Course Details in 2023/24 Session

Module Title	Healthcare Ethics and Law Research Project
School	Institute of Clinical Sciences
Department	Birmingham Medical School
Module Code	02 23301
Module Lead	Dr Jon Ives
Level	Honours Level
Credits	50
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Exclusions
Description	This module affords the opportunity for students to produce a substantial piece of assessed work on a subject of their own choice (guided by their supervisor). The main requirement is that students write about some overtly ethical and/or legal aspect of health care. Students will be encouraged to use the research skills that they have acquired during each of the taught modules. Ethical and Legal research has traditionally been undertaken using conceptual analysis methodology. Increasingly, qualitative research methodologies are being used to gain new areas of ethical and legal data. The programme seeks to provide students with an opportunity to be trained and utilise this new range of methodologies as they apply to biomedical ethics and law. Therefore, students may choose to undertake a piece of empirical bioethics research for their dissertation.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Demonstrate a sound, broad and detailed understanding of an ethical and/or legal issue in health care. Show evidence of new insights arising from the study of ethical and legal issues and demonstrate some originally in the application of that knowledge. Appropriately apply the generic skills gained during the taught elements of the programme, namely critical appraisal of ethics and law research papers; argumentative skills; philosophical and legal writing; research skills; presentation skills. Take account of fundamental, recurring issues in health care practice, such as consent, confidentiality, resource implications etc. Use appropriate research methodology and data evaluations instruments. Generate valid and coherent arguments. Conduct a piece of research under supervision. Utilise appropriate literature and professional guidance to synthesise an informed discussion. To apply case law, statue and legal principles relevant to health care practice. Use ethical theory in an appropriate way as a means of highlighting and resolving ethical conflicts in health care practice.
Assessment	23301-01 : module mark : Dissertation (100%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	1. Poster presentation (20% of module mark); 2. Project write up of either: (a) 12000 extended essay, or (b) 6000 research paper aimed at the journal Bioethics.
Other	None
Reading List