JD-MBA Program

Set yourself apart in business and law

Our JD-MBA Program gives you the tools to become successful, whether you aspire to be a business leader with legal expertise, or want to pursue a law career with a solid foundation in management. In only three years — rather than the five it would take to complete both degrees separately — you’ll earn a Juris Doctor from the Northwestern School of Law and a Master of Business Administration from Kellogg. Our program enables you to follow the career path of your choice and provides you with a skill set that truly differentiates you from others.

Integrated business leadership and legal expertise

Eligibility

If you’ve earned a bachelor’s or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university, you’re eligible to apply.

Prior study in business or law-related fields is not required. Most students enter our program with a wide variety of work experiences. Check out the Northwestern Law Profile and the Kellogg Profile for more information about class makeup.

You can apply with one integrated application through Kellogg Admissions and an eligible GMAT OR GRE score. You do not need to submit an LSAT score or a separate law school application. Admissions decisions are only for the joint degree program — candidates will not be admitted to only one program (unless a secondary Kellogg program is noted in the application process).

Please note there is a supplemental Law School application item that applicants will be asked to complete. All applicants must register with the Law School Credential Assembly Service (CAS), which contains a summary of each applicant's: Post-Secondary Transcript(s) and Results of the Law School Admission Test (LSAT; if a valid score is on record with LSAC). NOTE: An additional letter of recommendation is NOT needed.

START THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Academics

Program Structure and Curriculum

• First year
  Students spend the first year of the JD-MBA Program at the Law School’s Chicago Campus where they complete the standard first-year law curriculum.

• Summer term
  Students must take a minimum of 3.0 Kellogg credits during their first summer. Students may also take Law School coursework and may enroll in an experiential opportunity.

• Second year
  Students register in the full-time program at Kellogg’s Evanston campus and will complete the minimum 16 Kellogg credit MBA requirements, including the core classes, by the end of this year. JD-MBA students have a fully immersive Kellogg experience in this year: experiential learning courses, club leadership, KWEST, social events, etc.

• Summer internship
  Students participate in a summer internship in law or business following their second year in the program. Students pursuing a law internship will go through recruiting with the Law School during their first year and through the summer term. Students pursuing a business internship will participate in Kellogg's recruiting activities in the winter quarter of their second year. Students have full access to both Northwestern Law and Kellogg Career Centers.

• Third year
  Students return full-time to the Law School and complete their remaining courses. Students may take a few Kellogg electives if there is space in their credit offerings for each quarter and provided they do not exceed the 20 Kellogg course credit limit. Most JD-MBA students take 1–4 Kellogg courses during their third year.

Course waivers

If you have previously completed relevant coursework, we encourage you to consider waiving specific courses so you can focus on electives.

Available courses to waive:

• Accounting for Decision Making
• Finance I
• Marketing Management
• Business Analytics I
• Business Analytics II
• Microeconomic Analysis
• Operations Management

Regardless of waivers or course load, you are required to complete 16 credits from Kellogg and 85 credit hours from Northwestern Law.

Majors and pathways

As a JD-MBA student, you’ll participate in the same classes and coursework as your counterparts seeking only the MBA or law degree. Our strong MBA core curriculum creates a well-balanced academic foundation.

You may opt to choose from seven majors during your MBA studies: Accounting, Economics, Finance, Marketing, Operations, Strategy, and Managing Organizations. A major requires that a student complete the core course for the major and a minimum of four electives. If you choose not to elect a major, “General Management” will be noted on your transcript.

We believe that this approach gives our students the flexibility and guidance they need to carve out a unique intellectual experience that is relevant to their specific educational and career goals.

In addition to majors, Kellogg provides “pathways” to our students who are interested in building expertise in emerging areas and evolving industries.

A pathway is an integrated, cross-functional sequence of courses designed to address a particular skill set or industry for which there is an active student and recruiter demand. You have the flexibility to pursue any number of pathways and go as deep as you’d like into each one.

Explore pathways for Data Analytics, Entrepreneurship, Growth and Scaling, Healthcare at Kellogg, Real Estate, Social Impact, and Venture Capital & Private Equity. Learn more >

This applies to Full-Time students who matriculate in June 2015 or after.

Electives

We offer a flexible curriculum to fit your needs and future plans. Our catalog contains more than 100 MBA courses that constantly adapt to the changing business landscape.