PY4666 Bioethics

Academic year

2024 to 2025 Semester 1

Further information on which modules are specific to your programme.

Key module information

SCOTCAT credits

30

The Scottish Credit Accumulation and Transfer (SCOTCAT) system allows credits gained in Scotland to be transferred between institutions. The number of credits associated with a module gives an indication of the amount of learning effort required by the learner. European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credits are half the value of SCOTCAT credits.

SCQF level

SCQF level 10

The Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) provides an indication of the complexity of award qualifications and associated learning and operates on an ascending numeric scale from Levels 1-12 with SCQF Level 10 equating to a Scottish undergraduate Honours degree.

Planned timetable

To be confirmed

This information is given as indicative. Timetable may change at short notice depending on room availability.

Module coordinator

Dr J R Millum

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module Staff

Dr Joseph Millum

This information is given as indicative. Staff involved in a module may change at short notice depending on availability and circumstances.

Module description

Bioethics is the study of ethical questions relating to the life sciences, medicine, and public health. Such questions include how doctors, nurses, and other clinicians should treat their patients; how to ethically conduct experiments with human and animal subjects; what medical procedures should be legally permitted; and how to organize health care systems and fairly allocate scarce resources within them. This module will cover select topics within bioethics with an emphasis on understanding core ethical concepts, applying philosophical tools to solve bioethical problems, and engaging with real-life cases.

Assessment pattern

Coursework = 100%

Re-assessment

Coursework = 100%

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact

Students will attend 3 hours of classes (lectures and seminars) per week (x 11 weeks). The staff member will also hold a weekly office hour for consultation with students on this module.

Intended learning outcomes

  • Understand and explain core concepts and current debates within bioethics
  • Critically examine arguments made within the philosophical literature on bioethics
  • Critically analyse the ethics of real-life cases in medical ethics, research ethics, and health policy
  • Articulate and defend their own views on key bioethical questions, orally and in writing
  • Charitably interpret and understand the reasoning behind ethical views with which they disagree