Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration

Increasingly, individuals are called upon to understand multiple specialized fields that are inclusive of law and business. Familiarity with business concepts is particularly important for those who seek careers in corporate law, mergers and acquisitions and intellectual property, among others. Drawing on the strengths of the Roger Williams University School of Law as well as the Mario J. Gabelli School of Business, RWU offers a concentrated joint degree program for students interested in pursuing a Juris Doctor degree and a Master of Business Administration degree. The dual degree program allows students to complete the Juris Doctor (JD) and the Master of Business Administration (MBA) in an accelerated period of study – within four years, instead of the typical five years.

The MBA program combines classes in core business disciplines at our state-of-the-art Metro Campus in Providence with a required internship and international study to give you practical, real-world experience both at home and on the global stage. With strong connections to the legal and judiciary fields in the heart of Providence, the juris doctor program offers the highest-quality JD degree with classes at the RWU School of Law on our Bristol campus.

To earn the JD/MBA degree students must complete 78 credits at the School of Law and 24 graduate credits in the Gabelli School of Business. The School of Law and the Gabelli School of Business will each accept 12 transfer credits from the other school. The effect of these credit transfers between the School of Law and the School of Business will reduce the overall time needed to complete both degrees from five years to four years or less, assuming continuous, full-time study.

Required School of Business courses that are transferable to the Law School:

ECON550 Managerial Economics (3 Credits)
MGMT510 Data Analytics for Business (3 Credits)
FNCE 550 Corporate Finance (3 Credits)
MGMT599 Strategic Management (3 Credits)

Remaining required School of Business courses to earn MBA:

MGMT520 Ethical Leadership of Organizations (3 Credits)
ACCTG505 Financial and Managerial Accounting (3 Credits)
MRKT520 Decisions in Marketing Management (3 Credits)
IB540 Global Business (3 Credits)

Up to a total of 12 credits of the below Law School courses listed below are transferable to the Business School:

LAW 784 Bankruptcy*
LAW 635 Business Associations
LAW 729 Civil Rights
LSM 888 Climate Change Law and Policy*
LAW 604 Contracts I
LAW 831 Corporate Compliance and Governance
LAW 819 Employment Discrimination
LAW 820 Employment Law
LAW 647 Federal Income Tax
LAW 720 Health Law and Policy*
LAW 788 Insurance Law
LAW 740 Intellectual Property
LAW 792 International Business Transactions
LAW 770 International Law*
LAW 822 Labor Law
LAW 793 Marine Pollution*
LAW 809 Mergers and Acquisitions
LAW 733 Mediation
LAW 736 Negotiation
LSM 744 Patent Law*
LAW 653 Secured Transactions
LAW 832 Securities Regulation
LAW 756 Transactional Lawyering and Contract Drafting* 

(*2 Credit Course)

Joint degree students must also take Roger’s Review in the summer prior to the full matriculation in the MBA Roger’s Review provides a comprehensive overview of functional subjects necessary to MBA course work in fields that include accounting, finance, economics and analytics.

For a full listing of juris doctor courses, visit the RWU School of Law site.

Applicants applying for the Joint J.D./M.B.A. degree must be in good standing at the end of their first year of study in the RWU School of Law. Prior to starting the application through the RWU Office of Graduate Admissions, students should meet with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Colleen A. Brown. Applications should be submitted sufficiently in advance of the application deadline to assure adequate processing time at both Schools. Student transcripts will be obtained from the School of Law. Applicants must apply to and earn acceptance into both programs separately. Admission decisions are made on a rolling basis and using a portfolio approach, wherein all aspects of the application are considered by the admission committee in the Gabelli School of Business.

Apply to the J.D./M.B.A Online

Close Course Type Descriptions

Course Types

We have classified RWU Law classes under the following headers. One of the following course types will be attached to each course which will allow students to narrow down their search while looking for classes.

Core Course

Students in the first and second year are required to take classes covering the following aspects of the law—contracts, torts, property, criminal law, civil procedure, and constitutional law, evidence, and professional responsibility.  Along with these aspects, the core curriculum will develop legal reasoning skills.

Elective

After finishing the core curriculum the remaining coursework toward the degree is completed through upper level elective courses.  Students can choose courses that peak their interests or courses that go along with the track they are following.

Seminar

Seminars are classes where teachers and small groups of students focus on a specific topic and the students complete a substantial research paper.

Clinics/Externships

Inhouse Clinics and Clinical Externships legal education is law school training in which students participate in client representation under the supervision of a practicing attorney or law professor.  RWU Law's Clinical Programs offer unique and effective learning opportunities and the opportunity for practical experience while still in law school.