Bioethics

Program Overview

The Master of Health Science (MHSc) in Bioethics is offered by the Department of Public Health Sciences in collaboration with the Joint Centre for Bioethics. This professional master’s program is designed for health practitioners, researchers, and administrators.

The goal of the program is to develop students’ knowledge and skill competencies in bioethics education, research, and practice in order to strengthen ethics capacity in health organizations. The majority of MHSc graduates use their training to enhance their existing clinical/research/administrative role, for example through participating as a chair/co-chair of an ethics committee, a research ethics board member, or a contributor to bioethics education and scholarship. Some MHSc graduates pursue the role of a practising health-care ethicist in a health-care organization by completing a formal practice-based training program (for example, a fellowship) in clinical/organizational ethics.

The MHSc in Bioethics is conducted in a modular format and has no thesis requirement, allowing high-achieving professionals to earn a master’s degree without interrupting their careers. Students are exposed to the breadth of clinical, organizational, and research ethics issues facing our health system today, with a strong emphasis on interprofessional exchange and practical experience informed by theory (including a practicum component).

Students interested in an interdisciplinary research program may wish to consider the Collaborative Specialization in Bioethics.

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