Structure of the Program
The combined program is administered on behalf of the Richard Ivey School of Business and the Faculty of Law by the two HBA/JD Program Directors, one of whom is appointed by the Richard Ivey School of Business and the other by the Faculty of Law. The combined program allows students to complete both the JD and HBA degrees in six academic years instead of the seven years that would be required if the degrees were taken separately.
Students are registered in the combined program for Years Four to Six. Below is a brief outline of the program by year. The specifics may change as courses change in each faculty. It is assumed that students do not take more than two years of course work prior to beginning HBA1; however, it is possible to undertake the combined program with more than ten credits prior to HBA1.
Admission to the Combined Program
Students must apply to the Faculty of Law for admission to the combined program. They may apply after they have been admitted to the HBA program until May 1 following completion of HBA1. Early applicants may be granted conditional admission. To be eligible for the combined program, students must have a cumulative, weighted average of 80.0% in HBA1. In addition, candidates must meet the minimum LSAT requirement established by the Faculty of Law Admissions Committee.
Entrance into the combined degree program is competitive and limited. Meeting the minimum LSAT requirements does not guarantee a position in the combined program.
Years One and Two
All students must complete at least two years of full-time university courses obtaining 10.0 credits. Students may take a wide variety of courses in any faculty. However, they must take Business Administration 2257.
Year Three
All students will take: Business Administration 3300K, 3301K, 3302K, 3303K, 3304K, 3307K, 3311K, 3316K, 3321K, 3322K, 3323K.
No substitutes for any of the above courses are permitted under any circumstances.
Year Four - Combined Program
All students must take first-year Law in Year Four. They may not take any business or outside courses during this year.
Year Five and Six - Combined Program
Students will take an approved mix of required and elective courses from both faculties in these years.
Students must take:
(i) International Perspective Requirement: Business Administration 4505A/B.
(ii) Corporations and Society Perspective Requirement: at least 0.5 course from Business Administration 4521A/B, 4522A/B, 4523A/B or another business elective as determined and approved by the HBA Program Director as satisfying this requirement.
(iii) Applied Project Requirement: at least one of Business Administration 4430 or 4410 (1.0 course).
(iv) 1.0 elective course chosen from 4000-level Business courses.
Students must take courses in Law totaling 45 credit hours. These courses must include the two compulsory upper-year courses, at least three core-group courses, and a course requiring a written essay worth at least two credit hours.
Students' choices of elective courses are subject to the approval of the Program Directors who must review proposed elective course selections to ensure that the objectives of the program are met. The elective courses may not include introductory courses of a dual law and business nature such as Law and Accounting or Business Law.
With advanced planning, students in the combined program may be eligible to participate in one exchange term in an academic exchange program in Year Five or Six. Interested students must discuss exchange options with the HBA Program Office and with the Faculty of Law's International Program Office. The student must satisfy both Program Directors that his or her course load is appropriately balanced before permission will be given to participate in an exchange program.
Progression Standards
Students in this combined program must meet the following progression standards. Students enrolled in first-year HBA (Year Three) must attain a standing in the top half of the HBA1 Class. Students enrolled in first year Law (Year Four) must attain a standing in the top half of the Law first year class. In Years Five and Six, students must attain a minimum weighted average of 75% in their 4000 level HBA courses and a B average in their Law courses.
Failure to Meet Progression Standards
A student who fails to meet the combined progression standards in any year must withdraw from the combined program. However, if that student has met the progression standards of either the HBA or Law program, he or she will be allowed to proceed to the next year of that program. If that student has satisfied the progression standards of both individual programs, the student may continue in either program and may petition the School or Faculty whose program was not selected for permission to complete that program at a later date. A student who is required to withdraw from the combined program, and wishes to pursue either or both of the individual programs, must complete all the degree requirements of the individual program or programs in order to graduate from that program or those programs.
Dean's Honor List At the Richard Ivey School of Business, students are considered for the Dean's Honor List during their first year of HBA. Students enrolled in Years Five and Six of the combined degree program are considered for the Dean's Honor List in Year Six only. Only grades obtained in 4000-level Business courses will be used in calculating averages for the purpose of determination of Dean's Honor List standing. The Dean's Honor List for HBA2 typically includes the top 25% of all of HBA2 and is determined by vote of the teaching faculty. Courses taken outside the Business School are excluded. Calculations for Ivey Scholar and Gold Medals are completed in the same way.
A student who takes Law courses totaling at least 12 credit hours in each of Years Five and Six of the combined program is considered for the Dean's Honor List at the Faculty of Law in that year on the basis of those courses.
Graduation with Distinction
Eligibility to graduate "with distinction" for each degree is determined by each Faculty.
Gold Medal
Students in the combined program are eligible to be considered for the Gold Medal in either or both degree programs, along with other eligible graduating students in those programs, as determined by the requirements in the Faculty of Law or the Richard Ivey School of Business.
Fees
Students pay the prevailing fees as determined by the University policy on combined programs. Contact the Office of the Registrar,Western Student Services building, room 1120, 519-661-2100, or at www.registrar.uwo.ca for details.
FACULTIES 