A joint J.D./M.B.A. program can save students both time and money.
To gain both business and law skills, a prospective business law student may consider a joint Juris Doctorate/Master of Business Administration (J.D./M.B.A.) degree or a law school with special business degree programs. The best schools for business law will have both a strong business school and a strong law program, as well as some program that combines programs from the two schools. U.S. News & World Report annually publishes rankings of both law schools and business schools, so comparing the two lists can give prospective students an idea of which schools have strong business law programs.
Harvard Law School/Harvard Business School
Harvard Law School is ranked second in the country for law schools by U.S. News & World Report; Harvard Business School is ranked first for business schools in a two-way tie with Stanford Business School. The Law and Business schools offer a joint J.D./M.B.A program, according to Harvard's website, and students must be admitted separately to each program. However, students can complete the J.D./M.B.A. in four years, rather than the five years the two degrees would take if not completed concurrently, thus saving one year's tuition money.
Harvard University
Massachusetts Hall
Cambridge, MA 02138
617-495-1585
harvard.edu
Stanford Law School/Stanford Business School
Stanford Law School ranks third on U.S. News & World Report's 2010 list of the top American Bar Association--accredited law schools. U.S. News & World Report ranks Stanford Business School first for business schools, tied with Harvard Business School. Stanford offers one of the nation's oldest joint J.D./M.B.A degree program, according to its website. The joint degree may be completed in four years.
Stanford University
450 Serra Mall
Stanford, CA 94305
650-723-2558
stanford.edu
Northwestern Law School/Kellogg School of Management
Northwestern Law School ranks eleventh on U.S. News & World Report's list of law schools; Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management ranks fourth on report's corresponding list of the top business schools. The school offers a joint J.D./M.B.A. program which, unique among other joint J.D./MBa programs, can be completed in three years rather than the typical four; students spend the summer between their first and second years taking courses from Kellogg and may take advantage of many cross-listed courses, according to the school's website. The J.D/M.B.A. program is highly integrated; applicants need only submit one application, and the program does not require an LSAT score, according to the school's website.
Northwestern University
633 Clark St.
Evanston, IL 60208
847-491-3741
kellogg.northwestern.edu
Tags: News World, News World Report, World Report, Business School, business schools, Harvard Business, Harvard Business School