JD Concentration in Health Equity, Law & Policy
Intro
The JD Concentration in Health Equity, Law & Policy prepares tomorrow’s health law and policy advocates to creatively solve complex public health issues and effect equitable, sustainable health in our communities. In keeping with the vision, mission, and values of the Health Equity, Law & Policy Program (HELPP), this JD concentration emphasizes the intersection of health equity, law, and policy and other disciplines as a critical nexus for creating just health for society.
View the HELPP Mission, Vision and Values.
Requirements and Learning Outcomes
Declaration to Pursue the Concentration: Degree candidates who intend to pursue the JD Concentration in Health Equity, Law & Policy should provide written notice to the Associate Dean for Law & Health Sciences. Students generally should make this declaration upon completion of 30 credits and obtain the Associate Dean’s approval for their chosen approach to including an equity focus within their studies. Although later declarations are permitted, students who do not give notice until their 3L1 semester may not have time to complete the concentration.
General Requirements
JD students may earn only one concentration. Degree candidates pursuing the JD Concentration in Health Equity, Law & Policy must complete a minimum of 16 credits, including 11 required credits, and must graduate with a cumulative overall GPA of 3.0 and a GPA of 3.25 in coursework taken to fulfill the concentration.
Concentration candidates are also highly encouraged to take Lawyering Skills IV: Drafting – Health Law (LAW 434, 2 Credits) and a health law-related externship or clinic.
Students are expected to include an equity focus within their studies beyond these core courses, e.g., in a clinic or externship, the Independent Study project or other writing project, an equity-oriented elective, or other approach.
Required Courses
- Administrative Law (JD 498, 3 Credits)
- Health Law: Quality & Safety (LAW 520, 2 Credits)
- Health Law: Structure & Financing (LAW 521, 2 Credits)
- Independent Study in Law (LAW 596, 1-2 Credits)*
One of the following courses:
Courses in addition to those listed above may be approved by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and the Associate Dean for Law & Health Sciences to satisfy the interdisciplinary selective course requirement. Enrollment in courses offered by colleges other than the Law School may require notice to or approval by the appropriate college and the instructor of record, and may be subject to enrollment limits on law students.
*Topic, placement, or course must be approved in advance by the Associate Dean for Law & Health Sciences.
Elective Courses
- Antitrust Law (LAW 486, 3 Credits)
- Assisted Reproductive Technology: Law & Practice (LAW 524, 2 Credits)
- Bioethics & the Law (LAW 526, 2 Credits)
- Cancer Rights & Law (LAW 522, 2 Credits)
- Clinic: Community Enterprise & Solidarity Economy Law Clinic (TADR 492, 3 Credits)†
- Clinic: Fair Housing Clinic (JD 541, 3 Credits)†
- Clinic: International Human Rights Clinic (TADR 482, 3 Credits)†
- Clinic: Patent Clinic (TADR 495, 3 Credits)†
- Clinic: Veterans Clinic (TADR 488, 3 Credits)†
- Disability Law (LAW 504, 2 Credits)
- Employment Law (LAW 501, 2 Credits)
- Environmental Law (LAW 445, 3 Credits)
- Externship: Criminal Law Fieldwork (TADR 473, 2-3 Credits)*
- Externship: Local Government & Non-Profit Fieldwork (TADR 472, 2-3 Credits)*
- Externship: Restorative Justice Placement (TADR 477, 1 Credit)†
- Food, Drug & Cosmetics Law (LAW 451, 3 Credits)
- Health Information Privacy (PTL 526, 2 Credits)
- Healthcare Compliance (LAW 525, 2 Credits)
- Immigration Law & Procedure (LAW 485, 2 Credits)
- Law Review Comment (LAW 586, 1-2 Credits)*
- Lawyering Skills IV: Drafting: Health Law (LAW 434, 2 Credits)
- Medical Negligence (LAW 523, 2 Credits)
- Products Liability (LAW 537, 2 Credits)
- RIPL: Comment (LAW 583, 1-2 Credits)*
- Special Topics in Law (LAW 594, 2-3 Credits)*
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Legend
*- Concentration candidates who take this experiential learning component must take both the class and placement components.
†- Topic must be approved in advance by the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and the faculty director.
Learning Outcomes
JD Concentration in Health Equity, Law and Policy
- Graduates of the concentration will understand and be able to apply key concepts in health law.
- Graduates of the concentration will understand the relationship between law and health policy.
- Graduates of the concentration will recognize the importance of interdisciplinary and community collaboration and innovation for more effective health law and policy-making.
- Graduates of the concentration will learn to use law and policy to advance health equity.
Adopted April 28, 2023.
