Boston University to Offer Accelerated Three-Year JD/MBA Degree

New dual degree option will allow students to earn both professional degrees in three years

In Fall 2015, Boston University will begin offering an Accelerated Three-Year JD/MBA in Law and Management, which will allow students to attain both degrees in the same amount of time as a JD degree alone. This dual degree will also cost less than if the two degrees were pursued separately because it can be completed in seven semesters instead of ten.

“This is a great opportunity for students to earn both degrees from BU’s highly regarded law and management schools,” says BU Law Dean Maureen A. O’Rourke. “Students in this program will have the same opportunities as all of our JD students to participate in our On-Campus Interviewing program and, consistently with degree requirements, to take advantage of other curricular and extracurricular offerings like clinics, law journals, and the Transactional Practice concentration.”

Students will take a mix of law and management courses throughout the entirety of the three-year program, including a full load of courses during the summer following their first year. The program is designed to free students from coursework during the summer following their second year when law students traditionally complete internships in law firms and other legal settings.

“We’re delighted to be partnering with the School of Law in this initiative,” says BU Questrom School of Business Dean Kenneth W. Freeman. “Students enrolled in the program will benefit from bringing management skills to bear on legal issues. This will help them differentiate themselves in today’s competitive marketplace by providing them with the tools to understand their clients’ needs at a sophisticated level.”

Clients of all types increasingly expect their attorneys to understand business and finance, and corporate leaders must understand the legal and regulatory environment in which their business operates. The complex interactions between business and law create opportunities for attorneys and executives who have been cross-trained in these fields to pursue careers in fields as diverse as corporate law, government, investment banking, private equity, consumer protection and finance, and entrepreneurship.