Master of Arts in Ethics and Society Program Curriculum
This program consists of a 10-course educational sequence designed to provide students with knowledge and critical thinking skills that can enhance their understanding of and participation in discourse regarding ethically-relevant contemporary social issues. Students take ethics courses in the humanities and sciences as well as cross-disciplinary courses offered by the Center for Ethics Education to provide knowledge and expertise in multiple areas of scholarship.
It is anticipated that the program will take 21 months to complete.
Certain Fordham undergraduate juniors can apply to the five-year combined Bachelor's and Master's degree program (see Admission Requirements for details.) Typically, the combined Bachelor’s and Master’s degree program is completed in a total of five years. Undergraduates accepted into the program take two courses toward the Master’s degree in the senior year. The three-day "Theories and Applications in Contemporary Ethics" course is taken during the month of May following the senior year. Finally, seven courses are taken during the two semesters following the senior year, fulfilling the requirements for the combined degree.
Master's Program Course Offerings for the Upcoming Term (Spring 2010)
Students must take two electives (six credits). They may take either courses that appear in the list of elective courses below or core courses in addition to those taken to fulfill the core requirements. Students who wish to enroll in an course not approved for the program must first secure the permission of the Director of the Master’s Program.
Law Electives (by permission only)
Jurisprudence
Introduction to Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence and Political Theory
Topics in Jurisprudence
Feminist Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence and Human Rights
Catholic Social Thought & the Law Survey
Catholic Social Thought & Economic Justice
Catholic Perspectives on Conflict Resolution
Catholic Social Thought & the Law in a Pluralistic Society (in progress)
Jewish Law
Professional Responsibility: Ethics in Criminal Advocacy
Professional Responsibility: Ethicsin Public Interest Law
Professional Responsibility: Ethical Issues in Civil Litigation
Professional Responsibility: Corporate Counsel
Professional Responsibility in Multinational Practice STUDENT ADVISING AND FIRST-YEAR TUTORIAL
The Director of the Master’s program will serve as the student’s academic advisor. In order to develop a sense of identity and cohort, the program requires a first-year tutorial in which students meet with the Director of the program once per month to: discuss curriculum from the students’ courses to integrate the material with the focus of the Master’s program, discuss progress in the program, and discuss program and career goals.
The tutorial will also include invited speakers from the non-profit, professional, business, and government sectors to discuss career opportunities. Through these tutorials, students will gain valuable professional development experience by contributing to the planning and implementation of the Annual Symposium, where they will interact with scholars, policy makers, and social thinkers, assist in the development of speaker panels, and complete background research on relevant topics.
Second year students will also meet with the Director of the Master’s program at least once per semester to discuss issues related to academic advising and career development.
