UTA, Texas A&M offering dual-degree programs
The University of Texas at Arlington and the Texas A&M University School of Law are announcing the start of two dual-degree programs that will allow students to earn a master’s degree in either business administration or taxation and a J.D. degree in law, concurrently, from each institution.
The overlap of courses provides students the ability to rapidly gain both degrees, thereby enhancing their level of expertise. Harry Dombroski, UTA dean of the College of Business, said the dual degree meets the needs of the North Texas workforce.
“We’ve discovered a real appetite for this kind of joint degree,” said Dombroski, a UTA alumnus. “We imagine that many of our dual-degree students in this program will attend business classes at UTA Fort Worth, which is adjacent to the Texas A&M School of Law. It’s practical, and we believe the program will attract a number of professionals.”
UTA President Vistasp Karbhari said the dual-degree program exemplifies the strategic leveraging of state resources across the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for the benefit of students and employers.
“The ability for students at both UTA and the Texas A&M School of Law to learn from the wonderful faculty at both institutions shows how we truly are focused on our mission of providing the best educational experience for students,” Karbhari said. “This is a great example of working across institutions and systems for the benefit of students while creating the best intellectual capital and workforce for the region and state.”
Robert Ahdieh, dean of the Texas A&M School of Law, emphasized the deep intertwining of the worlds of law and business.
“In a heavily regulated world, business and law are impossible to separate,” Ahdieh said. “Students trained in both will enjoy a significant market advantage. Law students with business smarts will be able to help clients more effectively, start their own firms and even move into the business world. Business students working in regulated industries, starting new ventures and engaging in transactions will know better when—and how—to lean on lawyers. This dual-degree program gives students the opportunity to operate in both worlds.”
Under the agreement, UTA’s MBA dual-degree students can receive up to 15 credit hours from the Texas A&M School of Law as electives in the Master of Business Administration degree. UTA’s dual-degree students in the master’s program in taxation can receive up to 12 credit hours from the Texas A&M School of Law as electives.
Texas A&M School of Law students may transfer up to 12 hours of designated UTA courses as electives in their J.D. program. Students enrolled at either UTA or the Texas A&M School of Law may apply to the other school’s program.
Students experience a specially designed, team-based cohort format when earning a professional MBA at UTA Fort Worth. The MBA courses are taken in sequence, in accelerated five- or eight-week sessions. This format is only offered at the UTA Fort Worth campus and consists of 48 semester hours. Dual-degree students must take at least 33 hours of MBA courses from UTA.
The dual-degree programs will start in the Spring 2020 semester.
UTA’s Master of Science in Taxation degree program seeks to further develop their technical competence in specialty tracks they select, increase their ability to research accounting issues, develop analytical and communication skills and improve information technology proficiency.
The Texas A&M School of Law offers an innovative J.D. program emphasizing the importance of real-world legal skills that fully prepare students for all aspects of a global career. The J.D. curriculum offers robust experiential learning opportunities, including legal clinics in entrepreneurship law, intellectual property law and tax law. Dual-degree students must take at least 78 credit hours toward the 90-credit hour J.D. degree from the Texas A&M School of Law.