APG5394 · Ethics of life and death

Overview

In this unit you will explore ethical issues that arise in healthcare at the beginning and end of life. You will examine core concepts that shape ethical debates, including the sanctity of life doctrine, potentiality and the nature of personhood, killing and letting die, and the definition of death. You will apply these concepts to practical issues in life and death decision-making in healthcare, which could include embryo experimentation, abortion, neonatal resuscitation, advanced directives, voluntary assisted dying and brain death.

Areas of study: Bioethics

Offerings

Assessment

The Handbook does not list a final examination among the assessment items. That is not a guarantee there is none.

Within semester assessment: 100%

Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.

Requisites

The Handbook lists no prerequisite, corequisite or prohibition for this unit.

Learning outcomes

1. Critically analyse and explain core concepts in the ethical debates that arise at the beginning and end of life;
2. Discuss and critically evaluate the relevance of these concepts to core issues in contemporary biomedical practice;
3. Use well-developed research skills to undertake rigorous, in-depth analysis of bioethical issues.

Workload

Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 288 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.

Student experience, not official rules. Nothing here changes what the Handbook says.