To help meet the growing demand for lawyers with business acumen, the University of Georgia now provides an opportunity for students to graduate with both a law degree (JD) and a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in only three years. 

A partnership between the School of Law and the Terry College of Business, the JD/MBA program prepares students with the skills required for successful careers that combine law and business, including banking, entrepreneurship, finance, international business or commercial interests.

“Businesses today face a growing number of challenges as a result of an increasingly global economy and continually changing regulations, among other factors,” said Carol Morgan, Business Law and Ethics Program instructor at the UGA School of Law. “Employees with a strong background in both law and business, especially from nationally recognized schools such as ours, are a valuable asset to any law firm serving corporate clients or a company’s in-house legal department.” 

Morgan states that the combination of the coursework and professional development opportunities offered through the JD/MBA program enables graduates to make meaningful contributions to their clients and workplace.

“As the only school in Georgia—and one of only a few nationwide—to offer a true three-year JD/MBA degree, UGA has developed a high-quality, cost-effective, educational option that we are confident that will be attractive to students as it allows them to complete both degrees in a shorter period of time,” Morgan continued.  

Those enrolled in the new three-year program will devote one year exclusively to legal studies, one year focused primarily on curriculum from the business school.  The third year is comprised of primarily law school courses.   The existing four-year program also remains an option for students.  

Morgan explains that the curriculum has been designed to provide an important balance between the core requirements of each discipline and electives that allow students to tailor their education to the areas of business law in which they are most interested.

Morgan said. “Employers—both partners in law firms and corporate executives—can be confident that the students who receive their JD/MBA from UGA will enter the workplace ready to help them address both legal and business needs.” 

UGA alumna Elizabeth “Beth” Chandler, who serves as vice president and general counsel at Rollins Inc., a global consumer and commercial services company, appreciates the university’s vision in offering the new JD/MBA.  

“The revised program provides great value in a three-year graduate education while still allowing for summer internships and work experiences,” said Chandler, who received a bachelor’s in business and law degree from UGA. 

Buck Wiley III, who holds a JD/MBA from UGA, says business leaders are facing growing regulatory environments in everything from employment, taxes and finances, while corporate lawyers need to comprehend their clients’ businesses and what drives their income statements and balance sheets. 

“This makes dual-degree programs, such as the JD/MBA, relevant to the job demands of graduates and employers as well,” said Wiley, who is managing director of Merrill Lynch Global Institutional Consulting.