A number of departments across the MU campus offer courses that examine the social, ethical, legal economic and policy implications of the life sciences. The list of these courses is updated at the beginning of each semester.
 
AgEcon 3241 Ethical Issues in Agriculture (3). Examines ethical issues in agriculture, with particular emphasis on the development of an analytical framework for understanding and evaluating the ethical implications arising from agriculture-related public policy. Introduces ethical theory and how economics, philosophy, and science inform on and impact ethical problems.
AgEcon 3256 Agribusiness and Biotech Law (3). Introduces legal principles applicable to a broad array of everyday legal issues facing agribusiness in Missouri and throughout the U.S.A.
AgEcon 4301 Economics and Management of Biotechnology (3). Current and new topics not currently offered in applied and/or theoretical areas in Agricultural Economics.
AgEcon 8001/9001 Economics of Science and Technology (3). Science and technology have long been regarded as an important driving force for economic growth. This graduate-level course provides both a conceptual foundation and empirical evidence for understanding how science and technology affect the economy and how economic forces and public policies drive the process of scientific discovery and technological change.
AgJournalism 3201 (Topics) Writing about Biotechnology in the Food and Health Systems. Reporting and writing about biotechnology in its many forms, including agricultural biotechnology and medical biotechnology Prerequisites: Ag J 1160 (Introduction to Agricultural Journalism) and/or Journ 2100 (News Writing); Recommended: Biochem 2110 (The Living World: Molecular Scale) or Biochem 2112 (Biotechnology and Society).
Animal Science 2111 Societal Issues Facing Animal Agriculture (2). A course designed to introduce students to key issues facing animal agriculture. Assignments will focus on reading current publications associated with issues affecting the animal agriculture industry. Prerequisites: sophomore standing, English 20.
Biochemistry 2112 Biotechnology in Society (3). Biotechnology in a social context covers three areas: introduction to terminology and concepts, specific biotechnological applications to modern problems, and ethical questions (e.g., "proper" limitations, unforeseen spin-offs). Prerequisites: Chemistry 15 or 1 yr high school Chemistry.
Biology Science 3050 Genetics and Human Affairs (3). Introduction to genetics, emphasizing the impact of genetics on human society. Human evolution, molecular genetics, genetics engineering in medicine and agriculture. An intensive writing course. Prerequisite: a college science course or equivalent (advanced high school biology).
Biology Science 8060 Ethical Conduct of Research (1). Study of the rules and conventions for appropriate research conduct. Required course for all training grant fellows.

Health

Management

and Informatics 7401

Health Care Ethics. A graduate seminar for students in the health professions and health management (winter semester).  
Journalism 8001 Journalism, Religion, & Public Life (3). Seminar explores the complex interactions between journalism, religion and public life. Topics covered include religion as a journalism beat; the demands of religious reporting and writing in the 21st century; standards in religions reporting, writing and educating; science, ideology and religion among other topics.
Journalism Science, Society and the News Media (3). Seminar explores the complex interactions among science, biomedicine, the news media and the public. Seminar is more about media sociology than the sociology of science.
Journalism Science Writing (3). Advanced course reporting science, medicine and environment. Write for publication. Prerequisite: 306 and instructor's consent.
Law 5380 Bioethics Seminar (2-3). An examination of some of the legal and ethical issues presented by modern medical science, such as the redefining of death, the withholding or refusal of life-sustaining medical treatment, reproductive technology (which raises issues such as paternity, custody, safety and access), organ transfer, genetic counseling and the public health issues raised by the AIDS epidemic.
Law 5601 Genetics and the Law (2-3). An exploration of the legal issues raised by human genetics. Likely topics include the rights (and duties?) of parents and physicians to screen fetuses, embryos and children for genetic disease, the duty of physicians to warn other family members, the laws governing discrimination on the basis of genetic characteristics, genetic privacy laws, the cry for prohibition of genetic "enhancement,"and the patentibility of genetic discoveries.
Law 5895 The Social and Legal Implications of Genetically-Modified Crops and Animals (2). A search for the truth behind the rhetoric about genetically-modified organisms. This class is an interdisciplinary examination of the social, ethical, economic, and legal issues. Faculty from across the campus will contribute lectures. To see the syllabus, click here. Cross-listed in Ag Econ, Rural Sociology, and Public Affairs as a topics course.
Medicine Bioethics Grand Rounds.

Medicine 

354

Problems in Medical Ethics. Senior medical student clinical ethics elective offered as a one month rotation (offered year round).
Philosophy 1100 Introduction to Ethics (3). An introduction to different theories about what makes actions right rather than wrong, what things are good. Readings may include Plato, Aristotle, Kant and Mill. Often considers applied issues such abortion, euthanasia, cloning, and stem cell research.
Philosophy 1150 Introduction to Bioethics (3). This course philosophically investigates ethical issues of biological health, reproduction, technology and research. Issues studied may include: just health care, euthanasia, eugenics, the human genome project, genetic engineering, cloning, and stem cell research.
Philosophy 2430 Contemporary Moral Issues. Often considers applied issues such abortion, euthanasia, cloning, and stem cell research.
Philosophy 4005 Non-Human Bioethics (3). This course examines animal rights and welfare in experimentation and agriculture; use of drugs in animal agriculture; cloning of non-human organisms, genetically modified foods and agricultural biotechnology; bio-prospecting and bio-piracy; patenting of animal and plant genes or organisms; and the social-justice implication of biotechnology. The course will begin with a substantial introduction to traditional and non-traditional ethical theories. No previous knowledge of philosophy or ethical theory is assumed.
Philosophy 4510/7510 Medical Ethics (3). Considers moral issues posed by developments in biological sciences and medical technology. Topics may include: genetic engineering, abortion and euthanasia, distribution of health care. Prerequisite: junior standing.
Political Science Capstone on Environmental Politics. This is a research seminar on international environmental problems and attempts to address them through treaty law and national regulatory regimes.

Rural

Sociology

3325

Sociology of Food and Nutrition.
Sociology 3460 Science, Technology, and Society. In the last few decades science and technology have permeated our lives as never before. This has led to wide ranging debates on the relationship between science, technology, and society. This course, which is organized as a lecture-seminar, aims at critically investigating different aspects of the relationship between science, technology, and society.