The coordinated Public Health/Juris Doctorate (JD) degree program is offered by the UAB School of Public Health (SOPH) in cooperation with the Cumberland School of Law at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama. Students in this coordinated program earn an MPH with a concentration in Population Health. In this individualized concentration, students gain a solid foundation in public health through completion of the MPH core (based on the Evidence-based Public Health framework), an Applied Practice Experience (Internship), and an Integrative Learning Experience (Capstone). Students also select from among all master’s-level Public Health courses (e.g., health economics, strategic planning, health policy) to build a unique curriculum that supports their career goals. Specialized advising is provided to assist students in designing their individualized curriculum.
Curriculum
Students may complete the MPH portion of this coordinated degree program totally online, in class, or through a mix of online and in-class experiences.
A total of 90 credit hours of coursework are required for the coordinated MPH/JD Normally, 42 credit hours are required for the MPH degree, however, because of the coordinated nature of the degree, 13 credit hours from the JD curriculum are credited to the MPH and 12 hours from the MPH curriculum are credited to the JD. This allows students to earn both degrees in reduced time and at reduced cost.
Online students pay less than the out-of-state tuition rate for the MPH portion of this coordinated degree.
Students considering this coordinated program must first be enrolled at the Cumberland School of Law; admission into the Cumberland School of Law does not automatically ensure acceptance into the UAB School of Public Health. Students must have a GPA of 2.5 at the end of the first year of law school to be eligible to apply for this coordinated degree program. In addition, a minimum law school GPA of 2.5 and a minimum GPA of 3.0 in public health are required each semester for students to continue in the coordinated program.
To apply for this degree, you will submit a supplemental application directly through the UAB Graduate School.
Students should note that the Population Health program curriculum has been updated. If a student is submitting to switch from a different degree program or department into a Coordinated Degree or the General MPH in Population Health Degree, the student will be responsible for completing the current Population Health program requirements. Students should meet with the current program manager prior to submitting a petition to switch programs.