For many prospective students, the decision to pursue a graduate degree isn’t really about whether the degree is worth it – it’s about whether they can realistically make it work. The demanding job. The family obligations. The unpredictable schedule. The question isn’t should I? It’s can I?
Professor John Tsiforas, program director for Hofstra University’s online Health Law and Policy programs, has heard that concern hundreds of times over the past decade. And his response isn’t a generic reassurance. It’s grounded in something more concrete: a program designed from its very first day with exactly that student in mind.
Designed for the Lives Students Actually Lead
When Hofstra’s health law programs were first conceived, Hofstra Law faculty made a foundational decision that continues to shape every aspect of the student experience.
“We established this program with working students in mind,” Tsiforas explained. “It’s open to all students who meet the entrance requirements, but it is designed to set working students up for success – and when I say working, I’m talking about anyone who is balancing multiple significant responsibilities.”
That design philosophy led to one of the program’s most defining features: a fully asynchronous format. Students can access lectures, engage with course materials, and complete their work at times that fit their own schedules – not the other way around.
“An asynchronous program where students can log on, do the work, and attend the lectures virtually at a time that works for them – that is a huge component,” said Tsiforas.
But flexibility in format was only the starting point. The real challenge, as Tsiforas describes it, was finding what he calls the “sweet spot” – building a program that genuinely accommodates the complexities of adult life without diluting the rigor that makes the degree meaningful.
“We have a flexible, empathetic program because we understand life happens for our students. But we’ve also done it in a way that maintains the academic integrity of the program,” he said. “This is a graduate degree offered by a law school. We have very high standards.”
The result? Consistently high retention and graduation rates across more than a decade of operation – a track record Tsiforas points to with pride.
A Field That Meets the Moment
Ask Professor Tsiforas what makes health law such a compelling area of study, and his answer is disarmingly simple.
“Look at the news,” he said. “You cannot watch a news broadcast, go to a newspaper’s website, or consume any content related to current events on any given day without reading something about health law and policy.”
This isn’t hyperbole. Health law intersects with immigration, government budgets and taxes, education, elections, and the everyday well-being of individuals and communities. It is woven into the fabric of nearly every major policy debate taking place today – and the pace of change shows no signs of slowing.
“There’s such rapid change, and there's so much debate about it right now,” Tsiforas explains. “It just makes the subject matter so timely and important – and engaging for students.”
But what elevates health law beyond a topical academic interest, in Tsiforas's view, is something more fundamental.
“It impacts people in a material way,” he said. “There is nothing more personal than your health.”
That personal relevance is part of what drives the high levels of student engagement the program consistently sees. Many students arrive already aware of how deeply the law shapes their daily work – whether they're navigating compliance requirements at a hospital, advocating for patients, or managing policy at a healthcare organization. The program gives them the framework to make sense of what they've been experiencing firsthand.
“The law has become such a big part of healthcare,” Tsiforas noted. “A lot of our students are exposed to it in doing their jobs. And because of that, they realize – this is a really important area, and I need to learn more.”
‘Our Policy Is to Listen’
What sets Hofstra’s support model apart isn’t a single policy or accommodation. It’s a philosophy.
When asked to describe the kind of support students can expect, Professor Tsiforas pauses before offering what might be the most telling line of the conversation: “There’s no one policy. I think our policy is to listen and support, and find a way forward for the student.”
That commitment to individualized support comes from a practical reality: no two students face the same set of challenges.
“Rarely are two problems identical,” Tsiforas noted. “There’s always some component that differs. So our approach is a commitment to listening, a commitment to being accessible and available to speak with students when an issue arises – and then having the mindset to find a way forward.”
In practice, “finding a way forward” has taken many forms over the years. The common thread isn’t the specific solution – it’s the willingness to craft one.
This ethos extends to the faculty as well. Hofstra Law is intentional about the educators brought into the program, seeking out instructors who share that same blend of high expectations and genuine flexibility.
“We hire faculty who are flexible – not rigid,” he said. “We have standards, absolutely. But the mindset is about being resourceful. That’s part of the ethos of this program.”
A Track Record That Speaks for Itself
For prospective students still weighing the decision, Professor Tsiforas often returns to the simplest and most persuasive argument he has: the students who came before them.
“We’ve had many students come through this program with those same concerns at the same point in the process. So many of them took that next step, went through the program, and succeeded,” he said. “We have a track record of educating working students at the graduate level – a very high retention and graduation rate. And it makes sense, because when we sat down and designed this program, we had that student profile in mind.”
It’s a message he delivers not as a sales pitch, but with the quiet confidence of someone who has watched it play out, semester after semester, for over ten years.
“It’s very rewarding to see students go into the program wondering whether they can do this,” Tsiforas reflected, “and then seeing them at the end – and being able to say, see? You did it.”
Find Your Perfect Fit With the LLM, MA or Certificate Program
Hofstra University’s Maurice A. Deane School of Law offers online Health Law and policy programs that address the needs of a variety of working professionals. The Master of Laws (LLM) program is for attorneys ready to lead in healthcare law. The LLM program offers one of the few fully immersive health law curricula in the nation, not just a general legal studies degree with a health law concentration.
The Master of Arts (MA) program is for healthcare professionals and advocates building legal expertise. The MA program bridges the gap between healthcare practice and legal knowledge, providing non-legal professionals with essential legal literacy for today’s complex healthcare environment.
If you’re not sure if you’re ready for the full LLM or MA program, consider the online Graduate Certificate in Health Law and Policy. Credits earned during this eight-month program seamlessly transfer to your preferred program. This low-risk pathway allows you to experience our program while enhancing your resume from day one.
Schedule a call with an admissions advisor to explore your options and begin advancing your career today. Or, if you’re ready, get started on your application.