JD/MBA (Business)


The JD/MBA joint degree program at the University of Kansas combines the three-year J.D. program offered by the School of Law and the two-year MBA program offered by the School of Business into four years of study. 

The program offers students the opportunity to train in the convergent fields of law and business management. The program is especially beneficial for students pursuing corporate law practice or planning to enter business using law training as a background.

The JD/MBA joint degree program takes four years to complete: three years of J.D. curriculum and one year of MBA curriculum. Students will take a break from their J.D. curriculum and join an MBA cohort for one full year.

Given the symbiotic relationship between business and law, it is not surprising to find individuals with legal backgrounds in many top business positions. Responsible corporate managers can rarely make significant business decisions without awareness of the possible legal implications. Lawyers who advise corporate management must have an awareness of the business implications of their legal advice. There is a strong demand for those with the skills and understanding of the interwoven aspects of business and law.

Contacts for prospective law students:

Contacts for current students:


JD/MBA Program Information

Learn more about admission requirements, degree requirements and the typical program format for the JD/MBA joint degree program using the tabs below.

Students must conclude their joint degree program enrolled in courses offered in the law school. In all cases, students must receive their joint degrees concurrently.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the combined JD/MBA program, a student must meet the requirements and be accepted into both the School of Law and the School of Business prior to entering the joint program. For admission to the law program, students must take either the LSAT or the GRE exam.  No admission test is required for admission to the MBA program, although only applicants with a GMAT score will be considered for scholarship for business school credits.

Students new to both programs must complete the first year of the School of Law curriculum before entering into the MBA curriculum. A current School of Law student must declare the intention of entering into the joint program prior to completing two full semesters in the J.D. curriculum. The academic committee may grant exceptions to this requirement in individual cases. A current MBA student must enter the joint program prior to completing two full semesters in the MBA curriculum. Such students will not receive Law School credit for business courses taken before commencing classes in the School of Law.

Diplomas will be awarded concurrently by each school following the completion of requirements for the joint degree program.

The joint JD/MBA program is open to those who have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and whose undergraduate academic record indicates that the applicant has the capacity to complete the law and business program.

All students in the combined program must complete a minimum of 41 credit hours of graduate coursework in business. The School of Business follows the Graduate School regulation in requiring a 3.0 cumulative grade point average for all coursework counted toward a master's degree. The School of Law requires a 2.0 cumulative grade point average for all coursework counted toward the J.D. degree.

Degree Requirements

Total Credit Hours

Degree Requirements - total credit hours
Credit Hours Required:For JDFor MBA
Law courses required for all JD candidates430
Law courses required for all joint degree candidates219
Business courses required of joint degree candidates1432
Elective courses--
Minimum credit hours required9041

J.D. Requirements

The following law courses are required for all J.D. candidates. Learn more about J.D. Program Degree Requirements.

Law courses required for all J.D. Candidates
CourseCredit hours
First-Year Courses
LAW 804 Civil Procedure4
LAW 806 Introduction to Constitutional Law4
LAW 809 Contracts4
LAW 814 Criminal Law4
LAW 820 Lawyering Skills I2
LAW 821 Lawyering Skills II3
LAW 826 Property4
LAW 831 Torts I4
Upper-Level Courses
LAW 972 Professional Responsibility must be completed by the time a student finishes 60 hours.2
3 courses from among the following:
LAW 892 Business Organizations4
LAW 873 Commercial Law: Secured Transactions3
LAW 881 Conflict of Laws3
LAW 878 Criminal Procedure3
LAW 908 Evidence3
LAW 909 Family Law3
LAW 845 Jurisdiction3
LAW 996 Trusts and Estates4
In addition to all the JD/MBA program course requirements, students must satisfy the law school's Upper-Level Writing Intensive Course Requirements and the Experiential Course Requirements.

JD/MBA Joint Degree Candidate Requirements

The following table outlines courses that are required specifically for JD/MBA joint degree candidates.

Law courses required for all JD/MBA joint degree candidates
CourseCredit hours
Law courses required of all JD/MBA joint degree candidates
LAW 913 Federal Income Taxation3
LAW 855 Taxation of Business Enterprises3
LAW 892 Business Organizations4
LAW 873 Commercial Law: Secured Transactions3
And 3 of the following courses:
LAW 850 Administrative Law3
LAW 864 Advanced International Trade Law3
LAW 863 Antitrust Law3
LAW 889 Bankruptcy3
LAW 868 Business Planning Seminar3
LAW 872 Commercial Arbitration3
LAW 869 Contract Drafting3
LAW 888 Copyright Law in a Digital Age3
LAW 930 Corporate Finance3
LAW 828 Deals2
LAW 835 Due Diligence in Business Transactions2
LAW 925 Employment Law3
LAW 905 Environmental Law3
LAW 906 Estate Planning: Principles3
LAW 907 Estate Planning: Practice3
LAW 915 Federal Tax Procedure2
LAW 968 Intellectual Property4
LAW 945 International Commerce and Investment3
LAW 944 International Trade Law3
LAW 939 Labor Law4
LAW 947 Mergers and Acquisitions2
LAW 971 Product Liability3
LAW 986 Securities Regulation3
For a total of at least: 21 credits

MBA Requirements

The following table outlines MBA course requirements.

MBA requirements
CourseCredit hours
Semester 1 - Fall
BSAN 810 Statistics and Decision Tools3
BE 810 Managerial Economics3
ACCT 810 Accounting3
MKTG 810 Marketing Management3
SCM 820 Supply Chain Management3
BUS 810 Kansas Small Business Projects1
BUS 801 Professional Skills0.5
Total credits: 16.5
Semester 2 - Spring
MGMT 810 Managing People3
IBUS 820 International Business3
BSAN 820 Business Analytics3
FIN 810 Financial Management3
BUS 810 Kansas Small Business Project3
BUS 801 Professional Skills Development0.5
Total credits: 15.5
TOTAL CREDITS: 32

Typical Program Format

The following table outlines the typical program format for students completing the JD/MBA joint degree program. 

Typical program format
 Law SchoolBusiness SchoolTotal
First Year29029
Second Year03232
Third Year24*024
Fourth Year23023
 
Total Credit Earned7632108
Law Credit Allowed-99
Business Credit Allowed14-14
Total Credit Allowed---
Total Credit Required9041131
*Must include Professional Responsibility.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the combined JD/MBA program, a student must meet the requirements and be accepted into both the School of Law and the School of Business prior to entering the joint program. For admission to the law program, students must take either the LSAT or the GRE exam.  No admission test is required for admission to the MBA program, although only applicants with a GMAT score will be considered for scholarship for business school credits.

Students new to both programs must complete the first year of the School of Law curriculum before entering into the MBA curriculum. A current School of Law student must declare the intention of entering into the joint program prior to completing two full semesters in the J.D. curriculum. The academic committee may grant exceptions to this requirement in individual cases. A current MBA student must enter the joint program prior to completing two full semesters in the MBA curriculum. Such students will not receive Law School credit for business courses taken before commencing classes in the School of Law.

Diplomas will be awarded concurrently by each school following the completion of requirements for the joint degree program.

The joint JD/MBA program is open to those who have earned a baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university and whose undergraduate academic record indicates that the applicant has the capacity to complete the law and business program.

All students in the combined program must complete a minimum of 41 credit hours of graduate coursework in business. The School of Business follows the Graduate School regulation in requiring a 3.0 cumulative grade point average for all coursework counted toward a master's degree. The School of Law requires a 2.0 cumulative grade point average for all coursework counted toward the J.D. degree.

Degree Requirements

Total Credit Hours

Degree Requirements - total credit hours
Credit Hours Required:For JDFor MBA
Law courses required for all JD candidates430
Law courses required for all joint degree candidates219
Business courses required of joint degree candidates1432
Elective courses--
Minimum credit hours required9041

J.D. Requirements

The following law courses are required for all J.D. candidates. Learn more about J.D. Program Degree Requirements.

Law courses required for all J.D. Candidates
CourseCredit hours
First-Year Courses
LAW 804 Civil Procedure4
LAW 806 Introduction to Constitutional Law4
LAW 809 Contracts4
LAW 814 Criminal Law4
LAW 820 Lawyering Skills I2
LAW 821 Lawyering Skills II3
LAW 826 Property4
LAW 831 Torts I4
Upper-Level Courses
LAW 972 Professional Responsibility must be completed by the time a student finishes 60 hours.2
3 courses from among the following:
LAW 892 Business Organizations4
LAW 873 Commercial Law: Secured Transactions3
LAW 881 Conflict of Laws3
LAW 878 Criminal Procedure3
LAW 908 Evidence3
LAW 909 Family Law3
LAW 845 Jurisdiction3
LAW 996 Trusts and Estates4
In addition to all the JD/MBA program course requirements, students must satisfy the law school's Upper-Level Writing Intensive Course Requirements and the Experiential Course Requirements.

JD/MBA Joint Degree Candidate Requirements

The following table outlines courses that are required specifically for JD/MBA joint degree candidates.

Law courses required for all JD/MBA joint degree candidates
CourseCredit hours
Law courses required of all JD/MBA joint degree candidates
LAW 913 Federal Income Taxation3
LAW 855 Taxation of Business Enterprises3
LAW 892 Business Organizations4
LAW 873 Commercial Law: Secured Transactions3
And 3 of the following courses:
LAW 850 Administrative Law3
LAW 864 Advanced International Trade Law3
LAW 863 Antitrust Law3
LAW 889 Bankruptcy3
LAW 868 Business Planning Seminar3
LAW 872 Commercial Arbitration3
LAW 869 Contract Drafting3
LAW 888 Copyright Law in a Digital Age3
LAW 930 Corporate Finance3
LAW 828 Deals2
LAW 835 Due Diligence in Business Transactions2
LAW 925 Employment Law3
LAW 905 Environmental Law3
LAW 906 Estate Planning: Principles3
LAW 907 Estate Planning: Practice3
LAW 915 Federal Tax Procedure2
LAW 968 Intellectual Property4
LAW 945 International Commerce and Investment3
LAW 944 International Trade Law3
LAW 939 Labor Law4
LAW 947 Mergers and Acquisitions2
LAW 971 Product Liability3
LAW 986 Securities Regulation3
For a total of at least: 21 credits

MBA Requirements

The following table outlines MBA course requirements.

MBA requirements
CourseCredit hours
Semester 1 - Fall
BSAN 810 Statistics and Decision Tools3
BE 810 Managerial Economics3
ACCT 810 Accounting3
MKTG 810 Marketing Management3
SCM 820 Supply Chain Management3
BUS 810 Kansas Small Business Projects1
BUS 801 Professional Skills0.5
Total credits: 16.5
Semester 2 - Spring
MGMT 810 Managing People3
IBUS 820 International Business3
BSAN 820 Business Analytics3
FIN 810 Financial Management3
BUS 810 Kansas Small Business Project3
BUS 801 Professional Skills Development0.5
Total credits: 15.5
TOTAL CREDITS: 32

Typical Program Format

The following table outlines the typical program format for students completing the JD/MBA joint degree program. 

Typical program format
 Law SchoolBusiness SchoolTotal
First Year29029
Second Year03232
Third Year24*024
Fourth Year23023
 
Total Credit Earned7632108
Law Credit Allowed-99
Business Credit Allowed14-14
Total Credit Allowed---
Total Credit Required9041131
*Must include Professional Responsibility.

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