Joint J.D./M.B.A. Degrees

Eric Michael Garza, Doctor of Jurisprudence/MBA student, talks about his student experience at St. Mary’s University through service to others.

The J.D./MBA is designed for law students who desire to broaden their knowledge and skills to include an in-depth understanding of business.

This knowledge and the skills and abilities which will be developed add great value for the student who is interested in working in a corporate legal department (in the office of the general counsel), in representing corporations as a corporate law practitioner, one who aspires to be managing partner of a large firm, or who plans to own a firm at some future date.

In addition to separate degree programs in law and business, the School of Law and the Greehey School of Business also offer a joint program of study leading to the simultaneous awarding of graduate degrees in law and business, the J.D. and Greehey MBA. The joint degree allows a student to complete the requirements for both degrees in three to four years, depending on business prerequisite requirements.

For students with the appropriate business background, the J.D. and MBA degrees may be earned in the joint program with the completion of 112 hours of law and business courses, 12 hours less than the normal requirements for both degrees if pursued separately.

To satisfy the 91 hours of law courses for the J.D. degree and the 33 hours of business courses for the MBA degree, six hours of law courses are transferred as elective credit for the MBA degree and six hours of MBA courses are transferred as elective credit for the J.D. degree.