MSF/JD Dual Degree
Dual Juris Doctor/Master of Science in Finance
Practice law in specialized business and finance-related areas with a dual Master’s of Finance and law degree. You’ll apply separately to each program; generally students admitted to our James E. Rodgers College of Law are accepted into the MSF program.
This program allows students to count certain coursework toward both degree programs, reducing the total number of credit hours and courses required to obtain both degrees. Students typically complete the first year JD requirements, a fall semester of MSF coursework, followed by the remaining JD and MSF track course requirements, and by the MSF project the second or third summer of the JD program. The two degrees generally takes three and a half years, including your summer MSF project.
The student must apply to and be admitted to both the JD program and the MSF program. Students may apply to the MSF program during the first semester of the JD program.
University policy on dual degrees stipulates that a maximum of 50% of the credit hours for the shorter program may be counted toward both degrees. Therefore, the JD/MSF degree requires a minimum total of 106 units: a minimum of 79 units of JD course work, to include a minimum of 9 units of finance-related law college electives, plus a minimum of an additional 27 units of required Finance courses, to include a minimum of 9 units of finance courses applied to the JD requirements.
The J.D. and MSF programs require a student to complete the first year of law school, then one semester (minimum of 12 credit hours) of the MSF program before taking courses from both programs simultaneously. Following completion of the three semesters specified, a student may take both law and MSF courses simultaneously, in order to complete both degrees.
Summary
JD Degree requirements: 88 units of course work
MSF Degree requirements: 36 units (30 units of course work plus a 6-unit summer project or 36 units of coursework)
However: A minimum of 9 units of JD finance-related course work can be counted toward the MSF and
A minimum of 9 units of Finance course work can be counted toward the JD.
Therefore, to receive the dual degree, the following are required:
- For the JD degree:
70 units of course work taken from the JD curriculum
9 units of coursework taken from the JD curriculum to count toward the JD and MSF*
9 units of 500-level Finance electives* (not including FIN 510, FIN 525, or FIN 909)
88 units meets requirement for the JD degree
- For the JD/MSF degree: In addition to the 18 units above* that count toward the MSF,
12 units in Finance (not including FIN 510)
6 units of MSF Project course work (FIN 909) or 6 units in Finance (not including FIN 510)
18 units106 Total Units
-
Note: A student must complete a minimum of 79 units of law coursework and 27 units of MSF coursework. Additional units may be taken beyond the required degree totals.
A summary page of the Dual JD/MSF requirements is available.
Specific courses required for the MSF degree depend on the chosen track of study (see Master's in Finance > Curriculum). You must meet the requirements of your chosen MSF track.
Exceptions:
- FIN510A and FIN510B, Finance, do not count toward the JD or MSF degree.
- FIN525, Empirical Financial Methods does not count toward the JD degree.
- FIN909, Finance Master's Project does not count toward the JD degree.
To be considered for a Dual JD/MSF, you must:
- Apply to the MSF program during the first semester of the JD program.
- Draft a Plan of Study outlining your coursework in four categories:
JD (70 units), JD finance-related law electives (9 units), dual JD/MSF finance courses (9 units) and MSF (12 course units plus 6 project units or 18 course units).
The Plan of Study should outline your plans for completing 106 credit hours meeting the requirements above and should be submitted to Erin McGuinness, Director, Graduate Programs, Finance Department. It is strongly recommended that you complete this plan during your first semester in the MBA program to ensure that you meet the requirements of both degrees. However, it must be completed no later than early Spring semester of your second year in the JD program.