Undergraduate Program—Bioethics Minor
Bioethics is a well-established interdisciplinary field that is centered in philosophy but includes interaction with research in medicine, biological sciences, and other social sciences. Bioethics addresses foundational moral questions concerning life in all of its forms and in a wide variety of contexts, including issues in medical and clinical ethics, distributive justice in health care, environmental and climate ethics, and more.
The Bioethics Minor is intended for students with a variety of academic interests and career goals. In particular, well-trained professional ethicists are in increasing demand, and practitioners and research in medicine, bioengineering, and the life sciences are face challenging moral questions and are increasingly expected to have training in ethics. The course of study will also play a key role in preparing students to be informed citizens on questions of pressing importance to everyone.
The minor will require seven courses, (twenty-eight units): one from each of 5 core categories and two elective courses from a selected list. A maximum of two may be lower-division courses. All courses must be taken for a letter grade and passed with a C– or better.
Core Requirements for the Bioethics Minor
Core bioethics. Minors must take one from each of the five core categories:I Ethics
PHIL 13. Introduction to Philosophy
PHIL 160. Ethical Theory
II Biomedical Ethics
PHIL 163. Biomedical Ethics
III Social Ethics
PHIL 26. Science, Society, and Values
PHIL 27. Ethics and Society
PHIL 162. Contemporary Moral Issues
PHIL 164. Technology and Human Values
PHIL 167. Contemporary Political Philosophy
IV Philosophy and Science
PHIL 12. Scientific Reasoning
PHIL 137. Moral Psychology
PHIL 145. Philosophy of Science
PHIL 147. Philosophy of Biology
PHIL 149. Philosophy of Psychology
PHIL 150. Philosophy of Cognitive Sciences
PHIL 151. Philosophy of Neuroscience
PHIL 152. Philosophy of Social Science
V Topics in Bioethics
PHIL 173. Topics in Bioethics
VI Electives for the Bioethics Minor (Prior to Fall 2025)
- Minors must take two courses, drawn from a selected list.
- Course indicated with an * can be applied to the minor by petition.
- Any courses listed under the Core Requirements, if not also being used to satisfy a core requirement, may be used as an elective.
BILD 36. AIDS, Science, and Society
BILD 38. Dementia, Science and Society
FMPH 40. Introduction to Public Health
FMPH 50. Primary Care and Public Health
HISC 116. History of Bioethics
PHIL 10. Logic
PHIL 120. Symbolic Logic
PHIL 148. Philosophy and the Environment
PHIL 169. Feminism and Philosophy
PHIL 170. Philosophy and Race
USP 143. The US Health Care System
*BICD 136. AIDS science and Society
*HISC 115. History Modern Medicine
*LTWL 11. Health and Literature
*PHIL 138. Responsibility
*PHIL 147. Philosophy of Biology
*PHIL 165. Freedom, Equality, and the Law
*PHIL168. Philosophy of Law
*PHIL 174. Data Ethics
*USP 147. Case Studies in Health Care Programs: Poor and Undeserved Populations
VI Electives for the Bioethics Minor (starting Fall 2025)
- Minors must take two courses, drawn from a selected list.
- Course indicated with an * can be applied to the minor by petition.
- Any courses listed under the Core Requirements, if not also being used to satisfy a core requirement, may be used as an elective.
PHIL 138. Responsibility
PHIL 148. Philosophy and the Environment
PHIL 165. Freedom, Equality and the Law
PHIL 168: Philosophy of Law
PHIL 169. Feminism and Philosophy
PHIL 170. Philosophy and Race
PHIL 174. Data Ethics
FMPH 40. Intro to Public Health
FMPH 50. Primary Care and Public Health
USP 143. The US Health Care System
USP 147. Poor and Undeserved Populations
BILD 36. AIDS, Science, and Society
BICD 136. AIDS, Science and Society
BILD 38. Dementia, Science and Society
HISC 115. History Modern Medicine
HISC 116. History of Bioethics