The School of Law's Center for Health Law Studies at St. Louis University offers students the opportunity to earn either a health law certificate (in conjunction with a J.D. degree) or a dual master's or Ph.D. degree. Additionally, practicing lawyers wishing to enter the health law field may earn an LL.M., referred to as a Master of Laws. Founded in 1982, St. Louis University's School of Law has a health law curriculum that focuses on both core courses such as health care quality and bioethics, as well as specialized courses such as elder law and products liability. Students can gain practical experience through one of the school's many health law clinics. This includes working with the elderly or Alzheimer's patients. Additionally, externships in area hospitals and medical facilities are available. The Center for Health Law Studies has a number of dual degree programs for students wishing to earn a second graduate degree while working on their J.D. These programs are typically four to five years in length and include J.D./ Master of Public Health, J.D./ Master of Health Administration, J.D./Master of Public Health and Health Policy and J.D./Health Care Ethics Ph.D. Working students may attend the program part-time. Ten full tuition scholarships are available to accepted students who meet the school's eligibility criteria. Students should contact the school for application materials.
St. Louis University School of Law
3700 Lindell Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63108
314-977-2766
law.slu.edu/healthlaw
The University of Virginia School of Law offers a health law J.D. concentration and a dual J.D./Master of Public Health program. The health law concentration is a joint effort of the University's School of Law and School of Medicine. Classes are taught by both law and medicine professors. Students in this area are able to gain experience in the clinical setting along with medical students and doctors in fields such as pediatrics, neurology and psychiatry. General courses in health law are offered along with specialized training in malpractice, psychiatry and criminal law, as well as genetics and the law. Fellowships are available for students who wish to gain further experience working for faculty members, practicing health lawyers and other health law professionals.
University of Virginia School of Law
580 Massie Rd.
Charlottesville, VA 22903
434-929-7354
www.law.virginia.edu
The University of Minnesota's health law and bioethics concentration provides students studying for their J.D. or LL.M. degree the opportunity to take health law-related courses in areas such as bioethics, family issues and regulatory theory. Specialized course work focuses on the interdisciplinary study of topics that range from assisted reproduction to food and drug law. The J.D. program is an 88-credit curriculum that requires a minimum of six semesters of study. Students will also be required to take general law courses such as criminal law and civil procedure. Practical opportunities at the Minnesota Journal of Law, Science and Technology are available to students in the health law concentration program who wish to pursue editing or publishing in a scholarly periodical.
University of Minnesota
Walter F. Mondale Hall
229-19th Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55455
612-625-3406
law.umn.edu