fbpx Joint Degrees | Harvard Kennedy School

You are passionate about the intersection of public policy and business or law, and see the potential for world-shaping positive impact.

Why not study both? At the same time.

As an MPP or MPA/ID student at Harvard Kennedy School, you can pursue a joint degree—either an MBA at Harvard Business School (HBS) or a JD at Harvard Law School (HLS)—that involves carefully crafted and integrated coursework.

The HKS/HBS joint degree program may be the right fit if you want to focus on public policy and business. As part of this program, you spend your first year at HKS, your second at HBS, and split your final year between the two campuses.

"I realized that I wanted not only a policy skill set but also a business skill set to go out and be able help create the vehicles that really can scale policy reforms across the country." - Sean McBride MPP/MBA 2015

Consider the HKS/HLS joint degree program if your interests lie in public policy and law.

You spend your first two years completing core courses at HKS and HLS—one year at each school. After that, you will be based at HLS for the rest of your time at Harvard, but will take courses at HKS to complete your MPP or MPA/ID degree.

Seeking Justice

Bryan Stevenson MPP/JD 1985 worked for decades to bring justice via the courtroom. Now, with the opening of the nation’s first museum dedicated to the legacy of slavery and the victims of lynching, he is aiming to shift the country’s narrative on race and justice.

For both joint degree programs, you will also complete a capstone seminar, which includes either the Policy Analysis Exercise or Second Year Policy Analysis (if you are an HKS/HBS student) or the Integrated Written Project (as an HKS/HLS student). Either way, you’ll have reduced coursework and residency requirements, but the number and type of courses will depend on your degree program.

If you want to pursue the joint HKS/HBS degree track, you have to apply and be admitted to both HKS and HBS in the same admissions cycle. For the HKS/HLS degree track, you have the option to apply to both schools at the same time or apply to one while enrolled in the other. 

More about the joint degree track
Read our guide on pursuing a joint degree.
Combined Degree Guide

How to Apply

Are you ready to answer the call to public service? Learn how to apply for our master's degree programs.

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