PGDip Healthcare Ethics and Law (online)

The aims of this course unit are:

• to enable students to develop the skills and knowledge needed to address ethical questions with confidence
• to demonstrate how these skills and knowledge can be applied to a range of healthcare related issues

At the end of this Course Unit you should:

• have a good understanding of the relevance of philosophical bioethics to decision making in a healthcare setting;
• have developed your appreciation and understanding of philosophical bioethics and its use when applied in the context of healthcare decision making;
• be acquainted with philosophical arguments in the context of a ‘practical’ healthcare dilemma; and have developed your skills in understanding and presenting clear arguments.

This is a fully distance learning course unit. The course is taught mainly asynchronously, with very few ‘live’ sessions (although there are lots of opportunities for discussion).   In our experience the sort of students we have on this course value the flexibility that our mode of delivery gives them allowing you to complete the course at times that suits you.  The course is delivered through a virtual learning environment.  We provide course materials and videos that walk you through the main content of the course.  This is supplemented by focused discussions and activities that help you to develop your skills of argumentation and to prepare you for the assessments.  

While this is a distance learning course, we aim to get to know you well and to help you to get to know your fellow students well through these kinds of activities.  We will be in regular contact with you, you can get in touch with us at any time and there are regular weekly opportunities to book appointments to ask further questions or talk over issues.   To get the most out of this Course Unit you should complete the course materials, do as much independent reading as possible, and engage in regular online activities and discussions as directed.

Working through the course materials (online asynchronous lectures) 30 hours.

Online discussions and activities around the course materials 60 hours

Online exercises and activities to support research and essay writing skills 30 hours

Research and directed reading - 100 hours

Preparation of assignments - 80 hours

 Total = 300 hours.

Assessment will be two pieces of assessed coursework - one 1,500 word essay (30%) and one 3,000 word essay (70%).

Feedback on progress will provided throughout this course via one-to-one email or phone contact and via the online discussion boards and general guidance and feedback before and after each assessment. 

Feedback on assessed written work is provided online providing comprehensive feedback giving both broad indications and detailed comments on strengths, weaknesses and areas for improvement.

• B. Steinbock & P. Menzel, Bioethics (New, York, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2023)
   
• J. Harris, The Value of Life (London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1985,1991) [This book is available as an ebook via the University library]
   
• R. Ashcroft, A. Dawson, H. Draper and J. McMillan (eds.), Principles of Health Care Ethics (Chichester: John Wiley & Sons Ltd, 2007) [available as an ebook via the University library]
   
• S. Holland, Arguing about Bioethics (London: Routledge 2012) [available as an ebook via the University library]

This is a compulsory Course Unit for distance learning Healthcare Ethics & Law programmes in The School of Law.