Master of Arts in Bioethics
The Master of Arts in Bioethics is the core of bioethics graduate study at Wake Forest.
Credit Hours
The Master of Arts requires 30 credit hours (24 course/thesis or 26 course/4 capstone). Nine credit hours per semester constitutes full-time status. Most bioethics courses are offered in the late afternoon or early evening to accommodate working professionals.
The Master of Arts in Bioethics Program welcomes both full-time and part-time students. Full-time students typically complete their course work in two semesters and their thesis/capstone by the end of the next semester (three semesters total). Prior to their first semester, full-time students can request permission to follow an accelerated schedule that allows for completion in twelve months. Part-time students have up to six years to complete their degree.
Degree Requirements
12 Credit Hours of Core Courses
- BIE 703: Bioethics Theory (3)
- BIE 706/707: Learning and Doing Bioethics: Methods, Professionalism, and Communication (3)
Two of the following three courses:
- BIE 702: Biomedical Research Ethics (3)
- BIE 704: Public Policy, Medicine & Justice (3)
- BIE 705: Clinical Ethics (3)
12-14 Credit Hours of Elective Courses
Completed in any combination of the options below:
- Bioethics Elective Courses
- BIE 702, 704, or 705, if not taken to fulfill a core requirement
- Up to 6 hours of approved graduate courses in other programs/school, independent study, or any combination of the two
4-6 Credit Hours of Capstone/Thesis Work
The capstone/thesis is a culminating product of a course of study designed to develop the student’s capacity for critical thinking about bioethics issues. The form that the capstone or thesis may take demonstrates a great deal of variety, to fit each student’s educational interests and professional goals. They may be conceptual or empirical, may focus on preparation of bioethics manuscripts suitable for publication in journals in the student’s primary field, or may consist of an analytical report arising from a practicum experience. Students have also developed and tested educational programs, course syllabi, and creative works and games designed to spur reflection and discussion about bioethics questions.