Juris Doctor / Master of Public Health (JD/MPH) Joint Degree

The MPH portion of the JD/MPH Joint Degree Program is housed within the Department of Health Policy & Management. The Department offers a joint degree program with the School of Law, the JD/MPH Program in law and health policy. Graduates of this program receive the Juris Doctor (JD) degree and the Master of Public Health (MPH) degree. In pursuing the Graduate School of Public Health portion of the JD/MPH degree, students have the option of selecting between two areas of concentration: 1) health policy & management and 2) public health sciences.
The joint degree was established in recognition of extensive and increasing connections between law and the broad range of health services, both public and private, in the United States. The objective of this specialized educational program is to provide graduates with an interdisciplinary background and prepare them to address issues and situations that affect personal and public health. Graduates of this joint-degree program are academically prepared for the practice of law with private clients, serving as in-house counsel for health organizations and systems, and as attorneys representing state, county and local health departments. The threat of bioterrorism and the need to balance both individual rights and public protection in establishing public health preparedness has made public health law an even more vital professional focus for attorneys.
Requirements for the JD/MPH degree: Students enrolled in the JD/MPH program receive integrated training in law and public health. The combined credit-hour requirements for the JD and MPH degrees obtained separately is 123 credits (88 for the JD, usually completed in six full-time semesters and 45 for the MPH usually completed in three semesters). The student completes the first year of law school before registering for courses in public health. Typically, neither degree is granted prior to the fulfillment of all requirements for the joint degree program.

The Public Health Academic Advisor is Patricia Sweeney, JD, MPH, RN.