What is the online joint JD/MBA?

Now you can study for a JD and MBA degree online together! Among law schools with online programs, Syracuse University College of Law offers the nation’s first online joint JD/MBA degree, in partnership with Syracuse University’s Martin J. Whitman School of Management.

Syracuse’s combined online law and business degree program brings together Syracuse Law’s groundbreaking, ABA-accredited JDinteractive program with the Whitman School’s highly ranked Online MBA  program.

What is JDinteractive?

Syracuse Law’s online law school program delivers Syracuse’s outstanding legal education well beyond its Central New York campus. JDi is an ABA accredited online juris doctor option designed for students who cannot relocate to law school because of work or family commitments.

This online juris doctor program combines real-time, live online class sessions with self-paced instruction, on-campus courses, and experiential learning opportunities. It is taught by Syracuse Law professors to the same high standards as the residential juris doctor degree.

What is the Online M.B.A.?

Online joint JD/MBA students earn their master’s degree in business administration through the Whitman School’s Online MBA.

Recognized for its strong alumni outcomes, the Online MBA is ranked among the Top 40 Best Online MBAs by U.S. News & World Report and among the Top 25 Best Online MBAs by The Princeton Review. The program is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

The Online MBA features the same curriculum content as the on-campus MBA program and blends multimedia coursework with live, online classes and hands-on residency experiences.

How do I apply for the online joint JD/MBA program?

Students first apply to and matriculate in Syracuse Law’s JDinteractive online law degree program. JDi students follow the same application process as residential students, although there is a different application form, which can be found here.

Eligible JDi students then can apply for the joint degree program during their fourth term of legal studies.

How long will it take to earn an online joint JD/MBA degree?

Syracuse Law’s online law and business degree program combines two part-time programs that offer courses outside of regular working hours.

Students can earn their juris doctor and MBA in approximately 4.5 years, provided they maintain the recommended credit load, which ranges from 6 to 11 credits per term.

What experience does Syracuse have in offering a joint JD/MBA program?

The Syracuse Law and the Whitman School of Management have offered a residential joint JD/MBA degree for more than 75 years. Over the years, this joint degree program has been a particularly popular choice for students who aspire careers in corporate management and compliance, entrepreneurship, corporate law, tax law, and labor law.

Students enrolled in Syracuse University’s residential program can earn a joint juris doctor and MBA degree in four years instead of the five years necessary when both programs are pursued separately.

Why should I consider enrolling in an online joint JD/MBA?

As Syracuse University has learned from decades of success with the joint residential JD/MBA program, there is strong employer demand for students jointly trained in business and law.

In today’s globalized, interconnected marketplace, business leaders must constantly consider legal and regulatory frameworks. Moreover, across the spectrum of daily business transactions, legal considerations increasingly occupy a prominent place in boardroom and everyday business discussions.

In short, Syracuse Law is the best law school to jump start your career with a joint law and business degree!

What are the requirements for the MBA portion of the joint degree program?

Syracuse Law is the primary (or “home”) school for online joint JD/MBA degree students.

Before starting the online MBA portion of the joint degree, JDi students must be separately admitted to the Whitman School, have completed 34 credits of law school courses, and meet all defined academic requirements.  GMAT/GRE waivers are available for students with at least five years of relevant professional work experience.

The program requires completion of 72 law credits and 42 MBA credits (for a total of 114 credits—versus 141 credits if the two degrees are pursued separately).

Will online joint JD/MBA students be prepared to pass the bar?

Between 2015 and 2020, online joint JD/MBA students graduating from Syracuse Law had a 100% pass rate within one year of graduation. As the online joint degree program parallels the residential one, we anticipate similar outcomes.

What job opportunities are available to joint J.D./M.B.A. graduates?

Students in our residential JD/MBA program typically find employment that takes advantage of their dual training. All 2015-2018 graduates of the residential joint program are currently employed. They work in a variety of sectors—for example, in media and entertainment (e.g., Thomson Reuters, MGM, Netflix); pharmaceuticals (e.g., Pharmacyclics, Bachem); and law firms (e.g., Severson & Werson, Arnold & Porter, Enterprise Counsel, Lowenstein Sandler).

One-hundred percent of our joint degree students graduating in the last five year (2015-2020) found jobs following the completion of their degree.

What If I have already been accepted to or started my online MBA through the Whitman School?

Students who wish to complete the joint degree program for a total of 114 credits cannot count coursework completed prior to enrolling in the joint degree per ABA regulations.

Current MBA students can add the JDi program after completion of their degree but will pursue the two degrees separately with 141 total credits.