Bioethics (Graduate Certificate)
Creighton University’s online Graduate Certificate in Bioethics provides professionals with a comprehensive introduction to bioethics.
Through the School of Medicine's bioethics certificate program, you’ll gain the expertise and confidence you need to face moral dilemmas in healthcare head-on. You’ll have the necessary tools to discuss complex issues about ethics in medicine and healthcare policy.
Ethical controversies in healthcare are broad and complex, including issues such as end-of-life care, pain and suffering, research ethics, and disparities in healthcare access. You can meet the growing need for professionals with strong ethical skills by earning a Graduate Certificate in Bioethics.
Through rigorous coursework, your thinking, writing, and decision-making will improve. You will also learn to consider legal, ethical, and social implications to best serve patients and families. As you complete your coursework, you’ll have the support of expert faculty and peers from a wide range of professions—including physicians, nurses, chaplains, lawyers, hospice workers, hospital administrators, lab technicians, medical researchers, social workers and more.
A program tailored to your career goals and lifestyle
We know that graduate school is a huge investment of your time and money, so we make sure that your investment is a smart one—and one that you can fit in your busy schedule. This 15-credit program is designed to meet the needs of busy professionals and can be completed fully online in about a year.
The Graduate Certificate in Bioethics program is highly customizable, allowing you to choose from a variety of bioethics topics. You’ll take a required Scholarly Reading and Writing class, and then select four electives based on your personal interests and career goals. The bioethics program is housed in School of Medicine, which means you’ll have a wide variety of subject areas to pursue, all of which are taught by expert faculty.
Program Details
Program Goals and Curriculum
The Graduate Certificate in Bioethics program is ideal for professionals in a variety of healthcare related fields who wish to become better equipped to navigate critical and complex conversations about clinical ethics and healthcare policy. The highly interdisciplinary program takes about a year to complete, and coursework can be applied to a Master of Science in Bioethics if you wish to continue your education.
To earn this certificate, you must complete 15 credits:
- Core Course: Scholarly Reading and Writing
- Electives (Choose Four):
- Health Policy
- Research Ethics
- Law and Healthcare Ethics
- Social and Cultural Contexts of Healthcare
- Philosophical Bioethics
- Theories of Justice
- Practical Ethics in Healthcare Settings
- Ethical Aspects of End-of-Life Care
- Rescue and Transplantation: Manifestations of Scarcity and Power in U.S. Healthcare
- Public Health Ethics
- Catholic Bioethics
- Oral Healthcare at the Intersection of Professional and Business Ethics
- Independent Study in Healthcare Ethics
Faculty
Our faculty come from backgrounds in business, health, education, law, and the arts and sciences. Together, their experiences and expertise provide students in the bioethics certificate program with a robust interdisciplinary education.
Master's and Certificate Options
Creighton University offers graduate certificates in health for students who wish to deepen and expand their healthcare knowledge without committing to a full master’s degree program. Options include:
Master of Science in Bioethics
This program is designed for students who seek a deeper understanding of the impact of relevant cultural, philosophical, political, and legal issues in healthcare practices and policies, especially regarding their impact on vulnerable populations.
Graduate Certificate in Clinical Ethics Consultation
Through our 15-credit online certificate program, become a professional with strong ethical skills and gain hands-on experience in ethical assessment, analysis, process and evaluation.
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the Graduate Certificate in Bioethics program, applicants must:
- Complete an application
- Include an updated curriculum vitae or resume
- Provide an official transcript from the institution that granted the Bachelor’s degree. Read more about sending transcripts.
- Submit a personal statement of interest in the graduate certificate
A personal interview may be requested in addition to the above requirements. The interview may be conducted in-person or virtually.
International students are welcomed into this program so long as they complete it from their country of residence, as F-1 visas will not be issued.
International applicants must:
Tuition & Financial Aid
Tuition rates change in the fall of each year. Visit our financial aid site for more details.
Financial Aid
To help make your graduate studies at Creighton University more affordable, we encourage you to file the FAFSA to apply for financial assistance. We also encourage you to apply for available graduate student scholarships and fellowships.
Still have questions? Email or call a friendly financial specialist at 402.280.2731 for any additional questions you may have.
Dates and Deadlines
The table below details the enrollment deadlines and starting dates of courses for the current academic year. If you have any questions about dates, deadlines, or application materials, please contact an enrollment specialist for personalized assistance.
ONLINE
START CLASSES IN | APPLY BY |
August | August 1 |
January | December 1 |
May | April 15 |
