Joint Degree Programs
Juris Doctor/Master of Public Health (JD/MPH) Joint Degree
back to Collaborative Degree Programs
Students with an interest in public health law and policy may choose to pursue a joint JD/MPH degree offered collaboratively by the College of Law and the College of Public Health and Health Professions. Under the joint degree program, a student can obtain both degrees in approximately two semesters less than it would take to obtain them if pursued consecutively.
Click on the links below to learn more about this exciting program.
Program description
Admission criteria and process
Timing of application/admission
Eligible grades
Writing requirement
Program completion requirements
Award of degree
Program withdrawal
Teaching assistantships
Supervisory committee
MPH culminating experience
Sample MPH curriculum
Contact us
Program description
The JD/MPH joint degree program adds about one academic year to the time required to complete the JD degree. The MPH, a 48 credit program, usually takes 2 years to complete. The timeframe is shorter for the joint degree because the two programs share 12 credits of required coursework and up to 15 credits of MPH core courses may be taken online. Students may choose to devote the entire first year of study either to the JD degree or to the MPH degree. During the subsequent 2-3 years, they complete remaining course work, writing, and experiential training for both degrees.
Admission criteria and process
Candidates for the program must meet the entrance requirements and procedures for admission to both the Juris Doctor and the Master of Public Health degree programs. Both programs must be informed by the student at the time of application to the second program, that he/she intends to pursue the joint JD/MPH program. Because the time span from application to admission is more extended in the College of Law than for the Master of Public Health, it is generally recommended that students seek and gain admission to the College of Law first and make the MPH the second program. The joint degree program is not open to students who have already earned either the JD or the MPH degree. Additional information regarding admission to each program may be found at http://www.law.ufl.edu/admissions/ and (link to MPH admissions page).
Timing of application/admission
Students are encouraged to announce their intent to seek a joint degree as soon as possible after admission to the first program. Admission to the second program is required no later than the end of the fourth consecutive semester after beginning one degree of the joint degree program. A summer term is counted as half a single semester.
Students admitted to one program but electing to spend the first academic year in the second program under the joint degree program may enter the first program thereafter without once again qualifying for admission so long as they have notified the first program before the end of the first week of the first semester in the joint degree program and are in good academic standing when studies commence in the first program.
Eligible grades
Master of Public Health courses, which are to be credited toward the J.D. degree, must carry a grade of B or higher but will not be counted in the College of Law grade point average. College of Law courses that are to be credited toward the MPH degree must carry a grade of C or higher but will not be counted in the grade point average for the MPH degree program
Writing requirement
Students enrolled in the joint degree program must complete the College of Law's advanced writing requirement.
Program completion requirements
A student must satisfy the curriculum requirements for each degree before either degree is awarded. The MPH, a 48-credit program, will allow 12 credits of appropriate law courses to be credited toward both MPH and JD degrees. Reciprocally, law students may receive toward the satisfaction of the JD degree 12-semester credits for courses taken in the graduate curriculum for the MPH degree. Two of these courses, not more than a total of 6 semester credits, will be treated as the two graduate courses ordinarily allowed to be taken outside of the College of Law for credit toward Law School graduation. Students must carry the minimum number of credits required by either college.
Award of degree
A student enrolled in the joint degree program will not receive either degree until he/she has satisfied all of the requirements for both degrees, or until he/she has satisfied the requirements of one of the degrees as if he/she had not been a joint degree candidate.
Program withdrawal
Withdrawal from the MPH Program: Students who enroll in the joint degree program but do not complete the program may receive credit toward the College of Law degree under the graduate level course option for a maximum of two courses, not to exceed 6 semester credits, taken from the graduate curriculum of the MPH program of the College of Public Health and Health Professions. Although the grade is not computed in the student's grade point average, a grade of B or higher must be earned to receive credit hours for the course(s).
Withdrawal from the JD Program: Students who enroll in the joint degree program but do not complete the program may receive credit toward the MPH, not to exceed 6 semester credits, taken from the curriculum of the College of Law. Although the grade is not computed in the student's grade point average, a grade of C or higher must be earned to receive credit hours for the course(s). These 6 hours will only satisfy the elective hours in the MPH program unless otherwise approved by the MPH program director.
Teaching assistantships
Students in the joint program are eligible for graduate teaching assistantships and research assistantships in the College of Public Health and Health Professions on the same basis as other graduate students, subject to the guidelines and restrictions set by the MPH Program.
Supervisory committee
To facilitate student progress in the joint program, the MPH supervisory committee should be comprised of one MPH faculty member and one faculty member from the College of Law.
MPH culminating experience
Consistent with University of Florida Graduate School requirements, the MPH program requires a comprehensive examination which is in the form of oral and written presentations of each student’s special project (internship or research project). The written and oral presentations are designed to assess understanding of the basic principles and theories underpinning the five core areas of public health and to assess the student’s ability to apply this knowledge to contemporary issues. This experience provides students with the opportunity to demonstrate broad-based knowledge in the field of public health and represents the culmination of the academic experience in the program.
Sample MPH curriculum
Below is a sample of the MPH curriculum JD students will follow during the year devoted to MPH studies (either year 1 or 2). Most JD students choose Pubic Health Management and Policy for their concentrations, although they are eligible to choose any of the other concentration options. A complete list of the courses required for the JD may be found at www.law.ufl.edu/programs/jd/selection.shtml.
Joint JD/MPH, Public Health Management and Policy Concentration, 48 credits
| I. Public Health Core: 16 credits Credits *Semester Offered | Credits |
*Semester Offered |
|
| PHC 6050 | Statistical Methods for Health Sciences I | 3 |
F |
| PHC 6001 | Principles of Epidemiology | 3 |
F (ss) |
| PHC 6313 | Environmental Health Concepts in Public Health | 3 |
S (F) |
| PHC 6102 | Introduction to Public Health Administrative Systems | 3 |
S (F) |
| PHC 6406 | Psychological, Behavioral, and Social Issues in
Public Health |
3 |
F (F) |
| PHC 6XXX | Seminar in Contemporary Public Health Issues | 1 |
F,S |
| II. Concentration Core: 15 credits | |||
| HSA 5103 | Introduction to U.S. Health Care System | 3 |
F |
| HSA 5177 | Fundamentals of Health Care Finance | 3 |
S |
| HAS 6118 | Health Services Management | 3 |
F |
| HSA 6152 | Overview of U.S. Health Policy (pre-req: prior health related coursework) | 3 |
S |
| PHC 61xx | Evidence-Based Management of Public Health Programs | 3 |
F |
| III. Courses Accepted from JD Curriculum: 12 credits | |||
| LAW 5000 | Contracts | 4 |
|
| LAW 5501 | Constitutional Law | 4 |
|
| LAW 5700 | Torts | 4 |
|
| IV. Special Project: 5 credits | |||
| PHC 6912 or 6946 | Special Project: Research or Internship | 5 |
|
* F=Fall; S=Spring; ss=Summer. ( ) denote semester offered online.
Class schedules are subject to change each semester. Students should verify
course offerings and contact appropriate department for permission to register
prior to registration.
Contact us
Mischka Garel, MPH
Assistant Director for Public Health Programs
College of Public Health & Health Professions
University of Florida
Box 100182
Gainesville, FL 32610
Phone: 352-273-6443 Fax: 352-273-6448
mgarel@phhp.ufl.edu
Mary Peoples-Sheps, Dr.PH
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
College of Public Health & Health Professions
University of Florida
Box 100182
Gainesville, FL 32610
Phone: 352-273-6084 Fax: 352-273-6199
mpeoplessheps@phhp.ufl.edu
Gail E. Sasnett-Stauffer, JD
Associate Dean for Students, Professionalism & Community Relations
Levin College of Law
sasnett@law.ufl.edu
