# Curriculum ## expand\_more ![Two group photos of fellows with a blue and red overlay.](/sites/g/files/omnuum13096/files/2026-09/Mongon_web-02.jpg) ## Requirements Fellows of The Commonwealth Fund Fellowship in Health Policy Leadership at Harvard University are required to complete the requirements for a Master of Public Health degree (MPH) from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health or a Master in Public Administration (MPA) from the Harvard Kennedy School, as well as additional fellowship program requirements. ### MPH Requirements – Harvard Chan School of Public Health For fellows pursing the MPH, a **minimum of 45 credits** is required for graduation, **including 12.5 credits of Commonwealth Fund** Fellowship requirements, plus **12.5 credits of MPH Public Health core curriculum and 17.5 credits of core requirements for Health Management Field of Study OR 11.25 credits of MPH Public Health core curriculum and 15 credits of the Health Policy Field of Study.** ### MPH Public Health Core Curriculum The MPH public health core curriculum is comprised of: - Foundations for Public Health (ID 100), a school-wide online course - The biostatistics and epidemiology core courses - Four courses (MPH 101, 103, 104, 105) that cover other foundational public health competencies ### Fields of Study Fellows pursuing the MPH must choose either the Health Management or Health Policy Field of Study. #### Health Management (HM) Building on the principles and values of public health, the health management field of study prepares students for a variety of health-related careers. Students earning their MPH in Health Management take foundational courses in public health—such as epidemiology and the social and structural determinants of health—to gain population-health perspective and expertise. Building off this context, students also take management courses to build practical skills in financial and managerial accounting, innovation, entrepreneurship, strategy, and organizational behavior. Students learn to improve organizational performance leveraging the frameworks and knowledge obtained through coursework, field experience, and engagement with classmates from around the world, with a wide range of professional experience. Health Management Field of Study Requirements: **17.5 credits** #### Health Policy (HP) Students in the health policy field of study develop skills in applying economic, legal, and political analysis to the design, implementation, and evaluation of health care and public health policies. Through the study of biostatistics, epidemiology, and other quantitative disciplines, they also acquire skill in interpreting and evaluating scientific evidence to inform their policy work. Students are encouraged to choose elective courses that will help them develop an area of interest and expertise, such as access to care, health care quality, pharmaceutical policy, injury prevention, or health care financing. Health Policy Field of Study Requirements: **15 credits** ## MPA Requirements – Harvard Kennedy School Fellows who already have an MPH and are completing a Mid-Career Master of Public Administration must fulfill the requirements set by the Kennedy School for graduation. For more information on the MPA requirements, please visit the [Mid-Career Master in Public Administration (MC/MPA) Program website](https://www.hks.harvard.edu/educational-programs/masters-programs/mid-career-master-public-administration/degree-requirements). ## Fellowship Requirements In addition to the completion of the academic training leading to the MPH or MPA, Fellows are required to complete fellowship-specific course requirements and participate in fellowship activities related to leadership and health policy training. Fellows must complete these training components which are designed specifically to help them acquire the skills that will prepare them for leadership positions in health care delivery systems and health policy. It is required by the Fellowship program that fellows acquire 12.5 credits total in the areas of: leadership, health policy and politics, healthcare delivery and high performance systems, and economics/finance. Please note that Field of Study requirements may overlap with the requirements of the fellowship but may require more credits in Economics and/or Finance. Details on the Field of Study requirements can be found the Harvard Chan School [MPH Curriculum Guide](https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/office-of-educational-programs/master-of-public-health/mph-program-competencies/mph-curriculum-guides/). Sort**Requirements** **Credits** Leadership \[SBS 296: Leadership in Health Policy\] 2.5 Health Policy and Politics 2.5 Healthcare Delivery System and High-Performance System 2.5-5.0 Economics (if not taken for MPH requirement) 2.5 Finance (if not taken for MPH requirement) 2.5 12.5