Program Overview

Master of Arts in Health Justice and Bioethics

The Master of Arts in Health Justice and Bioethics is a program that focuses on applying the bioethics toolbox to questions of health equity, health justice, and the elimination of unethical health disparities. The program is grounded on the assertion that health disparities are an ethical problem.

Program Description

The program is offered by the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University and is designed to provide students with the theoretical foundations and practical tools to apply their degree in a wide range of clinical, research, public health, and other settings. The program welcomes applicants from various fields, including medicine, public health, law, social sciences, public policy, social work, industry, administration, education, and research.

Health Justice and Bioethics Certificate

The Health Justice and Urban Bioethics Certificate is an option for those seeking additional bioethics training but who cannot fully commit to the master's program.

Health Justice and Bioethics in Practice

Examples of fields in action include:

• Bringing attention to the impact of racism and negative structural forces on the patient experience of healthcare
• Public intellectualism dedicated to countering disinformation, misinformation, and conspiracy theories
• Advocacy in bringing voices of the underrepresented to policy tables
• Applying an anti-racism lens to contemporary organ donation and transplantation guidelines and practices
• Improving clinical trial development and patient interactions with research staff as a clinical research program manager
• Teaching issues of equity and cultural sensitivity in academic settings
• Engaging in health equity research that centers the margins in evaluating interventions

Program Format and Curriculum

The MA in Health Justice and Bioethics is a 32-credit program comprising 14 credits in core courses, 15 elective course credits, and a three-credit master's thesis. Core courses include:

• Urban Bioethics 1 and Urban Bioethics
• Community Engagement I and Community Engagement II
• The Values, Ethics, and Economics of Health Care Delivery in Urban Communities
• Critical Social Science and Urban Bioethics

The Health Justice and Bioethics master's thesis should make a novel contribution to the field, and students will conduct an original research project with guidance from an approved thesis advisor.

Tuition and Fees

Tuition rates are set annually by the university and are affected by multiple factors, including program degree level, course load, in-state or out-of-state residency, and more. For the 2025-2026 academic year, tuition costs are:

• Pennsylvania resident: $2,097.00 per credit
• Out-of-state: $2,475.00 per credit

Additional Program Information

The program is committed to access and affordability, offering a competitive level of tuition with multiple opportunities for financial support.