The Washington and Lee University School of Law currently offers one dual degree program, a J.D./M.H.A program run jointly with Virginia Commonwealth University. Click here for a brochure about the program!
About the Program
LAW.
HEALTH CARE ADMINISTRATION.
Health care is critically important to both society and to the individual. Health care is American's largest industry, one of its most dynamic, and one of its most heavily regulated. Law permeates every aspect of health care's organization, delivery and financing, and Health Law is one of the most rapidly growing and exciting areas of legal practice.
The Juris Doctor and Master of Health Administration (JD/MHA) dual degree is designed for students who wish to combine a solid legal education with exemplary preparation for a career in healthcare management. Completion of this dual degree allows graduates to compete successfully for a wide range of professional opportunities where the worlds of law and health care intersect. Professionals with training in law and health administration can look forward to careers "in the trenches" addressing the issues that shape and reshape this important sector of the American economy and have a profound effect on the life of every citizen. The dual degree leads to a Juris Doctorate from Washington and Lee as well as a Master of Health Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University through an innovative and integrated curriculum that allows the student to complete in four and a half years two degrees that would take six years to obtain separately.
Scholars at W&L Law have long been engaged in the thoughtful and systematic examination of the close relationship betwen medicine and law. The Dual Degree program will be guided by Robert L. Willett Family Professor of Law Timothy Stoltzfus Jost. Professor Jost is a nationally recognized health law scholar and co-author of a widely used casebook, treatise and hornbook on health law and has written extensively on health care regulation and comparative health law and policy.
VCU's Department of Health Administration is one of the oldest providers of health administration education in the nation. For more than 50 years, the Department has maintained its mission of educating men and women to lead complex health care organizations. VCU is viewed by education and health care leaders as a program of choice in the field of health care administration. The curriculum is carefully planned and frequently updated to reflect the rapidly changing health care industry. All courses are designed with application to diverse health care settings and ownership types (not-for-profit and for-profit organizations). Learning methods include case study, lecture, group projects, community projects, and experiential learning. Visit VCU's website for details about the Master in Health Administration curriculum.
Students must be accepted into the JD/MHA program by both W&L Law and VCU; separate application to each institution is required. Students must take 70 credits at W&L Law, the entire first year curriculum, all second year required courses and the following electives:
Health Care Quality Regulation (3 credits)
Health Law Organization and Finance (3 credits)
For detailed descriptions of these courses, please see our Catalog.