General Rules for Combined Bachelor's/Master's Degree Program
The Combined Bachelor’s/Master’s Degrees (CBMD) (formerly Integrated Graduate Studies- IGS) is intended for highly motivated current CWRU undergraduate students who are candidates for any bachelor's degree and whose objective is to complete a Masters of Arts in Bioethics and Medical Humanities. Qualified students may be admitted to the MA program and pursue the simultaneous completion of requirements for both the master’s and bachelor’s degrees.
FAQs
The CBM program at CWRU enables highly motivated undergraduates to earn both their bachelor’s degree and a Master of Arts (MA) in Bioethics and Medical Humanities within 4 or 5 years. This accelerated pathway allows students to integrate advanced bioethics coursework into their undergraduate studies, maximizing their time and academic experience at CWRU.
- Dual Degrees: Graduate with both a bachelor’s and an MA in Bioethics and Medical Humanities.
- Maintain Undergraduate Status: Continue to access undergraduate financial aid, housing, and extracurricular activities while enrolled in both programs.
- Enhanced Career Preparation: Gain advanced knowledge and skills in bioethics and medical humanities, strengthening applications for professional schools and future careers.
- Efficient Pathway: Complete two degrees in the time typically required for one.
- Total Credits: The MA program requires 30 credits.
- Core Courses: Students must take BETH 401 Foundations in Bioethics and Medical Humanities I (6 credits) in the fall and BETH 402 Foundations in Bioethics and Medical Humanities II (6 credits) in the spring.
- Flexible Courses: BETH 405 Clinical Ethics Rotations (3 credits total over 2 semesters), BETH 402C Bioethics and Medical Humanities Capstone (1.5 credits), and 13.5 credits of electives may be scheduled throughout your time in the program.
- Typical Schedule: Most students complete the MA coursework in two semesters—fall and spring of their fourth (senior) year. Review a sample plan here.
- Undergraduate Status: Students taking both undergraduate and MA courses typically maintain their financial aid package, housing, and other undergraduate benefits.
- Transition to Graduate Status (if necessary): Once a student completes their bachelor’s degree and if necessary, needs to continue with remaining MA courses, they become a graduate student, subject to graduate tuition and financial aid.
- Important Note: Financial aid eligibility and packages vary; consult with the financial aid office for personalized guidance.
- Eligibility: All CWRU undergraduates pursuing a bachelor’s degree are eligible.
- Open to All Majors: The MA in Bioethics and Medical Humanities welcomes students from any field, including:
- Pre-health students who wish to strengthen their professional program applications while also enriching their health care training with a grounding in critical ethical issues and perspectives;
- Pre-law students who hope to better understand the connection between bioethics, humanities and law as a way to enhance their law school applications;
- Nursing or Engineering students who are looking to enhance their knowledge with greater bioethics and humanities context;
- Humanities students who are looking to prepare for a doctoral program or explore career path options;
- Undecided students who are exploring for the next steps in their career paths.
- Credit Requirement: CWRU requires that students must have completed at least 60 undergraduate credits before applying.
- Application Timing: Apply in the semester before you plan to begin MA coursework—typically junior year for a senior start.
- Early Start: In exceptional cases, students may begin MA courses in the spring of their junior year with approval of the MA program director
- Fall CBM deadline to apply is March 1.
- Spring deadline to apply is November 15 (students must be approved by the MA program director for a spring start).