The Juris Doctorate/Master of Arts in Library and Information Science dual degree allows Law students to begin their study of information and library science in their second (of three) years of law school, and finish both degrees in four years rather than five.
About the JD/MLIS Dual Degree
Legal information professionals are uniquely qualified to guide the legal industry through its burgeoning revolution of incorporating artificial intelligence into all areas of work, including legal research, judicial analytics, linguistics analysis, document discovery review, knowledge management and competitive intelligence. Legal information professionals design platforms and participate in projects that address access to justice issues in Arizona and around the country. Legal information professionals help protect cultural heritage in vulnerable communities through an infinite variety of innovative preservation projects, both digital and analog. Legal information professionals consult on academic projects that involve analysis of massive data sets. They teach users how to use digital tools for their research. They gather intelligence to advise attorneys in making strategic decisions.
Neither a Juris Doctorate (JD) nor a Master of Arts in Library and Information Science (MLIS) alone can adequately provide the breadth and depth of knowledge required to immediately succeed and impact legal information industries. At the same time, the cost of obtaining both degrees separately is increasingly out of reach for all but the wealthiest of students, or those who are willing to take on significant debt. A dual degree allows Law students to begin their study of information and library science in their second (of three) years of law school, and finish both degrees in four years rather than five.
A New Opportunity for Law Library Fellowships
In their third and fourth years of study, students will be eligible for graduate assistant positions, including the Law Library Fellowship (graduate assistant) program which provides part-time work in the law library and tuition remission for at least two MLIS graduate students each year. At this time, the majority of Law Library Fellowships are awarded to students who have received their law degrees from universities other than the University of Arizona. This dual degree will make this course of study much more attractive to U of A Law students.
Career Pathways
Legal information professionals work in a variety of settings. The most traditional workplaces include academic, law firm, county and courthouse law libraries. Legal information professionals also work in a variety of government agencies and increasingly in private industry.
Regardless of the workplace, legal information professionals are required to understand technology, stay current on technological developments in the field and contribute to the developments of cutting-edge legal information platforms.
Law librarians with both a JD and MLIS can earn considerably more than those with only an MLIS. For example, in academic libraries, the mean salary for a research and reference librarian (a position often requiring a JD) is $72,350, whereas the mean salary for a library assistant/paraprofessional (a position which does not require a JD) is $44,500, according to the American Association for Law Libraries Biennial Salary Survey & Organizational Characteristics Report.
Calculate Your Tuition Cost
To calculate the cost of your education, please visit the Universtiy of Arizona Tuition Calculator. According to the Office of the Bursar, students in two programs will be billed the higher of the two tuition rates. If either program comes with a program fee, the student would be charged those program fees.
Application Instructions
Students will apply to both the JD and MLIS program separately. Students should apply to the JD program first. Students will complete the first year with JD/LAW requirements. Students may apply to join the MLIS program starting in the second year.
Learn more about how to apply to the MA in Library and Information Science.
Sample Plan of Study
View a sample plan of study that offers two options for the JD/MLIS dual degree beginning in the second year:
More Information
For additional information about the Juris Doctorate degree, please view the JD Admissions website.
For additional information about the MA in Library and Information Science, please view the MLIS website or contact College of Information Science Manager of Graduate Enrollment and Retention Tavia Szostek at tavia@arizona.edu.