Objectives of the JD/MBA Program
Our complex economic and social environment imposes significant demands on today’s manager. Developments in areas such as product liability, tax reform, and social responsibility of business, consumerism, franchising, and increased regulation of business have significantly affected the manager’s role.
The JD/MBA program is designed to train managers to be aware of these developments and to develop business strategies that reflect legal considerations. In the past individuals seeking both JD and MBA degrees often had to attend separate universities and pursue these degrees independently. Students enrolled in Hofstra’s combined JD/MBA can receive both degrees within four years, are able to integrate both fields in their course work, and can participate in field experiences which relate to both legal and business decision making.
Admission Criteria
Applicants for admission to the JD/MBA program must hold a baccalaureate degree from an accredited institution. No specific undergraduate course of study is required for admission, nor is any specific course of undergraduate study recommended for those students planning to pursue these degrees.
All applications for admission are considered on the basis of their own merits, with weight given to the strength of a student’s previous academic performance, professional experiences indicating increasing levels of responsibility, and any other pertinent information which the candidate for admission may provide to the Admissions Committee. Hofstra JD/MBA students must fulfill all MBA admission requirements, but are waived from the application fee and the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT) or the GRE if they have been admitted and are currently enrolled in the Maurice A. Deane School of Law. Students in good standing at the end of the first year of law school and in the top 40% of their class are eligible for admission if they meet the admission standards of the Frank G. Zarb School of Business. Alternatively, students may make simultaneous application to the schools of law and business, in each case adhering to all the stated requirements of both schools.
Transfer of Credit
Opportunities to transfer credit from other institutions into the MBA program are extremely limited, and only course work completed at AACSB-accredited schools will be considered. A maximum of 9 semester hours beyond the core competency levels will be considered for transfer credit. Graduate transfer credit in this program is always limited to ensure that a minimum of 30 post-core competency credits are taken in-residence.
Statute of Limitation
All credits applied toward the MBA degree must be earned within the period of five years starting from the date of completion of the first course applicable to the degree. Exceptions will be made for any period of intervening military service. MBA students in the Frank G. Zarb School of Business who have no record of attendance in the School for a period of 15 months or more after the last semester completed, including summer sessions, may be required to file for readmission and follow the requirements set forth in the Graduate Studies Bulletin in effect upon such readmission.
Program Requirements – Semester Hours: 26-31
A range of 26-31 semester hours is required for the MBA degree. The total-semester-hours requirement applies only in this JD-MBA dual degree program. Students in this program do not have a major concentration as part of the MBA degree.
Previous course work is evaluated by the Graduate Programs Office of the Frank G. Zarb School of Business upon a student’s admission. Some core competencies and advanced core courses may be waived based upon previous academic work. Waivers will determine the total number of semester hours required for the MBA degree. No credit will be allowed for core competency or graduate courses with D grades. These courses must be repeated.
The JD-MBA program is composed of the following requirements:
- Core Competencies (2-4 s.h.)
- Advanced Core (21-24 s.h.)
- Capstone Integrative Course (3 s.h.)
Core Competencies - Semester Hours: 2-4
The core competency requirement provides students with exposure to a survey of economics and the legal, political, regulatory, and ethical environment of business. These areas of business provide the base of knowledge necessary to understand how a business organization functions. One of these 200-level core competency requirements may be satisfied through the successful completion of appropriate previous course work with grades of B or better taken within a specific time frame prior to enrollment in the MBA program or through satisfactory performance on a proficiency examination administered by the appropriate department within the Frank G. Zarb School of Business .
Previous course work is evaluated by the Graduate Programs Office of the Frank G. Zarb School of Business immediately upon a student’s admission. The results of this evaluation, including notification of the core competencies required as part of each individual student’s course of study in the MBA program, will be communicated to all students with their letter of admission. Further evaluation of core competencies after admission will only be undertaken for those students admitted directly from their baccalaureate program of study and for whom final undergraduate transcripts were not available at the time of admission.
Students should note that in-service training courses, corporate training, and other nondegree bearing credit courses are not acceptable for credit toward the core competencies. Courses taken at junior or community colleges are generally not acceptable for credit toward core competency courses.
Advanced Core - Semester Hours: 21-24
The advanced core requirement provides the breadth of knowledge focusing on functional areas of business, such as accounting, management information systems, finance, operations management, marketing, and quantitative analysis. In addition to these, global business decision making, contemporary organizations and leadership skills are also included in the advanced core component. This component is presented within a framework that emphasizes analytical and problem solving skills and focuses on the professional perspectives in the management of business organizations, as well as the importance of written and oral communication skills.
Students with an undergraduate business degree in a specific major, may request a substitution for the 203-level Advanced Core course in that undergraduate major and replace it with another elective in that major. To be eligible for a waiver/substitution, a student must have earned a minimum of 18 credits with a B average or above in the specific discipline (accounting, finance, information technology, management, marketing, or statistics) at an AACSB-accredited school within five years prior to admission to the Hofstra MBA program. No waiver or substitution will be granted for IB 207 and MGT 207 .
Capstone Integrative Course - Semester Hours: 3
Given that all functional areas in an organization work together to ensure success of the organization, this requirement is designed to help students integrate knowledge of various functional areas in order to solve complex problems. The capstone course is an integrative course covering all functional areas of organizations.