Master of Science in Bioethics

Your first step is to get in touch with any questions or submit a simple application for admission. After acceptance to the University as a candidate for graduate studies, we will assist you every step of the way toward acceptance into your academic program so you can enroll and begin your classes!

Online with three visits to our main campus in Bismarck, ND and one 2-day in-person NCBC seminar in Bismarck

The Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Services (1 credit)

Explore the “Ethical and Religious Directives for Catholic Health Care Services,” which serves as a guide and reference point for all Catholic bioethical thought, ranging from end-of-life issues to partnerships with non-Catholic institutions.

Catholic Bioethics, the Dignity of the Person, and the Gift of Human Life (5 credits)

Investigate the major areas of modern bioethics and consider the key ethical concerns surrounding these issues. These investigations will include areas where ethical ambiguity may still exist from the vantage point of Catholic teaching such as embryo adoption and Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer. Students will learn to articulate a reasoned position and coherent approach to dealing with such questions in the practical sphere.

Bioethics: Faith and Reason (4 credits)

Dive into the philosophical and theological underpinnings of bioethics and apply them to the topics of moral courage and moral relativism. Other prominent ethical theories – such as situational ethics, consequentialism, and Kantian Fundamentalism – will be addressed in relation to Natural Law.

Law and Bioethics (3 credits)

Examine bioethical principles and topics in light of their relationship to modern legal realities, discussing relevant legal issues and how they relate to the ways courts, policy makers, and scholars approach them in both federal and state governments.

Medicine and Bioethics (3 credits)

Explore the philosophical, theological, and physiological concepts of bioethics as the relate to clinical decision-making in medicine, considering how microcosmic and macrocosmic ethical issues affect every-day practice in the realm of medicine.

Health Policy and Bioethics (3 credits)

Survey health policy and its development with an emphasis on social justice and human rights in order to establish a moral and ethical basis for existing and potential policies. Concepts such as political and ethical principles, distributive justice, and competing goals will be analyzed in terms of how they contribute to and compete with each other in policy development.

Bioethics Practicum and Capstone Project (4 credits)

Participate in the experience of ethical clinical decision making by developing and disseminating an original scholarly paper, utilizing both compassion and moral courage. This practicum is an integration and synthesis of content from all previous courses in the program and requires the application of scholar methods and composition.

For a list of courses for the Bioethics, M.S., please visit the catalog.

This is a 2-day in-person NCBC seminar in Bismarck.

If you are serving or have served our country, we sincerely thank you. Our military services office is here to work closely with active duty, retired, reserve, and eligible family members qualified for military benefits. Learn how we can help you with the application process and review the benefits you have earned.

• Tuition: $670/credit
• Application fee: $45
• NCBC Transcripting fee: $840
• Technology fee: $43 per credit

For a full list of fees, visit our Tuition and Fees page.

The University of Mary is committed to putting your educational goals within reach. Learn what scholarships you qualify for.

The following will be needed when you have applied for admission so we can get you accepted into the graduate program:

• Must have a bachelor’s degree or have completed at least 90 credits toward a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and have graduated with a bachelor’s degree by the end of the Health Care Ethics Certification Program
• Cumulative GPA of 3.0 in the National Catholic Certification Program in Health Care Ethics
• Letter grade no lower than a “C” on any individual National Catholic Certification Program in Health Care Ethics course
• Official transcripts
  • Graduated from the University of Mary? Then we’ll get your Mary transcript for you!
  • At most other schools, you can request transcripts by going to the National Student Clearinghouse or by contacting the registrar’s office. 
  • Have your transcripts sent to:
    Office of Admissions
    University of Mary
    7500 University Drive
    Bismarck, ND 58504
  • Or request to send electronic transcripts to registrar@umary.edu
• Resume
• Professional Goals Statement (2-3 paragraphs describing your career goals)
• Two Letters of Recommendation

Applications are accepted online beginning in mid-May until early January for each June start. However, students submitting applications prior to July 1 will receive priority consideration.

Currently enrolled or successful completion of the National Catholic Certification Program in Health Care Ethics. In the first year, the student enrolls in the National Catholic Certification Program in Health Care Ethics. Upon successful completion, the student may transfer up to 10 graduate credits through the University of Mary. The second year, completed within three consecutive semesters, begins directly after completion of the National Catholic Certification Program in Health Care Ethics in June and will include bioethics courses in faith and reason, law, health care, biomedical industries, medicine, and health policy. The degree program includes a practicum and capstone project.