| Unit name | Bioethics: Theory and Practice |
|---|---|
| Unit code | MEDI30002 |
| Credit points | 30 |
| Level of study | H/6 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Academic Year (weeks 1 - 52) |
| Unit director | Professor. Huxtable |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Pre-requisites |
Students must be suitably qualified |
| Co-requisites |
None |
| School/department | Health Sciences Faculty Office |
| Faculty | Faculty of Health Sciences |
This unit will provide an introduction to the whole field of Bioethics. The unit will introduce students to the main theories of Bioethics and to contemporary debates in Moral Philosophy. The theoretical analysis will be illustrated by reference to selected ethical issues in medicine and science.
Aims:
By the end of the unit students will have a basic understanding of the key themes in bioethics theory. Students will develop their skills in philosophical analysis, construction of arguments and debating. The course will serve to integrate the students’ studies in moral philosophy, law and bioethics and will help them to prepare a topic for dissertation.
On successful completion of this unit a student will be able to:
Students receive 17 x 2-hour seminars led by staff members, which introduce them to bioethics theory, key concepts in bioethics, and examples of topics in which theory is applied to practice. Students thereafter lead another 6 x 2-hour seminars, in which they individually present their research into their chosen essay topic. The seminars run throughout teaching blocks 1 and 2. Students also receive individual support from an advisor, who helps with planning and research, and provides feedback on parts of the work.
Summative assessment comprises an essay of 5000 words. Formative assessment comprises an essay of 2000 words, preparation of a detailed essay plan for the summative assessment, and oral presentation of the argument in a seminar.
