Explore the ethical, philosophical, and social challenges shaping modern healthcare through Tulane’s Master of Science in Philosophy and Bioethics. This interdisciplinary program examines complex issues in medicine, biomedical research, and the life sciences while preparing students to apply ethical reasoning to real-world healthcare and research settings.
The 30-credit curriculum combines foundational bioethics coursework, philosophy electives, and practical experience through a capstone project or thesis. Students develop skills in ethical analysis, critical thinking, argumentation, and case-based decision-making while exploring topics relevant to clinical practice, healthcare policy, research, and emerging technologies.
The program is designed for healthcare professionals, researchers, biomedical professionals, and students interested in careers in ethics committees, IRB work, healthcare leadership, medical education, biotechnology, public policy, and related fields. Graduates are prepared to navigate complex ethical challenges and contribute to thoughtful decision-making across healthcare and research environments.
The MS in Bioethics and Philosophy requires completion of 30 credit hours, including 5-6 core courses (15-18 credits) and 4-5 electives (12-15 credits).
Core Courses (5)
Students will select 5 of the 6 core courses; however, the capstone is mandatory unless the student chooses to write a thesis. The core courses are subject to change.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| BEMH 6002 | Foundations in Bioethics |
| BEMH 6003 | Medical Humanities Edited Course |
| BEMH 6009 | Current Controversies in Bioethics |
| PHIL 6132 | Reproductive Health: Bodies, Ethics, and Technology |
| PHIL 6133 | Compassion and Care Ethics in Medicine |
| BEMH 6020 | Capstone Edited Course |
Note: Students may complete a 6 credit thesis in place of the capstone course and one elective course.
Elective Courses (5)
Students can select 5 electives from both the Bioethics and Medical Humanities program and the Philosophy department, or from either one.
| Course | Title |
|---|---|
| BEMH Electives | |
| BEMH 6001 | Neuroethics: The Ethics of Neuroscience and the Neuroscience of Ethics Edited Course |
| BEMH 6006 | The Doctor As Author Edited Course |
| BEMH 6007 | Ethical Theory Edited Course |
| BEMH 6013 | Medicine and Identity Edited Course |
| BEMH 6018 | Feminist Theory and Practice in Medicine Edited Course |
| BEMH 6021 | Jewish Bioethics Edited Course |
| BEMH 6022 | Disability: Past, Present, and Future Edited Course |
| BEMH 6023 | Animal Ethics Edited Course |
| BEMH 6025 | Ethics of Death and Dying Edited Course |
| BEMH 6810 | Special Topics |
| Philosophy Electives | |
| PHIL 6050 | Moral Philosophy Edited Course |
| PHIL 6105 | Philosophy of Neuroscience Edited Course |
| PHIL 6130 | Moral Psychology & Meta-Ethics Edited Course |
| PHIL 6150 | Freedom & The Self Edited Course |
| PHIL 6170 | Philosophy of Perception Edited Course |
One-Year Plan, Full time (3 semesters)
We welcome non-Tulane students—including MS/PhD students from other institutions and mid-career professionals—to enroll in our courses, either in person or through live synchronous videoconferencing.
| Term | Sample Course Plan |
|---|---|
| Summer Prior to Year 1 | Elective #1 (3) Elective #2 (3) Elective #3 (3) |
| Year 1, Fall | Foundations in Bioethics (3) Medical Humanities (3) Current Controversies in Bioethics (3) Compassion and Care Ethics in Medicine (3) |
| Year 1, Spring | Reproductive Health: Bodies, Ethics, and Technology (3) Elective #7 (3) Capstone Project (3) |
| Total Hours | 15-18 hours Required courses 12-15 hours Elective courses TOTAL = 30 hours |
MS in 4 semesters
| Term | Sample Course Plan |
|---|---|
| Year 1, Fall | Foundations in Bioethics (3) Medical Humanities (3) |
| Year 1, Spring | Reproductive Health: Bodies, Ethics, and Technology (3) Elective #1 (3) Elective #2 (3) |
| Year 2, Summer | (Optional) Elective (3) |
| Year 2, Fall | Current Controversies in Bioethics (3) Compassion and Care Ethics in Medicine (3) Elective #6 (3) |
| Year 2, Spring | Capstone Project (3) Elective #7 (3) |
| Total Hours: | 15-18 hours Required courses 12-15 hours Elective courses TOTAL = 30 hours |
For more information, please contact us at TulaneMedicalEthics@tulane.edu.
See the course catalog for more course information.
