Level II Regential Form
Revised 7/08
Attach to full proposal for level II changes.
I Summary of Proposed Changes
Interdisciplinary-interdepartmental: Certificate in Bioethics
Department/program
Summary
A Bioethics Certificate Program is a formal, competency-based
course of study, currently offered by approximately a dozen
universities throughout the country. None of the existing
certificate programs are located in the mountain west. The
coursework for certification typically provides a basic introduction
to the philosophical, legal, research, and clinical foundations of
bioethics with an emphasis on practice-based implications for
health-related decision making. Most existing bioethics certificate
programs were developed in response to requests for continuing
education from working health and human service professionals
including hospital administrators, nurses, physicians, pharmacists,
health lawyers, pharmaceutical representatives, social workers,
psychologists, public health officials, and educators as well as
members of hospital-based ethics committees and Institutional
Review Boards. In addition to serving the needs of working
professionals, certificate coursework offers valuable graduate and
undergraduate electives for persons preparing for careers in health
and health-related professions including law, psychology, social
work, public health, political science, environmental health, and
communication sciences.
The curriculum for the proposed program would draw on the
findings from empirical, multi-method rural studies that have been
conducted in a 14 state area over the past 12 years by Drs. Cook
and Hoas, Research Professors in the Department of Psychology.
These studies, funded by entities that include the National
Institutes of Health (NIH), the Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality (AHRQ), the National Science Foundation, the
Greenwall Foundation, and the Culpeper Rockefeller Brothers
Fund have substantiated the need for and interest in the proposed
program. The certificate program would be offered online – so it
would be available on a national and international basis – and
would require completion of four core courses (12 semester
hours). Coursework could be completed within a 12-month period
of time. The four core courses would mirror the approaches of
action teaching, a model that bridges academic knowledge with
real world experiences.
II Preliminary Approval
Requestor:
Phone
Type/Print Signature
Name
Ann Freeman
Cook, Ph.D.
243.2467
Date
8/25/09
Revised 7/08
Department/Program
Chair:
Other affected programs:
Allen SzaldaPetree
UMOnline
8/31/09
Keith F. Lynip
8/31/09
Dean
Dean of the Library
Library impact statement: Are the resources included in the proposal sufficient to
adequately support the new programs library needs?
Initial Review in Provost’s Office
III Type of Program Change (check X appropriate description)
Create new degree; add new major to existing degree
Create minor or certificate where major does not exist
Change name of degree
X
IV Proposal (See instructions at http://www.umt.edu/provost/curriculum.htm)
Attach the following:
 Full Proposal
 BOR Level II Program Change Request
 Item Template
 Cover/Signature Page
V Copies and Electronic Submission
Submit the complete Level II proposal to the Provost’s Office for preliminary approval.
After all signatures have been obtained submit original, one copy, and an electronic file to
the Faculty Senate Office, UH 221, camie.foos@mso.umt,.edu