JD / MBA Degree

3.5 Year Accelerated Approach

The Accelerated Approach allows students to graduate quickly with a dual degree.

Students begin in the fall with the full-time JD program. This program is designed to allow students to complete the JD program within three years during the fall and spring semesters. During the summers, students may take MBA courses offered in a weekend format and online to allow students the maximum flexibility to continue with any special opportunities and student experiences offered through the JD program.

In spring of the third year, students fulfill the MBA capstone requirement through an externship that provides an opportunity for students to apply their legal and business expertise. The field placement will be in a business law setting doing legal work supervised by an attorney.

After finishing the JD program, students will take six or more MBA credits to finish the dual degree program.

Minimum Requirements for the Accelerated Approach

To qualify for the JD/MBA dual degree program, students must first gain admittance to Western State’s JD program, enroll as a full-time student, complete 29 law school credits, and achieve a GPA of 2.8 in law school before beginning MBA courses.

After beginning MBA courses, students must maintain a GPA of 2.6 in the JD program and remain in good standing to continue in the dual degree program. Any JD student whose cumulative GPA falls below 2.6 must meet with the WSCL Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. The Associate Dean may, if extraordinary circumstances warrant, waive this requirement.

Students in the MBA program are required to maintain a GPA of 3.0 to graduate from the MBA program.