Bioethics is a broad subject, but generally consists of the ethical evaluation of issues arising from healthcare and the life sciences.
It is inevitable that bioethical issues will continue to arise, so it’s important to know how to reason clearly about them. Bioethical reasoning is used to focus discussion, suggest new avenues for progress in healthcare, bioscience, law, and policy, and to expose flawed thinking.
Science and healthcare are hugely powerful tools. But with great power comes great responsibility. If you enjoy thinking about what science and healthcare can do, and also what they ought to do, then bioethics is for you.
Why study Bioethics?
It is almost inevitable that bioethical issues will affect our lives. Sometimes we may be unaware that they do.
When deciding to have a child, should the potential parent(s) be able to choose which child they would like to bring into the world? Should they be required to choose the child that is likely to have the best life?
Research on animals is likely to have occurred to develop medical treatments and test their safety. Is it reasonable to use animals in this way? Is it wrong to use animals to test the safety of recreational drugs?
Many things we can choose to do are open to ethical evaluation. Bioethics is the examination of these choices to determine what follows from them, and what the right choice might be.
The ability to identify ethical issues and use reason to evaluate, discuss, and argue about them is a valuable skill. In personal and professional life this skill helps with thinking through choices and conduct. It is also useful for those seeking a future in healthcare and the life sciences to assist with playing an active and responsible role in increasing the benefits they can deliver.
Background required
Undergraduate bioethics papers do not require specific prior learning and papers can be included to enrich any degree at 200- and 300-level. Undergraduate bioethics papers are not prerequisites for postgraduate study in bioethics. However, undergraduate papers are helpful for postgraduate study.
Career opportunities
Bioethics students come from a range of backgrounds, including law, philosophy, medicine, the life or health sciences, religious studies, social sciences, and psychology. Given this breadth of experience, the transferability of many skills gained in bioethics is advantageous. It means that students may apply their skills to their original field of study and enrich it further or take it in new directions.
There are many jobs and careers to which bioethics graduates are particularly suited.
These include academic research in bioethics, teaching at all levels, and bioethics-related work in science, healthcare, and law. Bioethics graduates also work in areas such as health governance, healthcare, science and environmental policy development, health advocacy, regulation, and review of research, health, and environmental law.
The growing awareness that good practice in medicine and bioscience is informed by an understanding of its ethical implications means that studying bioethics adds significant value to any qualification. Bioethics graduates may use their knowledge of bioethics as a way to distinguish themselves among graduates in the sciences, medicine, and other disciplines.
Bioethics at Otago
Bioethics is available at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Students can take papers at 200- or 300-level to enhance their degree, or undertake postgraduate study.
Health Sciences professional students are taught medical ethics by staff at the Bioethics Centre, and further courses are available for these students.
The Bioethics Centre hosts a biennial bioethics conference, weekly seminars during the semester featuring local, national, and international speakers, and a student forum for postgraduate students.
Teaching style
The Bioethics Centre promotes a supportive and rigorous learning environment.
Papers at undergraduate level are taught via lectures and tutorials, using an interactive approach where engagement and debate is welcome. Web-based learning resources are also utilised for local and distance students. Further independent study is required.
At postgraduate level, teaching is delivered using web-based video conferencing. All papers are internally assessed.
Bioethics research at Otago
The wide range of research at the Bioethics Centre aims to examine the conventional and novel moral dilemmas arising from medical research, clinical settings, and advances brought about by life sciences and biotechnologies.
Members of staff undertake research in a wide range of fields including:
- Animal ethics
- Clinical bioethics
- Cross-cultural bioethics
- Environmental ethics
- Genetics and ethics
- Neuroethics
- Paediatric ethics
- Psychiatric / mental health ethics
- Reproductive ethics
- Sports medicine ethics
Commonly this research is multidisciplinary, so our staff frequently collaborate with those from other academic areas.
Postgraduate opportunities
There are many postgraduate degrees and diplomas offered, including a Certificate of Proficiency, Graduate and Postgraduate Diplomas, the Master of Health Sciences (endorsed in Bioethics), the Master of Bioethics and Health Law (MBHL), and the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Bioethics.
Most masters’ students complete a dissertation or thesis, and coursework.
Postgraduate students come from a range of backgrounds and include health care professionals, law graduates, and those with policy roles.
Qualifications
Explore your study options further. Refer to enrolment information found on the following qualification pages:
- Master of Bioethics and Health Law (MBHL)
- Master of Health Sciences (MHealSc)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences (PGDipHealSc)
- Postgraduate Diploma in Bioethics and Health Law (PGDipBHL)
- Graduate Diploma in Bioethics and Health Law (GDipBHL)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Health Science Endorsed in Clinical Ethics (PGCertHealSc)
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Programme requirements
Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences (PGDipHealSc) endorsed in Bioethics
| Papers |
|---|
A candidate, with the approval of the Board of Graduate Studies in Health Sciences, may substitute alternative papers to the value of 30 points. The Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences (PGDipHealSc) endorsed in Bioethics is available through Distance Learning. |
Master of Health Sciences (MHealSc) endorsed in Bioethics
| Papers |
|---|
Note: A candidate, with the approval of the Bioethics Board of Studies, may substitute alternative papers to the value of 30 points. |
Papers
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, a selection of on-campus papers will be made available via distance and online learning for eligible students.
Find out which papers are available and how to apply on our COVID-19 website
| Paper code | Year | Title | Points | Teaching period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BITC201 | 2021 | Bioethics and the Life Sciences | 18 points | First Semester |
| BITC202 | 2021 | Animal Ethics | 18 points | First Semester |
| BITC210 | 2021 | Special Topic | 18 points | Not offered in 2021 |
| BITC301 | 2021 | Bioethics | 18 points | First Semester |
| BITC401 | 2021 | Theories of Biomedical Ethics | 30 points | First Semester |
| BITC403 | 2021 | Issues in Law, Ethics and Medicine | 15 points | First Semester |
| BITC404 | 2021 | Ethics and Health Care | 30 points | Second Semester |
| BITC405 | 2021 | Bioethics in Clinical Practice | 30 points | Second Semester |
| BITC406 | 2021 | Health Research Ethics | 15 points | First Semester |
| BITC407 | 2021 | Advanced Health Research Ethics | 15 points | Second Semester |
| BITC412 | 2021 | Special Topic | 15 points | Not offered in 2021 |
| BITC790 | 2021 | MHealSc Dissertation | 60 points | First Semester, Second Semester, Full Year, 1st Non standard period |
| BITC890 | 2021 | MBHL Dissertation | 60 points | 1st Non standard period, 2nd Non standard period, 3rd Non standard period |
Key information for future students
Contact us
Bioethics Centre
Otago Medical School
Email bioethics@otago.ac.nz
Website otago.ac.nz/bioethics
