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Bioethics and Public Health (POPH90270)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Email: Contact Stop 1
Future Students:
- Further Information: MSPGH Website
- Email: Enquiry Form
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject introduces students to the study of bioethics, with a focus on key issues in public health. It explores theoretical frameworks and major debates in public health ethics, including the differences between medical ethics and public health ethics. In this subject, public health ethics is investigated both as an analytical approach and as a set of substantive issues.
Topics include: ethical theory, the nature of public health ethics, the relationship between medical ethics and public health ethics, abortion, euthanasia, vaccination, lifestyle diseases, genetic screening, and selective reproduction.
Students will be introduced to theoretical frameworks for thinking about moral problems and learn ethical concepts and approaches for analysis of key debates.
Intended learning outcomes
The broad goals of this subject are to:
- stimulate and broaden moral imagination.
- identify and challenge moral intuitions
- explore multiple points of view
- develop reflective and informed ethical arguments
It is intended that after completing this subject students will:
- Understand key concepts and approaches in bioethics, particularly public health ethics
- Appreciate the theoretical foundations of these concepts and approaches
- Be able to use these concepts and approaches to perform an ethical analysis
- Engage with academic literature in an informed and critical way
- Understand how to reach conclusions in ethical analysis and how to make sound arguments about ethical issues
- Be able to engage in ethical debate on contentious matters, using key concepts and approaches and with reference to the current literature
Generic skills
Students undertaking this subject should acquire:
- Skills in ethical reasoning and analysis
- Knowledge of the fundamental debates in health care and public health
- Attitudes comfortable with moral ambiguity and complexity
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Additional details
- Critical analysis of a set reading, 2000 words due in Week 6 (40%)
- Essay, 3000 words due during the University's Examination period (60%)
- Attendance at a minimum of 80% is required to pass this subject (Hurdle requirement)
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Rosalind McDougall Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 30 Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 27 February 2017 to 28 May 2017 Last self-enrol date 10 March 2017 Census date 31 March 2017 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 May 2017 Assessment period ends 23 June 2017 Semester 1 contact information
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Email: Contact Stop 1
Future Students:
- Further Information: MSPGH Website
- Email: Enquiry Form
Time commitment details
170 hours
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Dawson, A (ed.) Public health ethics: key concepts and issues in policy and practice. Cambridge University Press, 2011.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Master of Public Health Informal specialisation Health Social Sciences - Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Last updated: 3 November 2022