The Master's Degree in Health Policy and Law was developed in response to the increasing need to equip professionals from the healthcare and legal disciplines with a more complete understanding of the best scientific, ethical, regulatory, and management practices. As medical decisions grow more complicated and far-reaching, the intersection of legal and medical/healthcare practices will be one of the most critical focal points of society for decades to come. Managed care, advances in medical treatment and biotechnology, issues of access, and bioethics all absorb the attention of our regulatory, legislative, and judicial systems. Healthcare and legal professionals will need to have the specialized skills and training to be effective and influential in this complex environment.
Led by select faculty from the School of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego and California Western School of Law, the rigorous and timely graduate-level curriculum is designed to orient professionals to the common activities, philosophy of practice, and challenges of the companion discipline in healthcare or law. The program focuses on acculturating practitioners in both fields to become leaders in providing integrated, sensitive solutions to every-day practice and policy issues.
OBJECTIVES AND COMPETENCIES
Of the UCSD-CWSL MASTERS IN HEALTH POLICY AND LAW
Graduates should be capable of:
• Accurately and fairly reflecting the views, concerns, and practices of both the medical and the legal profession with regard to timely issues associated with healthcare
• Explaining the U.S. healthcare system and comparing it with systems in other countries, illustrating how each/any model gives rise to certain legal and/or governance issues in healthcare
• Thoughtfully exploring issues at the frontiers of the intersection of health and the law, including the impact of technological innovations
• Developing policy solutions that are mutually compatible to the fields of medicine and law
They obtain their capability by developing competencies in:
• The foundational principles and thought processes of legal and medical practice (respectively)
• Frameworks for applying policy to health systems globally
• Bioethical reasoning
• Policy research and development
Additional Program Information
Accreditation:
The Master of Advanced Studies (MAS) is a fully accredited master's degree, conferred by the University of California, San Diego. Under a statewide project of the University of California, the MAS credential was first introduced in January, 2001 in response to the need to expand career potential and bring academic rigor to professionals in various fields. The self-funded MAS degree program is tailored typically to the lifestyle and level of experience of working professionals and may be taken on a full- or part-time basis. The Master's Degree in Health Policy and Law from UCSD and California Western School of Law is the first joint MAS degree.
The degree is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). This is the accrediting body for the University of California. UC Graduate degree programs go through graduate academic reviews of their curriculum/faculty/administration every 7 years by the Graduate Council.
Financial Aid:
No
Requirements:
Program Admission Requirements
Items considered during the admissions review:
Possession of an appropriate medical, healthcare, legal, or related degree
Undergraduate or post-baccalaureate record (a minimum GPA of 3.0 in the final two years of study expected)
Minimum 3 years of relevant work experience, or the equivalent preferred. We do accept some recent undergraduates with exceptional grades and references.
Completion of online application for graduate admission
Resume or curriculum vitae illustrating experience and achievements
Compelling statement of purpose including a description of individual strengths and interests, how the program will benefit the applicant professionally, and potential ideas for the capstone projects
Letters of recommendation (3)
TOEFL scores (International Applicants) NOTE: GRE/LSAT/GMAT results are not required for the MAS degree.
