Hollywood actress Ashley Judd has enrolled at the prestigious Harvard University to pursue a course in public administration.

The 'Double Jeopardy' star graduated from the University of Kentucky in 1990 with a degree in French but is keen to further her educational achievements and has taken a step back from acting, preferring instead to concentrate on her political and humanitarian activism, reports contactmusic.com.

The 41-year-old has proved she is taking her interest seriously by enrolling at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government, signing up to study the institution's Mid-Career Masters in Public Administration course.

The programme is designed for people wanting to take on a career in public service or non-profit sectors, according to the school's website.

Judd's publicist, Cara Tripicchio, has confirmed her enrolment to the school's Harvard Crimson newspaper.

Judd is currently a Global Ambassador for YouthAIDS, which promotes AIDS prevention and treatment, and has long campaigned for women's rights issues.