What is a jd mba?

The JD MBA dual degree program is perfect for ambitious students who wish to gain a grounding in business while developing their legal expertise. As a result, JD MBA grads will thrive at the intersection between law and business in their future careers.

So, what can you do with a JD MBA? What top business schools offer the JD MBA? And is a JD MBA worth the time and costs?

JD stands for Juris Doctor (JD), a graduate-level degree in law, while MBA stands for Master of Business Administration (MBA).

Some of the best business schools in North America, such as Harvard Business School and Stanford Graduate School of Business, offer JD MBA joint degree programs.

The JD MBA is typically four years long, although some schools offer an accelerated three-year option, including Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management’s Northwestern JD MBA.

Students complete the JD side with the law department, earning a JD, and the MBA side with the business department, earning a separate MBA degree.

Graduating with a JD MBA degree will provide you with a unique competitive edge. During a JD MBA, you’ll boost your network, strengthen your career prospects, and learn how to make legal decisions informed by a business perspective.

A JD MBA dual degree program is for driven students who wish to learn about how law and business intersect.

Sharon Thompson, assistant dean of admissions at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, says, “the Duke JD MBA is helpful for those hoping to work with business clients in a law setting, or those looking to work as a lawyer in the corporate world.”

JD MBA students come from an array of professional backgrounds. At Columbia Business School, the Columbia JD MBA cohort comes from industries ranging from engineering, consulting, and financial services to acting and teaching.

A JD MBA is for you if you wish to put your analytical and problem-solving skills to the test in a challenging yet diverse setting. This is exactly what motivated Danielle Hart, an American University’s Kogod School of Business JD MBA grad, to join the MBA dual degree program.

“When I was in law school, I knew I wanted to still be involved in business, albeit in the legal capacity. I ultimately chose to go to business school because, while I had a passion for law, I always had a passion for business,” she says.

On a JD MBA, you’ll typically spend time studying your law and MBA degrees separately and after that you’ll focus on a combination of these subjects. At most business schools, you’ll study the same courses as those undertaking a separate MBA or law degree.

On the Harvard JD MBA, for example, you’ll spend your first year at the law school studying core legal courses such as civil procedure, contracts, and legal research and writing. During your first year at the business school, you’ll take core MBA courses in leadership, finance, and strategy.

Isaac Todd, a student on the Northwestern JD MBA, appreciates the mix of learning experiences. “I’ve been able to tailor my three years to focus on the learning and experiences I value and access a wide variety of academics and extra-curricular experiences,” he says.

Since you’ll be studying with both the law school and the business school, you’ll normally be required to apply separately to each school to pursue a JD MBA. You’ll also need to have a bachelor’s degree.

You’ll need solid GMAT exam scores to get accepted into an MBA, while you’ll need to pass the LSAT or GMAT to join the law school. However, on an integrated program such as the Northwestern JD MBA, you'll only be required to submit one application with a GMAT score.

“Those who are curious, determined, great communicators, great writers, and analytical thinkers make good Harvard JD MBA candidates,” says Jill Fadule, director of joint degree programs for MBA student and academic services at Harvard Business School.

“ candidates display leadership skills and want to tackle complex problems where they believe both skillsets will make a difference.”

Armed with legal and managerial experience under your belt, JD MBAs will be able to apply for a range of jobs across the legal and business sectors.

Harvard JD MBA graduates enter popular MBA career routes such as hedge fund management, venture capital, and banking, with 72 percent accepting MBA-level roles and 20 percent joining law firms.

Nine in 10 companies plan to hire MBAs in 2021 despite COVID-19, according to GMAC’s Corporate Recruiters Survey. With additional legal knowledge in your arsenal, you’re likely to be highly employable as a JD MBA.

Many JD MBA grads begin practicing law immediately upon graduation and transition into a leadership role later. Some graduates land leadership roles in organizations outside the legal profession after the JD MBA.

“In any case, graduates are generally well-positioned with the JD MBA credential to eventually lead an organization in either the private or public sectors,” says Kirsten Moss, assistant dean for MBA admissions and financial aid at Stanford.

Based on the Stanford MBA class of 2020, Stanford JD MBA grads can expect base salary heights of around US$183k in finance, while in consulting they could make about US$156k. In healthcare, JD MBA grads might make around US$156k.

How much does a JD MBA cost? According to US News, a JD MBA on average costs around US$50k a year in tuition. Fees vary between different schools with some upwards of US$200k for the four years.

However, there are also many MBA scholarships and financial aid you can access, alongside scholarships for the JD side of your degree.

Since you’re likely to land a well-paying job, as well as completing two degrees in a shorter amount of time than it would take to study the subjects separately, you’ll likely receive a strong return on investment (ROI) from your JD MBA.

A JD-MBA program is a dual graduate degree that allows students to complete a Juris Doctor (JD) and a master's of business administration (MBA) at the same time. Students best-suited for this type of graduate program typically have strengths in both areas of study, including writing abilities and high scores on the LSAT and GMAT. Students who earn a JD-MBA often pursue careers in any combination of business and law professions.

It is not uncommon for universities to offer dual graduate degree programs such as a JD-MBA if they already offer both individual degree tracks. While program specifics, such as length and concentrations, differ across different institutions, students can expect to develop a strong understanding of law and business theories as well as strong foundations in policy.

Most JD-MBA programs require a bachelor's degree. While there is no one bachelor's degree subject required, some prove more helpful to students than others. These include a bachelor's in paralegal studies, a bachelor's in business administration, or a bachelor's in legal studies.

In this course, learners study the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. These are the basic rules that guide civil procedure within court and other legal processes. Students focus on the foundational policies behind specific court procedures as well as how federal and state jurisdictions impact civil proceedings.

Legal contracts constitute the basis for many civil court cases. This course focuses on interpreting and writing contracts, effects of breach of contract, and accepting and declining contractual offers.

This course provides learners with information on how to use statistics and situation-specific methods in management to solve problems and track improvements in business. Students focus on scientific approaches to management.

A common course in MBA and JD-MBA courses, marketing management addresses how to make decisions and develop strategies and skills in marketing. Learners look at decision-making across entire organizations and businesses as well as the impact of these decisions.

Learn about start dates, transferring credits, availability of financial aid, and more by contacting the universities below

A JD-MBA, sometimes listed as a MBA/JD, bridges the gap between business and law schools.

Potential career paths mirror this, including in-house legal counsels or risk-management directors. Common careers for someone with a JD-MBA are attorney, financial manager, and auditor. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these professionals earn median annual salaries between $77,250 and $131,710, as of May 2021.

A JD-MBA is a specialized graduate degree that gives students applicable skills for the business and legal sectors. For example, managing a business involves knowledge of regulations and compliance, and law offices require business skills to attract clients and operate successfully.

A business attorney generally works for a law office. They research and write legal documents to settle disputes for business clients. Business attorneys argue client cases in court and negotiate terms within settlements. A business attorney generally specializes in taxation, patents, property ownership, or other areas related to a specific business.

Average Annual Salary (as of May 2022): $81,730

A director of risk management uses knowledge in both law and business to analyze financial data and trends to measure risks to a company's financial health. These professionals develop plans and guide businesses step by step to enhance and further develop operations in a financially sound manner.

Average Annual Salary (as of May 2022): $124,200

An investment manager handles investment accounts for individuals or businesses. When working for a business, these professionals often handle funds associated with employee retirement accounts as well. An investment manager protects a fund's initial value and forms a strategy to help these funds grow. They must be aware of market changes and laws surrounding investments.

Median Annual Salary (as of May 2021): $131,710

Some may decide to seek higher degrees after obtaining a JD-MBA to begin careers in academia. Pursuing a Ph.D. in law or a doctorate in criminal justice might make a resume stand out, but they are not necessary to practice law.

Lawyers are required to participate in continuing education, and most states have a minimum continued legal education requirement that must be completed each year. Some JD-MBA graduates may already hold a paralegal graduate certificate. Other advanced degrees available include a doctorate of business administration or a master's in legal studies.

A JD–MBA is a dual degree program in which students jointly earn Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration degrees. The programs are commonly offered in the United States and Canada by universities' graduate business and law schools. They allow students to use credits from certain classes in one degree to count for course requirements at the other degree. This allows students to complete both the three-year JD and two-year MBA programs in four years, not the five years the degrees would take if done consecutively.

Due to the JD–MBA dual degree programs distinction schools have varying application processes. Some schools, like Harvard, will need their applicants to apply and get accepted to both their law school and business school, for their J.D. and M.B.A programs respectively. Also, during a graduate student's first year of either law or business school, they can apply for the other school to start their dual-degree program.

The JD application process requires the applicant to provide:

The MBA application process usually requires the applicant to provide:

Many schools may not need the entirety of both law and business school applications. Schools, such as University of Pennsylvania have JD–MBA programs were they will directly apply to the program through either the law school or business school and use the respective schools Exam (LSAT for Law school, GMAT for business school, GRE possible replacement for both). Some schools offer both applying directly to the dual degree program as well as options of applying through either the university's respective law school and/or the university's respective business school such as NYU.

Top-ranking Canadian JD–MBA programs include a four-year JD–MBA at the University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, York University, Queen's University, the three-year JD–MBA at the University of Western Ontario and the three and a half year JD–MBA at the University of Ottawa. Students may apply to the joint program before matriculating to either program, or after matriculating to either law school or business school.

Many schools in the US offer JD–MBA programs. There are three common lengths of time offered for JD–MBA programs: three-year, three-and-a-half-year, or four-year. All schools listed below with three- or three-and-a-half-year programs also offer a four-year option for the program. Schools listed under the four-year programs only offer a four-year (eight-semester) program.

Three-year programs can usually be completed in six semesters. Most programs allow for two summer internships; however, some require students to take classes for at least one summer. Here are some schools that offer three-year JD–MBA programs:

Three-and-a-half-year programs are supposed to be completed in seven semesters. Here are some schools that offer three-and-a-half-year JD–MBA programs:

Four-year programs can be completed in eight semesters. Here are some schools that offer only four-year JD–MBA programs: