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Studies & Degrees in Ethics

Ethics is the branch of philosophy that asks what makes an action right or wrong and how people and institutions ought to act. As a university subject it has two sides. Moral philosophy studies the theories and the thinkers behind them. Applied ethics uses those tools on concrete problems in medicine, business, technology, politics and the environment.

Few universities offer a bachelor's degree in ethics alone. Students usually meet the subject inside a philosophy degree, as a certificate or minor added to another degree, or as a specialised master's programme, often taken by graduates in law, medicine or the social sciences.

What students learn

Courses combine the reading of original philosophical texts with the analysis of current cases. The Philosophy & Ethics course at Liverpool Hope University, for example, works with thinkers such as Plato, Kant, Simone de Beauvoir, Frantz Fanon and Nietzsche, and applies them to issues such as climate change, artificial intelligence, animal rights, racism and feminism. The first year builds skills in argument analysis and clear expression.

Applied programmes focus on one field. The MA in Medical Ethics & Law at King's College London, established in 1978, examines the legal and ethical questions raised by medical practice and science, such as consent to treatment and the questions raised by advances in genetics and assisted reproduction.

Qualifications and levels

  • Bachelor's level. Ethics is normally part of a philosophy degree. At Liverpool Hope University, Philosophy & Ethics is a three-year BA (Hons) course offered as combined honours, that is, together with a second subject such as law, criminology or history. KU Leuven's Institute of Philosophy offers a Bachelor of Philosophy of 180 credits. In Spain, a bachelor's degree (grado) has 240 ECTS credits.
  • Certificates and minors. In the United States ethics is often added to another major. Duke University's Ethics & Society Certificate for undergraduates has a course-based pathway of six courses and an experiential pathway of four courses plus two experiential components, such as mentored research or community-based fieldwork. Both share a gateway and a capstone course.
  • Master's level. In Spain, official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits. The Universitat Jaume I in Castelló de la Plana offers the Màster Universitari en Ètica i Democràcia, an inter-university programme of 60 credits and 40 places in hybrid mode, which covers ethics and political philosophy. KU Leuven lists a Master of Philosophy of 60 credits and a Research Master of Philosophy of 120 credits.
  • Doctorate. Research in ethics is done within doctoral programmes in philosophy, such as the Doctoral Programme in Philosophy (PhD) at KU Leuven.

Admission

Bachelor's programmes ask for the general university entrance qualification of each country, and Liverpool Hope University states that international students can apply. Master's programmes in applied ethics are usually open to graduates of several disciplines. Requirements, deadlines and language certificates differ between universities, so check the admission page of each programme. Students with a foreign degree should ask the university how it is recognised.

Where to study it

SpainExchange lists 28 active schools for ethics. Twelve are in the United States, six in the United Kingdom, three in Spain and two in Denmark; Japan, Australia, Finland, Belgium and Ethiopia have one each. Examples are Duke University, Yale University and Fordham University in the United States; King's College London, University College London and Liverpool Hope University in the United Kingdom; the Universitat Jaume I and the Universitat de Barcelona in Spain; and KU Leuven in Belgium. Most programmes outside Spain are taught in English.

Careers

Ethics does not lead to a single profession. Graduates work in teaching and research, on ethics committees in hospitals and research institutions, in compliance and corporate responsibility, in public policy, in non-governmental organisations and in journalism. Many combine it with a first qualification in law, medicine, business or computing.

Two official figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics give an idea of related fields. Compliance officers make sure that people and organisations meet legal and regulatory requirements; there were 436,400 such jobs in 2025, and employment is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035. For university teaching a doctorate is typically required, and overall employment of postsecondary teachers is projected to grow 7 percent over the same period. Neither figure refers to ethics graduates specifically.

Frequently asked questions

Can I take a degree only in ethics?

Rarely at bachelor's level. Ethics is normally studied within philosophy, as at Liverpool Hope University, or added as a certificate, as at Duke University. Specialised programmes are more common at master's level.

Do I need a philosophy degree for a master's in ethics?

Not always. Applied programmes, for example in medical ethics and law, are designed for graduates of several fields. Check the entry requirements of the programme.

How long does a master's in ethics take in Spain?

Official master's degrees have 60, 90 or 120 ECTS credits, and 60 ECTS credits equal one full year of study. The master's in Ètica i Democràcia at the Universitat Jaume I has 60 credits.

What jobs can I get with ethics?

Typical areas are teaching and research, ethics committees, compliance, public policy and non-governmental organisations. A second qualification in law, health or business widens the options.