Medical Humanities and Bioethics Certificate

The following requirements are in addition to, or further elaborate upon, those requirements outlined in The Graduate School Policy Guide.

Certificate

Total Units Required: 8

The Certificate in Medical Humanities and Bioethics works in concert with our existing Master’s in Medical Humanities and Bioethics program, drawing on that program’s well-established array of interdisciplinary courses. Both programs expose students to the key conceptual approaches and methodological tools that each of the field's core disciplines contributes to addressing problems in medicine. These core disciplines include: Bioethics/Philosophy, Law, History, Literature, and the Social Sciences, and our required coursework covers each of these fields in turn in its engagement with medicine. 

This interdisciplinary training in Medical Humanities and Bioethics is particularly beneficial to students interested in building upon a primary area of expertise such as medicine, law, genetic counseling, and other related fields. Students receive training relevant to a variety of clinical, academic, and industry career paths, preparing students to take on roles such as serving on hospital ethics committees and institutional review boards, as well as engaging in education, scholarship, policy, and advocacy work on medicine and ethics.

The Certificate in Medical Humanities & Bioethics differs from the Master of Arts in Medical Humanities & Bioethics in that it does not require a capstone project. Thus the Certificate option serves as an alternative for existing Master's students, who choose not to pursue or are unable to successfully complete a capstone project. For such students, the Certificate in Medical Humanities & Bioethics provides and marks an additional area of expertise that can enhance and expand their primary professional work.

Course Requirements:

The Certificate requirements are satisfactory completion of the Medical Humanities and Bioethics core coursework, which include:

Course Title
MHB 401-0Foundations of Bioethics
MHB 402-0Medicine & Law
MHB 403-0The History of Medicine and Bioethics
MHB 404-0Literature, Medicine, and Bioethics
MHB 405-0Social Science and Medicine
MHB 406-0The Practice of MH&B
MHB 410-1Special Topics in Medical Humanities and Bioethics (Taken over 6 quarters for 2 total units)
MHB 499-0Independent Study