News Article
May 24, 2011
Duke to Offer Dual Degree in Law and Global Health
The Executive Committee of the Graduate Faculty has approved the creation of a new Juris Doctor and Master of Science in Global Health (JD/MSc-GH) dual degree. The degree pools the academic resources of the Duke School of Law and the Duke Global Health Institute, allowing students to explore health disparities domestically and globally within a legal context.
The JD/MSc-GH will provide students with an innovative, rigorous and relevant curriculum that serves as a foundation for addressing inequities in health through changes in law, policy and cultural norms. At the heart of the dual degree is the belief that it takes many disciplines to effectively address the social, cultural, political and economic factors that contribute to health disparities, particularly among poor and underserved populations.
“I am very excited about this cross-campus collaboration that will enable students to combine their law studies with a better understanding of global health,” said Randall Kramer, associate director of strategy at the Duke Global Health Institute. “In an era of increased recognition of global health as both a diplomacy issue and a national security issue, students in the degree program will be uniquely prepared to take important leadership positions in the U.S. and abroad.”
The new dual degree further strengthens the university’s interdisciplinary initiatives, and it provides students with an international framework for which to apply their knowledge and experience. The program helps to meet a growing demand for lawyers who specialize in health law.
“The dual degree program highlights Duke’s strengths in health, policy and international studies and provides law students a unique opportunity to examine these issues through the lens of the laws and regulations that affect global health,” said Tia Barnes, assistant dean for Academic Affairs at the Duke School of Law. “Over time, it will help to meet a growing demand for lawyers who are skilled in the range of issues that are explored in this degree program.”
The JD/MSc-GH was established in response to increasing student demand for a specialized graduate program option that integrates the studies of law and global health.
“I’m really pleased that Duke has formalized the program; it will make things smoother for students who follow this path after me,” said Erin Close, a student who is completing requirements toward both degrees. “I’ve found real value in combining these programs, and I have really appreciated the variety of my classroom experience. The JC/MSc-GH will be a real boon for students and a real accomplishment for Duke University, as this is an area of study that is certainly beneficial to society, but is not prolifically pursued in many places.”
The program will welcome its first student this fall. The new degree offering will accelerate study for students like Close who will now be able to pursue an integrated dual degree rather than two independent degrees.
The curriculum is designed to be flexible and can be completed in three years and one to two summers. The program will require 102 credit hours, which includes a field research experience. To fulfill the JD requirements, students must take eight first-year courses, two credits of legal ethics instruction, a two-credit upper-level legal writing project and at least one course involving practical legal skills. To fulfill the MSc-GH requirements, students are expected to complete five core courses, four electives in a designated concentration, a field experience in a low-resource setting and a research-based scholarly thesis.
Students must apply and be accepted to the Duke Law School and request consideration for the JD/MSc-GH dual degree program. For admittance into the MSc-GH program, students are also required to submit a personal statement describing prior experience and motivations for pursuing the Master of Science in Global Health.
The dual law and global health degree expands other offerings of the Duke Global Health Institute, which enable students to complement their study with global health, like the MD Third-Year Global Health Study Program, the Doctoral Scholars Program and the Global Health Certificate.