Joint JD/MPH
Earn a Master of Public Health in conjunction with a law degree.
Summary
The Juris Doctor and Master of Public Health (JD/MPH) joint degree program at Harvard Law School and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is designed to prepare individuals with an interest in law and public health for a career in health law, public health policy, or a related field.
About
Students in the program fulfill all requirements necessary to earn a JD from Harvard Law School (HLS) and an MPH from the Harvard Chan School. Students enroll in the MPH 45-credit program and pursue either the Global Health or Health Policy field of study. Upon successful completion of the program, joint degree students will be awarded both a JD and an MPH from the respective Harvard schools.
The JD/MPH offers an intensive course of study to be completed in three academic
years. Students spend their first academic year solely at HLS taking the standard firstyear Law School curriculum. During the second and third years of the program, joint
degree students are enrolled in, and take courses at, both schools. Students who meet
all JD and MPH degree requirements receive both degrees in May of the third year.
On Campus (Fall start) • Full-time (3 years)
Curriculum
Joint JD/MPH applicants should apply to one of the following fields of study:
Our Community
Committed, Accomplished, Collaborative
As a Harvard Chan MPH student, you will work in a collaborative classroom environment alongside talented students from around the world and from a variety of academic and professional backgrounds. You will take advantage of the extraordinary resources of Harvard University and Boston’s Longwood Medical Area—home to Harvard Medical School, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and other world-class health facilities. You will meet global leaders and work with world-renowned faculty members. And when you graduate, you will benefit from Harvard’s unparalleled global network of alumni leaders.
Career Outcomes
Graduates are prepared for positions in a variety of settings, including law firms; local, state, provincial, or national government or intergovernmental organizations; donor aid agencies; nongovernmental or nonprofit organizations; entrepreneurial initiatives; and academia.
Eligibility Criteria
- Completion of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent and completion of the 1L year at
Harvard Law School prior to matriculation at the Harvard Chan School. - Strong academic record in undergraduate work and any graduate study
undertaken to date. - Evidence of strong performance in prior coursework in mathematics and
quantitative methods, and a comfort level with quantitative methods sufficient to
undertake graduate-level study of biostatistics and epidemiology in an intensive,
integrated course. - Evidence of prior academic exposure to concepts in life sciences, health care,
global health, and/or health policy.
Application Requirements
All applications must be submitted through SOPHAS – the centralized application service for public health programs. In addition to the application, applicants must submit:
- English language proficiency (TOEFL/IELTS/Duolingo English Test), if applicable
- Statement of purpose and objectives
- Standardized test scores (optional with guidance)
- Three letters of reference
- Resumé/curriculum vitae
- Post-secondary transcripts or mark sheets (World Education Services credential evaluation for applicants with degrees from outside of the United States)
Application Deadline: December 1
Applicants may apply to only one degree program for either full- or part-time status. Applications are reviewed in their entirety and decisions are released via email in late February/early March. Decisions are not released until all application components are received.