Special Information for Dual Degree Students
All students in a dual degree program must complete a Dual Degree Student Worksheet with their advisor or with the Assistant Director of Graduate Studies during their first semester of matriculation to outline a course of study.
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For information about other dual degree's, please contact the Assistant Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Nora Jones.
JD/MBE
Program Structure
Students enrolled in Penn Law must take 5 courses in the Center for Bioethics. Four law courses taken at the Law School will count towards both the MBE and JD programs.
A minimum of 2 of the 4 law courses must be from the Core JD/MBE course list, which include:
- Animal Law and Ethics/Animal Law Seminar
- Bioethics (Rosato)
- Bioethics, Babies, and Babymaking (Mutcherson)
- Bioethics and the Law: Mental Illness and Moral Lives
- Biotechnology and Intellectual Property Rights
- Current Issues in Health Law & Policy (Madison)
- Doctors, Death Panels, & Democracy
- FDA Law
- Health Care Law
- Health Law, Economics, and Policy
- Health Law & Regulation (Ruger)
- Human Reproduction: Law & Policy (Allen)
- Issues in Antitrust Law (Langer, Spring 2008 ONLY)
- Law and Bioethics (Sawicki)
- Mental Health Law (Morse)
- Mental Health and Morality (Allen)
- Public Health Law & Policy (Feldman)
- Topics in Public Health Law (Sawicki)
Other approved law courses include:
- Advanced Topics in Intellectual Property (Wagner)
- American Public Benefits Law (Super)
- Cost-Benefit Analysis: Law, Policy, and Practice (Finkel; Spring 2011 ONLY)
- Drug Product Liability Legislation (Grossi)
- Ethics of Regulation (Adler)
- Family Law (Mayeri - 2010 ONLY)
- Feminist Legal Theory (Seldin)
- Foundations of Environment Law and Policy (Sinden)
- Human Rights and National Security (Burke-White)
- Insurance Law (Baker)
- International Human Rights (Reicher)
- Introduction to Intellectual Law & Policy (Wagner)
- Kant's Philosophy of Law (Ewald)
- Law, Science, and Technology
- Law & Policy of Cost-Benefit Analysis (Finkel, Spring 2009 ONLY)
- Mediation (and other alternatives to litigation)
- Patent Law (Wagner, Beauchamp)
- Philosophical Basis of Legal and Moral Equality (Baker)
- Privacy (Allen)
- Privacy and Data Protection
- Regulation of Health Insurance Markets
- Tobacco: Legal, Political, and Ethical Perspectives (Feldman)
- Topics in Law and Morality (Katz)
Please contact Dr. Autumn Fiester if you would like to petition to have a new course meet the core or other requirements and would like to include it in your curriculum.
A JD/MBE student may use their Journal Law Comment, Journal Comment, or Senior Writing Requirement as their MBE final project. Students who would like this optoin should submit a Petition and receive approval from the Director of Graduation Studies early in the process.
All students not on a journal should meet with Dr. Autumn Fiester to discuss how to fulfill their final project requirement.
Here is a worksheet that will help you and your advising team plan your MBE career.
On an occasional basis, some students may be required to take summer courses. Students pay the tuition and fees and receive financial aid from the department in which they are primarily registered. Details regarding Penn Law tuition policies can be found on-line here.
LLM/MBE
Program Structure
Students enrolled in Penn Law must take 5 courses in the Center for Bioethics. Four law courses taken at the Law School will count towards both the MBE and LLM programs.
A minimum of 2 of the 4 law courses must be from the Core LLM/MBE course list, which include:
- Animal Law and Ethics/Animal Law Seminar
- Bioethics (Rosato)
- Bioethics, Babies, and Babymaking (Mutcherson)
- Bioethics and the Law: Mental Illness and Moral Lives
- Biotechnology and Intellectual Property Rights
- Current Issues in Health Law & Policy (Madison)
- FDA Law
- Health Care Law
- Health Law, Economics, and Policy
- Health Law & Regulation (Ruger)
- Human Reproduction: Law & Policy (Allen)
- Issues in Antitrust Law (Langer, Spring 2008 ONLY)
- Law and Bioethics (Sawicki)
- Mental Health Law (Morse)
- Mental Health and Morality (Allen)
- Public Health Law & Policy (Feldman)
- Topics in Public Health Law (Sawicki)
Other approved law courses include:
- Advanced Topics in Intellectual Property (Wagner)
- American Public Benefits Law (Super)
- Cost-Benefit Analysis: Law, Policy, and Practice (Finkel; Spring 2011 ONLY)
- Drug Product Liability Legislation (Grossi)
- Ethics of Regulation (Adler)
- Family Law (Mayeri - 2010 ONLY)
- Feminist Legal Theory (Seldin)
- Foundations of Environment Law and Policy (Sinden)
- Human Rights and National Security (Burke-White)
- Insurance Law (Baker, Spring 2010 ONLY)
- International Human Rights (Reicher)
- Introduction to Intellectual Law & Policy (Wagner)
- Kant's Philosophy of Law (Ewald)
- Law, Science, and Technology
- Law & Policy of Cost-Benefit Analysis (Finkel, Spring 2009 ONLY)
- Mediation (and other alternatives to litigation)
- Patent Law (Wagner)
- Philosophical Basis of Legal and Moral Equality (Baker)
- Privacy (Allen)
- Tobacco: Legal, Political, and Ethical Perspectives (Feldman)
- Topics in Law and Morality (Katz)
Please contact Dr. Autumn Fiester if you would like to petition to have a new course meet the core or other requirements and would like to include it in your curriculum.
Please click here for a worksheet that will help you plan your LLM/MBE degree.
Nursing PhD/MBE
Please see the School of Nursing Site for the most recent information and requirements and financial aid.
Here is a worksheet that will help you and your advising team plan your dual degree.
Financial Information
Students who are able to complete both degrees within the 21 courses will not incur additional costs for the dual PhD/MBE degree. Students who require 23 courses to complete both degrees will incur an additional tuition charge for the two MBE courses taken in the summer term.
MSW/MBE
The joint MSW/MBE can be completed in two full calendar years, and it requires both the summer following the first year in the MSW program and the summer after the second. The Master of Bioethics program will count 3 MSW courses as part of the 9 required in the MBE program (SW701 and SW 702 will be required) and the MSW program will count 2 MBE courses as meeting course requirements for their degree. Here is a worksheet that will help you and your advising team plan your dual degree.
YEAR 1 |
||
FALL: |
SPRING: |
SUMMER: |
SW 601 |
SW 611 |
SW 715 |
SW 602 |
SW 612 |
SW 744 |
SW 603 |
SW 613 |
BIOE XXX* |
SW 604 + field |
SW 614 + field |
|
YEAR 2 |
||
FALL: |
SPRING: |
SUMMER: |
SW 702 |
SW 701 |
BIOE XXX |
SW 704/708 |
SW 714/718 |
BIOE 996 or XXX |
SW 760/7XX |
BIOE 602 |
|
BIOE 601 |
BIOE XXX |
|
*XXX indicates a flexible elective. Students should consult with both programs for guidance in choosing appropriate electives.
MBE GRADUATION: August of Second Year
DMD/MBE
The dual DMD/MBE can be completed in the four-year span of DMD program. The Master of Bioethics program will count 3 DMD courses as part of the 9 required in the MBE program: Local and Global Public Health, DMD 685 OR 785 (either with a 5-10 page supplemental essay), and DMD 712 OR 812 (either with a 5-10 page supplemental essay). DMD students are eligible to take courses in the MBE program during either the Fall, Spring, or Summer terms to complete the 6 additional courses required for the MBE. Following are 2 sample programs of study for the DMD/MBE degree. Here is worksheet that will help you and your advising team plan your dual degree.
Sample Program for a D1 Summer Start
| FALL | SPRING | SUMMER | |
|---|---|---|---|
YEAR 1 |
DMD curriculum | DMD curriculum | 1 MBE course |
YEAR 2 |
DMD curriculum BIOE 601 | DMD curriculum DMD 612, DMD 685 (if not 785) BIOE 602 | (could put one of the MBE elective courses here) |
YEAR 3 |
DMD curriculum 1 MBE course | DMD curriculum DMD 785 (if not 685), DMD 712 (if not 812), and 1 MBE course | (could put one of the MBE elective courses here) |
YEAR 4 |
DMD curriculum BIOE 996 | DMD curriculum DMD 812 (if not 712) |
Sample Program for a D2 Summer Start
| FALL | SPRING | SUMMER | |
|---|---|---|---|
YEAR 1 |
DMD curriculum | DMD curriculum | |
YEAR 2 |
DMD curriculum | DMD curriculum DMD 612 | 1 MBE course |
YEAR 3 |
DMD curriculum BIOE 601 | DMD curriculum, DMD 785, and DMD 712 (if not 812) BIOE 602 | 1 MBE course |
YEAR 4 |
DMD curriculum 1 MBE course | DMD curriculum, DMD 812 (if not 712), and BIOE 996 |
Accepted students should make an appointment with both the Office of Academic Affairs in the School of Dental Medicine and Nora Jones, PhD, Assistant Director of Graduate Studies in the Center for Bioethics, to discuss course planning.
MD/MBE
Students will meet with the Director of Graduate Studies, Dr. Autumn Fiester, to develop a curriculum plan. Each student in the Master of Bioethics program will be assigned a faculty adviser, who will guide student course selection and research. Additional student supervision will be given by members of the Center faculty, as well as other faculty at Penn working in various areas of bioethics.
After a curriculum plan is developed, the student must meet with Amy Nothelfer or Helene Weinberg in the Medical School to discuss the plan and seek approval from the Medical School.
Students are strongly encouraged to meet with a staff member in the Financial Aid Office to discuss financial issues. (See tuition policy below.)
Program Requirements:
Nine course units are required for the MBE degree:
- Introduction to Clinical Bioethics (BIOE 601)
- Conceptual Foundations (BIOE 602)
- Rationing (BIOE 565) OR Research Ethics (BIOE 580)
- Final Project (BIOE 996, see Dr. Nora Jones for more details)
- Three Electives
- The full course of Doctoring, with a supplemental 5-10 page paper. Contact Dr. Nora Jones for more information.
- Attend FR601 as a TA, with a supplemental 5-10 page paper. Contact Dr. Nora Jones for more information)
- For more information on Frontiers and Bioethics, see http://www.med.upenn.edu/student/frontiers/.
- For more information on Frontiers and Bioethics, see http://www.med.upenn.edu/student/frontiers/.
The MBE degree counts as your Scholarly Pursuit requirement [http://www.med.upenn.edu/student/scholarlystudy/].
Timing:
Every bioethics course in the masters program is held in the late afternoon, once a week for 12-14 weeks. Coordinating the Master of Bioethics course offerings with the demands of the MD curriculum will require careful attention to the guidelines described below.
With careful planning, it is possible to complete both the MD and the Masters in four years. To complete both degrees in four years, it will be necessary for the student to implement a schedule which takes into account the maximum number of courses which may be taken in a given semester.
Starting the Master of Bioethics program any later than the spring of the third year in Medical School will require that additional semesters be added to the standard timeline for Medical School in order to complete the degree. Students do have the option of taking a 5th year to complete the MD/MBE. However, there may be financial aid implications (see the MD/MBE Program Financial Aid description below for details).
Students must be proactive about any changes that diverge from the original schedule approved by the Medical School and the Master of Bioethics program. Some seemingly simple changes in course selection and timing may have the unintended consequence of adding additional semesters and increasing tuition. Be sure to consult with the Medical School and the Master of Bioethics program directors before making adjustments to your schedule. Following are 2 possible scheduling scenarios that an MD/MBE student might follow. These are based on the assumption that students will complete the requirements for 2 transfer credits. If a student wishes to take a MBE elective in place of 1 or both of these transfer credits, 2 more MBE courses can be fit into these schedules.
Example 1 - Begin MD/MBE Spring 1st Year
| FALL | SPRING | SUMMER | |
|---|---|---|---|
YEAR 1 |
MD curriculum | 1 MBE course MD curriculum |
1 MBE course |
YEAR 2 |
1 MBE course MD curriculum | MD curriculum | MD curriculum |
YEAR 3 |
MD curriculum | 1 MBE course MD curriculum | MD curriculum |
YEAR 4 |
2 MBE courses MD curriculum | 1 MBE course MD curriculum |
Example 2 - Begin MD/MBE Fall of 2nd Year
| FALL | SPRING | SUMMER | |
|---|---|---|---|
YEAR 1 |
MD curriculum | MD curriculum | |
YEAR 2 |
1 MBE course MD curriculum | MD curriculum | MD curriculum |
YEAR 3 |
MD curriculum | 1 MBE course MD curriculum | 1 MBE course MD curriculum |
YEAR 4 |
2 MBE courses MD curriculum | 2 MBE courses MD curriculum |
Click here for a worksheet that can help you and your advising team plan your MBE career.
Tuition Policy
The Perelman School of Medicine tuition policy for the MD-MBE program seeks to minimize the additional financial burden for students enrolling in the program. The Perelman School of Medicine will cover the cost of 4 MBE required courses as long as the student has not taken any other university registered credits. Students who also take advantage of the 2 units of transfer credit (see details, above) from the medical school curriculum will only need to pay for 3 of the 9 course units required for the degree.
Students will be charged additional tuition for:
3 MBE graduate school courses
IF 2 credits have been earned via ‘Doctoring’ and ’Bioethics and Professionalism,’
AND
IF the Perelman School of Medicine is paying for 4 courses (which would happen as long as the student has not taken any other university registered credits)
Students will be charged for more than 3 courses if either of the above conditions are not met. Students with questions about credits earned or needed should contact Helene Weinberg. If the SOM is paying for 4 courses, these would normally be the first 4 the student takes with the exception of any courses taken during the summer.
Please note that the MD/MBE program guidelines are subject to change based on University or program recommendations and policy requirements.
MD/MBE Program Financial Aid
As soon as a student is considering the pursuit of an integrated dual degree program, financial aid counseling and planning is strongly advised. Perelman School of Medicine Office of Admissions and Financial Aid staff members are available to help explain program costs, the financial aid process, funding options, and how to apply for financial aid.
It is recommended that a medical student who needs to maximize his/her eligibility for loans takes 2 or fewer MBE courses per term. By taking 2 or fewer MBE courses each semester, a medical student can retain a Perelman School of Medicine scholarship and would have a Stafford eligibility of $38,500. If a student takes 3 or more MBE courses in a semester, the loan/scholarship system will automatically categorize him/her as a Graduate Student (not as a Medical Student), and the student would be eligible for a significantly lower amount of Federal Aid/Scholarship funds. A student who takes 3 or more MBE courses in a semester is not eligible for a Perelman School of Medicine scholarship and has a Stafford eligibility of $18,500.
There are a number of private loan programs which are available for students in meeting program costs if necessary. These funds are credit based and more costly. The Perelman School of Medicine Financial Aid Office lists preferred private loan lenders on the Perelman School of Medicine financial aid website. Students who anticipate applying for a private loan are encouraged to contact the Office of Admissions and Financial Aid to discuss options and determine the best program based on individual circumstances and prior borrowing.
Please note that policies concerning curriculum and financial aid are subject to change. Additionally, though variations in the curriculum may be possible, any changes will need prior approval and may have financial implications.