Law/Business (JD/MBA)
In a growing global economy, the career paths of business and law professionals have become increasingly convergent. The role of an attorney in the day-to-day management of businesses has become vital, as the modern business professional needs immediate access to sound legal advice.
The JD/MBA dual-degree program in business and law enables the student to complete both degrees with six fewer courses than would be required if the degrees were pursued separately. Students completing the dual degree will earn an MBA with a specialization in business law as well as the JD degree.
CURRICULUM
- During the completion of the JD/MBA program, the equivalent of nine credit hours from each degree program are counted toward the other degree program. This feature enables the student to complete both degrees with fewer courses than would be required if the degrees were pursued separately.
- The course sharing feature of this program allows students to earn a MBA specialization in legal environment. Any three courses taken at the law school are applied towards the completion of the MBA, granting the legal environment concentration. Students work with an advisor in each school to plan their respective programs of study.
- Generally, a total of 9 to 13 MBA courses are required for the completion of the MBA, plus the nine credit hours transferred from the School of Law.
- Students must complete at least 15 quarter hours (generally five courses) in the Quinlan School of Business before completing their law coursework in order to earn the "course sharing" benefits of the MBA/JD program.
- See JD Full-time degree requirements for a list of courses that satisfy the electives option.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MBA Requirements | ||
| Pre-Requisite Knowledge | ||
| ISSCM 400N | Quantitative Methods I (Calculus primer) | 0 |
| ISSCM 402N | Quantitative Methods II - Statistics Primer | 0 |
| Introductory MBA Courses | ||
| ACCT 400 | Financial Accounting for Business Decisions | 3 |
| ECON 420 | Managerial Economics | 3 |
| FINC 450 | Financial Management | 3 |
| MARK 460 | Marketing Management | 3 |
| SCMG 480 | Intro to Operations Management | 3 |
| MBA Coursework | ||
| FINC 470N | Business Finance | 3 |
| HRER 417N | Managing and Motivating in the Workplace | 3 |
| ISSCM 596N | Data Driven Decision Making | 3 |
| MARK 425N | Business Communication | 1.5 |
| MARK 470N | Research, Insights and Storytelling | 3 |
| MGMT 426N | Leadership Development | 1.5 |
| MGMT 430N | Strategy and Leadership | 3 |
| MGMT 431N | Business Consulting Course | 3 |
| ETHC 441N | Business Ethics | 3 |
| Electives | ||
| Legal Environment Electives (3 courses) | 9 | |
| JD Requirements | ||
| Required Courses | ||
| LAW 113 | Civil Procedure | 4 |
| LAW 122 | Constitutional Law | 4 |
| LAW 132 | Contracts | 4 |
| LAW 140 | Criminal Law | 3 |
| LAW 152 | Property | 4 |
| LAW 162 | Torts | 4 |
| LAW 190 | Legal Writing I | 2 |
| LAW 190R | Basic Legal Research | 0 |
| LAW 192 | Legal Writing II | 2 |
| LAW 210 | Evidence 1 | 4 |
| LAW 232 | Bar Exam Fundamentals 3 | 2 |
| LAW 270 | Business Organizations 1 | 4 |
| LAW 414 | Professional Responsibility | 3 |
| LAW 424 | Professional Identity Formation | 1 |
| BCCR Elective 2 | 2-3 | |
| LAW Electives | 23-28 | |
| Law Experiential Learning Elective | 6 | |
| Law Perspective Elective 4 | 2-3 | |
| Law Rigorous Writing Elective 5 | 2-3 | |
| Business Electives (15 quarter hours) | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 140 | |
- 1
This requirement only applies to students beginning their JDs in Fall 2023 or later.
- 2
This requirement only applies to students beginning their JDs in Fall 2022 or later. For students beginning their JDs in Fall 2023 or later, students must take this BCCR course before, concurrently with, or as part of their enrollment in any clinic or externship field placement.
- 3
Students who have a GPA below 2.9 after their second, third, or fourth semester of law school must complete “BAR EXAM FUNDAMENTALS” (LAW 232) in order to graduate. This class should be taken in the Fall or Spring of their third year for full-time students, and in the Fall or Spring of their fourth year for Weekend JDs.
- 4
2 or 3 credit hours in Spring semester of first year for full-time students; part- time students must take perspective elective after the first year.
- 5
At least one class with an RW designation after 1L year and before graduation. Prior completion of Legal Writing III will satisfy the RW requirement. A student cannot use their RW course to concurrently satisfy any other of their other graduation requirements.
BCCR Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 107 | Illinois Litigation Racism, Injustice & Poverty | 2 |
| LAW 143 | Environmental Justice: Race, Class and the Environment | 3 |
| LAW 146 | Mass Incarceration | 2 |
| LAW 156 | Abolition and Movement Lawyering | 2 |
| LAW 166 | Education Law Practicum | 1-4 |
| LAW 179 | The Law of Jury Selection | 2 |
| LAW 193 | Diversity and Inclusion: A Professional and Social Responsibility | 2 |
| LAW 202 | Human Trafficking Seminar | 2 |
| LAW 209 | Law, Life and Jesuit Spirituality | 2 |
| LAW 212 | Civil Rights | 2 |
| LAW 214 | Race and the Law | 2-3 |
| LAW 215 | Domestic Violence Practicum | 1-3 |
| LAW 249 | Human Trafficking: Advancing Protections for Children Practicum | 1-2 |
| LAW 265 | Black Traditions in International Law | 1-2 |
| LAW 276 | Criminal Law Practicum | 1-3 |
| LAW 294 | International Human Rights | 1-3 |
| LAW 302 | Intellectual Origins of "Othering" in the Law of Nations | 2 |
| LAW 312 | Street Law | 3 |
| LAW 341 | Educational Advocacy Lab | 2 |
| LAW 358 | The Quest for Racial Justice in the Long 1960s | 3 |
| LAW 389 | Public Interest Law Seminar | 1-2 |
| LAW 402 | "Say Her Name:" Intersectional Feminism & Police Violence | 4 |
| LAW 408 | Restorative Justice Workshop | 1 |
| LAW 440 | Criminal Procedure Capstone | 3 |
| LAW 447 | Federal Indian Law | 3 |
| LAW 483 | Federal Tax Clinic I | 2-4 |
| LAW 486 | Federal Tax Clinic II | 1-2 |
| LAW 504 | Lawyers as Leaders | 2 |
| LAW 525 | Law, Politics, and Society | 2 |
| LAW 538 | Critical Race Theory | 2 |
| LAW 539 | Affordable Housing Law & Policy | 2 |
| LAW 555 | Children and the Law | 2 |
| LAW 590 | Wrongful Conviction Seminar | 1-2 |
| LAW 601 | Child, Family, and the State | 2 |
| LAW 606 | Legislation and Policy Clinic | 2-4 |
| LAW 608 | Juvenile Justice | 2 |
| LAW 620 | Civitas ChildLaw Clinic | 1-4 |
| LAW 730 | Health Justice Policy Practicum | 2-3 |
| LAW 745 | Access to Health Care | 2-3 |
| LAW 755 | Health Justice Project | 3-4 |
Experiential Learning Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 166 | Education Law Practicum | 1-4 |
| LAW 173 | Advanced Education Law Practicum | 1-4 |
| LAW 215 | Domestic Violence Practicum | 1-3 |
| LAW 246 | Advanced Mediation Advocacy Practicum | 1-4 |
| LAW 249 | Human Trafficking: Advancing Protections for Children Practicum | 1-2 |
| LAW 276 | Criminal Law Practicum | 1-3 |
| LAW 341 | Educational Advocacy Lab | 2 |
| LAW 470 | Immigration Practicum Advancing | 1-4 |
| LAW 483 | Federal Tax Clinic I | 2-4 |
| LAW 486 | Federal Tax Clinic II | 1-2 |
| LAW 493 | Disabled Adult Guardianship Project | 3 |
| LAW 518 | Advanced Mediation and Courthouse Practicum | 1-3 |
| LAW 540 | Community Law Center Clinic III | 2 |
| LAW 554 | Family Law Practicum | 1 |
| LAW 584 | Mediation Certification & Courthouse Practicum | 4 |
| LAW 586 | Community Law Center Clinic Veterans Practicum | 2-4 |
| LAW 595 | Community LawCtr Clinic I | 4 |
| LAW 596 | Community Law Center Clinic II | 3 |
| LAW 599 | Externship Intensive Field Placement | 1-3 |
| LAW 606 | Legislation and Policy Clinic | 2-4 |
| LAW 617 | Policy Practicum: Issues in Childlaw | 1-3 |
| LAW 620 | Civitas ChildLaw Clinic | 1-4 |
| LAW 730 | Health Justice Policy Practicum | 2-3 |
| LAW 745 | Access to Health Care | 2-3 |
| LAW 755 | Health Justice Project | 3-4 |
| LAW 757 | Advanced Health Justice Project | 2-4 |
| LAW 825 | Business Law Center Clinical & Seminar | 2-4 |
| LAW 826 | Business Law Clinic II | 1-3 |
Perspective Elective
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 127 | Law and Psychology | 2 |
| LAW 185 | Business and the Law | 2 |
| LAW 208 | Advanced Criminal Law | 2 |
| LAW 262 | Genetics Law and Policy | 2 |
| LAW 265 | Black Traditions in International Law | 1-2 |
| LAW 294 | International Human Rights | 1-3 |
| LAW 319 | Jurisprudence I | 3 |
| LAW 339 | Biodiversity and Ecosystem Management | 2 |
| LAW 341 | Educational Advocacy Lab | 2 |
| LAW 348 | Law & Poverty | 3 |
| LAW 388 | Global Access to Medicine: A Patent Perspective | 3 |
| LAW 459 | Intro to English Legal Profession | 1 |
| LAW 461 | Education Law and Policy | 2-3 |
| LAW 522 | Election Law | 2-3 |
| LAW 525 | Law, Politics, and Society | 2 |
| LAW 538 | Critical Race Theory | 2 |
| LAW 558 | Comparative Freedom of Speech | 1-2 |
| LAW 564 | Animal Law and Policy | 2-3 |
| LAW 597 | The Use of Force in International and Domestic Law | 2 |
| LAW 601 | Child, Family, and the State | 2 |
| LAW 608 | Juvenile Justice | 2 |
| LAW 745 | Access to Health Care | 2-3 |
Rigorous Writing Elective
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| LAW 145 | Gender Based Violence: Law, Practice, and Policy | 2 |
| LAW 146 | Mass Incarceration | 2 |
| LAW 176 | International Trade Law | 1-3 |
| LAW 194 | Bar Exam Writing Skills | 1-2 |
| LAW 293 | Advanced Writing for Legal Practice | 1-3 |
| LAW 302 | Intellectual Origins of "Othering" in the Law of Nations | 2 |
| LAW 361 | Insurance Law | 2 |
| LAW 407 | Immigration Litigation: Admin Law Challenges to Immigration Policy | 2 |
| LAW 417 | Advanced Business Law | 3 |
| LAW 419 | Business Skills in Sports and Entertainment Law: The Introductory Skill Set | 2 |
| LAW 455 | Appellate Advocacy-Intellectual Property | 2 |
| LAW 516 | Prisoner Constitutional Rights Litigation | 3 |
| LAW 556 | Alternative Dispute Resolution | 2-3 |
| LAW 712 | Legal Writing for Medical Malpractice Trial: The Expert | 2 |
| LAW 739 | Health Information Privacy and Technology | 1-2 |
Dual Degree Programs
Students in dual degree programs are responsible for abiding by academic policies and graduation requirements of both academic units to which they are enrolled. It is strongly recommended that students schedule regular meetings with academic advisors from both units to ensure timely degree completion. Dual degree programs may have slightly different degree requirements from the standard for one or both of the degrees earned. Students should closely read through all degree requirements and ask for clarification as needed.
Graduate & Professional Standards and Regulations
Students in graduate and professional programs can find their Academic Policies in Graduate and Professional Academic Standards and Regulations under their school. Any additional University Policies supersede school policies.
Learning Outcomes
You will be able to:
- Utilize skills derived from participation in supervised live-client experiences, externships, or litigation and transactional practice simulations, such as interviewing, counseling, negotiation, mediation, fact development and analysis, problem solving, design thinking, trial practice, document drafting, and collaborative work [JD]
- Determine your clients' needs and objectives [JD]
- Determine relevant facts and understand their relevance to your client's legal position [JD]
- Conduct legal research [JD]
- Analyze and apply relevant legal principles [JD]
- Find solutions to legal problems [JD]
- Communicate legal concepts clearly and effectively, both orally and in writing [JD]
- Integrative Business Knowledge: Graduates will be proficient in integrating the techniques, processes, and procedures of the fundamental business disciplines (accounting, economics, finance, marketing, management, human resource management, operations management, and information technology). They will be able to apply theory, skills, and knowledge from these disciplines to business practice. [MBA]
- Critical Decision Making: Graduates will demonstrate their capacity for critical analysis in processing, interpreting, and managing the quantitative and qualitative information necessary for effective managerial decision making. [MBA]
- Ethics and Responsible Leadership: Graduates will understand how to be a leader in business who exhibits personal integrity, ethical awareness, and an ability to apply ethical principles to business practice. [MBA]
- Global Perspective and Awareness of Diversity: Graduates will have a global perspective by recognizing international business issues and appreciating diversity, including culture, race, religion, and gender. [MBA]
- Communication: Graduates will be able to communicate effectively, orally. Graduates will be able to communicate effectively, in writing. [MBA]