Why choose Ohio State’s Master of Arts in Bioethics

Are you a medical practitioner or legal professional who wants to gain bioethics expertise? With Ohio State’s online Master of Arts in Bioethics, students can engage with the ethical questions they’re most passionate about.  

Taught by faculty from Ohio State’s renowned College of Medicine, the master’s in bioethics will empower you to confront ethical dilemmas in your current role, or set you up for a new bioethics career. Let’s explore what bioethics is, as well as the job outcomes you’ll be prepared for with a master’s in bioethics from Ohio State. 

What is bioethics? 

As the name implies, bioethics refers to the ethical issues that arise in the life sciences. Also encompassing medical ethics, the field of bioethics unpacks the ethical, social and legal issues impacting medical practitioners and biomedical researchers. 

You’ve probably seen debates online over the ethics of stem cell research or certain medical procedures, for example. Bioethicists devote their careers to consulting on those types of questions in healthcare settings, academic institutions and research facilities. 

What is a master’s in bioethics? 

Ohio State’s online Master of Arts in Bioethics is designed for anyone with an interest in bioethics questions. With no residency requirement, this graduate-level bioethics degree can be completed entirely online, typically in six semesters. Additionally, the bioethics master’s program is almost 100% asynchronous (with the exception of one elective) to offer the most flexibility for busy students, including those with full-time jobs. 

In the bioethics degree, students will learn to identify common moral problems and ethical issues in the life sciences, as well as how to distinguish ethical questions from scientific or legal questions. With courses in disability ethics, public policy, genetic counseling and neuroethics, master’s in bioethics students will learn from a wide range of perspectives and disciplines. 

What can you do with a master’s in bioethics? 

There’s a lot you can do with a bioethics degree. Some graduates pursue bioethics as a primary career, and go on to work as clinical ethicists. Other bioethics master’s students are already employed in the fields of health care or law, and use their bioethics degree to complement their primary career.  

One of the main goals of the master’s in bioethics program is to train professionals who can contribute to moral research and establish health care policies informed by bioethics scholarship – whether they work at the bedside, in the courtroom or in the lab. 

What is the salary for a bioethics career? 

Salary outcomes for graduates of the bioethics degree differ, depending on what route students take. 

Here’s a (non-exhaustive) list of jobs held by our bioethics master’s students: 

• Neonatologist 
• Clinical Research Ethicist 
• Assistant Professor 
• Palliative Care Physician 
• Clinical Research Coordinator 
• Registered Nurse 
• Social Worker 
• Genetic Counselor 
• Dentist 

Let’s dive into the salaries of two popular bioethics careers: clinical ethicists and physician assistants. First, let’s talk about clinical ethicists. A clinical ethicist might be called in to consult on end-of-life care in a hospital, or they may advocate for patients’ rights. Salaries for clinical ethicists vary depending on where they’re employed, but the average annual salary for a Clinical Ethicist is nearly $114,000 (Salary.com). 

Here’s another example: physician assistant. Physician assistants with a focus on bioethics might specialize in ethical issues in patient care and treatment in a variety of settings. Recent data shows that mid-level physician assistants can make over $130,000 per year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). 

Bioethics career outcomes are as varied as the students enrolled, but there’s clearly demand for these skill sets. As advancements in medical and biological sciences evolve, there is a growing need for experts who can address and navigate the ethical dilemmas these innovations present.  

As our graduates attest, a bioethics career is challenging and rewarding. Training in bioethics will make you a more well-rounded practitioner and advocate – prepared to face ethical questions head on.  

Ready to dive in? Contact an Ohio State enrollment advisor.