Master in Bioethics

Master’s Program in Bioethics 2026-2028

The Master’s Program in Bioethics is the result of a collaboration between the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the Pontifical John Paul II Theological Institute for the Sciences of Marriage and the Family, and aims to provide a course of study on the main bioethical issues.

Through the study and in-depth exploration of various disciplines (philosophy, history, medicine, theology, law) and the expertise of specialized faculty from both institutions, the program addresses topics that deeply affect families, as they relate to the unborn, the management of suffering and end-of-life care, solidarity, and family relationships.

• Duration: 2 academic years part-time (60 credits).
• Teaching format: The course will be held online in a synchronous format.
  Two in-person sessions in Rome are scheduled on the following dates and times:
  I – from Thursday, October 29, 2026 (3:00 p.m.) to Saturday, October 31, 2026 (12:00 p.m.);
  II – from Thursday, September 23, 2027 (3:00 p.m.) to Saturday, September 25, 2027 (12:00 p.m.).
• Tuition Fee: €1,200 (payable in installments). Full or partial scholarships are available to cover academic fees. Applications must be accompanied by the 2026 ISEE certificate. Please send your request to: master@istitutogp2.it
• Admission requirements: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent qualifications issued abroad and accompanied by a declaration of equivalence; a positive evaluation of the candidate’s curriculum vitae by the Faculty Board.
• Application Deadline: October 10, 2026.
• Course Schedule: October 2026 – April 2028.
• Class Schedule: Tuesdays (6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.) and Saturdays (8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.).
• Academic Program: 8 modules (6 ECTS credits each), including lectures, independent study, and assessment, plus a final project (12 ECTS credits).

The program includes the following modules:

• Bioethics: History and Theoretical Models; “Life” – M-FIL/03
• The Moral Subject (Conscience) – M-FIL/03
• The Self and Family Relationships – M-FIL/03
• Birth and Human Procreation – M-FIL/03
• Suffering: Pain, Care, and Solidarity – MED/43
• The Event of Dying – M-FIL/03
• Our Common Home – M-FIL/03
• Enhancement – IUS/20
• Final Project

Qualification Awarded: Upon successful completion of all assessments and the final project, students are awarded a qualification in Bioethics jointly conferred by the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the John Paul II Institute. The qualification is designated, according to the Italian system, as a First-Level Inter-University Master’s Degree in Bioethics, and, according to the regulations of the John Paul II Institute, as a Diploma, which does not constitute a canonical degree.

Download the 2026–2028 Program Flyer

Further Information
Dott.ssa SUSANNA BEFANI
Pontificio Istituto “Giovanni Paolo II”
Piazza S. Giovanni in Laterano, 4
000120 Città del Vaticano

Tel. (+39) 06 698 95 535
Fax (+39) 06 698 86 103
E-mail: master@istitutogp2.it

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