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Health Law Degree Programs
Health Law Degree Programs
Health law may be studied by lawyers or by professionals in health-related career fields, like healthcare administration. Review degree options in health law targeted to these two different groups. Get info about the curriculum in these degree programs, and find out what career options are available to those with health law training.
What Are Health Law Degree Programs?
Health law degree programs provide training on the legal aspects of the healthcare industry, such as legislative mandates on patient care, pharmaceutical drug standards, healthcare provider activities and patient rights. Degree programs that are the equivalent of, or closely related to, health law include public health law and healthcare law.
Degree programs related to health law are offered through graduate studies via campus-based and online delivery methods. Multiple program options are available to you; one option is to obtain a health law degree through law school. This may be facilitated through a program that yields a Master of Jurisprudence in Health Law or through a dual master's/doctoral degree program in law and public health.
Another option is to earn your master's or doctorate through graduate school programs that do not result in a law degree. This option would be appropriate if you are a non-legal professional in the healthcare/medical industry, or if you are an existing lawyer or paralegal who wants to establish a new work specialization.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Health Law Programs</b></td><td> Online and campus-based graduate programs available through law schools, facilitated through Master of Jurisprudence in Health Law courses or law and public health programs <br/> Non-legal professionals or paralegals and lawyers seeking a career change may choose not to study for a law degree at graduate level</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Common Courses</b></td><td>Basic health law principles, food law, drug law, medical practices, mental health law, medical standards, quality assurance, regulatory environments, legal bioethics, clinical bioethics, health law research, global health policy, healthcare systems, biomedicine</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Career Options</b></td><td>Depends on training and work experience <br/> Attorney, paralegal specializing in health law</td></tr>
</table><h3 id="section---WhatMightMyCurriculumInclude">What Might My Curriculum Include?</h3><p>Your targeted coursework in heath law may include foundational topics such as basic health law principles, food laws, drug laws, medical practices and mental health law. Medical standards may be covered through healthcare accreditation, quality assurance, professional standards, regulatory environments, legal bioethics and clinical bioethics courses. You may also learn about health law research, global health policy, healthcare systems and biomedicine.
</p><h3 id="section---WhatAreMyCareerOptions">What Are My Career Options?</h3><p>You career options vary with your training and work experience; for instance, you may choose a legal profession as an attorney or paralegal. However, to practice law as an attorney, you must pass your state's bar examination after receiving your degree. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that the median salary for lawyers as a whole was $126,930 (2020), and for paralegals and legal assistants in all fields was $52,920 (2020). The job outlook for lawyers was projected to increase 4% from 2019-2029, and the job outlook for paralegals and legal assistants in all fields was expected to grow 10% during the same period.
</p><p>You could also work as a non-legal professional for employers such as pharmaceutical companies, insurance firms, biomedical organizations, government agencies and healthcare facilities. Possible job titles include health policy advocate, medical director, policy analyst and health coordinator.</p>
