses in the Fall Semester, one CDM course in the Fall Quarter, three CDM courses in the Winter Quarter, and three CDM courses in the Spring Quarter.
This schedule allows for completion of the JD as well as completion of 11-15 CDM courses (the MS program plus 2-6 introductory courses) in four years. It is possible that, because of prerequisite coursework, the program may take some students more than four years. Since each student will require a different number of CDM introductory courses and each student will select courses based on semester/quarter availability, any particular curriculum might be different from the above-described curriculum. Students are encouraged to select courses with the assistance of the program advisors at both the College of Law and CDM.
CDM Requirements for an MS Degree
For the CDM portion of the joint degree, the student must complete the MS degree requirements as listed in the catalog for that degree program.
Twelve graduate quarter hours taken from elective courses in the degree must instead be fulfilled by courses from the Certificate in Intellectual Property. These courses will also count toward the JD degree. (If the MS degree program has fewer than twelve quarter hours of elective courses, the student's CDM MS program advisor may approve additional advanced courses to be fulfilled by the IP certificate courses to reach a total of 12 quarter hours.)
Students with a GPA of 3.9 or higher will graduate from CDM with distinction.
College of Law Certificate Programs
In addition to the Joint Degree, students may obtain one of the Certificates offered by the College of Law, providing that they have met the requirements for the Certificate.
For DePaul's policy on repeat graduate courses and a complete list of academic policies see the DePaul Graduate Handbook.
Degree Requirements
Course Requirements
No Introductory Course may be substituted for any other course at any level.
Introductory Courses
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| IT 403 | STATISTICS AND DATA ANALYSIS | 4 |
| IS 411 | INTRODUCTION TO PROGRAMMING FOR BUSINESS APPLICATIONS | 4 |
Foundation Courses
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| IS 421 | SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN | 4 |
| IS 430 | FUNDAMENTALS OF IT PROJECT MANAGEMENT | 4 |
| IS 435 | ORGANIZATION MODELING FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION | 4 |
| IS 451 | DATABASE DESIGN FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS | 4 |
| IS 460 | ENTERPRISE CLOUD COMPUTING (FORMERLY IS 536) | 4 |
| IS 468 | ENTERPRISE SYSTEMS (FORMERLY IS 560) | 4 |
Major Electives
Students must complete 16 credit hours of Major Elective courses. Students are encouraged, but not required, to select Major Elective courses from one of the following competency lists.
Project Management and Business Analysis
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| DIGITAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INVESTMENT FINANCIAL ANALYSIS | ||
| AGILE ENTERPRISE PROJECT MANAGEMENT | ||
| MANAGING CHANGE FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION | ||
| CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT TECHNOLOGIES |
Analytics-Driven Decision Making
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| DATA ANALYSIS AND REGRESSION | ||
| DATA VISUALIZATION | ||
| SOCIAL MARKETING AND SOCIAL NETWORKING APPLICATIONS | ||
| BIG DATA & THE INTERNET OF THINGS (IOT) | ||
| ENTERPRISE DATA MANAGEMENT | ||
| BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND ANALYTICS SYSTEMS |
IT Governance and Legal Responsibilities
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| INFORMATION SECURITY MANAGEMENT | ||
| ENTERPRISE INFRASTRUCTURE | ||
| IT AUDITING | ||
| LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | ||
| CYBERSECURITY LAW | ||
| DATA PRIVACY LAW: US & EU | ||
| BUSINESS CONTINUITY/DISASTER RECOVERY THEORIES AND STRATEGIES | ||
| BUSINESS CONTINUITY/DISASTER RECOVERY MANAGEMENT AND TACTICS | ||
| SOCIAL ISSUES OF COMPUTING | ||
| IT GOVERNANCE |
Data Management
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| DATABASE PROGRAMMING | ||
| DATABASE ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO MANAGING EMERGING DATABASES | ||
| DATA WAREHOUSING | ||
| ENTERPRISE DATA MANAGEMENT |
Digital Transformation and Entrepreneurship
| Course | Title | Quarter Hours |
|---|---|---|
| DIGITAL PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT | ||
| INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONSULTING | ||
| DIGITAL INNOVATION STRATEGIES, PROCESSES AND TOOLS | ||
| TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP |
Open Elective
Students must complete four (4) credit hours of Open Electives.
- Any CSEC, CSC, DSC, ECT, GAM, GPH, HCI, HIT, IS, IT, NET, PM, or SE course in the 421-699 range qualifies.
Capstone Options
Four (4) credit hours are required for the capstone. Students have the option of completing either (a) IS 577 (Information Systems capstone course) or IS 531 (Digital Innovation Strategies, Processes and Tools ), (b) a Graduate Internship (4 credits), or (c) a Master’s Thesis.
- Capstone Course
- Graduate Internship
- An internship offers students the opportunity integrate their academic experience with on-the-job training in information systems. Students must enroll in CSC 697 for four (4) credit hours to satisfy the practicum requirement. These are the steps:
- Secure an internship with a focus in information systems.
- International Students must obtain the appropriate practical training form and meet with an advisor in the CDM Academic Center for approval (https://offices.depaul.edu/global-engagement/student-resources/student-services/Pages/Forms.aspx).
- Login to MyCDM and click the “MyInternships”link on the left to start the course enrollment process.
- Master's Thesis
- A student who is working on a research project and has made an original contribution to their area of study may choose to complete a Master's Thesis. The requirements are:
IS 696 Master’s Project (4-8 credit hours) and IS 698 Master's Thesis
Additional information and requirements for School of Computing students pursuing the thesis option can be found on the SoC Master's Thesis Guideline page.
- A student who is working on a research project and has made an original contribution to their area of study may choose to complete a Master's Thesis. The requirements are:
Degree Requirements
Students in this degree program must meet the following requirements:
- Complete a minimum of 48 graduate credit hours in addition to any required introductory courses of the designated degree program.
- Complete all graduate courses and requirements listed in the designated degree program.
- Earn a grade of C- or better in all courses of the designated degree program.
- Maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher.
- Students pursuing a second (or more) graduate degree may not double-count or retake any course that applied toward the completion of a prior graduate degree. If a required course in the second degree was already completed and applies toward a previous degree, the student must meet with a faculty advisor to discuss a new course to be completed and substituted in the new degree. This rule also applies to cross-listed courses, which are considered to be the same course but offered under different subjects.
- Students pursuing a second master's degree must complete a minimum of 48 graduate credit hours beyond their first designated degree program in addition to any required introductory courses in their second designated degree program.
Students with a GPA of 3.9 or higher will graduate with distinction.
Degree Requirements
The following rules apply to this joint degree:
- Students may substitute up to 16 CDM credit hours for up to 10 of the 86 required law semester hours, reducing their law course requirements to 76 semester hours. However, students cannot substitute CDM credit hours for required courses in the College of Law, such as Legal Profession or Advanced Writing Requirement courses.
- Only CDM courses taken after enrollment in the College of Law may be substituted for law courses.
- Students may substitute up to 8 law semester hours for up to 3 CDM master's degree courses, reducing their CDM course requirements to 9 courses plus any necessary introductory courses.
- Students must graduate from both schools on the same date, in the same semester/quarter, and in the same year. Double counting of credit hours occurs only after the student concurrently completes both degree programs. Students should consult with the joint degree advisors regarding any questions about coordinating the completion of the two degrees.
- Students must adhere to CDM introductory course grade requirements as specified for their CDM major.
- Students also adhere to CDM grade and GPA requirements as specified for their CDM major in all CDM courses beyond the introductory courses.
- CDM requires that students must maintain a GPA of 2.50 or higher while pursuing their joint degrees.
Graduation Requirements
The joint degree candidate must complete all CDM requirements at the end of the fall quarter and all law requirements at the end of the fall semester to be eligible for a December degree award. Students who plan to graduate in spring must complete their CDM coursework by the end of the spring quarter and their law requirements by the end of the spring semester to be eligible for a spring degree award. Students who complete CDM requirements in the spring that they expect to graduate may not have their degrees granted in time to be certified for the July bar exam. Students cannot be certified for admission to the Bar and sit for the bar exam until all degree requirements are completed for both degrees.
Course Requirements
Full-time students must complete the regular first year JD program with a minimum GPA of 3.0 before being admitted to the Joint Degree. Part-time students must complete at least three law semesters with a minimum GPA of 3.0 before being admitted to the Joint Degree. The second and third years provide some flexibility to tailor a student’s program. For example, students might take three law courses in the Fall Semester and two law courses in the Spring Semester, while taking one CDM course in the Fall Quarter, two CDM courses in the Winter Quarter, and two CDM courses in the Spring Quarter. The fourth year might consist of three law courses in the Fall Semester, one CDM course in the Fall Quarter, three CDM courses in the Winter Quarter, and three CDM courses in the Spring Quarter.
This schedule allows for completion of the JD as well as completion of 11-15 CDM courses (the MS program plus 2-6 introductory courses) in four years. It is possible that, because of prerequisite coursework, the program may take some students more than four years. Since each student will require a different number of CDM introductory courses and each student will select courses based on semester/quarter availability, any particular curriculum might be different from the above-described curriculum. Students are encouraged to select courses with the assistance of the program advisors at both the College of Law and CDM.
CDM Requirements for an MS Degree
For the CDM portion of the joint degree, the student must complete the MS degree requirements as listed in the catalog for that degree program.
Twelve graduate quarter hours taken from elective courses in the degree must instead be fulfilled by courses from the Certificate in Intellectual Property. These courses will also count toward the JD degree. (If the MS degree program has fewer than twelve quarter hours of elective courses, the student's CDM MS program advisor may approve additional advanced courses to be fulfilled by the IP certificate courses to reach a total of 12 quarter hours.)
Students with a GPA of 3.9 or higher will graduate from CDM with distinction.
College of Law Certificate Programs
In addition to the Joint Degree, students may obtain one of the Certificates offered by the College of Law, providing that they have met the requirements for the Certificate.
For DePaul's policy on repeat graduate courses and a complete list of academic policies see the DePaul Graduate Handbook.