Learn at the intersection of law and business
The MBA/JD dual degree program from Tippie College of Business and the University of Iowa College of Law will help you develop the leadership, advising, and strategic skills you need to best serve your clients.
Students pursuing this dual degree option will add an additional year to the JD degree, and take a specific sequence of courses to earn their MBA.
The program prepares students for success in business, law, or both and helps develop an understanding of the relationship between the legal system and industry. With the MBA/JD, you'll be better prepared to address clients' goals and strategies, from tax to corporate law, estate planning, and mergers and acquisitions.
Flexibility that works for law students.
The dual MBA/JD degree combines your law education with Iowa's premier business education program in a format that allows you to earn your MBA with just one additional year of study.
Iowa MBA courses are typically delivered over an 8-week period, primarily on weeknights. A limited number of courses are delivered in a condensed format (one to five weeks in length).
While courses can be taken online, a set of core MBA classes are offered at our Iowa City campus. These courses are being offered to Master of Finance and Master of Business Analytics students and may be open to dual MBA/JD students if course capacity allows.
Program overview
Timing
Typically, students begin the MBA program after completing the first year of law school. You'll spend the second year with Tippie College of Business, taking classes online*, in-person in Iowa City, or on-site in Italy with the CIMBA program, and completing most of the core curriculum plus two electives. You'll then return to law curriculum while completing the MBA capstone course (MBA:8310), if it's not yet been completed.
4
Years to complete
Admission requirements
The Iowa MBA Program requires 18 months of post-baccalaureate work for admission. The GMAT and GRE are not required for admission. You can apply immediately after being accepted into the JD program, or wait to apply during your first year of law school.
Tuition
You'll pay law school tuition rates during any semester in which you're taking law credits. If you take both law and business courses in a semester, you'll pay law tuition and the per-course tuition cost for each Iowa MBA course.
If an on-campus course is taken through the Master of Finance program or Master of Business Analytics program and no law courses are being taken that semester, please consult with your advisor on tuition implications, which vary based on how many courses are taken on campus and your residence status.
Credit hours required
The MBA/JD dual degree requires 33 semester hours of MBA coursework (9 core courses and 2 electives) plus JD requirements. Each degree program accepts, or cross-counts, courses from the other, which cuts the credits you need to earn both degrees by 24 semester hours.
*The law school requires that any courses taken online be pre-approved by a faculty committee if counted toward JD requirements. A set of core MBA courses are offered on the main campus in Iowa City and may be open to dual degree students if course capacity allows.
Differences with CIMBA Italy
The CIMBA MBA Program does not require post-baccalaureate work experience as a condition of admission.
The CIMBA Italy MBA Program will consider the LSAT as a replacement for the GMAT/GRE for current University of Iowa JD students under the following conditions:
- 2.75 undergraduate GPA;
- Student is in good standing in the College of Law; and
- Additional interview with CIMBA Executive Director.
Tuition for the entire CIMBA MBA is $19,550. This includes tuition, CISI Insurance, and the Italian Residency Permit. (Tuition may vary slightly year to year, so please confirm the cost with the CIMBA office.) Students will pay College of Law tuition rates during any semester in which they are taking law credits.
The CIMBA MBA Program is located in Paderno del Grappa—the heart of Italy’s Veneto Region. Revered for its natural beauty and picturesque old-town centers, the region is home to a powerful business community that boasts more than 450,000 companies. The region, with its major cities of Venice, Padua, Vicenza, Verona, and Treviso, is home to prominent Italian-borne corporations that have become major exporters, including Benetton, Diesel, The North Face, Tecnica, and more. CIMBA's location and long-standing networks give students the opportunity to visit these international businesses through company tours.
The final capstone course takes place in Iowa City the summer after ten months in Italy.
Sample plan of study for the MBA
| Fall (15 s.h.) |
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| Spring (15 s.h.) |
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| Following Summer, fall, or spring (3 s.h.) |
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Take the next step
Dual MBA/JD programs are increasingly popular amongst high-achieving law students. If you're interested in complementing your law education with business skills, contact us for more information.