This cutting-edge program is offered only by a few law and business schools in the country, and provides the shortest time-to-both-degrees available, while still providing time during each program for internship and other professional preparation outside the classroom.
Overview
The University of Kentucky's College of Law and Carol Martin Gatton College of Business and Economics offer you the opportunity to obtain the Masters of Business Administration (MBA) and Juris Doctor (JD) degrees in a dual degree program. Because both schools recognize that some aspects of business and law are compatible and interrelated, you can obtain both degrees in three years instead of the four and one-half to five years required if the degrees were pursued separately. As a result, you gain marketable skills and specialized employment opportunities, and you do so in less time and with a smaller financial investment.
The fundamental academic purpose of the dual degree program is that each program of study reinforces instruction and experience obtained in the other, so that it presents a unique opportunity for qualified students to pursue specialized, blended careers in law and management.
Program of Study
To earn the JD and MBA degrees under the dual degree program, you must receive a total of 71 credit hours of work in the College of Law, and either 27 or 38 credit hours of work in the College of Business and Economics, depending upon whether you enroll in the One-year or the Two-year Evening MBA program.
Dual Degree Program with One-year MBA
Year 1: 30 credit hours of required Law courses
Year 2: 32 credit hours of MBA courses and eight credit hours of Law courses as follows:
| Number | Title | MBA hours | JD hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Term (Second Year) | |||
| DIS 651 | Quantitative Analysis | 3 | |
| ECO 610 | Managerial Economics | 3 | |
| MGT 697 | Leadership, Communications and Ethics | 3 | |
| MBA 630 | Professional Development | 1 | |
| Fall Term (Second Year) | |||
| MBA 640 | Project Connect I | 4 | |
| ACC 628 | Managerial/Financial Accounting | 3 | |
| MGT 610 | Global Management | 3 | |
| MKT 600 | Marketing Management | 3 | |
| FIN 600 | Corporate Financial Policy | 3 | |
| Spring Term (Second Year) | |||
| MGT 611 | Managing Effective Organizations | 3 | |
| MGT 699 | Business Policy and Strategy (Capstone) | 3 | |
| LAW 851 | Business Associations | 4 | |
| LAW 860 | Taxation I | 4 | |
| MBA* or Law Elective (see JD Program for third year) | 0-3 | 0-4 | |
| TOTAL | 32 | up to 12 | |
| Third Year | |||
| MBA elective(s)* | |||
| Total of two electives required in second and third years | 3-6 | ||
| LAW 835 | Professional Responsibility | 3 | |
| Law writing requirement | 2 | ||
| Law experiential requirement | 6 | ||
|
Two of the following: - LAW 836: Law and Economics |
5-6 | ||
| LAW 876 | Trusts and Estates | 4 | |
| LAW 882 | Secured Transactions | 3 | |
| LAW 890 | Evidence | 3 | |
| LAW 920 | Administrative Law | 3 | |
| Additional Law electives | 0-4 | ||
| TOTAL | 38 | 71 | |
Dual Degree Program with Two-Year (Evening) MBA
Year 1: 30 credit hours of required Law courses.
Year 2: 12-15 credit hours of required MBA courses, eight hours of required Law courses, and 12-13 additional hours of Law courses as follows:
| Number | Title | MBA hours | JD hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Term - MBA Program | |||
| ACC 628 | Financial/Managerial Accounting | 3 | |
| ECO 610 | Managerial Economics | 3 | |
| Spring Term - MBA Program | |||
| FIN 600 | Corporate Financial Policy | 3 | |
| MBA Electives* | 3-6 | ||
| JD Program | |||
| LAW 851 | Business Associations | 4 | |
| LAW 860 | Taxation I | 4 | |
| Courses of the student's choice (see "JD Program" in Year 3) | 12-13 | ||
| TOTAL | 12 | 20-21 | |
Year 3: 12-15 credit hours of required MBA courses and 20-21 hours of Law courses:
| Number | Title | MBA hours | JD hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall Term | |||
| MKT 600 | Marketing Management | 3 | |
| MGT 610 | Global Business Management | 3 | |
| Spring Term | |||
| DIS 651 | Quantitative Analysis | 3 | |
| MGT 699 | Business Policy and Strategy (Capstone) | 3 | |
| MBA Elective* | 0-3 | ||
| JD Program (if not taken Second Year) | |||
| LAW 835 | Professional Responsibility | 3 | |
| Law writing requirement | 2 | ||
| Law experiential requirement | 6 | ||
|
Two of the following: - LAW 836: Law and Economics |
5-6 | ||
| LAW 876 | Trusts and Estates | 4 | |
| LAW 882 | Secured Transactions | 3 | |
| LAW 890 | Evidence | 3 | |
| LAW 920 | Administrative Law | 3 | |
| Law elective(s) | 3-4 | ||
| TOTAL | 27 | 71 | |
*Students may choose one course from the following options:
FIN 645 Corporate Investment and Financial Policy
MBA 615 Supply Chain Strategy
MBA 616 Supply Chain Operations
MBA 624 Entrepreneurship and Management Technology Commercialization
MGT 612 Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
MGT 620 Personnel and Industrial Relations
MGT 690 Strategic Thinking and Analysis
MKT 601 Marketing Research
MKT 695 Data Analytics
LAW 908 Law & Business of Intellectual Property Management
Design Thinking Study Abroad in Grenoble, France
** These courses may also be used toward the 6 credits of Law required experiential courses
Admissions
If you are interested in the JD/MBA program, you must apply formally and independently to both programs and meet the admission standards of each; however, you should note on all application forms that admission is being sought for the JD/MBA dual degree program. The dual degree program is not suitable for part-time students. If you are currently enrolled in the first year of the JD program, you may be considered for admission to the Dual Degree Program. Your application for admission must be submitted to the College of Business and Economics by March 15.
Advising
The Associate Dean for Graduate Programs in the College of Business and Economics and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs of the College of Law serve as an advising team for you, each in their respective schools.
Tuition
Tuition is charged at College of Law rates, with a surcharge for each MBA course.
Application Process
For the College of Business and Economics, you must meet all application requirements to the College and the Graduate School as specified on the MBA Admissions web page. The MBA Admissions Committee may elect to waive the GMAT/GRE requirement for students accepted/enrolled in the College of Law; however, all scholarships for the MBA program are awarded on the basis of GMAT/GRE test scores; therefore, to be considered for scholarships you must take the GMAT/GRE.
For the College of Law, you need to follow the admissions guidelines as set forth on this web site and in our admissions View Book.
Graduation Requirements
Grade Point Average
Grade point average for each program is calculated independently by each college. You are required to remain in compliance with the academic standards of each College.
Granting of JD/MBA Degrees
Upon satisfactory completion of all dual degree program requirements, you will be granted both the JD and MBA degrees.
Failure to Complete JD/MBA Requirements
If you are unable to complete the JD requirements, you will have the option of completing the standard MBA program requirements and receiving only the MBA degree. If you are unable to complete the MBA requirements, you may receive up to nine pass-fail credit hours toward the JD degree for your MBA coursework.