The School of Law and the McIntire School of Commerce offer a joint degree program, which permits the joint degree student to earn both the J.D. and the M.S. in Accounting degrees in seven semesters instead of the eight that would normally be required if the degrees were earned separately. Joint degree candidates must secure admission to each school through the regular admissions process.
After completing the first year of law school, joint degree students are free to take courses from both the law school and the McIntire School as their schedules permit, however students must meet all of the requirements specified by the respective schools. Students may earn up to twelve of the 86 credit hours required for the J.D. degree by successfully completing courses in the law school.
As a general principle, the McIntire School will accept any law course as long as it does not duplicate knowledge that the student received at the McIntire School or prior to admission (e.g., basic business law). Likewise, the law school will accept any graduate accounting course as long as it does not duplicate knowledge that the student received at the law school or prior to admission (e.g., basic tax). As a control factor, students in the joint program must get coursess approved by their law school and McIntire School faculty advisors. The law school faculty advisor for this program is Professor Thomas R. White III.
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