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UPenn Master of Bioethics > Dual Degree Students

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 Department of Medical Ethics. 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:

Other approved law courses include:


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.

Students may use the Law Comment or writing requirement to count as his/her final project. Students who would like to count the Law Comment or writing requirement must submit a Petition for Action and receive approval from the Director of Graduate Studies.

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 (that listed first in the chart above). Details regarding tuition policies can be found on-line here.

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Nursing PhD/MBE

A total of 21 courses are required for the PhD in nursing, and a total of 9 courses are required for the MBE degree. When a student enrolls in a dual-degree program, each program “double counts” courses from the other degree program’s curriculum, thereby reducing the overall number of courses each student is required to take in order to get both degrees (that is, 30 courses would be required to get both degrees if they were done consecutively, without being combined; a dual-degree programs significantly reduces the number of courses needed to complete the two degrees). Students in the combined PhD/MBE program who have not previously enrolled in Master of Bioethics courses (during the completion of their MSN) are required to take a total of 23 courses to obtain both degrees. Students who have completed MBE courses prior to admission to the nursing PhD program (in their MSN program) must complete a total of 21 courses. Two different templates are provided below: one for students without prior MBE courses; and, one for students who have previously taken MBE courses.

Template 1: Students in the PhD/MBE Program who have NOT previously taken MBE courses:
PhD students who have not taken any MBE courses as part of their MSN degree requirements need a total of 23 courses to complete both degrees: 8 of the 23 course are transferred into the record from work done on the MSN degree; 7 of the 23 courses are the Required Courses for all doctoral nursing students; and 8 of the 23 courses are required in the category of Related Field Courses. To obtain the dual PhD/MBE courses, students will be required to take two courses in a summer term. These courses are not covered by the financial aide or fellowship support students receive from the School of Nursing (See Financial Information, below). The following is a list of requirements in the categories: Required Courses and the Related Field Courses. Here is a worksheet that will help you and your advising team plan your dual degree.

7 Required Courses (required of all doctoral nursing students)

and, 8 Related Field Courses (sample template for students in the dual PhD/MBE degree)

Template 2: Students in the PhD/MBE Program who have taken MBE courses for their MSN degree:
PhD students who have taken MBE courses as part of their MSN degree requirements need a total of 21 courses to complete both degrees: 8 of the 21 course are transferred into the record from work done on the MSN degree, two of which must be MBE courses; 7 of the 21 courses are the Required Courses for all doctoral nursing students; and 6 of the 21 courses are required in the category of Related Field Courses. The following is a list of requirements in the categories: Required Courses and the Related Field Courses. Here is a template that will help you and your advising team plan your dual degree.

7 Required Courses (required of all doctoral nursing students)

6 Related Field Courses (sample template for students in the dual PhD/MBE 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.

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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 departments for guidance in choosing appropriate electives.

MBE GRADUATION: August of Second Year

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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 Department of Medical Ethics, to discuss course planning.

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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 Andrea Allmayer 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:

Students who are matriculated in the MD/MBE program will have the option to earn transfer credit for two courses in the MD curriculum, ‘Doctoring’ and ‘Bioethics and Professionalism,’ contingent on the completion of supplemental work.

Please note that if a student has not made arrangements prior to the course for this work to be counted as transfer credit, he/she cannot apply to use this credit toward the MBE degree. Here is the form you will need to request this transfer credit from the Department of Medical Ethics.

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 School of Medicine tuition policy for the MD-MBE program seeks to minimize the additional financial burden for students enrolling in the program. The 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 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. 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 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 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 School of Medicine Financial Aid Office lists preferred private loan lenders on the 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.

Costs for each of the programs are updated annually on the financial aid website.

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.

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