Bioethics and Health Studies

Bioethics is a field that analyzes the ethical questions raised by advances in medical and scientific technology. It examines these questions both in the clinical context and in health policy. Well-known bioethical topics include abortion, euthanasia and stem cell research. But the field's area of study has grown dramatically in recent decades in keeping with the rapid pace of biotechnological advances. More recent bioethical work addresses developments in genetics, neuroscience, public health and various emerging fields in the biomedical sciences.

Saint Louis University's bioethics and health studies major gives students the tools to understand these developments. It does so through an interdisciplinary curriculum that fuses the humanities with the social sciences. It pairs this holistic education with unique service-learning opportunities in health care settings and a capstone project designed to guide students in their transition to a career in health care.

Through their coursework, students majoring in bioethics and health studies learn to think across the University and mobilize their knowledge in the world.

A particular focus of the bioethics and health studies major at SLU is the relationship of religion, health care and social justice. Students are exposed to a broad range of ideological and professional perspectives on health care dilemmas. This will prepare them to collaborate with others across existing professional and political divides. It will also help them clarify their views on topics that are often complex and highly personal.

The bioethics and health studies major provides a foundation for post-graduate study and employment in many health-related fields. Beyond that, it provides students with tools for addressing the ethical dilemmas they will face, not just on the job but also in the voting booth and in their own lives. When coupled with a strong commitment to social justice and intellectual diversity, this integrated approach to health care makes the major particularly reflective of Saint Louis University's Jesuit mission.

1. Graduates will be able to apply bioethical methodologies.
2. Graduates will be able to synthesize humanities and social science methods. 
3. Graduates will be able to evaluate the impact of disparities in identity categories on health care access and quality.
4. Graduates will be able to justify recommendations for resolving complex ethical health care dilemmas.
5. Graduates will be able to integrate bioethical knowledge into patient care. 

Send transcripts of all secondary work.

Find out from your admission counselor what secondary credentials are required. We’ll evaluate how you’ve done in school up to this point, so please send all transcripts for secondary work, along with their English language translations.

Submit proof of your English language proficiency.

These are scores from any standardized test you may have taken to prepare for college — TOEFL, IELTS, PTE, SAT, ACT or Duolingo score. All of our international applicants are required to demonstrate their English proficiency, and these tests can help us make that determination.

If you do not meet SLU’s direct entry requirements, we encourage you to apply to the Pathway or English Language programs offered by INTO Saint Louis University.

Recommended items.

Though not required for admission, submission of a resume of activities and letters of recommendation is encouraged. All undergraduate applicants are also encouraged to complete an admission interview.

The bioethics and health studies major provides an excellent foundation for professional education in many areas, including:

• Medicine
• Law
• Public health
• Health care administration
• Public policy
• Divinity school
• Various graduate programs in the humanities and social sciences

Through their service-learning courses and capstone, students will gain practical experience that will help them transition to employment in a wide range of health-related fields.