While earning a masters in bioethics, you’ll examine different components of healthcare, medicine, public policy, law, and other fields to apply ethics to the healthcare field.
This interdisciplinary program usually incorporates research, coursework, clinical practicum, and a thesis project to teach a complete understanding of how new technologies, medicines, and techniques will be used ethically to care for patients.
First coined in 1971, bioethics is the application of ethics, or the philosophical notions of right and wrong, to the fields of medicine and healthcare.
As a multidisciplinary field that combines elements of philosophy, theology, history, law, nursing, health policy, and the medical humanities, bioethics asks questions as old as humankind and applies them to healthcare, such as:
These questions, and others, as well as the field in general, signify the combination of biology, bioscience, and healthcare with our humanistic knowledge feelings and intuition about right and wrong.
Because bioethics deals with such important questions and from so many different fields, while earning a master’s degree your curriculum usually covers a wide variety of subjects.
Some of the current issues that bioethics addresses are:
These issues only cover current topics, but as with everything, new ones
will arise as we develop new technologies and techniques of providing healthcare. As our science continues to advance, these issues will continually determine what it means to be human, the rights of patients, and the overall health of our society.
Did You Know?
The Center for Practical Bioethics, based in Missouri, organizes the issues of bioethics into four domains: Aging and End of Life, Clinical and Organizational Ethics, Life Sciences, and Disparities of Health and Healthcare.
Earning a master’s in bioethics means understanding all of the social and ethical challenges facing medicine, the life sciences, and the impact of various external forces, such as:
These, and many other influences, have raised more questions about how we provide healthcare to our growing populations and how we develop new biomedical technologies.
As a result, earning your master’s in bioethics means examining research in a variety of fields, offering you an interdisciplinary approach to learning that incorporates ethical issues, new technologies, and techniques in fields such as:
Understanding each of these disciplines and their overall goals, teaches how to apply research and theories in each one. Plus, as new approaches and technologies are developed, you’ll have a solid foundation of how to apply ethics to the new concerns raised.
Some of the common admissions requirements for a master’s in bioethics are:
It’s important to remember that each school has a different set of admissions requirements, which means some or all of those listed above may be different. For example, some schools require an interview with a faculty member either in person or on the telephone, while other universities don’t have that requirement.
Therefore, before applying, be sure to check with each school for their specific requirements to make sure that you’re a good fit for their program.
The majority of master’s in bioethics programs take two years to complete for full-time students. However, many schools offer students the option to take courses on a part-time basis, which usually means it will take longer to earn your degree.
Some of the common requirements to earn your degree include:
Most programs require that you perform a hands-on practicum that usually includes working at a healthcare facility or organization that includes studying and reporting ethical issues that are addressed.
This may give you experience dealing with issues in the field that can show how the research and theories you study in class are applied in the field.
Some of the key topics you may study while pursuing your master’s degree include:
Being that bioethics incorporates and deals with issues in such a wide variety of disciplines and fields, many programs make sure to take an innovative and interdisciplinary approach to the curriculum and courses.
This approach helps programs teach students the many challenges of bioethics and how we can continue to strive to help people live longer, healthier lives, while also making a clear distinction between right and wrong.
Some of the common courses you may take include:
Keep in mind that every school offers a unique curriculum and the specific courses you take may vary from the list above. In addition, if you choose any of the concentrations listed below your curriculum may vary as well.
Some schools offer a number of concentrations for your master’s in bioethics, which may help tailor your course of study to specifically meet your goals and to develop an individualized program.
Some of the concentrations you may be able to choose from include:
Keep in mind that while most programs cover each of these topics, it doesn’t necessarily mean that every school offers these, or other, concentrations.
Therefore, if there is a specific course of study or concentration you’d like to pursue for your master’s in bioethics be sure to find a program that offers it before applying.
Earning a master’s in bioethics means finding the line between right and wrong in new techniques, medicines, and technologies in healthcare, but choosing which bioethics master’s degree to pursue can be just as challenging.
For instance, there are three common degree types, which are:
All of these are academically equivalent, but may have slight variations in the courses, focus of the overall program, and the positions they strive to prepare you for.
For example, while an MA is usually considered more research based and an MS is considered to be more practice based, many programs combine the two give you a more complete understanding of the key topics and current research in the field.
The third option for your master’s in bioethics is an MBE (Master of Bioethics), which usually combines the resources between a medical school or social work school and the school of public health.
This combination allows students to understand the elements and impact of their research, while also studying the why and how of their research.
Many master’s of bioethics programs give you the option on how you want to earn your degree, either as a part-time student or as a full-time student.
The majority of universities also allow you to choose between pursuing your master’s degree in bioethics online or through an on-campus bioethics master’s. Online programs may provide more flexibility and allow you to attend programs around the country, while on-campus programs may offer more camaraderie.
Be sure to understand your learning style and your goals before applying in order to find the perfect program for you.
Public health and MPH programs, or Master of Public Health, promote and protect the health of people and communities through scientific research.
As a result, bioethics is a part of public health because of the emphasis on making sure that people have options and are treated fairly throughout their lives and throughout their healthcare experience.
In fact, the two fields work hand in hand, as bioethics can bring expertise to defining and illuminating ethical problems in public health and public health can broaden the concerns of bioethics.
This is one of the many reasons why many bioethics programs fall under the school or department of public health at many universities. However, as bioethics continues to grow as a field and in popularity, many colleges are adding a separate school or department of bioethics.
Did You Know?
CRISPR/Cas9 is a medical technique that allows scientists to target specific DNA strands and modify the DNA as needed. While this brings many positives, such as the possibility of eliminating some hereditary diseases, some fear that this will lead to genetic engineering.
While there are many careers that you may pursue upon earning your master’s degree in bioethics, including epidemiologists. According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual salary in 2016 for epidemiologists was $70,820.i
Keep in mind that another option is to continue to earn you PhD in Bioethics to pursue careers such as a medical scientist or postsecondary teacher. Though a doctorate may not be necessary to enter the field, many programs offer dual degrees in medicine, nursing, or law combined with bioethics, which may provide you with even more career options.
Interested in joining the medical field, but are more interested in philosophical questions rather than performing surgery and helping others heal? Then, a master’s in bioethics may be for you.
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[i] bls.gov/ooh/life-physical-and-social-science/epidemiologists.htm#tab-5
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