Overview

This program is designed for J.D. students who have an interest in the regulatory and business side of the media industry.  The program includes a set of essential business courses (e.g., accounting for decision-making,  corporate strategy and organization, and foundations of marketing management) as well as an array of industry-specific courses (e.g., content strategy, media management research and analysis, and issues in media management).

Required courses in the M.S. program are held on Saturdays and weekday evenings offering flexibility to the program’s students.  No prior business or media management experience is required. 

Admissions Process:

  • Students will be admitted to the Law School J.D. program and the Media Management master’s program separately.  Typically students will begin in the Law School and then start the master’s program in their second year of Law School.  However, it is possible for students in the Media Management program to apply to the Law School, be accepted, and begin the joint degree program/first year of the J.D. program the following year.  (M.S. students need to save 6 credits to be completed after they begin their J.D. program.)
  • Applications to the M.S. program may be submitted between December 1st and July 15th for a fall start.  The GRE or GMAT will not be required; the student’s LSAT scores will be used instead.  Once a student applies, the School of Communication will request the student’s Law School application from the Law School. 

Curriculum Requirements

J.D. Requirements including the following:82
Required
Media Law: Freedom of the Press in America Today
Administrative Law
9 credits from the following list with at least one course from Content-Focused category (minimum of 2-credit course) and one course from the Corporate and Regulatory category (minimum of 2-credit course): 1
Content-Focused
Copyright Law
Trademark Law
Intellectual Property for Business Lawyers
First Amendment
Entertainment Law
TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube: The Legal Framework Governing Social Media
The Free Speech Clause
Advanced Trademark
ENTERTAINMENT LAW IN LATIN AMERICA
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS NEGOTIATIONS
Media Distribution
Corporate and Regulatory
Business Association
Corporate Tax
Antitrust
Taxation of Business Entities
Corporate Compliance and Risk Management
Mergers and Acquistions
Labor Law
Employment Law
Conflict of Laws
International Business Transactions
International Business Law Seminar
Deal Skills: Cross Border Finance Transactions
Transactional Skills III: Advanced Business Practices and Drafting of Transaction Documents
Data Security and Incident Response
Federal Policymaking: Legislation, Regulation, and Litigation
Law, Policy, and Technology
Waldo: Workers and Labor Defense Organization
Introduction to the Deal
Latin American Contracts
M.S. Requirements 2
ACC 600Accounting for Decision-Making and Control2-3
BUS 610Communicating for Career Success2
FIN 641Valuation and Financial Decision Making2
JMM 614Law and Ethics in Journalism and Media Management3
JMM 632Current Issues in Media Management3
JMM 636Content Strategy in the Media Industry3
JMM 642Media Management Research and Analysis3
MAS 631Statistics for Managerial Decision Making2
MGT 620Managing Through People2
MGT 677Corporate Strategy and Organization2
MKT 640Foundations of Marketing Management2
Total Credit Hours108-109
1

Six of these nine credits will be used to fulfill the electives required for the M.S. degree.

2

Six credits from these courses will also be counted toward the 88 total credits required for the J.D.

Sample Plan of Study

3-Year Program with 2 Summers

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredit Hours
J.D. Courses 16
 Credit Hours16
Spring
J.D. Courses 16
 Credit Hours16
Summer
J.D. Courses 6
 Credit Hours6
Year Two
Fall
J.D. Courses 8
ACC 600 Accounting for Decision-Making and Control 2-3
BUS 610 Communicating for Career Success 2
MGT 620 Managing Through People 2
MAS 631 Statistics for Managerial Decision Making 2
 Credit Hours16-17
Spring
J.D. Courses 10
MKT 640 Foundations of Marketing Management 2
FIN 641 Valuation and Financial Decision Making 2
MGT 677 Corporate Strategy and Organization 2
 Credit Hours16
Summer
JMM 614 Law and Ethics in Journalism and Media Management 3
JMM 642 Media Management Research and Analysis 3
 Credit Hours6
Year Three
Fall
J.D. Courses 13
JMM 632 Current Issues in Media Management 3
 Credit Hours16
Spring
J.D. Courses 13
JMM 636 Content Strategy in the Media Industry 3
 Credit Hours16
 Total Credit Hours108-109

3.5-Year Program

Plan of Study Grid
Year One
FallCredit Hours
J.D. Courses 16
 Credit Hours16
Spring
J.D. Courses 16
 Credit Hours16
Year Two
Fall
J.D. Courses 10
ACC 600 Accounting for Decision-Making and Control 2-3
MGT 620 Managing Through People 2
MAS 631 Statistics for Managerial Decision Making 2
 Credit Hours16-17
Spring
J.D. Courses 10
JMM 636 Content Strategy in the Media Industry 3
FIN 641 Valuation and Financial Decision Making 2
 Credit Hours15
Summer
JMM 614 Law and Ethics in Journalism and Media Management 3
JMM 642 Media Management Research and Analysis 3
 Credit Hours6
Year Three
Fall
J.D. Courses 12
BUS 610 Communicating for Career Success 2
 Credit Hours14
Spring
J.D. Courses 10
MGT 677 Corporate Strategy and Organization 2
MKT 640 Foundations of Marketing Management 2
 Credit Hours14
Year Four
Fall
J.D. Courses 8
JMM 632 Current Issues in Media Management 3
 Credit Hours11
 Total Credit Hours108-109