Program Overview

Bioethics PhD Program

Overview

The Bioethics PhD program at Case Western Reserve University aims to train scholars in interdisciplinary research on issues in bioethics, medical humanities, and related areas. Candidates from any discipline are eligible to enter the program. The program's curriculum is organized around core areas, including normative and social science theory and methods, research ethics, clinical ethics, public health ethics, and medical humanities.

Program Requirements

A minimum of 69 credit hours is required for the PhD in Bioethics. This includes:

• 33 credit hours of specific required courses
• 6 credit hours of discipline-specific theory courses outside the Bioethics Department
• 12 credit hours of other electives
• 18 credit hours of dissertation research credit

If a student plans to conduct empirical research for their dissertation, the 12 credit hours of other electives must include advanced methodological coursework. Students who hold a master's degree that includes courses in bioethics can receive up to 9 waived credit hours in bioethics courses toward this requirement.

Sample Plan of Study

The plan of study for the Bioethics PhD program is as follows:

First Year

• Fall:
  • BETH 410: Foundations of Medicine, Society and Culture (3 credit hours)
  • BETH 507: Research Design in Bioethics I (3 credit hours)
  • BETH 512: Clinical Ethics Rotation - Ph.D. (1.5 credit hours)
  • BETH 520: Foundations in Bioethics I - Ph.D. (3 credit hours)
  • BETH 514: Pedagogy in Bioethics and Medical Humanities (1.5 credit hours)
• Spring:
  • BETH 505: Philosophical Bioethics (3 credit hours)
  • BETH 508: Research Design in Bioethics II (3 credit hours)
  • BETH 512: Clinical Ethics Rotation - Ph.D. (1.5 credit hours)
  • BETH 521: Foundations in Bioethics II - Ph.D. (3 credit hours)
  • Elective (3 credit hours)

Second Year

• Fall:
  • BETH 503: Research Ethics and Regulation (3 credit hours)
  • BETH 511: Grant Writing (3 credit hours)
  • Elective (4.5 credit hours)
  • Theory course (3 credit hours)
• Spring:
  • BETH 504: Critical Readings in Bioethics (3 credit hours)
  • Elective (3 credit hours)
  • Theory course (3 credit hours)
  • Statistics course (3 credit hours)

Third and Fourth Years

• Students will focus on dissertation research, with 6 credit hours in the fall of the third year and 4 credit hours in the spring of the third year and both semesters of the fourth year.

Concentrations

Concentrations are available to students interested in:

1. Problems in genetics and genomics
2. Stem cell research and regenerative medicine
3. Research ethics and public health ethics
4. Clinical ethics
5. Medicine, society, and culture (medical humanities and social medicine)

PhD Policies

For PhD policies and procedures, please review the School of Graduate Studies section of the General Bulletin.