The Research Ethics Concentration within the Master’s degree in Bioethics and Medical Humanities is designed to prepare specialists to pursue research ethics-related work or empirical investigations.
Scientific advances depend upon the design and implementation of empirical biomedical and behavioral research. Ethical issues in research evolve as challenges emerge in the development of new technologies and advances in clinical, translational, and health prevention studies. Multi-faceted issues are raised in the production of scientific research and regulatory oversight.
The Research Ethics Concentration provides graduates in bioethics and medical humanities with knowledge of the complex issues and challenges associated with studies, including research regulations and oversight, applications of the process of informed consent in diverse research settings, and professional misconduct in the context of research and the opportunity for graduates to be part of a new generation of leaders who will bring a broader perspective to critical analysis of important questions surrounding the implementation of scientific research.
The two semester, 30-credit program combines foundational coursework with research focused electives to enable students to focus their intellectual energies on issues of most interest to them.
Research Ethics Practicum provides students the opportunity to be embedded within a research group either at CWRU or area institutions conducting work such as:
- Work alongside administrators in the university’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) office, reviewing proposed human subject research protocols;
- Recommend revisions to informed consent templates for a hospital’s IRB to make them easier to understand; or
- Collaborate with a faculty member to write an original paper for publication regarding a research policy issue.
Learn more from our most recent Research Ethics Webinar.
| Fall Semester | Credits | Spring Semester | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foundations of Bioethics I | 6 | Foundations of Bioethics II | 6 |
| Clinical Ethics Rotations | 1.5 | Research Ethics Practicum | 1.5 |
| Research Ethics and Regulations | 3 | Bioethics and Medical Humanities Capstone | 1.5 |
| Research Ethics Journal Club | 1 | Research Ethics Journal | 0.5 |
| Elective 1* | 3 | Elective 2* | 3 |
| Elective 3 | 3 | ||
*Two of the three electives must be research-related.
Learn more about these courses in our list of Core Courses and Electives.