Return to: School of Law: Degree Programs
The School of Law offers a program with the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, in which the student may obtain both the J.D. and M.B.A. degrees in four years instead of the five that would be required if each were completed separately.
Administration of the Program
The program is administered by faculty advisors from the School of Law and Darden School faculties, as designated by the respective deans.
Admission to the Program
Students are required to secure admission separately to the Darden School and the School of Law through the normal admissions processes of the two schools. The applicant will be held to the same standards as any other applicant, and an applicant’s status as a candidate for the Program will not be considered in the admission process. Application may be made prior to entrance, prior to starting the third year of Law, or prior to starting the second year of Darden. No students are admitted to the Program after this time. Students who have been admitted to both schools and who wish to undertake the Program should notify the registrar of each school and apply to the faculty advisors for permission to do so. Admission requires approval of both the School of Law and the Darden School faculty advisors.
Curriculum
The program takes four years to complete. It consists of the complete first-year program of each school, plus two years of course work taken from the curricula of the two schools and, in appropriate cases, from other graduate offerings at the University. Students who have been admitted to the program may elect whether they want to start in the School of Law or the Darden School, and in any event must spend their first year in full-time residence in either the Darden School or the School of Law. In order to meet the curriculum requirements, the first-year curriculum of the School of Law must be completed by the student’s second year and the first-year curriculum of the Darden School must be completed by the student’s third year. When students are not studying as a first-year student in either school, they must complete the remaining required and elective curricula of both schools. At the conclusion of the fourth year, students who have earned a minimum of 70 credits and six residency semesters in the School of Law and a minimum of 52.5 credits in the Darden School will be awarded both the MBA and J.D. degrees. Students are strongly encouraged to check with the specific state bar requirements in case more credits are required for admission to that state. Also, in accordance with ABA accrediting standards, J.D. degree candidates may not be enrolled in more than 17 credits towards the law degree at any one time in any of the six semesters during which they will receive law school residency.
Change of Status
At any point in the Program, the student may terminate plans for one of the degrees and continue towards a single degree at either school. The student then must satisfy the normal requirements of the school elected, which may include credits completed in the other school, as determined by the appropriate officials.
Financial Aid
Financial aid will be provided by the school to which the student is paying tuition in a given semester. Financial aid is not guaranteed and is subject to individual school and University regulations and availability. Students must meet the satisfactory academic progress standards of the school providing the financial aid in a given semester
Tuition and Fees
During the first three years of the program, students will pay one full year of Darden School tuition (when enrolled in the full-time first-year curriculum at the Darden School) and two full years of School of Law tuition. During the fourth and final year of the program, students will pay one semester of tuition to the School of Law and one semester of tuition to the Darden School.
Extracurricular Activities
Students are eligible to participate in the extracurricular activities of both schools to the extent that time permits, but should be alert to the possibility of over-commitment.
Grading Standards
The student is required to meet the grading standards of both schools independently to remain in good standing. Each school retains the right to drop students from its degree programs following its usual academic standards and procedures. Problems that arise in translation of different grading scales resulting from the Program will be dealt with by the faculty advisors. Grades will be recorded on the student’s transcript under the system in effect at the school in which the course is taken.
For More Information
Contact the School of Law faculty advisors, Professor George Geis.
