Learn to make impact in communities and within health policy spaces. Combine training in public policy analytical tools with medical school training.

Combine training in public policy analytical tools with a traditional medical degree through our five-year Master of Arts in Public Policy and Medical Degree program.

Offered jointly by Harris Public Policy and the Pritzker School of Medicine, the program results in two masters degrees – one in public policy and one in medicine.

Applicants interests in the dual MA/MD program must apply separately to both the Pritzker School of Medicine and to Harris.

Program Overview

The Harris MA degree program in public policy provides the fundamental understanding of public policy and analytics to complement their experience. It can be completed in one year.

Coursework in the four-year MD program offered by the Pritzker School of Medicine is designed to emphasize the relationship between the basic and clinical sciences. The curriculum provides students with ample time for self-directed learning, research scholarship, and community engagement while accelerating entry into the clinical phase.

Program Structure

To complete the MA in Public Policy, students complete 900 units of coursework. There is no reduction in degree requirements for either degree in this program.

MA/MD students typically complete the first three years of medical school before taking a year-long leave of absence to pursue full-time coursework with Harris. MA/MD students then return to the Pritzker School of Medicine to complete their final clinical year of the medical degree.

Year

Autumn

Winter

Spring

Year 1

Pritzker

Pritzker

Pritzker

Year 2

Pritzker

Pritzker

Pritzker

Year 3

Pritzker

Pritzker

Pritzker

Year 4

Harris

Harris

Harris

Year 5

Pritzker

Pritzker

Pritzker

 

Curriculum

At Harris Public Policy

  • As a student, you will take five of the six core classes available to Master of Public Policy candidates and four electives, for a total of nine courses. Seven of the nine courses must be Harris Public Policy courses.
  • Detailed information about the Harris MA is available on the MA in Public Policy page.

At Pritzker School of Medicine

Other Requirements

You must first matriculate in the medical program with the Pritzker School of Medicine prior to applying to Harris. You cannot be admitted to the master’s program at Harris in anticipation of medical school admittance or prior to joining the medical school.

  • A cumulative GPA of 2.7 for all courses, based on a 4.0 scale
  • A grade of C- or better in the core courses
  • Completion of the math requirement (support available)
  • No more than 1 reading/research, independent study, or internship courses
  • No more than 1 course taken Pass/Fail (core courses cannot be taken pass/fail)
  • Courses with grades of F, I, W, or with no reported grade do not apply toward the 9-course requirement for the program.
  • Policies on the results of not meeting these requirements can be found on the Harris policies page.
  • Any questions about these requirements can be sent to the Harris Dean of Students Office at harrisdeanofstudents@uchicago.edu.
Tuition and Financial Aid

Each division determines tuition charges for the quarters in which students are in residency with either division. Tuition rates can be found at the Bursar’s website:

  • Year 1: Residency with the Medical School; billed at the Medical School Tuition Rate.
  • Year 2: Residency with the Medical School; billed at the Medical School Tuition Rate.
  • Year 3: Residency with the Medical School; billed at the Medical School Tuition Rate.
  • Year 4: Residency with Harris; billed at the Harris Tuition Rate.
  • Year 5: Residency with the Medical School; billed at the Medical School Tuition Rate.

Harris scholarships for joint degree students are awarded only when in residence at Harris. 

  • Year 1: No Harris Scholarship (Medical School Residency) 
  • Year 2: No Harris Scholarship (Medical School Residency) 
  • Year 3: No Harris Scholarship (Medical School Residency) 
  • Year 4: Harris Scholarship
  • Year 5: No Harris Scholarship (Medical School Residency) 
Admissions Process

Interested applicants must apply to and be admitted to both the Harris MA and the Pritzker School of Medicine MD programs to pursue this degree. Students already admitted to the medical school may apply to Harris during their first year or second year of study. Admissions decisions for each side of the joint degree are made independently of one another. Inquiries regarding the medical school admissions process should be directed to pritzkeradmissions@bsd.uchicago.edu.