Business Administration and Law (M.B.A./J.D. Joint Degree)
Joint degree programs are those in which credit for some courses may be applied to both degrees. The Joint M.B.A./J.D. Program leads to the receipt of both the Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.) degree from the Mike Ilitch School of Business and the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from the Law School. The joint program allows students to fulfill the requirements of both programs concurrently. Students will need to complete all the requirements for both degrees, but Law School courses may count for up to nine elective credits toward the M.B.A. degree.
Applicants to this program must apply to both the Law School J.D. program and the Mike Ilitch School of Business M.B.A. program. Admission to the Concurrent M.B.A./J.D. Program requires separate approval by both the Law School and the Mike Ilitch School of Business. Students must meet all admission requirements of both programs; be admitted to both programs; and obtain the separate approval of both units to participate in the concurrent degree program.
Students seeking admission into the Joint M.B.A./J.D. program may use their Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score for M.B.A. admission consideration, as long as the student makes it clear at the time of application that they would like to pursue this option. Otherwise, the student must take the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) and submit that score for M.B.A. admission consideration. If the student is a current J.D. student within their first year of law school, the student may apply for the Joint M.B.A./J.D. program using the University Graduate Change of Status form and submitting all required application documents.
The MBA program requires that the candidate achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least a 3.0 on all course work counting toward the dual JD/MBA program. The first year of study is spent in the Law School; after completion of the first year, students may elect one Business School course per semester, with a maximum of four M.B.A. graduate courses applicable toward the J.D. degree.
The following foundation courses are open only to students who have been formally admitted to a graduate program at Wayne State University — undergraduate, post-baccalaureate, and non-matriculated students are not eligible. (Analogous courses offered at the undergraduate level may be taken to satisfy Foundation Requirements prior to graduate admission. However, once a student has been formally admitted to the M.B.A. program, NO graduate credit shall be allowed for subsequent registrations in undergraduate courses analogous to the Graduate Foundation Requirements without approval of the Graduate Committee or its designee. Information regarding such courses is available in the Graduate Programs Office, 2771 Woodward Avenue, Suite 137.) A cumulative grade point average of 3.00 ('B') is required for foundation requirements and no individual grade below 2.0 ('C') is acceptable. All foundation requirements must be completed before a student begins core and elective courses.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Accounting and Financial Reporting | ||
| Basics of Financial Management | ||
| Marketing Foundations | ||
| Contemporary Principles of Management |
The following nine core courses are required of all students:
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Managerial Accounting | ||
| Global Operations and Supply Chain Management | ||
| Corporate Financial Management | ||
| Business Analytics | ||
| Managing Organizational Behavior | ||
| Marketing Strategy | ||
| Understanding Emerging Technologies | ||
| Social Perspectives on the Business Enterprise | ||
| Strategic Management |
Students are eligible to apply a maximum of nine J.D. credits as M.B.A. elective credit, provided the following conditions are met:
- The law school courses to be applied to the M.B.A. must be taken at the Wayne State University Law School, as part of the J.D. program;
- Passed/Not Passed credit is acceptable only for LEX 8631 and LEX 8633;
- The courses must be relevant to the student’s Plan of Work as approved by the Graduate Committee;
- The courses may not be more than five years old at the time of graduation;
- The Law courses which will be considered for dual applicability are:
Course List Code Title Credits LEX 6200 Contracts A 3 LEX 6201 Contracts B 3 LEX 7014 Taxation of Corporations: Acquisitions and Restructuring 4 LEX 7026 Antitrust 2-4 LEX 7060 Business Planning 4 LEX 7128 Consumer Law 2-3 LEX 7141 Corporate Finance 3 LEX 7156 Corporations 2-4 LEX 7221 Employment Law 2-3 LEX 7353 Health Care Organizations and Finance 3 LEX 7404 International Business Transactions 3 LEX 7603 Mergers and Acquisitions 2-3 LEX 7831 Trademarks and Unfair Competition 2-3 LEX 8631 Business and Community Law Clinic 6 LEX 8633 Business and Community Law Clinic (Advanced) 2 - If a Joint M.B.A./J.D. student would like to apply a J.D. course to the M.B.A. that is not listed above, the student must petition in writing to the Graduate Committee for dual application of credit.