Dual JD/MPH Program

Program Highlights

Northeastern University’s School of Law and Bouvé College of Health Sciences offer a JD/MPH dual degree. The Master of Public Health (MPH) component focuses on addressing the unique public health challenges and opportunities in urban populations. The program features interdisciplinary faculty from the School of Law, DʼAmore-McKim School of Business, College of Social Sciences and Humanities, Khoury College of Computer Sciences, and the Bouvé College of Health Sciences. It aims to provide students with practice-based knowledge, skills, and experience to address public health problems and assume leadership roles.

Delivery Modes

The MPH component is delivered as part of a structured JD/MPH dual-degree program. The provided 'Possible Patterns of Attendance' suggests an on-campus, full-time commitment during the terms dedicated to MPH coursework and activities. All JD students, including FlexJD students, are ordinarily eligible to apply to dual degree pathways.

Curriculum Overview

Up to 9 credit hours of coursework in the JD program may count toward the MPH, and up to 12 credit hours of coursework in the MPH program may count toward the JD. Students may pursue Bouvé’s concentration in Urban Health.

MPH Core Courses include:

• Society, Behavior and Health

• Public Health Administration and Policy

• Environmental Health

• Epidemiology

• Biostatistics

Urban Health Core Courses include:

• Principles and History of Urban Health

• Urban Community Health Assessment

• Race, Ethnicity and Health

• Health Education and Program Planning

Additional MPH courses cover topics such as health care quality, health policy economics, health advocacy, strategic management, program evaluation, food policy, global health, research methods, and social epidemiology. A Bouvé Practicum and an Urban Health Capstone Project are required.

Admissions Requirements

To be admitted to the JD/MPH dual-degree program, students must be admitted to both Northeastern University School of Law and Bouvé College of Health Sciences. Students should apply online to the School of Law through LSAC. The application for the MPH program is available via Apply Yourself (AY). The AY application fee and GRE requirements are waived for JD/MPH students. Both applications must be submitted by March 1 for those applying to the dual-degree program. The program also accepts applications during a student’s first or second year of law school at Northeastern or from students transferring to Northeastern. Admission to the School of Law does not guarantee admission to the MPH program.

Career & Practical Experience

The program prepares students to address public health problems and assume leadership roles in the field. Students in the JD/MPH program are required to satisfy the law school’s co-op requirements and must complete at least one co-op related to public health. The Urban Health Capstone Project provides students with the opportunity to work on-site in a range of diverse public health practice settings, integrating knowledge and skills in a major research, program planning, or policy development project.