Dual Degree student

MBA - Admissions - Dual Degrees

Dual Degrees

Darden offers several dual degree programs in connection with other schools and departments at the University of Virginia. These joint degree programs are designed to enhance the educational experience beyond what could be achieved if the two degrees were pursued independently.

Admissions

Admission to all dual degree programs requires acceptance to both Darden and the participating program through each school's normal admissions process. Dual degree programs are only offered in combination with Darden's Full-Time MBA program. Sign up for a dual degree Admissions appointment with Merav Frazier (she/her) using this link

Curriculum Requirements

Students in dual degree programs must complete the Darden First Year program and 22.5 hours of electives for a combined 52.5 credits (instead of the normal 60 credits) at the Darden School in addition to the requisite coursework for the participating program. Additional curriculum requirements are noted in the individual program descriptions below. Receipt of the MBA degree is contingent on receipt of the respective non-MBA degree, and financial aid and grading standards are based on the program of enrollment. Students must coordinate with both schools to ensure that all requirements of the dual degree are met. Each dual degree program has a designated faculty advisor at the respective school.

*The information contained on this website is for informational purposes only. The Undergraduate Record and Graduate Record represent the official repository for academic program requirements. These publications may be found at http://records.ureg.virginia.edu/index.php.


Dual Degrees

  • MBA/MSDS

    Master of Business Administration/Master of Science in Data Science

    Darden offers a combined program with the University of Virginia School of Data Science that grants a Master of Data Science degree and an MBA degree in 24 months, instead of the 32 months that would be required if each degree were pursued independently. This program combines the School of Data Science’s action-oriented 11-month curriculum with Darden's "best education experience in the U.S." (The Economist, 2011-2019). Students who pursue this dual degree will become coveted hires and indispensable leaders in a variety of fields, including consulting, finance, and technology.

    Students in the dual degree program will begin their coursework in summer of their enrollment year. Students enroll in 9 credits of in-person coursework over the summer, starting on June 21st. During the first year, they will be enrolled in the full Darden School of Business First Year curriculum, as well as some continued coursework at the School of Data Science. In their second year, they will be taking classes at both Darden and the School of Data Science and will graduate from both programs in May with their MBA cohort.

    Dual-degree students may be eligible for a 24-month OPT STEM extension.

    Resources

    View the recent MBA/MSDS webinar (recorded December 2019). A panel of current MBA/MSDS students discuss program timing, format, student experience and other frequently asked questions. 

    MSDS MBA Curriculum 21-23

    Contact Information

    Darden Admissions: Merav Frazier

    Darden Faculty Advisor: Yael Grushka-Cockayne

    For additional information, please visit UVA Data Science. 

  • MBA/SAIS MA

    Master of Business Administration/School of Advanced International Studies Master of Arts

    Darden offers a partnership with the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) that allows students to earn an MBA and a SAIS Master of Arts in 3 years instead of the four years that would be required if a student complete each degree sequentially. A notable difference between the MBA/SAIS MA and other dual degree program requirements is that the MBA/SAIS MA requires the completion of 45 Darden credit hours.

     

    This unique partnership provides students an opportunity to develop expertise in two distinct, but related, fields, expanding professional opportunities not only for the next job, but for an entire career. Students will also be able to harness two powerful alumni networks as well as career service professionals at both institutions.

    Participants will complete three semesters at each school, and the program offers a flexible sequencing to accommodate a variety of schedules and interests. Students can complete their first year at Darden or SAIS, their second year at the other school and in their third year spend a semester at each institution.

    MBA classes will take place at Darden’s full-time MBA program in Charlottesville, Virginia. The SAIS portion of the program can be completed at the school’s Washington, D.C., campus or a combination of its D.C. and SAIS Europe campus in Bologna, Italy.

    Admissions Process

    Applicants will apply to both schools separately, and must be accepted by both institutions to participate in the program. Applicants can apply to both schools simultaneously or to the other school during their first academic year at either school once matriculated.

    If applying to both schools simultaneously, students will defer one school for a year or a year and a half. Students will present each school with their sequence plan, and any changes to the plan must be submitted to and approved by both schools.

    Tuition & Financial Aid

    Requests for financial aid should be made to each school separately and processed according to each school's own aid policy. Tuition is paid to each school separately for the semesters studied.

    Resources

    Questions?

    Please email:

    Darden Admissions at [email protected]

    Johns Hopkins SAIS Admissions at [email protected]

  • MBA/JD

    Darden offers a combined program with the University of Virginia School of Law that grants a JD degree and an MBA degree in four years, instead of the five that would be required if each degree were pursued independently.

    Students are required to secure admission separately to the Darden School and the School of Law through the normal admissions processes of the two schools. The applicant will be held to the same standards as any other applicant, and the fact that s/he is a candidate for the dual-degree program will not be considered in the admissions process. Application may be made prior to entrance, prior to starting the third year of Law, or prior to starting the second year of Darden. No students are admitted to the dual-degree program after this time. Students who have been admitted to both schools and who wish to undertake the dual-degree program should notify the registrar of each school and apply to the faculty advisors for permission to do so. Admission requires approval of both the School of Law and the Darden School faculty advisors.

    The Law School faculty advisor is Professor George Geis. Visit the Law School's JD/MBA Program page for further details.

    Resources

    For more information on the student experience, program format and admissions tips, view this webinar, recorded November 2019.

    Discover Darden Blog: Q&A with MBA/JD Dual Degree Students

    Tuition & Fees

    During the first three years of the program, students will pay one full year of Darden School tuition (when enrolled in the full-time First Year curriculum at the Darden School) and two full years of Law School tuition. During the fourth and final year of the program, students will pay one semester of tuition to the Law School and one semester of tuition to the Darden School.

    Financial Aid

    Financial aid will be provided by the school to which the student is paying tuition during each semester. Financial aid is not guaranteed and is subject to individual school and University availability and regulations.

    Contact

    Prospective students with additional questions about the MBA/JD program can contact a current student.

    For more information on the School of Law, contact:

     

    Emily C. Cockrell
    Associate Director of Admissions
    University of Virginia School of Law
    Phone: (434) 924-7348
    www.law.virginia.edu

  • MBA/MD

    Darden offers a combined program with the School of Medicine at the University of Virginia. The objective of the MBA/MD program is to educate a small number of students who will become national leaders in innovation and entrepreneurship in the health care sector, ranging from the development and diffusion of new products to the management of health care delivery systems.

    Medical students in their third year can apply to Darden, and if accepted, must complete all requirements for the MD degree and 52.5 credit hours of course work at Darden, including the entire First Year program. The combined degree will generally require five years including summers to complete.

    Contact

    For more information on the School of Medicine, contact:

    M. Kathryn Mutter, MD, MPH
    Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine
    Course Director, Internship Readiness Course
    Course Director, Transition Course
    Director of the Phase 3 Curriculum
    Phone: (434)924-8485
    Email: [email protected]
    www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/admissions

  • MBA/M.Ed

    MBA/M.Ed in Education Innovation

    Few sectors in society provide the reach that schools have into, quite literally, millions of lives. But reach does not always translate into impact because the challenges that education organizations around the world face are profound. Darden’s MBA/M.Ed program is designed to address these problems by preparing the next generation of business and education leaders.

    Together, the UVA School of Education and Human Development and the Darden School of Business offer a MBA/M.Ed degree that is designed to prepare creative, principled, and practical leaders—those who will create education innovations in the United States and around the world. Dual-degree graduates combine a deep knowledge of education with rigorous training in management, operations, and strategy, and they use this expertise to improve education effectiveness, lead change in education policy, direct school operations, start ventures as education entrepreneurs, and more.

    The length of study is two years, including summer coursework, in-person/online courses while at Darden, and internships. Students begin their studies at the School of Education and Human Development during the summer prior to the start of Darden’s MBA program, or may begin during their fall semester. Students join a cohort of MBA/M.Ed peers who complete coursework together, collaborate on innovative projects, and participate in an Emerging Trends in Education speaker series and other education-focused events.

    Today, dozens of graduates of UVA’s MBA/M.Ed dual degree program work in a variety of roles at the intersection of business and education. These roles span educational leadership, consulting, entrepreneurship, education technology, instructional design, and management. For example, recent alumni have gone on to lead change through their roles in:

    • School districts and charter management organizations such as UP Education and YES Prep Public Schools
    • Public sector consulting and management consulting firms such as Bain & Company, Bellwether Education Partners, Accenture, EY-Parthenon and the Boston Consulting Group
    • Education and technology companies such as Microsoft, Amazon, Thinkful, and MURAL 

    Resources

    Contacts

    June A. West
    Marjorie R. Sands Associate Professor of Business Administration
    Darden School of Business 
    University of Virginia

    Matthew Wheelock 
    Associate Professor of Education; Innovation Program Area Director
    Dept. of Curriculum, Instruction and Special Education
    School of Education and Human Development
    University of Virginia 

  • MBA/MPP

    The Darden School of Business and the Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy at the University of Virginia offer the MBA/MPP dual degree. A student who wishes to be admitted into the dual degree program must apply to each school separately and be admitted to both the Darden School and the Batten School through the normal admissions processes of each school. The program takes three years (six semesters) to complete: the First Year program of each school, followed by one year of coursework taken from the curricula of the two schools. The MBA/MPP coursework also may include courses from other graduate offerings at the University.

    Resources

    Visit the Batten School’s MBA/MPP degree page for further details.

    Contact

    For more information on the Batten School, contact:

    Jeff Chidester
    Executive Director of External Affairs
    Frank Batten School of Leadership and Public Policy 
    434-924-0812
    [email protected] 
    University of Virginia 
    www.batten.virginia.edu

  • MBA/MPH

    Darden and the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Virginia offer the MBA/MPH dual degree. Students who combine their MBA and MPH degrees will have the opportunity to work with faculty from the Darden Business School, Department of Public Health Sciences and School of Medicine to focus on the management of health-care-related businesses and models for addressing health. Foci can include health care delivery systems, biotechnology, medical devices, translational research, health policy, and regulation.

    Students must complete all requirements for the MPH degree and 52.5 credit hours of course work at Darden, including the entire First Year program. The combined degree will generally require three years, including two summers to complete.

    Contact

    For more information on the Department of Public Health Sciences, contact:

    Ruth Gaare Berheim, JD, MPH
    Director, MPH Program 
    University of Virginia 
    +1-434-924-3487 
    www.healthsystem.virginia.edu

  • MBA/MA

    MBA/MA in East Asian Studies

    The MBA/MA in East Asian Studies combines the analysis, decision-making, and managerial concepts and techniques taught at the Darden School with intensive language and area studies in East Asia, primarily Japan and China.

    Students may obtain both the MBA degree and the MA degree in East Asian Studies in three academic years and two summers. Students will normally spend the first full academic year in the program taking courses in the Darden School, and will not enroll in East Asian studies courses in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences until the following fall. When necessary, an intensive nine-week language training course is taken during the following summer. The second year incorporates both MA and MBA courses, including more language training. A six-month research assignment in an Asian location follows the second year. These student projects are approved by the University and supported, in part, by Asian companies or Asian affiliates of multinational companies. For their sixth semester, students return to the University to complete the degree requirements, which include a Master's thesis.

    Contact

    For more information on the MA in East Asian Studies, contact:

    Leonard Schoppa
    Professor of Politics
    University of Virginia 
    www.virginia.edu/eastasia

     

    MBA/MA in Government or Foreign Affairs

    Darden and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at the University of Virginia offer the dual degree of a MBA/MA in Government or Foreign Affairs. This dual degree meets the growing need for managers to obtain expertise in comparative government, international relations, political risk assessment and public administration in combination with the business concepts and techniques taught at Darden.

    Contact

    For more information on the MA in Government or Foreign Affairs, contact:

    Philip Potter
    Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies 
    Department of Politics 
    University of Virginia 
    www.virginia.edu/politics

  • MBA/ME

    Darden and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) at the University of Virginia offer the MBA/ME dual degree.

    The objective of the joint MBA/ME degree program is the development of leaders with business administration skills and solid technical expertise. The ME degree provides a foundation in engineering or applied science well above the normal undergraduate level. The MBA develops the functional areas of business by teaching the essential behavioral and quantitative sciences that apply to management, as well as the techniques of management decision making. The combined degrees provide the knowledge required for a wide range of business applications.

    A student must apply and be admitted to both degree programs and satisfy nearly all of the requirements for both degrees. Typically, the overall program length is reduced by one semester compared to the total time for attaining both degrees separately. In order to obtain this reduction in the number of credits, the student cannot stop after one degree but must finish both degrees. If the student decides to drop out of the joint degree program, the full requirements of one of the degree programs must be met.

    Students in the MBA/ME program are required to complete 24 credits for the ME degree in SEAS and 52.5 credits for the MBA degree at Darden. Of the 24 credits in SEAS, 21 credits will be normal course work and 3 credits will be a project course taken in an appropriately numbered course. A minimum of 12 credits of course work must be taken in the major department. None of the 24 credits may include a course taken in the Darden School. The project must have one advisor from SEAS and another from the Darden School.

    Contact

    For more information on the ME program, contact:

    Carla M. Davis
    Graduate Outreach and Engagement Coordinator Office of Graduate 
    Programs School of Engineering & Applied Science
    UVA Engineering 
    [email protected] 
    +1 434-243-3635

  • MBA/PhD

    The MBA/PhD dual degree is administered by the director of the Doctoral program. It is a five-year program, and interested students should apply directly to the MBA Office of Admissions. This program allows students to attend the entire First Year of Darden’s MBA program and then go directly into doctoral work. Andy Wicks is the Director of the PhD program. Please visit Darden’s PhD web page for additional information.

  • MBA/MUEP

    Darden has partnered with the UVA School of Architecture to offer a three-year dual degree program in which students take courses at both Darden and the School of Architecture to simultaneously earn an MBA and a Masters in Urban and Environmental Planning (MUEP). For students interested in real estate, in addition to the courses listed above, the MUEP curriculum also prepares them to tackle the critical challenges that come with global urbanization and rapidly transforming social, ecological, and technological systems to ensure a sustainable, equitable and healthy future for cities.

    Please contact the Darden admissions team for more information or schedule a dual degree conversation using the link at the top of the page.