Joint Degree in Law and Public Health (M.P.H.)

First, students will need to apply to the J.D. program at Penn State Dickinson Law. After being accepted to and matriculating, students are eligible to submit a Penn State graduate application for admission into the M.P.H. program during their first through fourth semesters of law school. The program officially begins in the fall semester following the academic year in which the student applies.

J.D./M.P.H. students must meet the admissions requirements of both programs, and each program makes its own admissions decision. Learn more about Penn State Dickinson Law’s admissions requirements. Learn more about the College of Medicine’s admissions requirements.

The application process opens in August. Students must apply by January 15 to attend in the fall. Students will receive an admissions decision by April 15. Information on Penn State Dickinson Law’s admissions process can be found here.

Students in the J.D./M.P.H. program fulfill all requirements to earn a J.D. from Penn State Dickinson Law and a M.P.H. from Penn State College of Medicine.

Once enrolled in the joint degree program, students must complete the first-year J.D. curriculum before enrolling in any classes in the M.P.H. curriculum. After the first year, 12 credits of J.D. coursework may be double-counted toward the M.P.H. degree. Up to nine credits of M.P.H. coursework may be double-counted toward the J.D. degree.

Core Curriculum

All students take the following core courses, generally offered in residence at Penn State College of Medicine:

• PHS 501: Principles of Public Health (3 credits)
• PHS 504: Behavioral Health Intervention Strategies (3 credits)
• PHS 520: Principles of Biostatistics (3 credits)
• PHS 536: Health Survey Research Methods (3 credits)
• PHS 550: Principles of Epidemiology (3 credits)
• PHS 571: Introduction to Health Services Organization and Delivery (3 credits)

Practice-Based Learning

The Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic is built into the curriculum to reinforce students’ academic and professional development and their ability to become competent in the practice of public health and health law.

• IHCLN 997: Medical-Legal Partnership Clinic (3 credits)

Culminating Experience

All students participate in a capstone project — a unique opportunity to gain professional experience and apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to real-world public health settings. Previous capstone projects have included The Impact of the National Essential Medicine Policy in the Context of Current Health Care Reform in China; Increasing Equity, Quality and Access to Healthcare: Initiation of a Telehealth Program in a Rural Indian Community; and A Plan to Increase the Rural Primary Care Physician Workforce in Pennsylvania.

• PHS 894: Capstone Experience (3 credits)

Electives

Students may select from a pre-approved list of electives or propose alternate electives for consideration and approval by the program. In addition to fulfilling the 18 credit elective requirement by selecting courses from the pre-approved list or by proposing alternate courses for consideration, students may specialize in a track for depth of training by selecting a specific configuration of pre-approved electives. Students will fulfill up to nine elective credits by double counting J.D. coursework to the M.P.H. degree program.

For questions about the J.D./M.P.H. program, contact Professor Medha D. Makhlouf at mdm5849@psu.edu or 717-241-3521.

For more information about applying to Penn State Dickinson Law’s J.D. program, contact Rebecca Schreiber, Director of Admissions and Financial Aid, at rms822@psu.edu or 717-240-5297.