Master Degrees in Ethics & Philosophy Graduate Programs

For the student exploring Liberal Arts and Humanities degree options, with a passion for intellectual enquiry, issues of moral conduct, psychology, and philosophical thinking, enrolling in a masters in ethics program might open the door to for you to pursue different career options.

What is Ethics? Ethics is the branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right or wrong. Some of the questions that ethics investigates are “What is the best way for people to live?” and “what is the right decision to take in these particular circumstances?” Ethics is concerned with questions of human morality, concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice and justice and crime. Philosophy and ethical studies can be interdisciplinary; ethics affects many other fields of study, including science, physics, business, law, politics and leadership, the environment, journalism and religion, as beliefs and theories can form the basis for ethical and philosophical inquiries.

Applied ethics is a broad discipline in philosophy attempts to apply ethical theory to real-life situations, and has many specialized fields including engineering ethics, geoethics, public service ethics and other particular fields which students can choose to focus their graduate studies in. These include:

• Bioethics: this is the study of ethics that has formed as a result of advances in medicine and biology, and is concerned with questions that come up in biotechnology, politics, law, medicine and philosophy. Think cloning, DNA and human genetics.
• Business Ethics: also called corporate ethics and professional ethics is concerned with examining ethical problems that arise in business, business conduct, and relates to both individuals and corporations.
• Relational Ethics: is concerned with the ethics of care, and personal relationships. It can be used in qualitative research, such as ethnography and contextual therapy.
• Political Ethics: is concerned with public ethics, moral judgments, political decision-making and justice.

What skills Might I Potentially Cultivate by Earning a Masters in Ethics Degree?

Some of the skill-sets that might be honed in ethics masters program might include:

• Debate: Studying philosophy in general, and ethics in particular, a student can learn how to reason through profound and mundane questions. Typically, this type of reasoning involves learning how to form an argument for debate.
• Attention to Detail: Being able to read, and read between the lines in order to formulate a point of view involves attentiveness and observation as well as a methodological mind-set.
• Critical thinking: Learning how to think outside of the box, solve puzzles, analyze and organize one’s thoughts are skills that can be developed in Ethics Masters programs
• Writing: Learning how to express point of view using clear and focused written skills is a useful ability.

What types of Ethics Masters Programs are there?

There are different types of Masters Programs in Ethics listed on the GradSchools.com site that students can browse. Some of these programs are on-campus, while others allow students to pursue their masters degree in ethics online. Masters Graduate Programs in Ethics range from general master’s programs in ethics and philosophy to ones with specific concentrations. Some of these concentrations include Biotechnological Law and Ethics, Anthropology, Bioethics, Business Ethics, and Theology and Ethics and National Ethics. Choosing a program can be a question of determining where one’s interests lie, and what potential vocational aspiration one is trying to attain, or whether the Master’s in Ethics is a stepping-stone towards earning a Ph.D in ethics, Law or Even Medicine.

What Careers Might I Potentially Pursue With a Master’s Degree in Ethics?

A Master’s degree in ethics might prepare you to pursue potential career opportunities in a variety of fields, depending on one’s emphasis of study, whether business or medical ethics based programs, as well as other factors, such as depth of studies. A career in medical ethics generally requires advanced degrees, such as a Ph.D., for instance.

Some graduates might end up pursuing potential career opportunities writing or advising on ethical matters, reviewing company policy, working in biomedical ethics, or acting as leaders in business, government, or justice. Some potential career paths might include:

• Financial Examiners: Ensure compliance with laws governing financial institutions and transactions. They review documents such as balance sheets, evaluate the risk level of loans, and assess bank management
• Compliance Officers: Examine, evaluate and investigate eligibility for conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits, and enforcement inspection activities not classified elsewhere
• Political Scientist: Study the origin, development, and operation of political systems. They research political ideas and analyze governments, policies, political trends and related issues^[v]
• Auditor: Prepare and examine financial records. They ensure that financial records are accurate, that taxes are filed on time, and assess financial operations to ensure businesses and organizations are run efficiently
• Lawyers: Advise and represent individuals, businesses, and government agencies on legal issues and disputes
• Top Executives: Devise strategies and policies to ensure that and organization meet its goals. Corporate and ethical issues can affect reputation and revenue, so handling ethical disputes can be vital to the success of a business
• Reporters, Correspondents and Broadcast News Analysts: Management and business ethics are popular topics. A writer, analyst or reporter with a degree in Business ethics might have the understanding of regulatory issues, and be able to communicate effectively through various media platforms

Ready to search Ethics Masters Programs?

Earning a Master’s Degree in Ethics may be a solid academic choice. Start looking through the listings on GradSchools.com to find the masters program in ethics that could help advance you towards your goals!