Bioethics Undergraduate Certificate

Those who work in fields involving human health face problems that are increasingly ethically complex, and to respond to such challenges in ways that are ethically acceptable, and even promote human flourishing, requires a honed attentiveness to morally relevant issues and virtues such as wisdom, courage, compassion, and justice. The purpose of the Bioethics Certificate is to prepare students for excellence in their respective vocations, and this not only in the technical sense—laying the foundation for proficiencies needed for those professions—but also in a moral sense.

Through the certificate, students will learn the major methodological approaches to biomedical ethics and cover the most common issues that arise in bioethics and they will practice ethical reasoning about difficult historical cases and learn the history of the field:

1. The core courses are required as they will introduce students to the field of bioethics.
2. In the theoretical course, students will explore foundational questions in bioethics.
3. The applied bioethics courses each take a narrower focus on social and ethical issues as they relate to a specific domain of healthcare, medicine, or scientific research.

Certificate Requirements & Application

From our Bioethics Certificate Alumni:

How did your time at Baylor prepare you for your current work? 

"One of the most significant takeaways from my time at Baylor was the importance of collaboration across disciplines when tackling complex issues like healthcare reform. The ability to integrate diverse perspectives—whether from philosophy, history, or behavioral health—has been a key asset in my current work. I learned that addressing the intricacies of health policy requires not just medical knowledge but also an understanding of human experience, cultural context, and ethical principles." - Tomi Ogungbenle, Saint Louis University

"The professors I was blessed with having impacted my time at Baylor more than I can express. From letters of recommendations, meetings over coffee, and navigating numerous highs and lows, their impact is something that I continue to carry with me even now. Professors such as Dr. Jeffery and Dr. Stahl allowed me to visualize what a possible future could look like in the field of Bioethics and showed me the difference a caring professor can make. The work at Baylor was rigorous and showed me not only was it possible to balance many things at once, but also taught me how to do so and when to take a step back. The work I am currently doing is difficult and time consuming, but Baylor has shown that I am more than capable and serves as a reminder during difficult times." - Susan Lee, University of Texas Medical Branch