Online Bioethics Course Information

Bioethics is a field explores the ethical questions and issues that arise in medical practice and biomedical research at the local, national and international levels. Online bioethics courses are offered mainly as part of graduate degree and professional certificate programs.

Overview of Online Bioethics Courses

Online bioethics courses explore the ethical issues related to clinical medical practice, medical research and biotechnology. They explore how ethics relates to the Hippocratic Oath, the American Medical Association code of ethics and other standards upheld by American health care professionals. Some of the major ethical issues today are the use of stem cells and human cloning, the use of animals in research, and the use of humans as research subjects.
Many of these online programs lead to a master's degree in bioethics. Along with secular schools, these courses and programs can be found at theological colleges and universities, where ethics are guided by religious beliefs. Professionals already employed in the health care industry, whom face questions of ethics in their workplace, can pursue an online certificate in bioethics. These courses can also be found in undergraduate programs.
Students who may require bioethics training work in hospitals, public health organizations, nursing homes, and in the healthcare and biotechnology industries. They also work in legal settings, including law offices, medical associations and trade industry groups.

Course Requirements

Students taking online bioethics courses need a computer with an Internet connection to access virtual classrooms and discussion boards. These interactive technologies used by online campuses allow students to listen to lectures, obtain reading assignments, participate in class discussion, upload homework and take tests. Students must be familiar with the use of e-mail and chat programs to communicate with instructors.
Most courses require daily online participation. A course may be self-paced or have a set class schedule with weekly assignments. Programs are entirely online or may be blended, requiring some face-to-face meetings.

List of Online Bioethics Courses

Bioethics and the Law Course

This course introduces students to the major legal issues and concepts that apply to bioethics. They learn the structure of the legal system, and the basic skills in legal research. Students learn how health care law is applied to current ethical issues, including reproductive and genetic law, euthanasia and transplantation.

Biotechnology and Bioethics Course

Students in this online course examine various bioethical viewpoints and the major ethical theories that surround biotechnology. They learn about informed consent in genetic modification of food products, human cloning and the potential risk to humans and animals in biotechnology testing. Students also learn about DNA.

Bioethics and the Economy of Health Course

This course provides an economist's viewpoint as it relates to bioethics. It introduces students to principles such as informed consent, patient autonomy and advanced directives. Students review how public policy and patience cases are affected by bioethical and economic situations.

Human Reproductive Ethics Course

This online course examines issues connected to human reproduction. Students examine and review the controversies relating to contraception, abortion, pregnancy and fertilization technologies. They learn to analyze these issues. Students also review the role the media plays in the public debate of these issues.

Health Care Policy Course

Students explore how public policy in health care is created and the regulatory and political environment it is in. They examine the structure of health care organizations, and where and why policies are made. Students examine certain policies, including end-of-life decisions, performance and accountability, and conflicts of interest.

Research Ethics Course

This advanced online course teaches students the decision-making skills needed to conduct ethical medical research. Students learn how to make reasoned judgments and informed decisions. They learn to how to conduct empirical field research and to develop the skills needed for research ethics.