The joint J.D./M.B.A. in Sports Business is offered through Marquette University's Law School and the Graduate School of Management. The program enables students to earn both degrees in less time than if each degree were pursued separately (typically a total of four years). By also earning the National Sports Law Institute's Sports Law Certificate, Marquette students have the opportunity to combine their knowledge of sports law with a graduate business education that will provide them with a unique package of educational credentials that promises to be attractive to sports industry employers. Graduates will acquire knowledge and understanding of the theoretical and practical legal and business issues likely to be encountered by sport organizations in the 21st century. The hallmark of the joint degree program is the readily transferable legal and business knowledge and skills learned in both programs, which can be applied to a wide range of employment opportunities outside the sports industry.
Students interested in participating in the J.D./M.B.A. in Sports Business joint degree program must separately apply to and be accepted into the J.D. and M.B.A. programs.
Students generally enroll at Marquette University Law School and complete the required first year law curriculum before beginning to take classes in the M.B.A. program, or any sports law courses that are available for second or third year law students. Typically, students enrolled in the joint J.D./M.B.A. in Sports Business program will take between 4 and 5 years to complete the requirements to receive both degrees. However, students have up to 6 years to complete the M.B.A. degree, and up to 4 years to complete the J.D. requirements.
Marquette University Law School's Juris Doctorate Program
A specific course of pre-law study is not required for admission to the Law School. However, there are certain educational objectives that students should keep in mind when planning their college or university program. Prospective students are encouraged to read through the tips on preparation for law school on the Office of Admission's website.
All applicants to the Law School must have earned a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university before enrolling in the Law School. All applicants are also required to take the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and to subscribe to the Law School Data Assembly Service (LSDAS). Extensive details on applying to Marquette University Law School can be found on the Office of Admissions website. In addition, in order to receive the J.D. degree students must comply with Marquette University Law School's degree requirements.
For further information on admission to Marquette University Law School call (414) 288-6767 or send an email.
Marquette University Law School's Sports Law Program
Students who are accepted for admittance to Marquette University Law School do not need to separately apply to be part of the Sports Law Program. All Marquette University Law School students are eligible to participate in the Sports Law Program by enrolling in sports law courses, meeting the standards for membership on the Marquette Sports Law Review, being selected to participate in the National Sports Law Institute's internship program, or participating in the other parts of the Sports Law Program.
Students graduating from Marquette University Law School are then eligible to earn a Sports Law Certificate from the National Sports Law Institute. The Institute will present the Certificate each student who has satisfied all Certificate requirements in the semester of their graduation.
For further information about the Sports Law Program, call (414) 288-5815 or send an email.
Marquette University, Graduate School of Management, Master of Business Administration
Students interested in the joint J.D./M.B.A. in Sports Business program must apply separately to the Graduate School of Management for admission to the M.B.A. program.
In general, the Graduate School of Management's graduate programs enroll students on a "rolling basis". This means that applications are reviewed as they are completed and students can enter most of the programs every term (i.e., Fall, Spring or Summer). Law applicants to the MBA program must apply to the on-campus MBA program and they may submit LSAT results as a substitute exam for the GMAT/GRE. Details on the M.B.A. program can be found on the Graduate School of Management's website. MBA application information and information on tuition costs is also available.
For more information on the the M.B.A. program contact Karen Rinehart, Assistant Dean, Graduate School of Management,
call (414) 288-7145 or by email.
Unique Features of the J.D./M.B.A. Program
Students have the opportunity to earn a J.D. degree from Marquette University Law School, an M.B.A. degree in Sports Business from Marquette University's Graduate School of Management, and a Sports Law Certificate from the National Sports Law Institute, which is affiliated with the Law School.
All Sports Law courses count towards the requirements for the J.D. degree and also may be used to satisfy the requirements for the Sports Law Certificate.
Joint JD/MBA students wanting to earn the specialization in Sport Business must be working toward completing the requirements for the Sports Law Certificate (requirements online here). Only a maximum of 9 of the law school credit hours earned for the Certificate can be double counted as electives for the M.B.A. component of the joint degree program. These 9 credit hours can only come from the 10 credit hours of Sports Law courses earned in the following courses, Amateur Sports Law (3 credit hours), Professional Sports Law (3 credit hours), one 2 credit hour Sports Law Workshop, and the 2 credit hour Advanced Legal Research in Sports Law course (a current listing of all of the available Sports Law courses can be found here). Joint degree program students must maintain a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in all classes taken to fulfill the requirements for the M.B.A. in Sport Business degree, including the sports law classes used as electives. In addition, students must earn a grade of at least a C in all sports law classes counted as electives for the M.B.A. in Sport Business degree.