The Health Policy and Law concentration invites students who are considering a career in government, policy, research or law to explore the economic, legal, ethical, and political dimensions of healthcare. Through courses in Wharton, the Perelman School of Medicine, and Penn Law, among others, students in this concentration explore the historical and legal landscape of healthcare to better understand the ways that policy impacts the practice, structure, logistics, and delivery of healthcare today. 

 

The following list of pre-approved courses is intended to inspire, not to require.  This list suggests some of the courses which have been used in the past for the concentration and which can  individualize the concentration around a student's interests and goals.

Concentration Rules

  • Core courses may not be replaced by a petitioned course
  • Relevant courses may be petitioned
  • Up to three non-College courses* are permitted 

Political Economy (1 cu required)
The study of the role of public policy and politics in influencing a country's economy and social welfare.

BEPP 2010: Public Finance and Policy* 
BIOE 5750: Healthcare Reform and the Future of the American Healthcare System (HCMG 2500)*
HCMG 2020: The Economics and Financing of Healthcare Delivery (ECON 0630)
HCMG 2040: Comparative Health Care Systems*
HIST 1731: Financial Meltdowns, Past and Present
HIST 1161: American Capitalism
HIST 1740: Capitalism and Socialism in Crisis in the Americas (LALS 1740)
HIST 3701: Capitalism and Humanitarianism
PSCI 4170: Comparative Politics of the Welfare State

Health Policy (1 cu required)

BIOE 5710: Global Health Policy: Justice, Governance and Reform*
HSOC 1411: American Health Policy
HSOC 2511: Foundations of Public Health
PSCI 1173: Comparative Health Politics

Law and Society (1 cu required)

ENVS 1625: Community Based Environmental Health
HIST 1119: History of American Law to 1877 (AFRC 1119)
HIST 1169: History of American Law Since 1877 (AFRC 1169)
LGST 1010: Law and Social Values*
NURS 3310: Forensic Mental Health*
RELS 1271: Israel: Law, Religion and State (JWST 1272)
SOCI 1120: Law and Society (AFRC 1123)
SOCI 2240: Law and Social Change (AFRC 2240)
SOCI 2420: Social Problems and Public Policy

Philosophical/Ethical (1 cu required)

BIOE 4010: Introduction to Bioethics*
HSOC 1330: Bioethics (SOCI 2971)
HSOC 2457: History of Bioethics
LGST 1000: Ethics and Social Responsibility*
NURS 3300: Theoretical Foundations of Health Care Ethics*
PUBH 5070: Public Health Law and Ethics*
PHIL 1342: Bioethics

Topical Electives (2 cu required)
These courses are pre-approved but not required courses; suitable courses may be petitioned.
Courses not used from above categories may be used here as well.

ANTH 2730: Global Health: Anthropological Perspectives (HSOC 2382)
HSOC 1401: The People's Health
HSOC 2537: Gender and Health
HSOC 2303: Fundamentals of Epidemiology
HSOC 2401: Social Determinants of Health
HSOC 3528: Public Health and Violence
HCMG 1010: Health Care Systems*
HCMG 2040: Comparative Health Care Systems*
NURS 3240: US Child Health*
URBS 2010: Urban Health Systems
URBS 2850: Health on the Urban Margins: The Experience of Health in American Cities

Two of these courses may be used as topical electives:

ENVS 1615: Urb Env: Lead In W Phila
ENVS 1625:  Comm Based Envir Health         
ENVS 1635:  Prevention Of Tobacco
ENVS 1645: Urban Asthma Epidemic

One of these may be used as an elective
BIOL 2510: Statistics for Biologists
STAT 1110: Intro Stat 

NOTE: ECON 0100/ECON 0200 cannot count for this concentration.

 

Updated 06/08/2023