Students in the joint degree program are enrolled in and take classes at both schools during each of their upper-level semesters of the third and fourth years (with the exception of the Law School Winter Term) of the joint degree program. The requirements for each school and the program are as follows:

Law School

Joint degree students must earn no fewer than 52 additional credits including 36 Law School classroom credits of which no fewer than 18 must be earned in the first year of combined upper-level study. The total number of classroom credits includes the required minimum of two credits to satisfy the Professional Responsibility Requirement, credits from the required winter term (provided that the course chosen offers classroom credits) and credits from the Joint Degree Program Seminar, if applicable. Classroom credits include those connected to courses, seminars and reading groups, but not writing or clinical credits.

In addition, Business School credits equivalent to 10 Law School credits may count toward the total Law School credit requirement. The remaining six required Law School credits may be earned in classroom, writing or clinical courses.

Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 10 total credits each semester in Law School, Business School, or other authorized courses. It is recommended that no fewer than six of these be Law School classroom credits toward the requirement of 36 classroom credits. Students should complete a minimum of 20 total Law School credits each year in order to ensure a balanced program of study.

Students enrolled in the JD/MBA program are permitted to waive one of the winter terms. The remaining Winter Term requirement may be completed through HLS classroom or clinical credits or participation in the Winter Term Writing Program. Further information is available from the Law School Registrar’s Office.

Joint degree students must also complete the HLS of 40 hours of public service and the J.D. Written Work Requirement (see below for more information).

Business School

Joint degree students must enroll in eight three-credit Elective Curriculum courses at HBS during the third and fourth years including: (1) at least 18 classroom credits in total and (2) a minimum of 4.5 and a maximum of 7.5 HBS MBA credits each semester to meet the required 12 total credits per year in each of the third and fourth years. In contrast, traditional MBA candidates must complete 30 credits in the second year Elective Curriculum.

Source: hls.harvard.edu