If you're interested in earning more than one degree, Albers offers several dual degrees within the School of Business as well as in conjunction with the Seattle University School of Law.
The Albers dual degree programs are designed to allow students to complete both degrees in less time than if the two degrees were obtained independently outside the program. Due to the complexity of degree requirements, students should work closely with their adviser throughout their programs.
Students participating in this program must:
Students can obtain both a Professional Master of Business Administration (PMBA) and Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) concurrently and earn both degrees using fewer credit hours than if the degrees were pursued separately. Students in this program will receive the PMBA degree taking 45 credit hours of unique PMBA courses instead of the normal 54, and will receive the MSBA degree taking 36 credit hours of unique MSBA courses instead of the normal 45. Total credit hours for both degrees is 81, excluding prerequisites. Students must complete all prerequisites for both programs.
For the PMBA, students can use nine credit hours of MSBA core courses as electives in the PMBA program, or substitute MBA 5500 for MGMT 5200 and use six credit hours of PMBA electives toward the requirements for their MSBA electives. For the MSBA, students can use nine credit hours of approved PMBA electives toward the requirements in their MSBA elective concentration options. Students participating in this program must meet the admissions standards of both degree programs and must be admitted into the second program before completing at least 75 percent of the first degree program they enroll in.
Students can obtain both a Professional Master of Business Administration (PMBA) and Master of Science in Finance (MSF) concurrently and earn both degrees using fewer credit hours than if the degrees were pursued separately. Students in this program will receive the PMBA taking 45 credit hours of unique PMBA courses instead of the normal 54, and will receive the MSF taking 36 credit hours of unique MSF courses instead of the normal 45. Total hours for both degrees is 81, excluding prerequisites. Students must complete all prerequisites for both programs.
For the PMBA degree, students can use nine credit hours of MSF Core or Track course work as electives in the PMBA program. For the MSF degree, students can use nine credit hours of PMBA electives toward their Supportive Fields or Behavioral electives requirements. Students participating in this program must meet the admissions standards of both degree programs and must be admitted into the second program before completing at least 75 percent of the first degree program they enroll in.
Students in this program will receive the Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) degree by taking 36 credit hours of unique MSBA courses instead of the normal 45 credit hours, and will receive the Master of Science in Finance (MSF) degree by taking 36 credit hours of unique MSF courses instead of the normal 45. Total credit hours for both degrees is 72, excluding prerequisites. Students must complete all prerequisites for both programs.
For the MSBA, students can use nine credit hours of MSF Core or Track course work towards the elective requirement in the MSBA program. For the MSF, students can use nine credit hours of Core (excluding MGMT 5200 or BUAN 5510) as the Supportive Field elective requirement for the MSF degree. Students participating in this program must meet the admissions standards of both degree programs and must be admitted into the second program before completing 75 percent of the first degree program they enroll in.
The Seattle University business and law dual degree program is designed to allow students interested in obtaining both the Juris Doctor and a graduate degree in business to complete the degrees in less time than if the two degrees were obtained independently outside the program. Full-time students are able to complete the two degrees sooner because specified courses taken at the School of Law may count toward the graduate business degree and specified courses taken in the Albers School of Business and Economics may count toward the JD degree. The dual degree program is also available to part-time students.*
The Seattle University Business and Law Dual Degree Program allows students to choose either to spend their first year in the Albers School of Business and Economics or in the School of Law**. Once a student chooses, the full first year must be spent in that school. The second year is spent in the other school (e.g., if the student chose law first, the second year would be in business, and vice versa). In the last two years (or more) students may take courses in both the business and law schools.
The Albers School of Business and Economics operates on a quarter system and the School of Law operates on a semester system. Therefore, specific schedules must be carefully coordinated with, and approved by, the School of Law Associate Dean and the Albers Associate Dean of Graduate Programs.
Students must be admitted separately to both the School of Law and the Albers School of Business and Economics, and should consult the Graduate Bulletin for the specific admissions requirements for each school. Students may be admitted to both schools before starting in the dual program; alternatively, students may seek admission to the other school during their first year of law or graduate business school. In any case, students will be expected to meet the respective school’s admissions deadlines for the coming year. Prospective applicants should note that the admissions requirements for the MBA program includes a current resume reflecting continuous full-time work experience in business. The work experience requirement will be waived for dual degree students who have completed the first year of law at Seattle University.
The minimum length of time required to complete the dual degree program is between three and four years for full-time students. Time to complete will be longer if the student is part-time and/or if the student must complete fundamental business classes or prerequisites for the graduate business degree.
The number of quarter credits required to complete the graduate business degree varies, depending upon which degree the student chooses in combination with the JD degree (see specific joint degrees below). In the joint degree program, students can satisfy the requirements for each degree by using a specified number of crossover credits** chosen from a list of approved courses in each school.
Students in the School of Law are required to complete 90 semester credits for the JD degree. Full-time law students ordinarily complete the JD degree in three years; part-time students may take four years or longer. In the full-time program, students complete 30 credits of required course work in their first year. In their second and third years, law students must complete 15 credits of required course work and 45 elective credits. For specific JD course requirements see the School of Law Curriculum.
*The American Bar Association, one of the accrediting agencies for law schools, requires that the JD degree be completed within a maximum of seven years.
***One quarter credit is the equivalent of .67 semester credits. A 3 quarter credit crossover business course could, for example, be used to satisfy 2 semester credits for the JD degree. One semester credit is the equivalent of 1.5 quarter credits. A 4 semester credit crossover law course could, for example, be used to satisfy 6 quarter credits for the graduate business degree.
Full-time graduate business students ordinarily complete the Master of Business Administration degree in a minimum of two years. Among other requirements, applicants to the MBA program must have a current resume that reflects continuous full-time work experience in business. In addition to prerequisites, MBA students must complete 54 quarter credits of course work in designated areas, including 9 required courses and 10 elective courses. See specific MBA course requirements in the Graduate Catalog.
Full-time students can complete the JD/MBA dual degree program in a minimum of four years, which is one year less than would be required to complete the two degrees independently.
Students in the JD/MBA program must complete the equivalent of 90 semester credits for the JD degree and the equivalent of 54 quarter credits for the MBA degree, taking specified crossover courses that count towards both degrees:
Note: Students must complete all of the required courses for each degree.
Full-time students ordinarily complete the Master of Science in Finance degree in a minimum of 1 year. In addition to prerequisite business courses, students in the MSF program must complete 45 credits of course work in designated areas, including 10 required courses and 5 electives. See specific MSF course requirements in the Graduate Catalog.
Full-time students can complete the JD/MSF dual degree program in a minimum of 3 years, which is one year less than would be required to complete the two degrees independently. Time to completion will be longer if the student is part-time and/or if the student must complete the business prerequisites for the MSF degree.
Students in the JD/MSF program must complete the equivalent of 90 semester credits for the JD degree and the equivalent of 45 quarter credits for the MSF degree, taking specified crossover courses that count towards both degrees:
Note: Law credits may not be used to satisfy the MSF requirement of two finance courses chosen from specified electives. Students must complete all of the required courses for each degree.