Graduate and Professional Admissions Guide

Joint and Dual Degree Programs: The Complete 2026 Guide

By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep · Last updated October 2026 · Every program verified against official school, AAMC, ABA and NIH sources

25+degree combinations explained

110+named programs profiled with official links

702new MD-PhD students in 2025 (AAMC)

9%of medical students pursue a dual degree (AAMC)

Browse Joint Degrees by Field

Also in this guide: What a joint degree is · Comparison table · Which tests you need · How applications work · Is it worth it? · Timeline · FAQ · Sources

What Is a Joint Degree Program?

A joint degree program is a formal arrangement between two schools, usually within the same university, that lets one student earn two degrees on a shortened, coordinated schedule. The time savings come from shared credit: a set number of courses from each school counts toward the other degree, so you skip part of what you would otherwise take twice. A JD normally takes 3 years and an MPP 2, for example, but a JD/MPP typically takes 4.

Joint degrees exist because many careers sit at the boundary of two professions. A health policy lawyer needs legal training and public health methods. A physician running a hospital system needs clinical credibility and management skills. A physician-scientist needs both medical training and a research doctorate. The joint degree builds both credentials, plus a network in each field, in one integrated plan.

Joint degree vs. dual degree vs. concurrent degree

Universities use these terms inconsistently, so read each school’s definition rather than relying on the label. In general:

• Joint degree usually means a formal, pre-designed program with a set curriculum and a fixed amount of shared credit, such as the Harvard Law School and Harvard Kennedy School Joint Degree Program in Law and Government.
• Dual degree usually means two separate degrees earned at the same time, sometimes across two different universities, such as Georgetown Law’s JD with an MPH from Johns Hopkins.
• Concurrent degree is the term some schools, including Berkeley Law and Harvard Kennedy School, use for the same idea.
• Combined or integrated programs usually refer to pathways that join undergraduate and graduate study, such as BS/MD programs and 3+3 BA/JD programs.

Whatever the label, you almost always receive two separate diplomas, and you are usually admitted by two separate admissions committees.

Joint Degree Comparison Table: Length, Tests and Timing

This table compares the most popular joint and dual degree combinations side by side. “Separately” is the standard length of the two degrees earned back to back. Lengths are typical ranges drawn from the official program pages cited below; individual schools vary.

Source: ConnectPrep analysis of official program pages, AAMC and ABA data, October 2026. Always confirm current requirements with each school.

Law School Joint Degree Programs

Law schools offer more joint degree options than any other professional school. Almost all of them use separate applications with independent decisions: the law school and the partner school each admit you on their own criteria. Yale Law School states it plainly: there are no “joint admissions.” Most programs also let you apply to the second school during your first year of law school (1L), which gives you a chance to confirm your interest before committing.

JD/MBA (Law and Business)

The JD/MBA is the most widely offered law joint degree in the country. Four-year programs are standard, and a smaller group of accelerated programs, including Penn’s, finish both degrees in three years. Applicants typically take the LSAT, GRE or JD-Next for the law school and the GMAT or GRE for the business school, and because many law schools and business schools both accept the GRE, some applicants submit one GRE score to both schools.

JD/MPP and JD/MPA (Law and Public Policy)

The JD/MPP and JD/MPA pair legal training with quantitative policy analysis, economics and public management. They suit future government lawyers, regulators, legislative counsel and nonprofit leaders. Most take four years instead of five. Policy schools generally ask for the GRE, though Harvard Kennedy School accepts the LSAT in place of the GRE from current Harvard Law 1Ls applying to the joint degree.

JD/MPH (Law and Public Health)

The JD/MPH prepares lawyers for health law, health policy, food and drug regulation and global health. Because many MPH programs are one or two years, this is one of the fastest law joint degrees. Public health schools often make tests optional for joint degree applicants.

JD/MSW (Law and Social Work)

The JD/MSW is built for public interest, family law, child welfare, immigration and criminal justice careers, where clinical and systems training make a lawyer far more effective with clients. Most programs take about four years, one year less than the two degrees separately.

JD/PhD (Law and a Doctorate)

The JD/PhD is the traditional path into legal academia and high-level policy research. It is the longest law joint degree, usually six to seven years or more, and you are admitted separately by the law school and the PhD department. Test requirements vary by department, so check each PhD program’s GRE policy.

JD/MA and International Affairs (JD/MAIA, JD/MIA)

Pairing law with an international affairs or area studies master’s opens doors to diplomacy, international organizations and cross-border practice. These usually take four years.

JD/LLM in Taxation, JD/MEM and JD/MS

• JD/LLM in Taxation: NYU and Georgetown let students finish a JD plus the tax LLM in seven semesters instead of eight. Students at other ABA law schools can apply in 2L to spend 3L as visiting students. Admission to the LLM portion is competitive and not guaranteed.
• JD/MEM (environmental management): Yale (with the Yale School of the Environment) and Duke (with the Nicholas School, eight MEM concentrations) both run four-year JD/MEM programs.
• JD/MS in science and engineering: Stanford pairs the JD with an MS in computer science, electrical engineering, bioengineering, management science and engineering, or environment and resources, with up to 30 semester hours counting toward both degrees in computer science. These suit IP, technology and energy lawyers.
• JD/MD: Rare but real. See the MD/JD section below.

Medical School Joint Degree Programs

Medical joint degrees differ from law and business joint degrees in one important way: the timing. The MD/PhD is applied to before medical school, through a dedicated MD-PhD track in the AMCAS application. Most other medical combinations, including the MD/MBA and MD/MPH, are usually added during medical school, often in the second or third year. According to the AAMC, about 9% of U.S. medical students pursue a dual degree.

MD/PhD and the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)

The MD/PhD trains physician-scientists who split their careers between patient care and research, usually at academic medical centers. Programs take about 7 to 8 years. Applicants mark themselves as MD-PhD on AMCAS and write two additional essays, one on why they want MD-PhD training and one on their significant research experiences. The MCAT is the only standardized test.

The financial structure is what makes the MD/PhD unusual. The AAMC notes that most programs provide full tuition waivers, a living stipend and health insurance. Many are supported in part by the NIH’s Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP), a training grant from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences. AAMC lists more than 90 MD-PhD programs, and roughly 45 to 50 institutions hold MSTP grants. In July 2026, NIGMS confirmed it will continue to support the MSTP.

MD/MBA (Medicine and Business)

The MD/MBA prepares physicians to lead hospitals and health systems, build health care companies, or work in biotech, consulting and investing. Most programs take five years. Students usually apply to the business school in the second or third year of medical school, and while most business schools require the GMAT or GRE, some waive it or accept the MCAT instead.

MD/MPH (Medicine and Public Health)

The MD/MPH is for physicians focused on population health, epidemiology, global health or preventive medicine. It usually takes five years, with the MPH completed in a dedicated year during medical school, and it generally requires nothing beyond the MCAT. Several of the strongest MPH programs accept medical students from other schools.

MD/JD (Medicine and Law)

The MD/JD is the rarest of the major medical combinations. It typically takes six years, requires both the MCAT and the LSAT, and leads to careers in health law, bioethics, regulation and health policy. Some well-known medical schools, including Yale and Penn, arrange it case by case rather than through a formal program. Penn offers a formal MD/ML (Master in Law) as an alternative.

MD/MPP and Other Health Combinations

• MD/MPP: Harvard (five years, with a full year at the Kennedy School; HMS students may submit the MCAT in place of the GRE or GMAT) and Duke (five years instead of six) offer formal MD/MPP programs for physicians headed into health policy.
• DO/MBA and DO/MPH: Michigan State’s DO-MBA takes five years, and A.T. Still University’s DO/MPH runs an online MPH alongside the four-year DO.
• Dental: Michigan’s DDS/MBA adds a full-time MBA year with Ross, and Pitt’s DMD/MPH finishes both degrees in four years but accepts only one student per class.
• Pharmacy: Rutgers’ PharmD/MBA does not require the GMAT, and up to 6 MBA credits can be taken during the PharmD.

Business and Public Policy Joint Degrees

Business schools pair the MBA with nearly every other professional field. Stanford GSB reports that roughly 20% of its MBA students pursue a joint or dual degree. Admissions structures vary more here than in law or medicine: some programs, like MIT’s Leaders for Global Operations and Kellogg’s MMM, use a single application, while others, like the Harvard Business School and Harvard Kennedy School joint degree, require separate admission to both schools in the same cycle. The GMAT or GRE is the safe default for every combination.

MBA/MPP and MBA/MPA

The MBA/MPP and MBA/MPA combine management training with policy analysis and economics for careers in government, impact investing, social enterprise and regulated industries. Most take three years instead of four.

MBA and International Affairs

Pairing the MBA with an international affairs or area studies master’s builds regional, language and geopolitical expertise for global strategy, emerging markets and development finance.

MBA/MS in Engineering or Computer Science

These programs are the most compressed of any joint degree: several deliver an MBA and an engineering master’s in about two years. They are built for engineers and technical professionals moving into operations, product and company leadership.

MBA/MEM and Sustainability Degrees

MBA/MPH and MBA/MSW

The MBA/MPH prepares leaders for health systems, payers and health care companies. The Yale SOM and Yale School of Public Health MBA/MPH, which Yale calls the first of its kind in the United States, offers a 22-month track and a three-year track. Johns Hopkins Carey and Bloomberg run a roughly two-year MBA/MPH with the GMAT or GRE optional, and Berkeley Haas offers an MBA/MPH in health management in about 2.5 years.

The MBA/MSW serves nonprofit, philanthropy and human services leaders. Penn SP2 and Wharton run a three-year MSW/MBA, and Columbia, Michigan, WashU and Boston College offer similar programs with separate admission to each school.

Undergraduate Pathways to Two Degrees

Some combined programs start much earlier, in high school or college. These pathways do not always shorten the total time, but they lock in a seat in a competitive graduate program, remove a future admissions test, or deliver two degrees in the time of one.

BS/MD and BA/MD Programs (Admitted From High School)

BS/MD programs admit high school seniors into a combined bachelor’s and medical degree path. The AAMC’s current list includes roughly 44 medical schools, and most programs run 7 or 8 years. Programs typically require students to keep a minimum college GPA, and some require a minimum MCAT score while others waive the MCAT entirely. Competition is intense, because these programs admit small classes from very large applicant pools.

3+3 BA/JD Programs and LSAT-Free Law School Admission

A 3+3 program lets a college student start law school after three years of college, saving a year. The ABA’s Standard 502 allows a law school to admit a student who has completed three-fourths of the credits toward a bachelor’s degree as part of a bachelor’s/JD program, and the bachelor’s is usually awarded after the first year of law school. In August 2026 the ABA Council sent proposed revisions to Standard 502 out for public comment; they are not yet final.

Getting into law school without the LSAT

Under ABA Interpretation 503-3, a law school may admit up to 10% of its entering class without the LSAT from two groups: its own university’s undergraduates who score at or above the 85th percentile on the SAT or ACT, and students seeking a JD combined with another degree who score at or above the 85th percentile on the GRE or GMAT. Both groups must also rank in the top 10% of their class or hold a 3.5 GPA through six semesters. Programs built on this rule include GW Law’s Junior Early Action Program, Georgia’s UGA Scholars Admission Process, Ohio State Moritz’s Buckeye Legal Scholar Program and Pepperdine’s Seaver Prelaw Scholars Program. Separately, the ABA approved a test-optional admissions variance in November 2024 for approved schools. This is one reason a strong SAT or ACT score can matter years after high school.

Many law schools also now accept JD-Next as an alternative admissions test. Try the free JD-Next practice test.

Deferred MBA Programs (Apply as a College Senior)

Deferred MBA programs let college seniors, and in most cases students who went straight into a master’s, apply to business school now, work for two to five years, and then enroll. You lock in a seat at a top program before you start your career.

Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s (4+1), Undergraduate Dual Degrees and 3-2 Engineering

• 4+1 bachelor’s/master’s programs deliver both degrees in about five years by counting some graduate courses toward the bachelor’s. Students usually apply as sophomores or juniors. Examples include Penn’s submatriculation, Northeastern’s PlusOne in computing and Johns Hopkins’ combined bachelor’s/master’s programs.
• Undergraduate dual degree programs award two bachelor’s degrees in four years and are applied to from high school. The best known are Penn’s Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology (M&T), which pairs a Wharton economics degree with a Penn Engineering degree and admits about 50 to 55 students a year, and Penn’s Huntsman Program in International Studies and Business.
• International dual BA programs such as the Columbia and Sciences Po Dual BA split four years between two universities in two countries.
• 3-2 engineering programs such as Columbia’s Combined Plan combine three years at a liberal arts college with two years of engineering, for a BA and a BS in five years.

Which Tests Do You Need for a Joint Degree?

Test planning is where joint degree applicants can save the most time. The right choice depends on both schools, so check each one before you register for anything.

The one-test strategy: because the GRE is accepted by most business schools, policy schools and a majority of law schools, a JD/MBA, JD/MPP or MBA/MPP applicant can often prepare for a single exam. The trade-off is that the LSAT remains the most common law school test, so applicants aiming for the most selective law schools should compare how each school reports and weighs GRE scores before deciding.

How Joint Degree Applications Work

Separate admission is the rule

In most joint degree programs, each school makes its own decision. You can be admitted to one and not the other, and you can usually still attend the school that admitted you as a single degree student. The main exceptions are programs that run one shared application, such as Stanford GSB’s MBA/MPP, MIT LGO, Kellogg MMM and the Wharton Lauder program.

Three timing options

1. Apply to both schools in the same cycle. Required by some programs, such as HBS and HKS and Princeton SPIA’s MPA/JD partnerships. You start with a complete plan.
2. Apply to the second school during your first year. Allowed by most law and policy programs. You get a year to confirm your interest, and you apply as a current student of the university.
3. Apply during professional school. Standard for MD/MBA and MD/MPH, where students usually apply in the second or third year of medical school.

One story, two committees

The strongest joint degree applications explain why the career goal requires both degrees, not just why each degree is interesting. A JD/MPH applicant who wants to draft food safety regulation, or an MD/MBA applicant who wants to run a rural hospital system, gives both committees a reason to say yes. Admissions readers notice when the second degree looks like an add-on.

Tuition and financial aid

Tuition is usually charged by whichever school you are enrolled in each term, although some programs, such as Duke’s MPP/MBA, charge one blended rate. Financial aid is often awarded separately by each school, so ask both financial aid offices how a joint degree affects scholarships. MD/PhD programs are the major exception, since most cover tuition and pay a stipend.

Is a Joint Degree Worth It?

A joint degree is worth it when your target career genuinely sits at the intersection of two fields and employers in that field value both credentials. It is a weaker choice when you are using the second degree to postpone a career decision.

Five questions to ask before you apply:

1. Can I name three jobs that I could only get, or get much faster, with both degrees?
2. Do people in those jobs actually hold both degrees? Check alumni profiles from each program.
3. Would a certificate, concentration or cross-registered electives give me 80% of the value?
4. Does the program require same-cycle applications, or can I decide during my first year?
5. How will each school’s financial aid treat the combined years?

Joint Degree Application Timeline

For MD/PhD applicants, the timeline follows the AMCAS cycle, which opens in late spring, and research experience should be underway well before that. For BS/MD and other high school pathways, preparation starts by sophomore or junior year of high school.

Frequently Asked Questions About Joint Degrees

About the Author: Jeremy Fine

Jeremy Fine is the founder of ConnectPrep, a Westport, Connecticut-based test prep, academic tutoring and admissions advising firm founded in 2013. He has more than 20 years of experience in education, and he and the ConnectPrep team advise students on law school, business school, medical school and joint degree applications, from program selection and testing strategy through essays and interviews.

Sources

ConnectPrep is an independent test prep, tutoring and admissions advising firm based in Westport, Connecticut, and is not affiliated with any university listed. This page is published by ConnectPrep. Program names and details belong to their respective institutions. © 2026 ConnectPrep. All Rights Reserved.