Bioethics (Master of Science)
Creighton University’s online Master of Science in Bioethics provides professionals with advanced training in bioethical analysis and decision making.
Supported by the School of Medicine, you’ll gain an enhanced capacity to address moral and ethical challenges in a variety of healthcare settings. You’ll be better equipped to navigate critical and complex conversations about clinical ethics and healthcare policy.
“Faculty in the bioethics master’s program really invest in giving individual feedback to students. Even though it's completely online, there's a lot of chances for interaction through video conference and at times in-person, too.”
— Sarah Lux, PhD | Assistant Professor, Medical Humanities
Ethical controversies in healthcare have recently become broader and more complex. Issues such as end-of-life care, pain and suffering, research ethics, and disparities in healthcare access are often in the news. You can meet the growing need for professionals who possess strong skills in healthcare ethics by earning your MS in Bioethics.
Through rigorous coursework and hands-on practicum experience, 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 bioethics courses, 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 graduate school is a huge investment of your time and money, so we make sure your investment is a smart one—and one that you can fit in your busy schedule. This 30-credit program is designed to meet the needs of busy professionals and can be completed fully online in just over two years.
You’ll also learn about what matters to you. About half of your credits will be earned through electives, which tailors your degree to your interests. The bioethics program is housed in the School of Medicine, which means you’ll have a wide variety of subject areas to pursue, all of which are taught by expert faculty.
Your education will also be practical. As part of your Master of Science in Bioethics curriculum, you’ll participate in a practicum experience. During your practicum, you’ll develop a practical plan for responding to an ethical issue or problem that you’ll identify in collaboration with key individuals at your practicum site. The practicum experience is designed to help you integrate the knowledge you will gain throughout your coursework and apply it in a real-world setting.
Program Details
Program Goals and Curriculum
The Master of Science 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 program is highly interdisciplinary in nature and takes about two years to complete.
To earn this master’s degree, you must complete 30 credits:
- Core Courses (15 credits)
- Introduction to Bioethics
- Scholarly Reading and Writing
- Social Cultural Contexts of Healthcare
- Philosophical Bioethics
- Theories of Justice
- Electives (12 Credits)
- Practicum or Capstone (3 Credits)
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 master’s program with a robust interdisciplinary education.
Dual Degree and Certificate Options
Certificate Programs
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:
Graduate Certificate in Bioethics – 15 credit hours
This 15-credit online graduate certificate is highly customizable to your interests and career goals. You’ll take a required Scholarly Reading and Writing class, and four electives of your choice.
Graduate Certificate in Clinical Ethics Consultation – 15 credit hours
Through our online certificate program, become a professional with strong ethical skills and gain hands-on experience in ethical assessment, analysis, process and evaluation.
Dual Degree Programs
Students can complete a dual degree program to earn two degrees at once, saving both time and money. The following dual degree option is available in bioethics:
- Medicine (Doctor of Medicine) + Bioethics
Admission Requirements
To be considered for admission to the MS in Bioethics program, applicants must:
- Complete an application
- Possess a bachelor’s degree with 3.0 GPA or higher
- Provide official transcripts from all educational institutions attended. Read more about sending transcripts
- Include a resume or curriculum vitae
- Submit a personal statement (see application for specific requirements)
- Submit a Healthcare Bioethics Essay (see application for specific requirements)
- Submit three letters of recommendation from persons other than friends or family members
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:
Provisional Admission
If you cannot provide a GRE score or proof of success in graduate-level coursework, you may be granted provisional admission. You must earn at least a B or higher in the first six credits of the program in order to gain full admission and continue in the program.
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.
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 |
