CWRU is home to the nation’s first PhD in Bioethics, created in 2004. Since then, we have trained a stellar group of scholars in bioethics and medical humanities that are advancing our field in many areas. Areas range among philosophy, health sciences, law, management, public policy and social sciences, religious studies, and more. We have welcomed students into our program from a variety of backgrounds. All students in the PhD program in Bioethics gain interdisciplinary training in order to conceptualize, design, and conduct both normative ethical analysis and empirical research, on bioethical issues.
We Train Bioethics and Medical Humanities Scholars
Our program’s objective is to train scholars to possess specific expertise in the conceptualization, design and execution of both normative and empirical research– on issues in bioethics and medical humanities.
Graduates will:
Obtain grounding in the philosophical basis of bioethics– to conceptualize and analyze moral problems
Develop a theoretical perspective to guide their research
Be proficient in empirical methodologies (both qualitative and quantitative) to conduct research on bioethical issues
Conceptualize and develop timely and meaningful research questions in bioethics
Emerge with the necessary skills to prepare academic publications and presentations; and to compete for academic positions and grant funding from NIH, NSF, and private foundations.
Opportunities for graduates of the PhD program in Bioethics are bountiful! They include careers as independent investigators, serving as a bridge between colleagues in the traditional medical humanities and those in clinical and basic-science departments. Or, employment in academic bioethics centers, clinical and basic science departments in medical schools, schools of public health, government agencies, and public policy institutes.
Important Program Update: Application Cycle on Hold
Due to budget constraints, the PhD in Bioethics program will not be accepting applications for the Fall 2026 admissions cycle. At this time, we do not have information about when the application cycle will reopen in the future. We understand this may be disappointing news for prospective applicants. We encourage you to check this website periodically for updates and stay updated with us via email by filling out the Request for Information form. Thank you for your interest in our program.
