Online Master’s Programs in Health Law & Policy
MHA Search
Healthcare is one of the most regulated industries in the world, and the introduction of an estimated 10,000 pages of legislation in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) added thousands of new regulations and policies and millions of new patients. With trillions of dollars invested in healthcare and a rapidly evolving legal landscape, the stakes and complexities in health law and policy have never been higher. Those with a comprehensive understanding of healthcare and law and how they interact with each other can advance their career and advocate for better patient care and reformed legislation.
Healthcare law reaches a vast number of professions. Advanced practice nurses, paralegals, physicians, insurance professionals, community service managers, and social workers can all benefit from furthering their education by obtaining a master’s degree in health law and policy. Such master’s degrees are often paired with a law school but do not require a Juris Doctor (JD) or Law School Admission Test (LSAT) score to attend, thus providing an excellent legal education that bolsters one’s current career track instead of deviating from it.
However, Professionals with their JD can pursue a master of law (LLM) in health law and policy to specialize in the legal intricacies that affect large corporations, small businesses, local governments, and patients alike. With a field as sprawling as healthcare, sub-specialties and minor concentrations reach across the spectrum, and whether one is considering a role in the public or private sector, options exist for a deeply targeted education—whether as part of an LLM, a master of health policy, or even a focused specialization in compliance.
The Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, and there’s a growing demand for interpretation, implementation, and further reform advocacy by educated professionals. With the new American Healthcare Act looming on the horizon, the demand for these skills is expected to only increase. Fortunately, some of the world’s best universities and professors are training a new crop of specialists to meet that demand, and the programs are more accessible than ever.
| Featured Healthcare Law & Policy Programs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Arizona State University | Clinical Research Management - Regulatory Science (MS) | View Full Profile |
| Arizona State University | Corporate and Health Care Compliance (MLS) | View Full Profile |
| Arizona State University | Regulatory Science (MS) | View Full Profile |
| Johns Hopkins University - Advanced Academic Programs | MS Food Safety Regulation | View Full Profile |
| Johns Hopkins University - Advanced Academic Programs | MS Individualized Genomics and Health - Regulatory/Policy | View Full Profile |
| Johns Hopkins University - Advanced Academic Programs | MS Regulatory Science | View Full Profile |
Featured Online Master’s in Health Law & Policy Degrees
The University of Cincinnati offers an online healthcare policy and regulation graduate certificate program. This fully online program does not require any campus visits.
The program trains students to evaluate the impact of different policies and programs in healthcare, affecting patients and other individuals. The faculty for the program includes world-class professors who are active leaders in health administration.
The major admission requirements include a bachelor’s degree program, official undergraduate transcripts, a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.0, letters of reference, a current resume, a letter of intent, and TOEFL scores for international students.
The program comprises 12 credits. Some of the course topics include organization and delivery of health systems; health policy and regulation; legal and ethical issues; principles of leadership; healthcare finance; and analysis and decision-making.
Through this program, students understand how the law applies to the healthcare system. The program equips them with skills to organize, manage, and regulate the delivery of healthcare services. They are well-equipped to make decisions and actionable plans for achieving specific healthcare goals within a society.
At the end of the program, graduates can pursue several opportunities in healthcare law, government relations, planning and development, information and privacy, health education, and health insurance. They can take up roles such as chief executive officer, information systems manager, government relations officer, and planning and development manager.
- Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Format: Online
- Expected Time to Completion: 18 months
- Estimated Tuition: Resident ($754 per credit); non-resident ($769 per credit)
Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law has an online master of legal studies (MLS) with a concentration in corporate and healthcare compliance. Students learn about constitutional law, legal entities and structure, criminal procedure, company policies for regulatory adherence, U.S. law, and the interpretation of laws and regulations, among other foundational topics for non-lawyers in healthcare. ASU has externships with entities such as the U.S. Court of Appeals (Federal Circuit), the U.S. Patent Office, and the Arizona State Supreme Court.
To apply, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree with at least a 3.0 GPA and submit a personal statement, two letters of recommendation, a writing sample, and a resume. The school considers applicants’ work experience and career aspirations, among other factors. Graduate school entrance exams are not required for admission.
The program is made up of 30 credits. Course topics include U.S. law and legal analysis; fundamentals of contract law; tort law; conducting fact investigators and reporting; data privacy and protection; healthcare industry compliance; fraud examination; U.S. constitution law; and property.
- Location: Phoenix, Arizona
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Format: Online
- Expected Time to Completion: One or two years
- Estimated Tuition: $1,177 per credit
Duquesne University offers an online master of health administration (MHA) program through the John G. Rangos School of Health Sciences. The program consists of three concentrations: health informatics and data analytics; healthcare compliance and risk management; and population health.
The healthcare compliance and risk management track teaches students to identify and reduce the risk of regulatory, legal, and policy violations. Experts from the industry teach the courses with considerable experience. Students can use this knowledge to structure programs that promote ethical business practices and minimize risks.
While the program’s coursework is offered fully online, students are required to attend a three-day on-campus residency. This offers them an opportunity to network with faculty, classmates, prospective employers, and industry experts. The program faculty includes internationally renowned professors who actively practice in the healthcare community.
Admission requirements for the program include a four-year bachelor’s degree, a cumulative undergraduate grade point average of 3.0, curriculum vitae, an essay and a statement of purpose, letters of recommendation, and TOEFL scores for international students. Previous work experience or GRE is not required for admission.
Made up of 42 credits, the program is designed to make students knowledgeable, preparing them to redefine the future of healthcare.
The curriculum includes courses such as healthcare human resources management; healthcare economics and policy; healthcare marketing and strategic planning; healthcare law and ethics; and healthcare information systems.
Students learn to design, develop, and adopt IT-based innovations to improve healthcare delivery. Through the coursework, they also explore major health promotion and disease prevention issues, discuss epidemiological concepts, learn how to identify the risk of policy, regulatory, or legal violations, and develop programs for mitigating risk. Graduates of this program go on to work for leading companies, nonprofits and public institutions, and more.
- Location: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Format: Online with a three-day on-campus residency
- Expected Time to Completion: 16 to 24 months
- Estimated Tuition: $1,545 per credit
Students pursuing an online graduate-level health law and policy education at Hofstra University can link up with the Gitenstein Institute for Health Law and Policy. In this school, students, faculty, and industry leaders collaborate to make positive changes in the national healthcare system. Hofstra University’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law offers two master’s programs in health law and policy. Students with a law degree (JD or LLB) can enroll in the master of law program, while students without a law degree can enroll in the master of arts program.
In the online 25-credit LLM program, students will take nine courses over 18 months. In the classroom, students are challenged with discussion topics pulled from the headlines, and, upon graduation, they join an alumni base of over 10,000 professionals working at the highest levels of the public and private sectors.
Students will study topics like introduction to the American legal system; bioethics and the law; law of medical product discovery, development, and commercialization; business transactions in healthcare; public health law, policy, and ethics; representing healthcare providers; and healthcare compliance. The courses may be taken exclusively online, but state restrictions may apply in Alabama, Minnesota, and Arkansas. No LSAT, GMAT, or GRE scores are required to apply.
- Location: Hempstead, New York
- Accreditation: American Bar Association (ABA); Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Format: Online
- Expected Time to Completion: 18 months
- Estimated Tuition: $1,485 per credit
Seton Hall created the Center for Health & Pharmaceutical Law & Policy to provide comprehensive education on how law and policy interact and impact the healthcare and life sciences industries. The online master of legal studies degree offers students the ability to specialize in several fields, including health and hospital law.
The program is designed for those without a law degree and will begin with introductory and review classes on law fundamentals. The core classes are in healthcare compliance and the law of patient care, and electives include biotechnology; food and drug law; and bioethics.
The program consists of a minimum of 31 credits. Some courses are offered on-campus, but earning the degree exclusively through online offerings is possible. No LSAT, GMAT, or GRE scores are required. Notably, Seton Hall Law School also offers an online master of law (LLM) degree in health law.
- Location: Newark, New Jersey
- Accreditation: American Bar Association (ABA); Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Format: Online with the option to take some on-campus courses
- Expected Time to Completion: 18 months to two years
- Estimated Tuition: $1,430 per credit
The University of Maryland’s online master of public health (MPH) in public health practice and policy focuses on supplementing industry knowledge with intensive leadership training woven into every course, enhanced with a thorough mentorship program, and finalized in an integrated internship and capstone project.
After completing core classes on the principles of public health—with topics such as health systems, epidemiology, and biostatistics—students take courses on practice and management, research methods, strategic planning, economic analysis, and law and ethics. The program comprises 45 multidisciplinary credits and requires four to five residency days on campus. No LSAT, GMAT, or GRE scores are required.
- Location: College Park, Maryland
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
- Format: Online with on-campus residencies
- Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
- Estimated Tuition: $957.34 per credit
The University of Denver’s online master’s degree in healthcare management with a concentration in healthcare policy and regulatory leadership offers a professional practitioner faculty, a customizable schedule, and a career-focused education through its project- and practice-based curriculum. Preparing students for the NAHQ Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) accreditation exam, this concentration allows students to develop a robust understanding of legislative procedures, healthcare systems, and quality improvement as they each relate to healthcare policy.
Concentration courses focus on comparative healthcare systems; healthcare public policy and the legislative process; quality improvement for healthcare leaders; and ethical considerations in healthcare. Electives are offered in healthcare macroeconomics; management principles; change management; and organizational behavior. The program consists of 48 credits, split across 12 courses into ten-week terms. Classes may be taken either online or on campus, and no GMAT or GRE scores are required.
- Location: Denver, Colorado
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Format: Online
- Expected Time to Completion: 18 months to three years
- Estimated Tuition: $38,688 for the full program
As one of the top ten graduate public health schools, UC Berkeley’s MPH degree with a concentration in health policy management (HPM) gives students access to a public research university that connects them with industry leaders. In addition to core requirements, the health policy and management concentration offers courses in strategic management in the healthcare sector; organizational behavior and management; healthcare finance; advanced health policy; the economics of population health; and health economics.
A separate field-based component provides a pathway for students to obtain practical experience—self-direction with structured guidance is the operating model. The program consists of a minimum of 42 credits, 90 percent of which can be completed online. Two campus visits are required: five days in the first year, and ten days in the second year, each occurring in June. GRE scores are not required but are encouraged.
- Location: Berkeley, California
- Accreditation: Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH); Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
- Format: Online with two on-campus visits
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to 2.5 years
- Estimated Tuition: $1,408 to $1,478 per credit
Loyola University offers an online master of law (LLM) in health law program and an online master of jurisprudence (MJ) program in health law. Loyola ranked #4 in the country in healthcare law by the U.S. News & World Report (2023). Both programs allow students an option to concentrate their studies on compliance. Students who choose to focus on compliance will be eligible to receive a Certificate in Compliance, which will enable them to sit for compliance industry examinations.
The LLM program is for attorneys who wish to develop specialized expertise in health law and focuses on the regulatory, legal, ethical, political, and economic aspects of healthcare delivery. The program offers a comprehensive study on health law topics, including fraud and abuse, compliance, and payment. This 24-credit LLM program includes courses such as introduction to health law and policy, healthcare financing; administrative law and healthcare regulation; conducting internal investigations; and healthcare payment and policy.
The master of jurisprudence (MJ) program is for healthcare professionals and non-attorneys who want to understand the laws, policies, and regulations governing healthcare. Graduates through this program will increase their knowledge of the law and better understand the complex regulatory environment surrounding healthcare.
The 30-credit MJ degree includes courses such as introduction to legal study and writing; legal research; healthcare regulation and policy; risk management, patient safety, and quality; public health and the law; and healthcare privacy and security.
- Location: Chicago, Illinois
- Accreditation: American Bar Association (ABA); Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Format: Online
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to five years
- Estimated Tuition: LLM ($1,765 per credit); MJ ($1,585 per credit)
Nova Southeastern University’s online master of science (MS) in health law trains students to identify, research, and communicate complex issues at the crossroads of law and health. They then incorporate applicable statutory, case, and administrative law to aid in their resolution. The program offers five concentration options: cybersecurity law; risk management; regulatory compliance; health care administration law; and clinical research law and regulatory compliance.
Interdisciplinary courses range from regulatory compliance and healthcare ethics to cyber law and FDA law. Each student must complete four breadth classes, four program core classes, 12 to 14 credits of electives, and one capstone, with the option to write a thesis and a scholarly article suitable for publication. The program consists of a minimum of 36 credits, all of which can be completed online, with opportunities to attend class sessions via webinar. No GMAT, LSAT, or GRE scores are required.
- Location: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Format: Online
- Expected Time to Completion: Two years
- Estimated Tuition: $758 per credit
The University of Arizona’s James E. Rogers College of Law offers an online master of legal studies (MLS) in health law and policy. It’s available both online and in person. The program comprises ten courses that last 7.5 weeks each in the distance-based format, including five health law courses and five core courses in legal fundamentals. With multiple start dates and exceptional student support, UA’s program imparts a solid foundation in the growing field of health law, with training in FDA regulations, legal analysis and writing, emergent technologies shaping the industry, and healthcare business legislation, among other integral areas.
This 30-credit program includes courses such as clinical research ethics; leadership and equity in the life sciences; legal and regulatory fundamentals for healthcare business; introduction to information privacy; healthcare ethics; data privacy & cybersecurity in healthcare; public health law and ethics; and liability and regulation of healthcare professionals.
- Location: Tucson, Arizona
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
- Format: Online
- Expected Time to Completion: One year
- Estimated Tuition: $650 per credit
The master of jurisprudence program in healthcare compliance is offered through Stetson University’s College of Law. Founded in 1900 as Florida’s first law school, this College of Law is a leader in international legal education and is fully accredited by the American Bar Association. Healthcare professionals who do not have a legal background but wish to understand regulatory compliance issues and healthcare laws are ideal candidates for this online program.
Comprising 30 credits, this four-semester program includes courses such as fundamentals of contract law; legal research; ethics and professionalism; risk management in healthcare programs; professionalism and the court system; healthcare organizational culture of compliance and ethics; and fraud and abuse. GRE scores are not required for those who have appropriate work experience.
- Location: DeLand, FL
- Accreditation: American Bar Association (ABA); Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
- Format: Online
- Expected Time to Completion: Two to three years
- Estimated Tuition: $1,063 per credit
Professors to Know in Online Master’s in Health Law & Policy Degrees
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Janet L. Dolgin, PhD Hofstra University
Dr. Janet Dolgin is a professor of law and the Jack and Freda Dicker Distinguished Professor in healthcare law at Hofstra University, where she teaches or has taught classes such as bioethics and public health policy. She received her doctorate in anthropology from Princeton University and her JD from Yale University.
Much of her work focuses on the intersections between those two fields—particularly in analyzing legal responses to shifts in the family and the structure of healthcare. She has written many scholarly articles, co-authored a course book on bioethics and law, directed numerous conferences on health law and policy, and co-authored books. Dr. Dolgin is currently the director of the Gitenstein Institute for Health Law and Policy, as well as co-director of the Hofstra Bioethics Center.
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John Jacobi, JD Seton Hall Law School
John Jacobi is the Dorothea Dix professor of health law & policy at Seton Hall, where he teaches or has taught courses in topics such as public health law, disability law, and health finance. Through his work as special assistant to the commissioner at the New Jersey Department of the Public Advocate and as senior associate counsel to the Governor of New Jersey, Professor Jacobi has applied much of his energies and expertise to advocate for the health and civil rights of disadvantaged populations. John Jacobi has served and continues to serve on numerous government and nonprofit boards and committees.
He received his JD, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School and his BA, summa cum laude, from the State University College of New York at Buffalo.
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Tara Sklar, JD University of Arizona College of Law
Professor Tara Sklar is the Director of the Health Law & Policy Program at the University of Arizona, where she launched and oversees a suite of 35 online courses in health law across several programs: aging law & policy, telehealth law & policy, and guest lectures throughout the health law curriculum.
Sklar’s research examines the role of laws and policies in influencing the health and well-being of older adults. Her work is published in leading peer-reviewed journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, the Journal of Empirical Legal Studies, and the American Journal of Law & Medicine, among others. Her research is also regularly featured by top media outlets such as NPR, PBS, The Conversation, and Harvard Law’s Bill of Health. She completed her JD from the University of Houston Law Center, her MPH from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center, and a BA from Tulane University.
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Jordan Paradise, JD Loyola University Chicago
Jordan Paradise currently serves as the Georgia Reithal professor of law and co-director of the Beazley Institute for Health Law & Policy at Loyola University Chicago. Previously, she served as the Schering-Plough professor of law at Seton Hall University’s School of Law where she was a faculty member of both the Center for Health & Pharmaceutical Law & Policy and the Gibbons Institute for Law, Science, & Technology.
Her research efforts are focused on the intersection of science, technology, and law and her primary focus is in the life science realm. Her publications have appeared in both peer-reviewed and legal publications. Her program areas include health, food & drug, administrative, and property law. Professor Jordan completed her JD from Chicago-Kent College of Law and her BS from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
