Juris Doctor and Master of Business Administration (Joint JD-MBA) | Office | Website

The Joint JD-MBA Program is offered to those who desire to pursue career avenues in which the integration of business and legal analysis is critical. Individuals seeking the Joint JD-MBA are typically interested in specific areas of law practice, (e.g. corporate or labor law), governmental agency work, or the management of specialized product firms.

Admission to the Joint JD-MBA Program is contingent upon separate admissions to the UDM School of Law program and the MBA Program. However, the applicant is not formally admitted into the Joint JD-MBA Program until the satisfactory completion of the first year of law studies (30 credit hours.)

Beyond separate admission into the law school and the College of Business Administration, an individual must have completed first-year law courses with a cumulative average of 2.5 or better and with no course grade below a 2.0.

An individual who desires to enter the Joint JD-MBA Program must complete a JD-MBA application form with the law school registrar typically in February or March of the first year of course work in the University's School of Law. Provisional acceptance to the Joint JD-MBA Program may be granted in April of the first year of law school, but final acceptance is dependent upon posting of first-year law school grades. A letter of acceptance is then sent to the applicant by the JD-MBA Program advisor.

The Joint JD-MBA Program incorporates two sets of academic requirements. Those two sets of requirements interface to allow a significant saving in course work when compared to an individual's efforts in accomplishing both degrees on a back-to-back, or independent basis.

JD Requirements Under the Joint Program
Law school course requirements consist of 78 credit hours, including all required courses of the regular law curriculum. A GPA of at least 2.5 is required of all law courses.

MBA Requirements Under the Joint Program
MBA courses include 24-40.5 credit hours of graduate business courses, depending upon the applicant's academic background and professional performance.

Foundation Requirements

* Please note that the courses with astericks will become 3 credit hour courses effective Term I, 2011-12. Depending upon the applicant's former performance in business course work, the JD-MBA candidate may take from 0-16.5 credit hours in the MBA's foundation requirements. Students having to fulfill foundation courses will be waived from MBA 5100.

* JD-MBA students are required to complete 21 credit hours in the MBA's core structure. Students are waived from MBA 5210.

Post Core

* At the MBA post-core level, JD-MBA students are required to fulfill MBA 5900. In addition, the post-core requirement of nine credit hours of electives are fulfilled by a cognate of law courses.

The usual approach to the Joint JD-MBA Program is to enter law school as a first-year student and, pending the outcome of the first-year law studies, to be admitted into the joint program. Once admitted, course studies over the next two to three years are scheduled to integrate law and business studies. This sequencing is based upon a law school student who enters in Term I of the academic year.

Some candidates who began course work in the MBA Program may decide to seek admission to the Joint JD-MBA Program. It must be noted, however, that candidates who pursue this approach must be accepted into the law school program on a Term I basis only. Admission requirements, as described above, necessarily apply to the JD-MBA candidate who follows this particular sequencing of course work.

Upon completion of the Joint JD-MBA Program, graduates receive two diplomas: one for the JD degree and one for the MBA degree.

Tuition rates and fees for students in the Joint JD-MBA Program are the same as those for the School of Law at the University of Detroit Mercy.

All applications, forms, original files, and grade analyses are handled through the Registrar of the School of Law. Contact: Assistant Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs, School of Law at (313) 596-0264; lawao@udmercy.edu.

GMAT Scholarships
The University provides scholarships to graduate students in the College of Business Administration who score 600 or higher on the GMAT test. Information about the test and applications for it may be obtained by calling the Graduate Business Programs Office at (313) 993-1202, or by writing: GMAT, Educational Testing Service, CN6103, Princeton, NJ 08541-6103.

Graduate Assistantships
Graduate assistantships are available to selected full-time students enrolled in any graduate business program. A graduate assistantship is conferred upon a student with the understanding that the student will be assigned to a discipline or program to assist in research, tutoring or general activities. In return, the student receives a tuition waiver for up to nine credit hours in Term I and/or Term II. Application forms for a graduate assistantship are available in the Graduate Business Programs Office.

Several important aspects of the MBA Program should be noted. These include policies regarding grade point averages, class scheduling, and advising.

Cumulative Grade Point Average
Students in the MBA Program are required to achieve and maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or better (on a 4.0 scale). A 3.0 cumulative GPA is required for final completion of the degree requirements and graduation.

Academic Standing
While an individual may be admitted into the MBA Program on a regular-acceptance basis, it is possible that the individual's eventual cumulative GPA may fall below a 3.0 in any particular term. When this situation occurs, the student automatically is placed on "Academic Probation". This status dictates that the student's cumulative GPA must continue to improve in each consecutive term thereafter until the cumulative GPA reaches 3.0 and is then sustained at that level or higher. If, after being placed on Academic Probation, the student's cumulative GPA does not improve in each subsequent term, the student will be academically dismissed.

Class Scheduling
MBA classes are scheduled in the evening and on the weekend. Classes are currently offered on the McNichols Campus. Evening classes begin at either 6:00 or 6:40 p.m., Monday through Thursday for Term I and Term II. Term I, commencing the day after Labor Day, is 15 weeks in length; Term II, commencing in early January, is also 15 weeks long. Some Foundation Courses are offered in an eight-week format in both terms. Each summer session is seven weeks in length. Summer I commences in early May. Summer II begins in late June. Evening classes for both sessions are scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 5:30-8:00 p.m. and 8:10-10:40 p.m.

Full-Time and Part-Time Student Status
An individual may undertake the MBA Program on either a full-time or part-time basis. Full-time student status usually involves a nine or above credit-hour course load in Terms I and II. Part-time student status usually entails a 1-8 credit hour load in Terms I and II.

Residence and Time Requirements
Students who have not completed their required program within five years may be subject to re-evaluation and additional coursework. Students not enrolled for more than two consecutive terms (without prior approval of the program director) may be required to re-apply for admission.

International Students
International students should consult with the International Services Office.

Advising
The Director of Graduate Business Programs serves as general academic advisor for all students entering the MBA Program. When appropriate, specific advising matters may be referred to the advisor in a particular academic discipline.

Student Responsibilities
Students in the College of Business Administration are responsible and accountable for knowledge of the requirements and procedures set forth by the College and University. Administrators, advisors, and faculty are available to assist students by explaining the various requirements and procedures for each program. However, the ultimate responsibility for compliance rests with the student.

Beta Gamma Sigma
Membership in Beta Gamma Sigma, an international scholastic honor society for graduates in the field of business and management, is the highest international scholastic honor that a student in a school of business or management can achieve. Eligibility for membership in Beta Gamma Sigma places a student in a very select group and is conferred for a lifetime status. Beta Gamma Sigma chapters are only chartered in those business schools which are accredited by the AACSB International. For more information about Beta Gamma Sigma, see their web site at Beta Gamma Sigma

Beta Alpha Psi
Beta Alpha Psi is an honorary organization for Financial Information students and professionals. This membership is one of the highest scholastic honors that accounting and finance students can attain. As the premier professional accounting and business information fraternity, Beta Alpha Psi recognizes academic excellence and complements members' formal education by providing interaction between students, faculty and professionals, and fosters lifelong growth, service and ethical conduct. Beta Alpha Psi chapters may be chartered only in those schools of business and management accredited by AACSB International. For more information about Beta Alpha Psi, see their web site at Beta Alpha Psi

Alpha Iota Delta
Alpha Iota Delta is the international honor society confers distinction for academic excellence in the decision sciences and information systems; promotes the infusion of the functional and behavioral areas of administration with tools, concepts and methodologies of the decision sciences and information systems; and promotes professional fellowship among students, faculty, administration and practitioners. The lifetime membership is by invitation, reflecting exceptional academic achievement and, perhaps, outstanding campus leadership and service. For more information about Alpha Iota Delta, see their web site at Alpha Iota Delta

Global Jesuit Business Student Association
The purposes of the GJBSA Honor Society are to confer distinction for academic excellence upon students attending Jesuit business schools and to encourage their pursuit of lifelong education; to acknowledge and promote a spirit of community involvement among its members; to promote and encourage ethical and socially responsible business practices among its members and in the global business community; and to act as a catalyst for the advancement of business thought and theory. For more information about the GJBSA Honor Society, see their web site at Global Jesuit Business Student Association