This program combines the Master of Arts in Bioethics and Medical Humanities with the Doctor of Jurisprudence and is offered in cooperation with the School of Law. Advances in health sciences have created new and difficult moral choices for individuals, their families, and the health professionals who work with them.
The Department of Bioethics is dedicated to responding to the challenge of health care choices faced in today's society. It focuses on the ethical, cultural, and policy dimensions of health care, technology, and the life sciences. Professionals from many arenas, including public health, prevention sciences, health sciences, the life sciences, and the social sciences have contributed to and drawn from the field of Bioethics.
The JD Degree is a terminal degree; persons with the degree may pursue a variety of career paths. The MA in Bioethics and Medical Humanities is considered a supplemental degree— it enhances careers in other fields. The combined JD/MA program provides excellent preparation for students who desire to practice health law by giving law students firsthand experience in multiple health care settings. It is designed to help students identify and assess challenges facing the medical and health law professions in the coming decades, and explore a broad range of health law and policy issues. The program emphasizes the interdisciplinary and inter-professional nature of the field, and includes a significant clinical component.
Application Requirements
Students must apply and be accepted to each degree program to qualify. New students can apply to both programs simultaneously; current law students may apply before the end of their first year. Students are expected to complete course requirements for the two degrees in either three-and-one half years, or three years combined with some summer school work. The curriculum for this dual degree program begins with one year of full-time study in law school.
To apply to the MA in Bioethics and Medical Humanities program, check out the Application Requirements
Learn more about the JD Program and email questions to: lawadmissions@case.edu.
Course Requirements
| JD Degree | Credits | MA Degree | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| “Pure” Law School Credits | 70 | ||
| Foundations in Bioethics I and II (BETH 401 and BETH 402)* |
12 | Foundations in Bioethics I and II (BETH 401 and BETH 402)* |
12 |
| Clinical Ethics Rotation (BETH 405) | 3 | ||
| Capstone in Bioethics and Medical Humanities (BETH 402C) | 1.5 | ||
| Law School Credits in Bioethics and Medical Humanities relevant courses* | 6 | Law School Credits in Bioethics and Medical Humanities relevant courses* | 6 |
| Electives outside Law School in Bioethics and Medical Humanities | 6 | ||
| Mini elective in Bioethics and Medical Humanities | 1.5 | ||
| JD Total Credits | 88 | MA Total Credits | 30 |
*The School of Law allows 12 hours of credit for selected School of Medicine courses to be credited toward the JD degree. The School of Medicine allows 6 hours of credit for selected law courses at the School of Law to be credited toward the MA in Bioethics and Medical Humanities