Program Overview
The Theology and Health Care Ethics, Ph.D. program at Saint Louis University is a joint degree combining bioethics and theological ethics, equipping graduates with knowledge in both fields. The curriculum includes coursework in health care ethics, theological studies, and dissertation research, preparing students for careers in academia, healthcare administration, and other fields. The program offers a clinical practicum and research opportunities, fostering hands-on experience and professional development.
Program Outline
Degree Overview:
The Theology and Health Care Ethics, Ph.D. program at Saint Louis University is a joint program offered by the Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethics and the Department of Theological Studies. It is designed for students interested in both bioethics and theological ethics who wish to write a dissertation on bioethics from a theological perspective. This program offers a single degree: a Ph.D. in Theology and Health Care Ethics.
Objectives:
The program aims to equip graduates with the following abilities:
- Demonstrate a broad knowledge of foundational disciplines, methods, topics, and issues in health care ethics for scholarly analysis of issues in the field.
- Demonstrate proficiency in formulating original, normative theological arguments on topics related to theology and health care ethics.
- Demonstrate the ability to conceptualize, develop, and bring to successful completion an original, sustained, and coherent independent research project that contributes to the field (i.e., the dissertation).
- Demonstrate an ability to generate appropriate job search materials (i.e., curriculum vitae, teaching portfolio, writing sample, etc.).
Outline:
The program consists of 60 credits:
- Health Care Ethics Courses (27 credits):
- HCE 6010: Methods in Philosophical Ethics (3 credits)
- HCE 6020: Methods in Religious Ethics (3 credits)
- HCE 6040: Interdisciplinary Research in Health Care Ethics (3 credits)
- HCE 6070: Foundations of Catholic Morality (3 credits) or THEO 5620: Forming of Christian Conscience (3 credits)
- HCE 6110: Intro-Medicine for Ethicists (1 credit)
- HCE 6120: Bioethics and the Law (2 credits)
- HCE 6130: Clinical Ethics (3 credits)
- HCE 6140: Research Ethics (3 credits)
- HCE 6150: Practicum, Health Care Ethics (3 credits)
- HCE 6310: Health Care Ethics: Catholic Tradition (3 credits)
- Theological Studies Courses (21 credits):
- Courses chosen in consultation with faculty
- Historical Theology Courses (9 credits)
- Constructive Theology Courses (9 credits)
- Theology Graduate Elective (3 credits)
- Dissertation Research (12 credits):
- HCE 6990: Dissertation Research (6 credits)
- THEO 6990: Dissertation Research (6 credits)
Non-Course Requirements:
- Research Tools Requirements:
- Statistics and Study Design
- Library Research Skills
- Medical Terminology
- Reading Comprehension:
- French or German (or another language with approval of faculty)
- Comprehensive Exams:
- Written and oral
Course Schedule:
A recommended semester-by-semester plan of study (roadmap) is provided, assuming full-time enrollment. The roadmap outlines the courses and milestones for each semester, including critical courses that must be completed in the designated semester for timely graduation.
Assessment:
- Continuation Standards: Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.50 in all graduate/professional courses.
- Comprehensive Exams: Written and oral exams are required.
- Dissertation: Students must complete an original, sustained, and coherent independent research project that contributes to the field.
Teaching:
- Faculty: The program is taught by faculty from the Gnaegi Center for Health Care Ethics and the Department of Theological Studies.
- Clinical Practicum: All joint Ph.D. students take a three-semester, 150-hour clinical practicum to gain experience working in a clinical setting. Students interested in the clinical ethics concentration can complete an additional advanced practicum in which students are placed in active clinical ethics consultation services for 300-plus hours.
Careers:
Graduates of this program are highly qualified candidates for:
- Academic jobs in theology departments, religion departments, or bioethics centers.
- Administrative jobs in mission and ethics in health care institutions.
Other:
- Fieldwork and Research Opportunities: In addition to the clinical practicum, most Ph.D. students graduate with two or more publications.
- Language Requirement: Joint Ph.D. students are required to demonstrate reading comprehension of French, German, or another language with the consent of joint program faculty. This can be satisfied by previous coursework, an exam, or by taking additional graduate-level language courses.
