THE REZA TALEGHANI JD/MBA
In today’s fast-paced and interconnected world, employers are increasingly looking for employees who possess both the legal and business expertise needed to represent, guide and lead their organizations to success.
Villanova’s JD/MBA degree program, conducted jointly by the Charles Widger School of Law and Villanova School of Business, is designed to give students a strong foundation in both business and the law, providing them with a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Students gain the analytical and quantitative skills necessary to solve the complex challenges they will face in the workplace. Integrating an MBA with a JD can help students understand the intricacies and governance of business and law, enhancing their practice.
The Villanova program, unlike many in the marketplace, can be completed in three years, allowing students to stay on track with their post-graduation plans. The joint program affords students added flexibility in their career, while educating them to be ethical lawyers and leaders in their chosen field.
PROGRAM DETAILS
To be admitted to the joint program, you must first apply and be admitted to Villanova Law. Then, you must apply separately in the spring of your 1L year to begin the MBA program during the summer between your 1L and 2L years.
Because the first year of law school is academically rigorous, students in the joint program are not permitted to start taking MBA courses until the summer after their first year. Students eligible for the JD/MBA are in compliance with Rule 15 in the student handbook.
Students pursuing the JD/MBA track will enter the ‘Professional MBA’ at the Business School for the MBA component of their study. A specific JD/MBA application link is required to apply. (Please do not use the Professional MBA application links found on the Villanova School of Business web pages.) Current Villanova Law students can request the JD/MBA link by emailing: gradbusinessinfo@villanova.edu.
The JD/MBA application requirements are the same as the Professional MBA requirements on the Professional MBA Admissions page.
Law Requirements
The Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law requires 91 credits to receive a JD degree.
Business Requirements
The Villanova School of Business requires 48 credits to receive an MBA degree:
- 15 credits of Foundational
- 6 credits of Leadership
- 4.5 credits of Future of Work
- 7.5 credits of Capstone
- 15 credits of Electives
The JD/MBA Program Requirements
You must complete a minimum of 39 credit hours in Villanova's Professional MBA program. JD/MBA students can transfer 9 law school credits toward their 15-credit elective requirement. In turn, the law school accepts the following core MBA courses (12 credits) towards its degree requirements:
- MBA 8151 Financial Accounting
- MBA 8250 Business Operations & Supply Chain Mgmt
- MBA 8450 Corporate Finance
- MBA 8550 Team Leadership and Group Dynamics
- MBA 8650 Strategic Marketing Management
Most students take 3 years to complete the dual JD/MBA program. However, if necessary, students may graduate from law school even if they haven't completed all the requirements for the MBA program. Due to the complex nature of the joint degree program, JD/MBA students are not eligible for MBA course waivers at Villanova School of Business.
Learn more about the Law School curriculum.
Learn more about the MBA curriculum. (Students pursing the JD/MBA track will enter the ‘Professional MBA’ at the Business School for the MBA component of their study.)
JD courses are offered in the daytime during fall and spring semesters. MBA courses are offered in the evening during fall, spring, and summer terms.
Students in the joint program pay tuition to the Law School for six semesters (three years). The Law School provides a $2,000 subsidy during both the second and third year for students enrolled in our JD/MBA program and paying tuition (the subsidy doesn't apply to students who are on a full scholarship or those who have been awarded the Flex scholarship through the Villanova Business School). The discount is reflected in the Law School spring tuition bill. The subsidy totals $4,000 over the course of the entire program.
Students pay tuition to the Business School for the MBA courses on a per-credit basis as courses are taken. Find out current MBA tuition and fee information. (Students pursing the JD/MBA track will enter the ‘Professional MBA’ at the Business School for the MBA component of their study.)
In 2014, Villanova's JD/MBA Program was named for one of its graduates, Reza Taleghani '97 JD/MBA, in recognition of his generous support of Villanova University. He is the Chief Financial Officer at Samsonite International SA, where he is responsible for corporate finance, reporting and accounting, investor relations, treasury, tax and other tasks at the world’s largest luggage maker by sales volume.
Taleghani previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer with Brightstar Corp. Taleghani launched his career at J.P. Morgan shortly after graduating from Villanova. A seventeen-year veteran of the firm, he held leadership roles in several of the J.P. Morgan’s divisions with a career spanning investment banking, commercial banking and asset management.
For more information about the joint program, contact:
MarySheila McDonald
Director of the Reza Taleghani JD/MBA Program
(610) 519-6471
To speak to someone about the MBA Program, contact:
Jackie Mitchell
Assistant Director, Admissions
Graduate Business Office
1064 Bartley Hall
610-519-4336