Joint & Dual Programs
Fletcher provides many opportunities for students to supplement their education with joint degree and exchange programs with some of the world's leading professional schools and graduate programs. The following section outlines some of these programs, although students are encouraged to contact directly the partner institutions for additional information.
Fletcher currently maintains formal joint or dual degree programs with the following institutions:
Joint and Dual Degree Partner Institutions
MALD/JD
Harvard Law School, Harvard University
Students in the four-year JD/MALD dual degree program with Harvard Law School normally take the first year of classes at Harvard and then take a full year at Fletcher. During the third and fourth years, students are enrolled at the Harvard Law School and cross-register for the required number of courses at Fletcher to fulfill the degree requirements of both institutions. Four Harvard Law School courses may be offered for transfer credit toward the MALD degree. Information on the combined JD/MALD program can be obtained from the director of admissions at either school.
UC Berkeley School of Law, University of California at Berkeley
This dual degree program is normally completed in four years. Students take a full year at either UC Berkeley School of Law or Fletcher, followed by a full year at the other school. At least one semester in the remaining two years must be spent in residence at Fletcher, and the other three semesters should be spent at the UC Berkeley School of Law. For the UC Berkeley School of Law JD degree, dual degree candidates must: spend two full academic years in residence; complete the required curriculum during their first year; meet the professional responsibility and writing requirements; and complete 85 law units. Eight units of Fletcher courses may be credited to the JD degree.
MALD/MBA
Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth
This dual degree program is designed to allow students to earn a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at Tuck and a MALD at Fletcher in three years, compared with four years to complete the two degrees separately. The dual program is intended to prepare students for management positions in international corporations, financial institutions, economic and development institutions, and government agencies. In addition to the MALD requirements, students are required to complete the first-year core and at least eight electives at the Tuck School. Students may present four electives from each school to count for credit at the other school as well as in the school where taken. Students are required to spend a minimum of three semesters in residence at Fletcher and five quarters in residence at the Tuck School. Students may begin the program at either school. Career and student services are available to students through both schools. First-year students in either school are eligible to apply for admission to the other school and, if accepted, to undertake the dual degree program.
China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), Shanghai, China
The Fletcher-CEIBS dual degree program will enable students at the participating institutions to pursue complementary studies in international affairs and international business by spending 12 consecutive months in residence at CEIBS from June –July and three semesters in residence at Fletcher. The dual degree program will enable students to earn both a MALD from Fletcher and an MBA from the China Europe International Business School in two and one half years, which is less time than would be required if each degree were sought separately. For this purpose, each school will credit certain coursework from the other school towards its degree.
HEC MBA Program, HEC School of Management, Paris, France
Through this program, Fletcher students earn an MBA from HEC Paris. The MBA program at HEC is a unique 16-month general management program, offering courses either entirely in English or in English and French. HEC Paris is one of the most respected European business schools and is rated among the world's leading international MBAs, and boasts an alumni network of 25,000 graduates. With a full-time faculty of 106, the MBA program enrolls approximately 200 students and 80 percent of the student body is drawn from outside France. A student is required to spend a minimum of three semesters in residence at Fletcher and three terms (10 months) at HEC. A student may begin the program at either school. The fully autonomous 240-acre HEC campus is located outside Paris close to Versailles, with commuter train links to Paris.
The objective of the program is to allow students to earn both a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the Instituto de Empresa and a MALD -- or a Master of Arts (MA) when applicable -- at Fletcher in two to two and a half years. The dual degree program is intended to prepare students for careers that combine international affairs and management. It is a particularly appropriate program for students who seek management responsibilities in international corporations, global financial institutions, international economic and development institutions, and government agencies. The need for individuals in such positions to have a sophisticated understanding of both international affairs and management issues in an increasingly complex and interdependent world is clear. The unique resources available at both schools can deliver that needed understanding and knowledge.
Students in the dual degree program must satisfy the requirements of each school for each degree. For the MBA/MALD dual degree program, students will be required to spend a minimum of three semesters or equivalent in residence at Fletcher and four trimesters in residence at IE. For the MBA/MA dual degree program, one year of residence at each school will be required. A student may begin the program at either school.
MALD/MIA
University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
The dual degree enables students to pursue complementary professional studies in international affairs at two institutions, spending one year in residence at Fletcher and one year in residence at the University of St. Gallen. The dual degree program allows students to earn both the Fletcher MALD and the St. Gallen MIA in two years, less time than would be required if each degree were sought separately. Both schools will credit certain coursework from the other school to meet the requirements for each degree. A required thesis will be completed in the second year while students are at St. Gallen.
Candidates may apply to the dual degree by submitting one application to Fletcher. Students pay tuition and receive scholarship aid at the institution where they are enrolled each semester.
LLM/MIL
University of St. Gallen, Switzerland
Students participating in the program will obtain both a Master of Laws in International Law (LLM) from Fletcher, and a Master in International Law (MIL) from St. Gallen after one and half to two years of study, depending on course selection. Students can begin the program at either institution, and will cross-count courses to fulfill all requirements.
The dual degree LLM/ MIL is unique in allowing masters level students in law to study in two jurisdictions. Participants will benefit from access to the highly-complementary course offerings available at Fletcher and St. Gallen, as well as the exposure to international law issues from the lens of both the United States and Europe.
Please note that the Fletcher LLM will not qualify students to sit for U.S. bar exams.
LLB/LLM
Jindal Global Law School
The dual LLB/LLM degree program with Jindal Global Law School offers students beginning their degrees in India the opportunity to finish their studies at Fletcher and earn an LLM.
The two dual degree programs include the five-year BA, LLB (Hons)/LLM and BBA, LLB (Hons)/LLM degree programs, enabling students to follow the Jindal BA, LLB (Hons) and BBA, LLB (Hons) programs for four years, and follow the Fletcher LLM program for one year, and obtain the BA, LLB (Hons) or BBA, LLB (Hons) from Jindal and the LLM from Fletcher. Additionally, a three-year LLB/LLM degree program designed for students with prior bachelor’s degrees, enables students to follow the Jindal LLB program for two years, and follow the Fletcher LLM program for one year, and obtain the LLB from Jindal and the LLM from Fletcher.
Interested students should work with the international office at Jindal to coordinate their Fletcher application. Please note that the Fletcher LLM will not qualify students to sit for U.S. bar exams.
Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México
The dual Licenciatura en Derecho (undergraduate law degree) and LLM with Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM) offers students beginning their degrees in Mexico the opportunity to spend their final year of studies at The Fletcher School and earn an LLM.
Interested ITAM students should work with Ileana Jinich, the Associate Director of International Education at ITAM to coordinate their Fletcher application. Please note that the Fletcher LLM will not qualify students to sit for U.S. bar exams.
MS in Cybersecurity & Public Policy
MS in Cybersecurity & Public Policy: This innovative, new master's degree, jointly offered by Fletcher and the Department of Computer Science in the Tufts School of Engineering, unites those from both technology and policy backgrounds alike, preparing them to tackle the increasingly common and complex threats taking place in our global and digital world.
MATA
College of Europe, Bruges, Belgium and Natolin, Poland
Students in the Master of Arts in Transatlantic Affairs (MATA) spend one year on each side of the Atlantic in this joint degree program, administered in conjunction with the College of Europe. The first year will be dedicated to course work. Students starting the MATA program at Fletcher will gain breadth of knowledge through coursework across the School's three divisions: International Law and Organizations; Diplomacy, History and Politics; and Economics and International Business. For students starting the MATA program at the College of Europe, they will follow one of the five study tracks (Interdisciplinary Studies; Economic Studies; International Relations and Diplomacy; Legal Studies; or Political and Governance Studies) and follow a tailor-made curriculum composed of some of the compulsory and optional courses offered in those programs. Additionally, a joint, year-long and project-oriented course on transatlantic affairs is required for all MATA students.
The second year commences with a high-level internship in an international or national institution within the corporate or civil society sector. For students starting at the College of Europe, this internship is expected to be conducted in the United States; for those who spent their first year at Fletcher, the internship will be completed in Europe. The fourth and final semester will consist of coursework, but this time at the partner institution. The program will culminate in the completion of a Master's thesis on transatlantic affairs drawing upon the insights and support obtained on both campuses.
MAHA
Offered by Fletcher and the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, this one-year joint degree is geared toward mid-career professionals with significant field experience in humanitarian assistance.
MALD/MA
Department of Urban and Environmental Policy, Tufts University
The dual degree program with the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning (UEP) of the Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences provides an opportunity for a limited number of highly qualified students to earn both the MA in Urban and Environmental Policy and the MALD degree in three years. The combined degree program is designed to prepare students for careers in international environmental and resource policy in economic and development institutions, government agencies, business and nonprofit organizations. Capabilities are developed to address international resource issues and problems of the natural and human environment such as transboundary air and water pollution, climate change, deforestation, species loss, soil degradation, marine pollution and chemical contamination. The UEP/MA requires 11 courses, exclusive of the 12 Fletcher courses, plus a one course-credit thesis or capstone, and an internship. Students in the dual degree program complete a Capstone Project, and are required to spend three semesters in residence at each school.
MA/DVM
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, Tufts University
The dual degree program with the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine provides an opportunity for a limited number of highly qualified students seeking the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Degree (DVM) to earn the one-year MA degree at Fletcher. The dual degree program is designed to prepare veterinary students who intend to seek international policy-making positions in the field of veterinary services, such as in livestock development, wildlife management and fisheries biology.
MALD/MS
Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, Tufts University
The dual degree program with the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy provides an opportunity for a limited number of highly qualified students to earn both the MALD degree and the MS in Food and Nutrition Policy in three years, compared with a total of four years to complete the two programs individually. The dual degree program is designed to prepare students for careers in international food and nutrition policy in economic and development institutions, government agencies and non-profit organizations concerned with economic development as it affects public health and nutrition, food availability and human welfare. The MS in Food and Nutrition Policy requires completion of 16 courses, including required courses in basic nutrition, statistics and epidemiology, survey research design, and the economic, political and administrative aspects of food policy and nutrition program development.
MD/MA
School of Medicine, Tufts University
The combined MD/MA degree program is designed to produce well-rounded physicians with an appreciation and understanding of basic principles of international law, politics, economics, and business, who are mindful of the global society in which we live, and who are prepared to approach problems related to health and the practice of medicine in key areas throughout the world.
The dual degree program with Tufts University School of Medicine provides an opportunity for a limited number of unique and highly qualified students to earn their MA degree and their Doctor of Medicine (MD) in five years.
Joint Program
Diplomatische Akademie Wien-Vienna School of International Studies, Austria
This cooperative degree program is open to students who wish to spend a full year at each institution. Following the two years of study, the student will be awarded the MALD degree from Fletcher or the Master of Advanced International Studies at the Diplomatic Academy. Depending upon the choice of degree programs, the student will be required to satisfy those specific degree requirement, including a thesis. Each institution will accept for degree credit the equivalent of one academic year of coursework from the other institution. Students who choose to receive the Fletcher MALD degree, will attend one year of full-time study at the DA and vice versa.
Bachelor's/MALD
School of Arts and Sciences, Tufts University
The combined bachelor's (BA/BS) and MALD degree program provides an opportunity for highly qualified Tufts undergraduates to earn both the bachelor's degree in their selected major and the MALD degree upon completion of a total of five to six years of study. Students may apply for the program once they have completed and received grades in at least 20 undergraduate courses. A total of 16 Fletcher courses are required for the MALD degree. As many as four of these courses may be used in fulfilling requirements for the BA/BS degree.
Tufts undergraduates wishing to apply for the program should do so during the semester following the one in which they complete 20 undergraduate courses. All Tufts undergraduates applying for this dual program are required to have an on-campus evaluative interview. Applicants should contact the Fletcher Admissions Office to arrange an interview with an admissions staff member. Admitted students will begin taking Fletcher courses at the start of the following semester whether it begins in January or September.
Once students begin the program at Fletcher, they are eligible to cross-register at Tufts or Harvard graduate schools to a maximum of 3.0 credits of cross-registration per semester, up to a total of 9.0 credits overall.
Ad-Hoc Dual Degree Programs
In addition to the official joint and dual degree programs, students have created their own ad hoc dual degree programs with other leading graduate and professional schools. Candidates for an ad hoc dual degree should consult either the Fletcher Director of Admissions or the Registrar after gaining admission to both institutions, to ensure that the proposed ad hoc program meets all requirements.
While details for completion of dual degree requirements may vary depending on the program, Fletcher requires that the following four criteria be met:
- The student is admitted separately to each school.
- The student spends at least three semesters and takes a minimum of 36.0 credits at Fletcher for the MALD or spends at least three semesters and takes a minimum of 42.0 credits at Fletcher for the MIB.
- The student requests transfer credit for a maximum of four courses from the partner institution for the MALD degree after successfully completing eight Fletcher courses. Learn more
- The student completes the Capstone Project requirement.
All students interested in dual degree programs must apply to Fletcher and the partner institution separately. Each school/department will admit students according to their own policies and qualifications. Scholarships will be awarded by the school in which the student is registered.