Medical Ethics

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Health professionals face perplexing ethical issues of many kinds in their day-to-day work, particularly in the current climate of rapid scientific and technological development and changing public and political expectations of health care services. New technologies raise apparently new problems such as the right use of genetic information and the morality of stem cell research, while more long-standing issues such as euthanasia, resource allocation and informed consent continue to be vigorously debated in new contexts.

This MA is designed for health professionals, health care chaplains, ethics committee members and all whose work brings them into contact with these issues. One core module introduces students to the variety of ethical frameworks that have been articulated by philosophers, and shows how these frameworks can be used in thinking about issues in medical ethics. Another core module helps students to develop the study and research skills necessary for the study of Ethics at postgraduate level.

A series of optional modules address particular topics such as euthanasia, health care rationing (resource allocation) and human genetics. A further optional module explores a variety of Christian theological approaches to bioethical issues. A supervised dissertation offers the opportunity to explore a particular area of interest in greater depth.

This course will not offer neatly-packaged solutions to complex ethical issues. It will, however, enable students to gain a clearer understanding of these issues and to develop more consistent and informed ways of addressing them.

The MA can be completed in just over two years of part-time study, and must be completed within five years of initial registration. The Medical Ethics pathway can be taken as a pathway either to the MA in Philosophy or to the MA in Theology. Students taking it as a pathway to the MA in Philosophy must choose the module Writing Philosophy; those taking it as a pathway to the MA in Theology must choose the modules Study and Research Methodology and Christian Theology and Bioethics.

The MA is divided into two parts:

1. The taught element. Students study six modules chosen from the following list:

Compulsory core modules:

1. Ethical Theory and Medicine
2. Writing Philosophy

Optional modules:

1. Euthanasia
2. Abortion
3. Ethical issues in Resource Allocation (Health Care Rationing)
4. Christian Theology and Bioethics
5. Human Genetics
6. Ancient Medicine: myth and practice
7. Computer Ethics

The following modules are being developed:

1. Ethical issues in Medical Research
2. Ethical Issues at the End of Life

Assessment for the first part of the MA is on the basis of one 5000-word essay or two 2,500-word essays for each module.

2. The dissertation

On passing the first part of the MA, students proceed to Part 2. This involves the writing of a 20,000-word research dissertation on a theme relevant to the MA programme, under the supervision of a member of the teaching staff. You should choose a research topic and prepare a proposal in consultation with a member of the teaching staff. The proposal, when completed, must be approved in writing by the Course Director, who will appoint a supervisor. Your supervisor will give guidance and feedback as you work on sections of the dissertation, and will advise you when it is ready for submission.

An MA is a postgraduate course,so candidates will normally be expected to have a good first degree, or some equivalent professional experience. While people with a first degree in Philosophy with a particular interest in European Philosophy should find the MA a useful stepping stone to a research degree in that area, the MA is specifically designed to be accessible to people with no formal background in Philosophy.A degree in any discipline satisfies the basic entry requirements,and certain non-traditional qualifications are also acceptable. In particular, applicants with practical experience - perhaps in medicine or in the ministry or related in some other way to the theme of the MA - might well find this an enormously valuable background for academic study of this kind. Many people whose experience is an ideal preparation for further study in this area suspect they are not qualified to apply. Please contact us to discuss the matter.You will see on the application form that we ask for two academic references. Please do not be alarmed by this! We appreciate that for many applicants this seems like a daunting request (especially if you have been away from academia for a long time). What we really need is two references telling us about you. If we have any doubts about your ability to succeed on the MA, perhaps because of your non-traditional background, we may ask you to submit a short piece of written work as part of the entry procedure.International students applying for study at postgraduate level will normally be required to show evidence of sufficient command of the English language to be able to follow their course, undertake research and produce writing without major linguistic difficulties. For example, this is usually the Cambridge Advanced or Proficiency Certificate, IELTS minimum score of 6.5, TOEFL minimum score of 575. English Language Requirements IELTS band: 6.5 TOEFL paper-based test score : 575 IMPORTANT NOTE: Since April 2014 the ETS tests (including TOEFL and TOEIC) are no longer accepted for Tier 4 visa applications to the United Kingdom. The university might still accept these tests to admit you to the university, but if you require a Tier 4 visa to enter the UK and begin your degree programme, these tests will not be sufficient to obtain your Visa. The IELTS test is most widely accepted by universities and is also accepted for Tier 4 visas to the UK- learn more.

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Prepare for the program requirements with English Online by the British Council.

• ✔️ Flexible study schedule
• ✔️ Experienced teachers
• ✔️ Certificate upon completion

📘 Recommended for students with an IELTS level of 6.0 or below.

Enroll in the course

UK Students

Unfortunately, funding is very scarce for postgraduate courses. Some funding is available from external bodies such as the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC). The AHRC is funded by a number of sources including the British Academy and the Department of Higher and Further Education and offers support including professional and vocational awards and Studentships in the Humanities. Applications can be made via the Registry in February each year. Occasionally there are University of Wales Studentships available which are equivalent to the funding given by the AHRC, but these are subject to availability. A funding guide is available from the Registry. Most UK students are self-funding and many opt for Career Development Loans.

Overseas Students

Loans

American and Canadian students can apply for funding via the Federal Student Loan System for their respective countries.

Overseas scholarships

Overseas students may apply for Overseas Research Scholarships if they are intending to study for a full-time MPhil or PhD. Application forms are available in February of each year from the Registry and must be completed and returned to the Registry by the end of April in any given year. If candidates are successful in their application, fees are reduced to that of a home student.