Biomedical and Healthcare Ethics (Distance Learning) MA

Overview

Explore the application of ethics in the biomedical and healthcare sectors, and develop the knowledge and skills needed to address the complex ethical issues facing professionals in this field.

This course allows to you investigate current issues, debates and theories surrounding ethical principles in medicine and healthcare.

You’ll gain a critical understanding of issues such as trust, confidentiality, autonomy and consent, and demonstrate the contemporary relevance of your findings by applying them to real-life case studies.

Throughout, you’ll benefit from teaching informed by consultation with healthcare professionals and shaped by the latest social, technological, and political developments. You’ll learn from experts who are experienced and actively engaged in research in this field.

As our student, you’ll join a diverse community of people from many different countries and backgrounds. Whether you’re looking to progress in your career, change to a new one, or explore a new subject area, you’ll be fully supported in achieving your goals.

You can study this course on campus or through distance learning, and at MRes, Masters or PGDip level. All of these options are available both full time and part time.

Learning and teaching

Taught modules are structured around weekly group seminars led by one of our tutors. Overall, each taught module normally involves about four hours per week of contact time. In some modules you may also take part in group project work. However, independent study is also a vital element of this degree, allowing you to improve your research and analytical skills and gain more varied perspectives on key issues.

On this course you’ll be taught by our expert academics, from lecturers through to professors. You may also be taught by industry professionals with years of experience, as well as trained postgraduate researchers, connecting you to some of the brightest minds on campus.

Assessment

There are no exams during this course. Instead, most of the time you’ll be assessed using essays and coursework assignments. You’ll receive support from our tutors and be able to discuss your work with them before you submit it. Group projects and presentations may also be used to assess your progress in some modules.

Career opportunities

A postgraduate qualification in biomedical and healthcare ethics can improve your confidence in handling workplace decisions that have ethical implications. It will also allow you to improve your transferable skills such as research, analysis and oral and written communication.

Many of our graduates continue with their research, whether in academic appointments at universities, PhD studies or as researchers for other organisations such as the King’s Fund. Others have gone into healthcare management, joined research or clinical ethics committees or gone on to teach medical or healthcare ethics at medical schools part-time.