The PhD program presents an integrated, interdisciplinary curriculum in bioethics that prepares students to work as scholars, clinicians, and corporate ethicists. Students may tailor aspects of their coursework and their dissertation research to focus on biotechnological, clinical, organizational, or research ethics. Students pursuing the JD/PhD, the MD/PhD or the MA/PhD follow a modified curriculum. Students entering the PhD program from baccalaureate studies pursue additional coursework as described below.
Coursework
Students who have completed a Masters degree or another advanced degree (e.g., a JD or MD) complete 48 hours of coursework as described in this section. Students entering the PhD program directly from baccalaureate studies complete an additional 12 credit hours of coursework, as described at the bottom of this page. Students pursuing the JD/PhD, MD/PhD or the MA/PhD complete a modified version of the Masters-level PhD program curriculum described here.
Students register for courses in five areas: Foundations, Context of Health Care, Topics and Scholars, Practica, and Dissertation Research.
Foundations of Health Care Ethics (12 hours)
The Foundations courses establish the research competencies required for the scholarly analysis of health care ethics. These courses examine philosophical (HCE-G601), religious (HCE-G602), applied (HCE-G603) and interdisciplinary (HCE-G604) methods in health care ethics. All Foundations courses are required.
Context of Health Care (6 hours)
Three Context courses are required: Medicine for Ethicists (HCE-G611; 1 credit), Health Care Law (HCE-G612; 3 credits) and Bioethics and the Law (HCE-G660; 2 credits). These courses, designed specifically for students as non-specialists in these disciplines, provide an interdisciplinary context for the study of health care ethics.
Topics and Scholars in Health Care Ethics (15 hours)
Students will complete 15 credit hours of Topics and Scholars courses. Three one-credit courses are required: Clinical Ethics (HCE-G613), Mediation (HCE-G614) and Cultural Competence (HCE-G615). The remaining 12 credit hours are electives. Preferably some electives will be in areas related to a student's anticipated dissertation research.
Practica (3 hours)
Three hours of practica must be completed by the end of course work: HCE-G641.
Dissertation Research (12 hours)
After passing the comprehensive examinations, students prepare a dissertation proposal and write a dissertation while registered for 12 credit hours of dissertation research (HCE-G699).
Additional requirements in the curriculum include the following:
Research Tools
These competencies are essential for success in bioethics. Students may develop these competencies through different mechanisms.
1. Competency in medical terminology
2. Competency in library database skills
3. Competency in reading statistics and study design
Comprehensive Examinations
The comprehensive examinations occur after completing all course work and practica.
Dissertation Proposal
After passing the oral and written comprehensive examinations, students prepare a formal dissertation proposal. The dissertation proposal is a distinct requirement of the program and it must be approved in writing by all members of the dissertation committee and accepted by the Graduate School. In their dissertation proposals, PhD candidates must present substantial evidence of their ability to extend the knowledge base in the major field and demonstrate how the research competencies in the program are to be integrated with the proposed research of the dissertation.
Oral Defense of the Dissertation
Upon completion of the dissertation, students publicly present and defend their dissertation before their dissertation committee, Center faculty and doctoral students.
Additional Coursework Requirement for Students Entering Directly from Baccalaureate Studies
Students entering the PhD Program directly from baccalaureate studies additionally complete 12 hours of 500-level coursework to prepare them for the 600-level Foundations and Topics and Scholars courses.
3-credit graduate level foundations of ethics course approved by the PhD Program Director or Department Chair.
HCE-G501: Foundations of Clinical Ethics (1 credit), HCE-G503 Foundations of Catholic Health Care Ethics (1 credit), and an additional 500-level course offered through the certificate in clinical health care ethics program; or an HCE Topics and Scholars Elective; or a suitable 3-credit hour graduate-level applied ethics course available in another department
A suitable 3-credit hour graduate level applied bioethics course chosen in consultation with the PhD Program Director or Department Chair.
3 credits taken from 500-level courses offered in the Certificate in Clinical Health Care Ethics Program (e.g., HCE-G510 Informed Consent; HCE-G511 Death and Dying; and HCE-G512 Pain Management and Palliative Care)
JD/PhD Curriculum
Students begin their dual degree studies at the School of Law as traditional first-year students. In their second and third years of study, students are primarily law students but take six hours of courses in Health Care Ethics. In addition to the six hours in Health Care Ethics, students enroll in a three-hour directed research course that is cross-listed by both programs. The directed research project is supervised by faculty from both programs and is treated as a traditional law school directed research project.
Dual degree students ordinarily graduate with the JD in three years of full-time study. It is recommended that they sit the bar exam in the summer following their graduation.
Beginning in the fall following their graduation from the School of Law, all academic work is dedicated to the PhD program. The PhD program recognizes 9 hours of law school courses towards the PhD. (See details below.) Additionally, students will have completed 9 hours of Health Care Ethics classes during the JD program. Thus it is expected that students will complete their PhD coursework in two semesters following their JD program. Comprehensive exams and the dissertation ordinarily require an additional three semesters.
During the entire time that students are enrolled in the dual degree program, it is expected that they will be engaged in both programs. Starting with their second year of law school, students will take part in PhD seminars and other extracurricular programs offered by the doctoral program. Once they have completed their JD and are enrolled in the doctoral program, it is expected that they will remain engaged in relevant health law activities at the School of Law.
Curricular Detail
Students complete the usual curriculum in both the Juris Doctor (JD) and PhD programs. However, as indicated below, 18 credit hours of coursework satisfies requirements in both of the dual degree programs.
Law Courses Counted Toward PhD Degree (9 credits)
LW-L757: Health Care Law [3 credits; replaces HCE-G612]
LW-L758: Bioethics and the Law [2 credits; required for the PhD program]
LW-LXXX: Students complete 4 credits of Health Law electives at the Law School [replaces 4 credits of Topics and Scholars electives]
PhD Courses Counted Toward JD Degree (9 credits)
HCE-G653: Directed Research in Health Law and Ethics [Cross listed with LW-L885: Directed Research (3)] [Required]
Plus two of the following five additional PhD courses:
HCE-G601: Philosophical Methods in Health Care Ethics (3)
HCE-G603: Applied Methods in Health Care Ethics (3)
HCE-G604: Interdisciplinary Research in Health Care Ethics (3)
HCE-G634: Health Care Reform (3)
HCE-G639: Research Ethics (3)
* Note: Dual degree students complete the Masters-level PhD program track, not the more extensive BA-level track.
MD/PhD Curriculum
Students begin their dual degree studies as traditional first year students in the School of Medicine. After the second year of medical school, students begin full-time study in Health Care Ethics. Students are expected to complete the PhD in three years, after which they return to the School of Medicine to complete the third and fourth years of medical studies.
A minimum of 48 hours of coursework is required for the PhD. This ordinarily includes 33 hours of course work, three hours of practicum, and 12 hours of dissertation research. The Department accepts 7 credit hours from Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the MD curriculum. The required courses HCE-G611 Introduction to Medicine for Ethicists, one 3-credit Topics and Scholars elective and the HCE-G641 Practica are waived based on medical school coursework in Patient, Physician, and Society I and II, and in Fundamentals of Biomedical Science. MD/PhD students will be recognized as having satisfied all three Research Tools requirements based on trainee knowledge of medical terminology, biostatistics, and library database searches. The remaining 29 credit hours of PhD coursework, comprehensive exams, the dissertation, and the public defense of the dissertation must be completed during the three years of PhD study.
* Note: Dual degree students complete the Masters-level PhD program track, not the more extensive BA-level track.
MA/PhD Curriculum
Ordinarily, students begin their MA studies at Aquinas Institute of Theology (AIT) during their first year of the program. In year 1, students will complete 30* hours of 36 hours required for the MA from AIT:
6 credits Biblical Studies
3 credits Historical Studies
12 credits Systematic Theology
9 credits Moral Theology
During the second year, students enter the PhD program at SLU and follow the PhD curriculum for students who already hold Masters degrees. In Year 2, dual degree students become eligible for assistantship funding. AIT will count 6 credits from the PhD coursework completed in Year 2 toward completion of the MA. The following PhD courses may be used to fulfill the final 6 credits toward the MA:
HCE 602 (Religious Methods in Health Care Ethics) or HCE 631 (Health Care Ethics in the Catholic Tradition) [Dual degree students must enroll in both of these courses during their time in the Ph.D. program. Completion of 1 of the courses is required for completion of the M.A. These courses are offered in alternating spring semesters. Therefore, students will complete only one of them in Year 2 of the dual degree program.]
A 3 credit elective in HCE
*A total of 6 credits taken toward the MA at AIT will count towards fulfillment of the Topics and Scholars elective requirements in the Ph.D. program. Two of the following MA courses may be treated as Topics and Scholars electives for the PhD:
Justice and Catholic Social Teaching
Ethics of Human Sexuality
Christian Anthropology
(Any substitutions to these courses must be approved by the MA advisor and the Department Chair or PhD Program Director in Health Care Ethics.)
After the end of Year 2 and completion of the major paper and comprehensive exams required for the MA degree, students are awarded the MA in Theology from AIT. The timing for completion of the major paper and the comprehensive exams is to be determined in consultation with the MA advisor at AIT.
In Year 3, students complete the coursework required for the PhD.
Albert Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethics
Mailing Address: Albert Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethics
221 North Grand Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63103-2006
Campus address: O'Brien Hall, Frost Campus
Telephone: (314) 977-6661
Fax: (314) 977-5150
