Wednesday, Mar. 17, 2010

Campbell, NCSU join for degrees

Two local universities are teaming up to offer a two-for-one special.

Starting this fall, Campbell University's Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law and N.C. State University will join to develop a four-year program that will enable students to receive both a law degree and master of public administration degree.

Students will have to apply and be accepted to both schools but will get two degrees in four years instead of the five years it would take if done separately.

That saved year will mean less time, and less money, for students, said Jeffery Braden, dean of NCSU's College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The partnership was announced last week at Campbell, a private law school. Campbell's law program moved to downtown Raleigh on Hillsborough Street this fall from Buies Creek in Harnett County.

"This is a partnership that maximizes our joint commitment to public service," said Melissa Essary, Campbell Law's dean.

Former Gov. Jim Hunt spoke at the announcement, saying he hopes that state government will benefit, given the proximity of Campbell and NCSU to state government offices.

"We can be a whole lot better for it," he said.

Paying for the degrees will mean students write checks to both Campbell and NCSU. Students will pay Campbell prices for law classes and pay NCSU prices for public administration classes, Braden said.

Campbell's yearly cost is $58,930, including $31,800 in tuition, while NCSU's master's program costs an in-state student $22,817, just $5,993 of that for tuition.

UNC-Chapel Hill also offers a dual public administration and law degree program as well as a partnership with Duke University where students can study law at Carolina and public policy at Duke.