Dual Degree, M.P.H./J.D

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Return to: Department of Health Policy and Behavioral Sciences

The College of Law and the School of Public Health offer a Juris Doctor (JD)/ Master of Public Health (MPH) in the Health Management and Policy (HMGP) concentration dual degree program. This dual program provides an opportunity to pursue studies in law and public health concurrently. The JD/MPH-HMGP enables students to earn both degrees in a shorter time than would be possible if students pursued each degree separately. Dual degree programs include separate, but affiliated degree programs that are linked through shared curricular offerings and collaborative administrative processes.

Credit hours earned in one degree program satisfy some requirements of the other degree program. No credit hours for the MPH courses will be applied toward the JD requirements until a student has completed the MPH; similarly, no credit hours for the JD courses will be applied toward the MPH requirements until completion of the JD. In other words, a student cannot graduate from the JD and MPH in the same semester-a student must graduate from either program in a given semester, and then the second program in a subsequent semester. Students interested in pursuing a JD/MPH must be admitted into and enroll in both degree programs prior to completion of 30 credit hours of MPH coursework and 60 hours of JD coursework in order to qualify for the dual degree program. When admitted to the JD/MPH program, students must complete the first 30 hours of required courses in the JD program as soon as possible (immediately upon JD admission). After completion of these 30 hours of law courses, course enrollment in either college or both colleges concurrently is permitted and may resume. Students must complete the dual degree program within six years of the initial semester of enrollment. Students should be able to complete both degrees in four years.

JD/MPH Dual Degree Admissions

To participate in the JD/MPH dual degree program, students must apply separately for admission to the College of Law and the School of Public Health. Students are strongly encouraged to apply to both programs simultaneously. However, there is some opportunity to apply and enroll in the dual degree program after admission to only one of the schools, if a student has not proceeded too far in that school’s program. Students interested in pursuing a JD/MPH must be admitted into and enroll in both degree programs prior to completion of 30 credit hours of MPH coursework and 60 hours of JD coursework in order to qualify for the dual degree program.

Students must take the LSAT to apply to the College of Law. The School of Public Health will accept the LSAT in lieu of the GRE if a student is admitted into the College of Law first. If a student applies concurrently to the College of Law and School of Public Health, or if a student is admitted to the College of Law after they are admitted to the School of Public Health, that student will need to provide a GRE score as well. Admission into one program does not presume admission into the other. Students who gain admission into both programs and become dual degree JD/MPH students should self-disclose their dual degree status to the MPH Curriculum and Advisement Coordinator at the School of Public Health and the Associate Director of the Center for Law, Health and Society at the College of Law immediately upon admission into their second program of study (either JD or MPH). An email from the student to both the MPH Curriculum and Advisement Coordinator and CLHS Associate Director is preferred. Failure to send this notification to their two advisors may result in the student having to complete both programs in their entirety and become ineligible for the dual JD/MPH degree program opportunity.

What can I do with a dual degree in law and public health?

Private law practices specializing in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, and food and drug policy
Legal counsel in federal, state, and local government agencies
Government affairs and advocacy
Research institutions and higher education
Non-profit organization

Resources like the CDC’s Public Health Law Program, Network for Public Health Law, APHA Law Section, and the American Health Lawyers Association provide connections to similarly trained individuals throughout the country through conferences, training, and networking. Read more information in the findings from the Network for Public Health Law’s interactive tool.

Degree Requirements (106 Hours)

MPH - minimum 28 School of Public Health credit hours (+ 14 or more public health-related College of Law credit hours, taken for the JD)

Required MPH Core Courses (16 Hours)

PHPH 7010 - Foundations of Public Health 3 Hours MPH students who have completed a CEPH-accredited bachelor’s degree may replace this PHPH 7010 - Foundations of Public Health course with three credit hours of health management and policy concentration-approved elective course(s).
PHPH 7011 - Epidemiology for Public Health 3 Hours
or
PHPH 7711 - Epidemiologic Methods I 3 Hours
PHPH 7017 - Fundamentals of Biostatistics I 4 Hours
PHPB 7140 - Health Promotion Planning, Administration and Evaluation 3 Hours
PHPB 7160 - Fundamentals of Health Systems, Leadership, and Policy 3 Hours

Required MPH HMGP Concentration Courses (9 Hours)

PHPB 7170 - Public Health Leadership and Policy 3 Hours
PHPB 7330 - Health Care Management and Finance 3 Hours
LAW 7240 - Health Law: Finance and Delivery 3 Hours (in lieu of PH 8250 Health Economics and Policy)

Required MPH HMGP Concentration-Related College of Law Elective Courses (12 Hours)

List A of HMGP Concentration Approved Elective Courses (3 Hours)

Select at least one (1) course from the following List A of HMGP concentration approved elective courses (3 hours):

PHPB 8410 - Economic Evaluation 3 Hours
PHPB 7521 - Evaluation Research 3 Hours
PHPB 7522 - Qualitative Research 3 Hours
PHPB 8260 - Spatial Population Health I 3 Hours
Other appropriate research methods/statistics courses may be approved by the Department Chair on the Master of Public Health Graduate Petition form. Students should receive approval from the Department Chair prior to enrolling in, paying for, and completing the course.

List B of Approved MPH HMGP/JD Elective Courses (9 Hours)

Select at least three (3) courses from the following HMGP List B of approved MPH HMGP/JD elective courses (9 hours):

LAW 7239 - Health Law: Quality and Access 3 Hours
LAW 7244 - Public Health Law 3 Hours
Other SPH approved Health law electives with “B”grade (3.0) or better- counted below (3-9 hours)

Required MPH Applied Practice Experience Course

(2 Credit Hours) or (2 Credit Hours Minimum) of Public Health-Related Lawyering Skills Course

Public Health-Related Lawyering skills course, such as clinic or externship, and must specifically be HeLP, a health law related externship, or HLA (in lieu of PHPB 7960 - MPH Applied Practice Experience) (2) *Standard MPH HMGP students complete two (2) credit hours of PHPB 7960 - MPH Applied Practice Experience; however, JD/MPH HMGP dual degree students may satisfy this PHPB 7960 requirement by completing 3-6 credit hours of a College of Law lawyering skills course: specifically in the Health Law Partnership (HeLP) Legal Services Clinic at Georgia State University [law.gsu.edu/clinics/help-legal-services-clinic/], a health law related externship [law.gsu.edu/experiential-learning/externships/], or Health Legislation and Advocacy clinical program [law.gsu.edu/clinics/]. For either a traditional PHPB 7960 - MPH Applied Practice Experience or for a lawyering skills course in lieu of a MPH Applied Practice Experience, the student must FIRST complete all MPH core courses, LAW 7240, and LAW 7244 before beginning the MPH Applied Practice Experience or lawyering skills course. If a lawyering skills course is taken prior to completing those required MPH core courses, it will not count for the PHPB 7960 - MPH Applied Practice Experience requirement. This is simply because the MPH curriculum design requires the MPH Applied Practice Experience to be an opportunity for students to demonstrate the specific MPH knowledge and skills they learned in their MPH courses; therefore, students cannot apply the knowledge and skills acquired through their MPH courses of study in the MPH Applied Practice Experience until after they have completed those MPH courses. Students must submit a Waiver/Substitution form to the School of Public Health for the lawyering skills course to be counted in lieu of the PHPB 7960 - MPH Applied Practice Experience requirement [publichealth.gsu.edu/students/practicum/practicum-forms/], and the form must indicate how the student will demonstrate attainment of at least five public health competencies, of which at least three must be foundational competencies, in at least two products. The School of Public Health will make the final decision on if a completed lawyering skills course fulfills the PHPB 7960 requirement. Alternatively, JD/MPH student may elect to complete the standard public health Applied Practice Experience course.

PHPB 7960 - MPH Applied Practice Experience 2 to 6 Hours

Required MPH Thesis or Capstone Project Course (3 Credit Hours)

PHPB 7990 - Thesis 3 to 6 Hours
PHPB 7991 - Capstone 3 to 6 Hours
PHPB 7992 - Integrative Learning Experience 3 to 6 Hours

JD - Minimum 78 College of Law Hours

(+12 or more law-related School of Public Health credit hours, taken for the MPH)

Students should refer to the College of Law for the specific JD requirements of this dual degree program.