ACADEMICS
Prepare To Lead in Bioethics
The Master of Arts in Bioethics program provides professionals and future professionals in law, public health, medicine, nursing, and related fields with the skills and knowledge needed to advance and assume leadership positions in their chosen careers. The program draws on world-class faculty and resources from across Hofstra Law and Hofstra University’s graduate and professional schools and combines classroom study with well-established clinical opportunities to examine a broad range of contemporary and emerging issues in bioethics.
The 30-credit program, including a two-semester Introduction to Bioethics and a 6-credit Capstone Project, allows students to define their own course of study and pursue the issues they find most compelling or that best suit their long-term career goals. The program can be completed in as little as one calendar year full time or over multiple years part time.
The Master of Arts in Bioethics program builds on Hofstra’s highly successful Certificate in Clinical Bioethics, which since 2014, has prepared working professionals, law, and medical students to participate in hospital ethics committees, legal and policy discussions, and patient advocacy. As with the certificate program, the master of arts program utilizes case-based learning supplemented with real-world clinical experiences to prepare students for careers in and around bioethics and related fields.
Program Information
The Hofstra University Certificate in Clinical Bioethics is a two-semester part-time program that teaches bioethics through the lens of medicine, law, and narrative. The program integrates academic coursework and clinical skills building to prepare students to participate in ethical discussion and consultation in medical, legal, and public health settings. Upon completion of the program, participants possess the critical tools needed to analyze and assess ethics cases, participate in ethics consultations, and serve on hospital ethics committees.
Learn More About the Certificate in Clinical BioethicsThe Master of Arts in Bioethics program and the Certificate in Clinical Bioethics are open to everyone interested in pursuing advanced study in applied bioethics. The programs are particularly valuable to practicing lawyers, physicians, nurses, social workers, clergy, and others looking for greater opportunities to participate in, for example, hospital ethics committees, clinical ethics consultation, policy development, and legal advocacy, as well as students in law, medicine, nursing, public health, or health professions who wish to supplement their professional education with a deeper understanding of the bioethical issues they will face. Further, other individuals interested in understanding how current issues in bioethics arise and are managed in legal, policy, and healthcare settings will also find the programs beneficial.
Core Courses:
- Intro to Clinical Bioethics 1 & 2 (Certificate Program Course)
- Public Health Law, Policy, and Ethics
- Bioethics and Law in Biomedical Research
- Bioethics Capstone Project
Sample Elective Courses:
- Legal and Bioethical Responses to Healthcare Challenges
- Sexuality, Gender and the Law
- Health Policy and Analysis
- Law’s Response to Reproductive Technology
- Clinical Bioethics Immersion
- Mediation Seminar
- Biotechnology: Law, Business and Regulation
Applicants for the Hofstra Master of Arts in Bioethics program come from a broad range of professional and educational backgrounds, including law, medicine, nursing, and other health professions, as well as clergy, among others. Some are practicing professionals seeking to enhance their opportunities into bioethical issues, while others are current students or recent graduates with professional aspirations that include integrating bioethics into their career goals.
Review of applications is on a rolling basis until all spots are filled. Applicants are encouraged to apply early and should complete and submit the application form below before submitting supporting documentation.
Acceptance into the Master of Arts in Bioethics program requires at minimum an undergraduate degree. In addition to completing the online application, please provide the following:
- Statement of academic purpose
- Undergraduate transcript
- Graduate transcript (if applicable)
- Two letters of recommendation
For questions about the program or to submit an application, send an email to BioethicsMA@hofstra.edu.
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Build the knowledge and perspective to navigate the ethical challenges shaping health care, law, and public policy.