Bioethics (BE)
BE 474 Introduction to Bioethics - 3 Hours
An overview of the Hippocratic/Judeo-Christian tradition in medical ethics against the background of biblical-theological discussion of human nature, medicine, and healing, and as a context for the rise of the new bioethics. Prerequisite: PH 180 or consent of instructor. This course is taught with BE 5010 at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Offered fall semester. Delivery mode: synchronous.
BE 475 Topics in Bioethics - 1-3 Hours
This course is taught in conjunction with BE 7100 at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. May be repeated for credit with a different topic. Delivery mode: synchronous.
BE 5010 Introduction to Bioethics: Foundations and Methods - 2-3 Hours
An introduction to the interdisciplinary and interprofessional study of bioethics with emphasis on surveying the foundational concepts, history, methodologies, and topical issues pertinent to the development and contemporary study of bioethics from within biblical-theological and other prominent contemporary perspectives.
BE 5020 Bioethics and Cultural Engagement - 2-3 Hours
This course introduces central Christian beliefs and worldview as a framework within which to evaluate the working ethical assumptions of contemporary culture. In addition to investigating several models for Christian engagement with culture, the course encourages the positive formation of a Christian worldview as a foundation for wise engagement with contemporary thought in bioethics.
BE 5100 Intensive Bioethics Institute - 2-3 Hours
This course is a survey of the field of bioethics, introducing competing ways of addressing bioethical issues from historical, philosophical, and theological perspectives. Offered face to face at the Deerfield campus.
BE 5200 Research Ethics - 2 Hours
The application of critical and ethical thinking to the philosophy and professional practice of scientific research. Students will assess the historical framework as well as the current standards and policies (national and international) for human subject research. Topics covered will include risks and benefits, informed consent, vulnerability, privacy, and confidentiality. Offered online and face to face at the Deerfield campus.
BE 5299 The Clinical Context - 1 Hour
An explanation of basic precepts of clinical medicine and clinical ethics. Designed to be taken concurrently with BE 5300. Offered as a guided study.
BE 5300 Clinical Issues in Bioethics - 2 Hours
An introduction to clinical bioethics and issues in medical ethics, with special emphasis on clinical ethics consultation, the role of clinical ethics committees, plus in-depth case analysis of specific ethical issues that arise in contemporary clinical practice. Prerequisite or taken concurrently: BE 5299.
BE 5400 Nursing Ethics - 2 Hours
This course is designed to prepare nurses for the ethical issues they will encounter in daily practice. Ethics of care, the changing face of health care resulting from globalization, interprofessionalism, expanding use of technologies, and limited financial and other resources are among the challenges addressed.
BE 5499 The Public Policy Context - 1 Hour
An explanation of basic federal and state governmental structures and legislative processes. Designed to be taken concurrently with BE 5500. Offered as an online guided study.
BE 5500 Bioethics and Public Policy - 2 Hours
The interface of bioethics and public policy in North American and international contexts with special attention to religious perspectives in the public square, important cases and bioethics commissions, and other documents. Students have the opportunity to create a public policy strategy. Prerequisite or taken concurrently: BE 5499.
BE 5900 Bioethics National Conference - 2-3 Hours
The annual national/international bioethics conference at Trinity provides a unique opportunity to learn from and interact with Christian leaders in bioethics from around the country and beyond. The course includes a preconference reading program and post-conference writing program tailored to the topic of the conference. Class meetings with the professor immediately precede and are interspersed throughout the conference. Cannot be taken as a Guided Reading Course. May be repeated for credit. Offered face to face at the Deerfield campus.
BE 6000 Christian Hippocratism - 2-3 Hours
This course examines the emergence of Hippocratic medicine and its historical convergence with Christianity as a primary influence on the development and practice of Western medicine through the modern era. Attention will also be given to the rise of competing paradigms in contemporary medicine and prospects of Christian Hippocratism as a principled model for Christian engagement in bioethics.
BE 6010 Life and Death Bioethics - 2-3 Hours
Exploration of prominent bioethical issues at the beginning and end of life, including the ethics of abortion, contraception, assisted reproductive technologies, end-of-life decision making, euthanasia, and other issues within their ethical, legal, social, philosophical, and theological contexts.
BE 6020 Biotechnology and Emerging Technology Ethics - 2-3 Hours
This course examines cutting-edge bioethical issues within biomedicine, biotechnology, and other emerging technology arenas, including developments in genetic ethics, neuroethics, nanoethics, synthetic biology, robotics, artificial intelligence, and human futures among other issues within their ethical, legal, social, philosophical, and theological contexts.
BE 6100 Bioethics Colloquium - 1-2 Hours
The colloquium meets periodically during the term, with a professor of record and a combination of visiting lecturers, faculty, and student presentations. Local pastors, physicians, and others are invited to attend, offering a meeting point between the program and church and medical communities. May be repeated for credit.
BE 6150 Contemporary Issues in Bioethics - 1-3 Hours
Trinity-hosted bioethics workshops provide a unique opportunity to explore emerging issues in contemporary bioethics through topical workshops led by an interdisciplinary team of Christian leaders in bioethics from around the country and beyond. This course includes a pre-workshop reading program and post-workshop assignments tailored to the topics of the workshop. Special emphasis is given to the professional dimensions of the issues under consideration, as well as an examination of the evolving academic literature. May be repeated for credit. Offered face to face at the Deerfield Campus.
BE 6200 Ethical Theory - 2-3 Hours
An analysis of the principal theories and problems of philosophical ethics, including the meaning of ethical language, alternative theories of the right and the good, and the implications of moral issues for the concept of God and other theological questions. Formerly: PR 7220. Offered online and face-to-face at the Deerfield campus.
BE 6350 The Right to Life and the Law - 2-3 Hours
A study of the complex medical, social, legal, and bioethical issues raised by such controversial topics as abortion, euthanasia, infanticide, and related issues involving rights conscience, including a survey of Supreme Court and other judicial decisions pertaining to these issues. Offered face to face at the Deerfield campus. May be taken as MLS 910 through Trinity Law School.
BE 6950 Bioethics Practicum - 1-2 Hours
Supervised experience within professional or ministerial settings (e.g., healthcare, public policy, IRB, advocacy organization, church, etc.) engaged in practical bioethics. Emphasis of student assessment materials will be given to demonstrating the application of theoretical bioethics knowledge to the professional or ministerial environment. Prerequisite: BE 5010. Student must obtain the program director's permission and secure site approval before registering.
BE 7200 Landmark Cases in Bioethics - 2-3 Hours
Many of the major issues in bioethics have been shaped by pivotal medical and legal cases. The course examines those cases in detail and uses them as a springboard for understanding the larger ethical issues that they address. May be taken as MLS 720 through Trinity Law School.
BE 7300 Advanced Clinical Ethics - 1-3 Hours
This course will engage students in the process of doing ethical analysis in group discussion and in writing ethics consultation reports on specific cases typically encountered by a consultant in clinical ethics. Two prerequisites: BE 5300; plus either BE 5010 or BE 6000. Students without clinical/medical experience must obtain the professor's permission before registering. Students without BE 5010 or BE 6000 can ask the professor to waive that prerequisite. Offered online.
BE 7478 Bioethics Capstone Project - 1-3 Hours
Independent study culminating in a bioethics-related project, as arranged with the program director or designee. Students should register for this course the semester they start the project. Prerequisite or taken concurrently: BE 5200, BE 5300, BE 5500, and BE 6500 or by permission of the program director.
BE 7480 Bioethics Capstone Integrative or Major Paper - 1-3 Hours
Independent study culminating in a bioethics-related project, as arranged with the program director or designee. Students should register for this course the semester they start the project. Prerequisite or taken concurrently: BE 5200, BE 5300, BE 5500, and BE 6500 or by permission of the program director.
BE 7486 Bioethics Capstone Extension - 0 Hours
A one-semester extension for BE 7478 or BE 7480. Enrollment with consent of the faculty member of record. Extension fee when not enrolled in other courses. Counts as quarter-time academic status. May not be repeated. No Credit.
BE 7501 Guided Research - 1-4 Hours
Independent research on an approved selected topic under a faculty member in the department bearing the course prefix. May be repeated for credit as the subject matter changes. Available in all departments. Letter grade or Credit/No Credit as arranged with faculty member.
BE 7600 Theological Bioethics and Contemporary Alternatives - 2-3 Hours
A theological examination of topics in moral theology and theological ethics and their application to a wide range of bioethical issues, identifying common ground and differences with other competing contemporary outlooks.
BE 7650 Bioethics, Human Dignity, and the Church - 2-3 Hours
Issues in bioethics raise fundamental questions of human dignity in the lives of people everywhere, to which the church is uniquely well positioned to speak. This course enables students to understand many of today's bioethical challenges to human dignity and to develop practical ministry resources to address them through the preaching, teaching, worship, counseling, and outreach ministries of the church.
BE 7700 Bioethics Seminar - 1-4 Hours
Topical course conducted as a seminar on a question such as autonomy and informed consent, health care systems, resource allocation, genetic intervention, or end-of-life decision making. May be repeated for credit. Cannot be taken as a Reading Course.
BE 7750 Readings in Bioethics - 1-3 Hours
Examination of topic-specific readings in bioethics from Hippocrates, through the beginning of the modern bioethics period in Fletcher and Ramsey, and on to the present. Readings in the earlier periods may focus on the birth and development of the Hippocratic/Judeo-Christian tradition or classic concepts or works of bioethics. Readings in the contemporary bioethicists may place special focus on the secularization of bioethics as seen in such writers as Singer, Engelhardt, and Childress or may explore contemporary developments in topical literature of distinct applied areas of bioethics. The course may focus on either classical or contemporary readings. May be repeated for credit.
BE 7800 Personhood in Theological and Philosophical Perspective - 2-3 Hours
Analysis of the role played by this key concept in bioethical debate against the background of philosophical and theological usage.
BE 7810 Global Health and Justice - 2-3 Hours
An exploration of global bioethics, with particular focus on biblical, theological, and philosophical approaches to justice, and their relevance to issues in global health and medicine.
BE 8100 Contemporary Figures in Bioethics - 2-3 Hours
This course includes presentations by several prominent Christian figures in bioethics as well as readings from an array of significant Christian leaders in bioethics.