STUDENTS

Combined Degree Students On the Rise

Are two degrees better than one? If the trend at the Kennedy School is any indication, then more and more graduate students are saying yes. In the past few years, the number of Kennedy School students enrolled in concurrent degree programs is increasing. From the class of 2004, 42 students got combined degrees, compared to 40 the year before. This year, 49 are expected to graduate, most getting MBAs (30 total, 14 Harvard), followed by JDs (11 total, 7 Harvard), MDs (5 total, 2 Harvard), and 3 from the Harvard Divinity School. The class of 2006 is expected to include 62 concurrent students. The rise,
says lecturer Suzanne Cooper, who also serves as director of the Teaching Program Review Committee, could be positive for the school because it brings in talented JD and MBA students, it encourages these students to consider a career in public service, and having Kennedy School training better prepares them for the public sector.