HKS-HBS Joint Degree Program

The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University (HKS) and Harvard Business School (HBS) have created a fully integrated joint degree program in business and government that represents an innovative approach to preparing leaders for a growing area of practice of critical importance to global society.

Students will be prepared to work in positions of influence at the interface of business, government, and nonprofit organizations, dealing with challenges in such critical areas as health care, the environment, economic development, and government regulation.

The program, which was approved by the Harvard Corporation on April 2 after endorsements by votes of the faculties of both schools, will admit its first students in the fall of 2008. Candidates will take three years to complete the program and earn degrees from both schools upon completion.

The program will offer students the choice of two degree options: Master in Public Policy- Master in Business Administration (MPP-MBA) or Master in Public Administration/International Development- Master in Business Administration (MPA/ID-MBA). To pursue either of the new joint degrees, students must be admitted independently to both HKS and HBS in the same admissions cycle.

The new programs will replace an existing concurrent degree program at HKS and HBS-an arrangement that enabled students to earn both degrees separately. Both schools will continue to support all concurrent degree students until they have graduated.

About Harvard Kennedy School

The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University maintains an abiding commitment to advancing the public interest by training skilled, enlightened leaders and solving public problems through world-class scholarship and active engagement with practitioners and decision makers. The school offers the depth, reflection, insight, and excellence of ideas and teaching that can shape future leaders, affect public policies, and make an impact on people and their daily lives.

About Harvard Business School

Founded in 1908 as part of Harvard University, Harvard Business School is located on a 40-acre campus in Boston. Its faculty of more than 200 offers full-time programs leading to the MBA and doctoral degrees, as well as more than 40 Executive Education programs. For almost a century, HBS faculty have drawn on their research, their experience in working with organizations worldwide, and their passion for teaching to educate leaders who have shaped the practice of business around the globe.