Introducing the Joint JD/MBA Degree

BRISTOL, R.I., March 7, 2019 ­­– Roger Williams University will become the only school in Rhode Island offering a joint Juris Doctorate/Master of Business Administration degree.

RWU’s School of Law and the Mario J. Gabelli School of Business will collaborate to offer students two valuable degrees that they can complete in four years instead of the usual five years. The joint degree will equip students to compete in the fast-changing and increasingly global economy, and it will provide an edge for those embarking on law or business careers – or the increasing number of careers that combine aspects of both disciplines.

“This is another example of the way in which our powerful collection of professional programs collaborate to provide our students with the skills to succeed in the rapidly changing workplace,” RWU Interim President Andy Workman said. “RWU, with the only law school in Rhode Island, is uniquely placed to provide graduates with both legal and business expertise to the cutting edge employers building the new economy of our state.”

“The Gabelli School of Business is very pleased to partner with our colleagues in the RWU School of Law to offer the first and only JD/MBA program in Rhode Island,” Gabelli School of Business Dean Susan McTiernan said. “In our increasingly sophisticated and global business and legal environment, earning this dual degree offers our students who become alumni of this unique program boundless opportunities in the many satisfying careers that intersect these two fields and demand expertise in them. Graduates of the program will be extremely well qualified to engage and make a difference locally, regionally and worldwide.”

“This JD/MBA program is the latest manifestation of the law school’s commitment to increasing the amount and sophistication of business education available to our students,” RWU Law Dean Michael J. Yelnosky said. “Employers have told us that young lawyers can distinguish themselves if they understand how the business clients they represent operate, and we have responded to that market demand with our Corporate Counsel Externship Program, our Business Startup Clinic, and now this JD/MBA.”

Students can begin applying immediately for the program, which will commence in the fall.

• Undergraduate students interested in exploring options to pursue a bachelor’s degree in the Gabelli School of Business and the JD/MBA program can find additional information here.  
• Graduate students who want more information on the JD/MBA program can find additional information here. 
• Law students interested in adding an MBA to their studies can find additional information here. 

For more information, contact Dr. Jay Oliver, joliver@rwu.edu or (401) 254-3018.