Innovative educational opportunities continue at USF Health as its College of Public Health partners with Stetson University College of Law to offer a MPH/JD dual degree.

“We are excited that our college and Stetson College of Law could pave the way for these exciting endeavors,” said Karen Liller, PhD, associate dean for academic affairs at the COPH.

In addition to giving students a sound foundation in both law and public health to better meet the legal health-related challenges of today, the new MPH/JD degree will encourage faculty from both institutions to jointly teach courses and pursue collaborative research.

The MPH/JD program is among several dual degrees offered at USF Health.

The College of Public Health also offers an MPH with degrees from anthropology (MA or PhD), biochemistry and molecular biology (PhD), social work (MSW), and adult nursing (MS).

The College of Medicine offers and MD-PhD Program in Biomedical Sciences, the MD-PhD Program in Biomedical Engineering, the MD-MBA Program with the College of Business, and the MD-MPH Program with the College of Public Health. The School of Physical Therapy offers DPT-MPH degree.

The goals for students include solving public health problems using legal tools; understanding the scientific implications of legal problems touching upon public health and private health care provision; understanding how public health policies are expressed in laws and regulations; analyzing the legal environment and carrying out public health programs and activities in compliance with law; understanding the legal ramifications of proposals for health care and social welfare reform; and developing skills to advocate changes in health care policy.

Students must meet the entrance requirements for both degree programs and can graduate within five years. The first class of students will be admitted in fall 2007.

“The possibilities for integrating the disciplines of law and public health are limitless. Students will be able discover, and sometimes create, new career opportunities. Faculty will enrich their teaching and scholarship by working directly with experts from other disciplines. And ultimately our community should benefit as we generate more sophisticated solutions to public health problems. What a wonderful idea to integrate two schools with outstanding reputations”, said Michael S. Finch, Senior Professor of Law at Stetson University, College of Law.

Story by Sarah Worth