Marquette University

Programme overview

This is an integrated JD and MBA program administered jointly by Marquette University Law School and the Graduate School of Management. Applicants must submit separate applications and satisfy admission standards for both schools. Students begin the sequence as law students; after finishing the JD portion they are then formally admitted to the on-campus MBA program to complete the remaining MBA requirements. Most students finish the combined program in four years, though the degrees may be completed on different schedules if a student elects to finish the MBA later on a part-time basis.

What you'll study

The combined curriculum requires completion of 81 credit hours in the Law School plus 22.5–30 graduate business credit hours in the MBA. Up to 21 credit hours may be double-counted between the degrees: generally 9–12 law credits can apply to MBA requirements and 9 MBA credits can apply to J.D. elective requirements, governed by the Graduate School of Management transfer policy. Dual-degree students often take courses that satisfy both law and MBA requirements during the second and third years of law school. Students pursuing the Sport Business specialization must complete 10 credits of sports law coursework that includes LAW 7106 Amateur Sports Law, LAW 7303 Professional Sports Law, a two-credit sports law workshop (examples listed in the law curriculum), and a two-credit LAW 7955 Advanced Legal Research course. All transfer credits from the Law School applied to the MBA must carry a grade of C or above.

Entry requirements

Prospective students must apply separately to Marquette Law School and to the Graduate School of Management and meet each school’s admissions criteria. Applicants start the dual track as law students. GMAT is not required for applicants to the MBA/JD program. Law students who wish to take MBA classes before formal admission to the MBA may enroll in preapproved graduate courses by submitting the request-to-enroll form signed by their Law School advisor.

Career prospects

The combined JD/MBA prepares graduates for roles that intersect legal and commercial responsibilities, such as transactional law, corporate counsel, compliance, business leadership, deal structuring, and sectors where legal risk and business strategy are tightly linked. The dual credential is useful for students aiming to operate at the interface of law, management and regulated industries.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

Tuition billing follows the school in which the student is enrolled: while a full-time law student the joint-degree student is billed at the Law School full-time (flat) tuition rate even when taking additional graduate courses; after receipt of the J.D. the student pays Graduate School of Management tuition at the per-credit rate for MBA courses. Part-time law students are billed at per-credit law rates for law courses and per-credit GSM rates for graduate courses. Students should consult both schools about advising and financial-aid opportunities and confirm how any scholarships, grants or assistantships apply across the two programs.