MA in Bioethics/MDiv

Why pursue an MA-Bioethics/MDiv dual degree?

The purpose of the program is to train students to pursue careers in faith-based organizations, healthcare environments, public healthcare policy, or to pursue advanced studies in bioethics and moral theology.

The connection between faith-based values and patient medical decisions continuously intersect in health care environments. In addition to clinical knowledge, faith also influences the ethical decisions of healthcare professionals and policy makers.  Patients and healthcare professionals regularly employ the services of pastors, chaplains, pastoral counselors, and other faith leaders, to help in the process of making ethical decisions.  The counsel and advice of these spiritual guides greatly influence the decisions of patients, their families, and healthcare professionals.

Degree Information

Students will apply to each program for admission separately, and if accepted to both programs will fulfill the requirements of the programs in parallel. Evaluation criteria for admission to the Candler School of Theology for students in the dual-degree program are the same as those for the MDiv program alone; similarly, evaluation criteria for admission to Laney Graduate School for students in the dual-degree program are the same as those for the MA-Bioethics Program alone. Students accepted into the dual-degree program will be notified of acceptance by both schools. If students are accepted into one school but not the other, they may enroll in the school that has accepted them, but not as a dual-degree student. Upon admission to the dual-degree program, students should consult with the appropriate program director of each school to plan their courses of study.

Students will complete the standard 30 credit hours for the MA-Bioethics curriculum, as well as the 84 credit hours for the MDiv program. Students will complete their first year of coursework in the MDiv Program, complete year 2 in the MA-Bioethics Program, and return to the MDiv program for the third and fourth year.

In addition, in order to ensure maximal integration, students will “share” two electives during the program: one 3-credit elective in the MDiv program (likely ES 651 or ES 652), and one 3-credit elective on Religion and Bioethics (BIOETH 505) from the LGS/Center for Ethics. These electives, which will be completed in the final year of study, will ensure that students apply the methodologies and content of both programs to issues that affect the ethical practice of ministry.

MDiv dual degree students will be slated to take the examination rather than write a thesis in order to ensure they will be able to return to the MDiv program with no delay in time to degree.

Students enrolled in the dual degree program will be encouraged to enroll in a Contextual Education I (Con Ed I) course that places them in a clinical setting. If students complete 120 hours of Con Ed I in a clinical setting, during their first year at Candler, 60 hours will be applied to the practicum hours required (120 hours) in the MA-Bioethics program. To encourage a diversity of experiences in the field of bioethics, students will be placed at a different clinical site to complete their practicum requirement.  In addition, if students register for Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) in the Summer of their second year, they will be allowed to complete their practicum requirement at the same site as their CPE.

Financial Implications

During their enrollment in the Candler School of Theology Master of Divinity program, students will be charged the current rate of tuition in the Candler School of Theology. When enrolled in the Laney Graduate School, the student will be charged the current rate of tuition for the MA-Bioethics Program. School-sponsored scholarships and grants are applicable only to those semesters in which the student is in residency at the respective schools. Students are expected to be able to complete this dual degree program in 4 calendar years, although more time is possible if necessary.