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Build the knowledge and skills to drive

Responsible Research & Innovation

As scientific discovery and technological innovation accelerate, organizations need leaders who can ensure that emerging technologies are developed, governed, and deployed responsibly.

Duke University’s Master of Arts in Applied Ethics and Policy prepares you to become one of those leaders. This interdisciplinary program equips you with the knowledge, practical experience, and analytical skills to navigate complex ethical challenges, influence science and technology policy, and help build a better future where innovation serves the public good.

Bioethics and Science Policy Concentration
Tech Ethics and Innovation Policy Concentration

The Duke Master of Arts in Applied Ethics & Policy Program (AEP) addresses the increasing demand for professionals who can thoughtfully navigate the ethical dimensions of science, technology, law, and public policy. The AEP program trains leaders to think critically, act strategically, and drive real impact.

Shape the Defining Issues of Our Time

The AEP program explores how science and technology affect people and society. From innovation in healthcare, genetic testing, and brain-computer interfaces to the use of AI in the arts and the military, students examine and debate questions such as:

  • How can we implement emerging technologies while protecting people’s rights?
  • How do we minimize harms while encouraging innovation?
  • How do we ensure fairness in the application of new technologies?
  • How do we define and operationalize organizational values?
  • What does it mean to act ethically?

Connect With Us

Fill out the short form below and a program specialist will reach out to you with additional information, including opportunities to attend online information sessions and special events for interested applicants.

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Build In-Demand Skills

Develop the knowledge and leadership skills to:

  • Evaluate the ethical and societal impacts of emerging technologies.
  • Design technology policy and governance frameworks.
  • Address issues of privacy, security, fairness, and accountability.
  • Communicate effectively across technical, business, and policy environments.
  • Lead responsible innovation in a rapidly changing world.

Gain Real-World Experience

Apply what you learn through hands-on projects, case studies, internships, and collaborations with industry, government, and nonprofit partners. Graduate with practical experience that prepares you to make an immediate impact.

Explore the Applied Ethics & Policy Master's Program

About the Curriculum

Our interdisciplinary curriculum is designed to cultivate critical thinking, ethical reasoning, and policy analysis skills essential for leadership in a complex and evolving world. It is constantly evolving so students are equipped with the practical tools they’ll need to prepare for a world of unknown unknowns.

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Capstone Experience

The graduate capstone project is a chance for students to demonstrate what they’ve learned by applying it to real-world problems. The program provides several options, including our Applied Ethics+ learning experience, where groups of students collaborate with groundbreaking host organizations.

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Meet Our Faculty

Duke is home to a diverse community of world-class faculty. Our faculty have worked with leading tech companies, research institutions, Congressional Committees, and government agencies. They are leaders in their fields who have shaped public policy over several decades.

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Student Experience

Your time in the classroom is only one part of your experience at Duke. Our students become part of one of the world’s leading research universities and a vibrant, interdisciplinary community.

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Only Duke Combines Bioethics, Tech Ethics, and Public Policy in One Program

Explore the ethical issues and policy implications of technologies that shape human life.

While bioethics traditionally emerged from medicine and the life sciences, and tech ethics developed from computing and engineering, the two fields are now deeply interconnected. Many emerging technologies sit at the intersection of the biological and digital worlds. Some of today’s most challenging ethical questions arise in that space.

More About the Intersection of Bio and Tech  

Explore Two Concentrations

An young woman provides ethical counseling to a doctor

Bioethics & Science Policy

Shape the Future of Patient Care and Biomedical Innovation

Duke’s Master of Arts in Applied Ethics & Policy with a concentration in Bioethics and Science Policy provides an interdisciplinary foundation in ethics, health law, and science policy, equipping graduates to address complex moral questions arising from advances in healthcare, biotechnology, and scientific research.

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Duke Master of Applied Ethics & Policy students pose with a trophy after winning the 2025 Duke Cyber Cup

Tech Ethics & Innovation Policy

Lead The Future of Responsible Technology

Technology is changing the world at an unprecedented pace. The decisions made today will define how technology shapes society for decades to come. From artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to digital privacy and climate innovation, today’s biggest challenges require leaders who understand both technology and its impact on society.

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What Sets Duke’s Applied Ethics & Policy Master's Program Apart from Other Programs?

Master of Arts in Applied Ethics & Policy Students

The Applied Ethics & Policy Master’s Program combines rigorous academic training, applied learning, and cutting-edge research with real-world experience. Inside the classroom, our expert faculty leverage real-life case studies, current events, interactive simulations, and hands-on exercises to provide students with a meaningful and engaging education.

Beyond the classroom, students may also participate in specialized programs like Bass Connections, various student organizations, and conduct research in one of Duke’s many labs. This approach promotes deeper thinking about the societal impact of emerging technologies and encourages students to develop actionable solutions to today’s most complex ethical challenges.

Be part of one of the world’s leading research universities and a vibrant, interdisciplinary academic community. With access to courses, faculty, and resources across Duke’s 10 schools and colleges, you‘ll have the ability to take classes, participate in events, and join student organizations specific to your academic and career goals. Duke is a haven for intellectual curiosity, and the University’s academic culture offers many opportunities to grow and diverge from well-trodden paths. 

Duke University believes that the challenges facing our world require creative thinkers who work across boundaries. The Applied Ethics & Policy Master’s Program encourages students to tailor their academic experience to their individual goals.

Duke is a haven for intellectual curiosity, and the University’s academic culture offers many opportunities to grow and diverge from well-trodden paths. Duke provides extensive resources across 10 schools and colleges, giving students the flexibility to customize their education and explore new perspectives.

To satisfy the Capstone Project requirement, students may join an Applied Ethics+ team, organize their own project, or write a thesis.

Learn more about the Applied Ethics & Policy Master’s curriculum.

Members of our faculty have worked with leading tech companies, research institutions, trade associations, Congressional Committees, and government agencies. They are leaders in their fields who have shaped public policy over several decades. They are world-class faculty who are recognized for excellence in teaching and their industry-shaping experience. The courses they teach are academically challenging and relevant to our rapidly evolving world today.

The Applied Ethics & Policy Master’s Program supports students from the time they are first accepted into the program until graduation. Every student is offered one-on-one academic advising to help with course selection, ensure compliance with academic policies and procedures, and satisfy the program requirements before graduation.

Live, study, and play on Duke’s beautiful campus set in downtown Durham, NC. There’s a reason the city is consistently rated as one of the top areas in the U.S. to live. Durham is a vibrant city full of culture, food, music, and history. Visit discoverdurham.com to learn more about what Durham has to offer.

It’s also the perfect place to study science and technology ethics and policy. Research Triangle Park is the world’s largest university-related research park with more than 170 companies employing over 49,000 people. The area is often referred to as the Southern Silicon Valley with a booming, energetic startup culture.

With 200,000+ Blue Devils across the globe, wherever you go after graduation, you can grow your network, career, and passions by connecting with alumni who share your love of Duke.

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