The Law School and the Stephen M. Ross School of Business offer a dual degree program that enables students to pursue concurrent work in Law and Business Administration. Law students who have pursued the dual degree program in Law and Business Administration have cited the professional flexibility provided by substantive knowledge of two distinct fields, as well as the intrinsic intellectual interest of studying very different subjects from different academic approaches and emphases. Students have also appreciated the increased social opportunities presented by enrollment in the two schools.

Students are required to take the complete sequence of first-year courses in one school during the first year of enrollment, and complete the sequence of first-year courses in the other school during the second year of enrollment. Each school will apply its own deferred admission standards to students who elect to take the first year in the other school.

Information contained herein is valid as of 2/26/19 and is subject to change.

Contact the applicable admissions office or dual degree resource for more information.

Requirements

  • JD Requirements

    Students entering the Law School must complete the required first-year law curriculum. Students must take one elective course of three or four credit hours during their second semester. All students must complete the following before graduation: at least one international or comparative law course of two or more credit hours, at least one upper-level course with a rigorous writing component, one statutory or regulatory course of three or more credit hours, one course in professional responsibility of two or more credit hours, and two credit hours of experiential learning. Separate courses must be taken to fulfill the upper-level course with a rigorous writing component, the professional responsibility course, and the experiential learning course.

    The JD requires a minimum total of 83 credits earned between Law School courses and courses through the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. Students must earn at least 71 credits toward the JD through courses taken in the Law School. Twelve (12) credit hours may be earned toward the JD through courses taken in the Business School. 

    ]If you are admitted to the Business School and choose to pursue the JD/MBA program, you must notify both the Law School’s Office of Student Records and Office of Student Life.

  • MBA Requirements

    A total of 57 credit hours are required for the MBA, of which at least 45 credit hours must be Business School coursework. Students must complete the required MBA core curriculum. Students who successfully waive one or more Business Administration core courses will not receive credit for that coursework; additional elective coursework will need to be completed to fulfill the required 45 business credit hours. 

    Twelve (12) credit hours may be earned through courses taken in the Law School. At least three terms of full-time enrollment (9 credit hours or more of coursework) must be completed while registered under the Business Administration career.

  • Additional Requirements

    Applicants interested in the JD/MBA dual degree program must gain separate and independent admission to both the Law School and the Ross School of Business. Applicants should contact the Admissions Office of each school for application and admission information. If you are enrolled in a graduate program in another school or department at the University, the Law School will accept a valid GRE, GMAT, or MCAT score in lieu of an LSAT score; otherwise, a valid LSAT score is required.

    Students must satisfy the degree requirements of each school and should consult with advisers in each school for the precise graduation requirements for each degree and for information about course offerings. Law courses are not offered in the summer term. Students will not receive credit toward the JD for coursework taken prior to matriculation at the Law School.

    During the third and fourth years of the program, students are permitted to elect courses in both schools. Tuition will be assessed at either the Law School or Business School rate, whichever is higher, when courses toward both degrees are taken in one term.

    At the beginning of their final year of study in the combined program, students should consult with their Business School Academic Adviser and the Law School’s Office of Student Records regarding progress toward graduation.

    The dual degree program is not open to those who have already earned either the JD or the MBA. MBA students who are registered in the first year at the Ross School of Business may apply to the dual degree program. JD students must apply and be accepted to the Ross School of Business during the first half of the JD degree program.

  • Please Note

    Any JD who enrolls concurrently in another degree program will be awarded the JD degree after completing all of the requirements for the dual, joint, or combined degrees. (As a practical matter, this means that the student will receive the JD degree either after or at the same time as they receive the degree(s) in the other program(s).) This policy will not affect the student’s class year for purposes of the Law School’s commencement ceremony or alumni events, and it will not apply if a student discontinues the other degree program(s). A law student who believes that they will experience some hardship as a result of this policy may petition the Associate Dean for Academic Programming for an exception.

    JD courses traditionally have a later grading deadline than other degree programs. On some occasions, this later JD grading deadline may affect a student in their final term if another degree program desires all of the student’s grades prior to the JD grading deadline.

Contact Information

Law School Admissions Office
University of Michigan Law School

Jeffries Hall, Suite 2200
701 S. State St.
Ann Arbor, MI  48109-1215
Phone: 734.764.0537

Email: law.jd.admissions@umich.edu 


Office of Student Life (Dual degree programs)
University of Michigan Law School
316 Hutchins Hall
625 S. State St.
Ann Arbor, MI  48109-1215

Phone: 734.764.0516
Email: law.dual.degrees@umich.edu


Office of Student Records
University of Michigan Law School
300 Hutchins Hall 
625 S. State Street 
Ann Arbor, MI  48109-1215

Phone: 734.763.6499
Email: lawrecords@umich.edu


Ross School of Business Office of Admissions
Room E2540
701 Tappan St.
Ann Arbor, MI  48109-1234

Phone: 734.763.5796
Email: RossAdmissions@umich.edu
Website: bus.umich.edu 


Ross School of Business Dual Degree Advisor
MBA Program Office

Marissa Bhuva
Stephen M. Ross School of Business
Room K1521
701 Tappan Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1234

Phone: 734.936.1835
Email: mbhuva@umich.edu
Website: michiganross.umich.edu