Bioethics Courses

The University offers many courses in bioethics, including several on foundational topics in disciplines of law, history, philosophy, and the social sciences. Courses regularly taught by Center and Center-affiliated faculty are in bold. The Center has traditionally focused on ethics of human health, healthcare, and research. Increasingly, however, the relevance of planetary well-being for human flourishing is recognized. Courses in environmental ethics, other areas of applied ethics, and public policy thus complement the bioethics courses listed below. In 2023, the School of Public Health initiated an undergraduate Bioethics Certificate, to which all undergraduates may apply. Inquiries about a proposed graduate Certificate in Bioethics may be directed to bioethics@pitt.edu

(Image: Mural by artists of the MLK Community Murals Project)

Lower-Level Undergraduate Courses:

HIST 0791

Health Controversies in History: Ethics, Publics, Interventions

HPS 0613

Morality and Medicine

HPS 0633

Science, Philosophy, and Public Policy

PHIL 0214

Bioethics

PHIL 0360

Introduction to Biomedical Ethics

PUBHLT 0500    Ethical Issues in Public and Community Health

RELGST 0770

Science and Religion

Upper-level Undergraduate Courses

ATHLTR 1816

Medical Ethics

BIOENG 1241

Societal, Political and Ethical Issues in Bioengineering

BIOETH 1001

Ethics and Aging

BIOETH 1660

Philosophy of Medicine

BIOETH 1664

Bioethics

BIOETH 1668

Sustainability in Latin America

BIOETH 1698

Special Topics in Bioethics

HI 1450

Security, Privacy, Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care

HPS 1623 or RELGST 1725

Death and the Healthcare Professions

HPS 1626

Neuroethics

NUR 1308 Ethical and Social Implications of Biotechnology

NUR 1085

Ethics in Nursing and Health Care

NUR 1310

Ethical Dimensions of Professional Nursing

PHIL 1360

Biomedical Ethics

REHSCI 1230

Rehabilitation Ethics

RELGST 1171 Health and Illness in Israeli Society
RELGST 1521 Asian Religions’ Perspectives on Bioethics  

RELGST 1726

Healing and Humanity

Graduate Course

BIOETH 2001

Ethics and Aging

BIOETH 2658

Philosophy of Medicine

BIOETH 2664

Bioethics

BIOETH 2668

Sustainability in Latin America

BIOETH 2698

Special Topics in Bioethics

BIOETH 2661

Theoretical Foundations of Bioethics

BIOETH 2667

Biopower: Biopolitical Readings of the Body

COUN 2742

Legal, Ethical, and Professional Issues in Counseling

DMED 5110

Foundations of Person-centered Care

DMED 5112

Principles of Professional Practice

CDENT 5241

Principles and Practice of Dental Public Health

GSWS 2240

Gender, Ethics, and the Body

HPM 2130 Health Law Ethics

HPM 2131

Public Health Law and Ethics

HPS 2278

Race: History, Biology, Psychology, Philosophy

HRS 2041

Security, Privacy, Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care

HRS 2905 Ethical Issues in Health Care
HRS 2906 History of Medicine

HUGEN 2052

Ethical Issues in Clinical & Public Health Genetics

LAW 5083

Reproduction, Sexuality and the Law

LAW 5089

Public Health Law

LAW 5121

Biomedical Technology Law

LAW 5283

Mental Health Law

LAW 5313

Reproductive Law & Policy

LAW 5395

Health Law & Policy

LAW 5464

Bioethics and Law

LAW 5722

Technology, Race & the Law

LAW 5730-31, 5830-31

Current Issues in Health Law

LAW 5888

Reproductive Justice Seminar

MED 5910

Narrative and the Experience of Illness

MSELCT 5854

Ethical Issues in Clinical Practice

NROSCI 2010

Scientific Ethics

NUR 2308

Ethical and Social Implications of Biotechnology

NUR 2008

Ethics for Advanced Practice Nursing

PUBHLT 2030

Research Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research