Dual Degree Program
Master of Science in Reproductive Science and Medicine (MS-RSM) and Master of Arts in Medical Humanities and Bioethics (MA-MHB) Dual Degree Program
The mission of the RSM-MHB dual degree program is to combine the formal training in the fields of reproductive science and medicine provided by RSM with a rigorous exploration of medicine and its ethical implications through the perspectives of anthropology, literature, philosophy, history, and law provided by MHB. This dual degree option will enable interested MS-RSM students to enhance the ethical aspects of their research and further distinguish themselves in their primary field of study and work.
Learning Objectives
- Engage in interdisciplinary study by examining the ethical implications of reproductive medicine through humanities and law.
- Critically examine reproduction and women’s health in society by understanding medicine as a social, cultural and ethical practice.
- Develop skills to communicate effectively across disciplines and academic and non-academic audiences.
- Foster professional and ethics leadership skills in academic research, healthcare ethics, policy development, or education related to reproductive health.
Coursework and graduation requirements
Dual degree students will complete both the RSM and MHB core-curricula of lecture-based and lab-based courses outlined below:
*Visit the MS-RSM and MA-MHB websites for detailed course descriptions.
Dual degree students will join a research laboratory and develop an independent research project in collaboration with their research mentor, which will culminate in a written thesis. The dual degree students’ thesis will incorporate elements of MHB.
In addition to RSM research requirements, dual degree, students will complete one of two capstone project options, both of which challenge students to analyze topics in bioethics and medical humanities, and to employ the field’s multiple disciplines in their analysis. These rigorous capstone options provide students equivalent opportunities to demonstrate this mastery, choosing between two formats that conform to different timelines, congruent with the different pathways on which students apply their MHB training. The first option is a comprehensive exam, which requires long-form essay responses to four questions, followed by an oral defense. The second option is a master’s thesis, which produces a knowledgeable survey and synthesis of current thinking on a specific question in the field, drawing on literature from three core MHB disciplines. Like the comprehensive exam, the thesis option includes both an assessment of written work and an oral defense.
Application Process: dual degree students will apply to the dual degree program directly through The Graduate School website, and will be automatically considered for the MS-RSM individual degree, should they not meet the requirements for admissions to the dual degree. In addition to the RSM application requirements, dual degree students will submit two personal statements describing:
- Previous coursework, research, or experiences that have prepared them for the dual degree (300 words or less).
- The rationale for pursuing this dual degree (300 words or less).
Up to three students will be admitted to the dual degree program annually.
Tuition:
The cost of pursuing the MA-MHB degree as an RSM student is approximately one-half the cost of pursuing it as a single degree. Additionally, significant need-based grants to reduce MA tuition are available directly from the MHB program.