M.A. in Health Care Ethics: Course Work and Other Requirements
The Master's Degree in Health Care Ethics requires ten courses, of which at least seven are devoted to some aspect of ethics, as well as a colloquium paper. Courses are to include:
Two courses in moral philosophy. These courses review the history of ethics, perennial themes -- such as the nature of justice or the role of reason in moral life -- and the relation of ethics to other conceptual and practical domains.
Three courses in health care ethics. One of these courses focuses on the skills of applying ethical theories and principles to concrete cases, using a broad range of specific issues as subject matter. A second course focuses much more precisely on clinical issues, such as informed consent and treatment termination. A third course focuses on systemic and institutional issues, including themes of justice and the allocation of health care resources.
Five electives in philosophy. All of the Philosophy Department's graduate and certain advanced undergraduate courses are available for selection, including courses in the other graduate ethics concentrations. A student may satisfy up to two of these electives by taking select graduate courses from other departments within the university, e.g., Law, Nursing, Business, Psychology.
A colloquium paper. Near the end of his or her studies, the student will develop, present and defend a colloquium paper on some aspect of health care ethics.
