The Department of Biomedical Informatics, Biostatistics and Medical Epidemiology (BBME) in partnership with the MU Center for Health Ethics offers a Graduate Certificate in Health Ethics, completed online with graduate or professional coursework.
The Health Ethics Certificate prepares the working professional to understand the ethical issues clinicians face in healthcare services delivery. It is important for managers to know the real-world issues faced by physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Examples are decision-making capacity, informed consent, end of life care, and patient information confidentiality.
While there are multiple educational offerings which may result in certificate acquisition, students must complete a minimum of 12 credit hours from the approved list below.
Health Ethics Certificate Courses
Required Courses - 6 credits
BBME 8565 – Healthcare Ethics (3 credits - Online)
This discussion-based course focuses on various bioethical debates such as abortion, genetics, resource allocation, and end of life decision making. Rather than deal with these issues merely on a theoretical level, students have an opportunity to work through these issues in the context of difficult applied cases and policy development.
At least one additional core ethics course from among the following:
- BBME 7564 – Health Ethics Theory (3 credits - Online)
- BBME 7566 – Health Informatics Ethics (3 credits - Online)
- BBME 7567 – Health Organizational Ethics (3 credits - Online)
- BBME 8485 – Problems in Biomedical Informatics (Applied Bioethics Independent Study) (1-6 credits – In-person)*
- BBME 8515 – Problems in Medical Ethics and Clinical Ethics Consultation Practicum (5 credits – In person)*
- IN_MED 6515 – Problems in Medical Ethics (Medical Students Only - 5 credits – In person)*
Elective Courses - 6 credits
Six additional ethics-related elective credits are required to complete the certificate. Students may cross count credits from their home degree program (if applicable), take additional core ethics courses, or take courses from other departments. Each study plan is reviewed individually. Sample electives outside the ethics core include, but are not limited to:
- LAW 5530 – Elder Law (3 credits)
- SOC_WK 7220 – Advanced Social Work Practice in Integrated Healthcare (3 credits)
- LAW 5614 – Health Law (3 credits)
- SOC_WK 7395 – Death, Grief, and Loss (3 credits)
- LAW 5897 – Sex, Reproduction & the Law (2 credits)
- HLTH_ADMIN 8574 – Health Care Law (3 credits)
- HLTH_ADMIN 8575: Health Policy and Politics (3 credits)
*Students on the Practicum/Health Ethics Consultant track must take BBME 8485, BBME 8515, or IN_MED 6515.
For course descriptions, see http://catalog.missouri.edu/courseofferings/hmi/. Current students may check MyZou for up-to-date schedule information.
Apply to the Health Ethics Graduate Certificate Program
Certificate-seeking students apply to the Graduate Certificate Program in Health Ethics by completing and submitting the Graduate Studies online application.
