Curriculum

The 36-point program includes a core of five courses designed to ground students in the field.

 It is recommended that students take the Philosophy of Bioethics and the History of Bioethics before the other three core courses (or concurrently with Clinical Bioethics). Global Bioethics should be taken after the Philosophy of Bioethics, the History of Bioethics and Clinical Bioethics. Exceptions to this recommendation may be made with permission of the instructors. 

 Additional course work includes six electives chosen from the University course offerings (two in law or policy, one in ethics, and one in social science methods. Students are also strongly encouraged to take one in genetics and, depending on their interest, one in environmental science). These electives may be taken at any time.

Students will also be required to complete a thesis, working closely with one of the program's core and/or affiliated faculty members, due in the student's final semester. These assignments will be based, as much as possible, on the student's main areas of interest within bioethics and are intended to be a serious impendent work of scholarship. Topics will be chosen in close consultation with the student's core faculty advisor, or with members of the Advisory Board and faculty affiliates, depending on the student's interest, and these additional faculty members' availability.