Master's Degree in Bioethics

1. The second program of study or Licentiate degree program (more or less equivalent to a Master’s) lasts two years (four semesters) and is dedicated to going more in-depth on bioethics themes, as well as specializing in certain areas.

2. The courses are offered in two formats: a) Regular weekly courses, given weekly throughout the semester; b) Intensive courses, given in two separate intensive course weeks each semester.

3. Admission to the Master’s degree program requires one of the following:

1. Bachelor’s degree in Bioethics.
2. Bachelor’s degree in Theology from an ecclesiastic institution.
3. Completion of six years of philosophical-theological studies in a seminary recognized by the Church.

In all other cases, the Dean will analyze the candidate’s transcripts of previous studies or corresponding exams and will determine whether or not the candidate has fulfilled the admission criteria, whether through additional documentation or an exam.

4. In general, only those who have an average of 8/10 or higher in the Bachelor’s degree in Bioethics or Theology will be admitted to the Master’s degree program. Those whose scores are below this average may be required to pass an admission exam.

5. Students are required to understand Italian adequately. If knowledge of Italian is not evident, non-Italian students must demonstrate this knowledge either by submitting a study certificate of the Italian language to the Registrar’s Office upon registration, or by passing a language proficiency exam at the beginning of the academic year.  Students who do not pass this exam must attend an Italian language course during their first academic year.  For foreign students who attend only the intensive and summer courses, knowledge of Italian is important, but not obligatory.

6. The Master’s program consists of 80^[1] credits in total, subdivided as follows:

-         11 Required courses                       22 credits

-         Elective courses                              12 credits

-         Seminars                                        6 credits^[2]

-         Practical medical training                 4 credits^[3]

-         Written dissertation                         16 credits

-         Final written exam                           12 credits

-         Final oral exam                               12 credits

7. Required courses: All students must attend all 11 required courses and pass the corresponding exams. Only the dean can authorize an exemption from a required course if the student demonstrates that the content of the course’s program of study has been studied in another way.

8. Elective courses: All students are expected to take 12 credits of elective courses and pass the corresponding exams. Elective courses should be selected from among the choices offered by the School of Bioethics; however, with the Dean’s written approval it is possible to take up to 3 courses either offered by other Departments or from the Bachelor’s in Bioethics.

9.  Introductory courses: Students who do not have a basic medical education must take the course “Introduction to Medicine” (BO2146 or BO2246) and those who have not completed university-level legal studies must take the course “Introduction to Law” (BO2168).  Each of these courses counts as a one-credit elective course.  Those who already have formation in these areas cannot obtain credits by taking these elective courses.

10. Seminars: All students^[4] must attend a seminar of synthesis during the semester before their final exam for the Master’s degree. They must also take two other seminars in the program. To obtain credits for each seminar, students must complete the assignments given by the professor, who will then evaluate them at the end of the semester.

11.  Dissertation: All students are expected to write a dissertation (tesina), of at least 50 pages, under the guidance of a professor from the School of Bioethics (or, with the Dean’s authorization, under the guidance of a professor from another Department). After obtaining a registration form from the Department Secretary and the signature of the professor who will direct the research, first-year students in the Master’s program must submit the form to the Department Secretary by the date specified in the general calendar. The Secretary will give the student a receipt.

Second-year students must submit three printed bound copies of the dissertation, and a digital copy, to the Department Secretary at least two months prior to the session in which they intend to take the final exam. Vacation time in the two month period is not considered.

12. Practical Medical Training: Students who do not have professional experience in the healthcare field must attend practical medical training sessions at institutions collaborating with the Athenaeum. These sessions let students participate in medical activities in order to round out their formation with direct knowledge of clinical practice. The director of the course and the tutors of the clinic hosting the sessions will decide the way in which students participate in the activities. Each student must keep a Practical Training Journal, in which the days of attendance and the activities undertaken are recorded. At the end of the course this journal must be turned in to the Dean of Bioethics with the signatures of the director and the tutors of the different sessions attended.  The journal and the evaluation of the tutors and director should be submitted to the Dean, who will then give the final evaluation of the student’s participation in the course.

13. Final exams: At the end of the program of study, students must take two comprehensive exams for final evaluation: one written and one oral.

Written exam: In order to be able to take the written exam, students must have attended and passed all the necessary courses in the program of study and submitted the written thesis by the specified date. The written exam covers the themes found in the Themes for the Final Oral Licentiate (Master´s) Exam, available in the English bioethics section of our website.

Oral exam: In order to be able to take the oral exam, students must have passed the written comprehensive exam. The oral exam lasts 30 minutes and covers the themes found in the Themes for the Final Oral Licentiate (Master´s) Exam,[available on the English section of the website] as well as themes in the student’s dissertation.

[1] Plus 4 credits of practical medical training for those required to do it.

[2] Students who only attend the intensive courses may take additional elective courses to fulfill the seminar requirement.

[3] Only for students who have no prior practical experience in healthcare.

[4] Students who only attend the intensive courses may substitute this seminar with an elective course or another seminar if they are unable to participate in it.