Beginning in September, Boston University will join the ranks of Cornell, Yale, Penn, Columbia and a handful of other schools offering an accelerated three-year joint JD/MBA program. BU currently offers a dual degree that can be completed in four years. The new program will allow students to earn both degrees in just seven semesters, rather than the eight it would take to complete the four-year program or the ten it would take if pursuing the two degrees back-to-back.

“Traditionally, combined programs have allowed students to complete both degrees in four years instead of the five years required if the two programs were pursued sequentially,” says David I. Walker, a School of Law professor and associate dean for academic affairs. “But the financial and opportunity costs of four years of professional education are still daunting, and many students who would be attracted to a combined degree have opted to do a three-year JD program and simply squeeze in as many business courses as possible.” The accelerated program, he says, will reduce the cost and time commitment involved and “increase the value proposition of a true combined program.”

To be considered for the accelerated program, which is expected to accept a limited number of students when it begins in September, candidates must take both the LSAT and the GMAT and apply to both schools. The program requires that students start in both programs from the outset.

How will the accelerated program differ from the current four-year dual degree track? During the first year, students will take the same courses as any other first year law student, with one important caveat: those enrolled in the accelerated program will replace one law school course with a business school course each semester. For example, during the fall semester, students will take Civil Procedure, Contracts, and Legal Writing along with a core course for the MBA program, Leading Organizations and People, and a one-credit executive skills course, Managing Career Growth. In the spring, in addition to taking Constitutional Law, Legislation, Property Law, Legal Writing, and the Lawyering Lab, they’ll take Financial Reporting and Control, another course required for completion of an MBA, and either Executive Presentation or Executive Written Communication, both one-credit courses.

During the summer after their first year, students will take a full load of law and business classes and a mix of law and business classes their second and third years. All of the business school courses will be offered in the evening. Ditto all summer classes, so that students can work or volunteer during the day. The program is designed to free students from course work during their second summer, when law students traditionally work at internships at law firms and other legal settings.

Because only a few schools offer an accelerated three-year joint degree, BU “is positioned to be a leader in this area,” says Steven H. Davidson, Questrom School of Business associate dean of academic programs.  

The purpose of the accelerated program is to make students stand out in an increasingly competitive job market. “The issues facing today’s global economy are increasingly complex, and those who possess a foundation of business and law will be better prepared to engage clients on a deeper level to respond to changing environments,” says Davidson. “This program is designed for students who recognize they want to have a broader impact on an organization.” Those completing the accelerated dual degree are expected to pursue careers in a range of fields, from government to investment banking, private equity, consumer protection and finance, entrepreneurship, and corporate law.

“It is more important now to come out of a professional school with solid skills in both areas, because the opportunities and time to learn on the job are shrinking,” Walker notes.

Prospective students are increasingly looking for flexibility and value in any graduate program they pursue, says Davidson. “Today’s students have a desire to more rapidly engage in the workforce to apply their skills and make an impact, and this program will allow them do that.”