Master of Arts in Bioethics 12 months Postgraduate Programme By Case Western Reserve University |TopUniversities

Master of Arts in Bioethics

Programme Duration

12 monthsProgramme duration

Main Subject Area

Medicine Related StudiesMain Subject Area

Programme overview

Main Subject

Medicine Related Studies

Study Level

Masters

The Department of Bioethics offers a program leading to the Master of Arts degree in bioethics, emphasizing the interdisciplinary and inter-professional nature of the field. This graduate program is designed to provide advance training in bioethics for students and professionals who anticipate encountering ethical issues in the course of their primary careers. The 27 credit-hour degree can be earned full-time in one year or part-time in up to three years. Core courses are taught by department faculty and are scheduled so that part-time students can continue their professional responsibilities while completing the degree. The Master of Arts program provides students with a firm understanding of the intellectual content of the study of bioethics, of bioethical literature, and of the underlying philosophical arguments and empirical assumptions that inform it. Students are taught to understand the institutions and structures of health care and the ethical issues that arise in medical practice. They are trained to identify and analyze a range of clinical ethics issues. All students pursuing a Master of Arts degree in bioethics are required to complete the interdisciplinary core of 12 credit hours (the equivalent of four courses) in the first two semesters of their first year of study. The courses, BETH 401 Foundations in Bioethics I, and BETH 402 Foundations in Bioethics II, each six credits, examine 10 basic topic areas in bioethics: death and dying, the therapeutic relationship, method and theory in bioethics, organ transplantation, health care justice, defining health care needs, reproduction and fertility, families, babies and children, research ethics and genetics. Classes meet two evenings per week for seminar sessions (two hours per session). Another required course is BETH 405 Clinical Ethics Rotation. This course requires a minimum of 8 hours of clinical experience per week during two 10-week rotations. Students spend most of their time observing rounds in relevant services (intensive care units, pediatrics, geriatrics, etc.) with leading clinicians at several area hospital sites. Students must complete rotations at two sites. At the conclusion of each rotation, students are familiar with the clinical, psychological, social, professional, and institutional contexts in which ethical problems arise. Also, they are able to identify, analyze and understand ethical issues as they develop. In addition, all students must complete 12 credit hours of electives. Electives are selected in consultation with a faculty advisor. Electives must enhance the student’s understanding of bioethical issues and must be relevant to the student’s academic goals. The department currently offers dual-degree programs with the School of Medicine (MD/MA), the School of Medicine’s Department of Genetics (PhD/MA), the School of Law (JD/MA), the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing (MSN/MA) the School of Medicine’s Public Health program (MPH/MA) and Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences (MSSA/MA) at CWRU. Students must apply and be accepted to each program to qualify. Commencing in the fall semester of 2007, the department will offer a new research ethics track within the MA program, designed to prepare specialists who will pursue research ethics-related work as a primary career (IRB coordinators, research administration, etc.) or who will use this specialized training to enhance their primary careers (investigators, regulators, etc.). In addition to the core seminars BETH 401 Foundations in Bioethics I and BETH 402 Foundations in Bioethics II, discussed above, the research ethics track will feature a modified clinical ethics rotation, focused on IRB work and research ethics activities, and four research ethics electives.

Programme overview

Main Subject

Medicine Related Studies

Study Level

Masters

The Department of Bioethics offers a program leading to the Master of Arts degree in bioethics, emphasizing the interdisciplinary and inter-professional nature of the field. This graduate program is designed to provide advance training in bioethics for students and professionals who anticipate encountering ethical issues in the course of their primary careers. The 27 credit-hour degree can be earned full-time in one year or part-time in up to three years. Core courses are taught by department faculty and are scheduled so that part-time students can continue their professional responsibilities while completing the degree. The Master of Arts program provides students with a firm understanding of the intellectual content of the study of bioethics, of bioethical literature, and of the underlying philosophical arguments and empirical assumptions that inform it. Students are taught to understand the institutions and structures of health care and the ethical issues that arise in medical practice. They are trained to identify and analyze a range of clinical ethics issues. All students pursuing a Master of Arts degree in bioethics are required to complete the interdisciplinary core of 12 credit hours (the equivalent of four courses) in the first two semesters of their first year of study. The courses, BETH 401 Foundations in Bioethics I, and BETH 402 Foundations in Bioethics II, each six credits, examine 10 basic topic areas in bioethics: death and dying, the therapeutic relationship, method and theory in bioethics, organ transplantation, health care justice, defining health care needs, reproduction and fertility, families, babies and children, research ethics and genetics. Classes meet two evenings per week for seminar sessions (two hours per session). Another required course is BETH 405 Clinical Ethics Rotation. This course requires a minimum of 8 hours of clinical experience per week during two 10-week rotations. Students spend most of their time observing rounds in relevant services (intensive care units, pediatrics, geriatrics, etc.) with leading clinicians at several area hospital sites. Students must complete rotations at two sites. At the conclusion of each rotation, students are familiar with the clinical, psychological, social, professional, and institutional contexts in which ethical problems arise. Also, they are able to identify, analyze and understand ethical issues as they develop. In addition, all students must complete 12 credit hours of electives. Electives are selected in consultation with a faculty advisor. Electives must enhance the student’s understanding of bioethical issues and must be relevant to the student’s academic goals. The department currently offers dual-degree programs with the School of Medicine (MD/MA), the School of Medicine’s Department of Genetics (PhD/MA), the School of Law (JD/MA), the Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing (MSN/MA) the School of Medicine’s Public Health program (MPH/MA) and Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences (MSSA/MA) at CWRU. Students must apply and be accepted to each program to qualify. Commencing in the fall semester of 2007, the department will offer a new research ethics track within the MA program, designed to prepare specialists who will pursue research ethics-related work as a primary career (IRB coordinators, research administration, etc.) or who will use this specialized training to enhance their primary careers (investigators, regulators, etc.). In addition to the core seminars BETH 401 Foundations in Bioethics I and BETH 402 Foundations in Bioethics II, discussed above, the research ethics track will feature a modified clinical ethics rotation, focused on IRB work and research ethics activities, and four research ethics electives.

Admission Requirements

7+

Scholarships

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