Monash University Handbook 2011 Postgraduate - Course

This course is offered by the Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine. It aims to graduate people who are aware of, and have respect for, cultural diversity, who are innovative and flexible in the presence of constraints on research in the less developed country setting and who can facilitate participatory research programs that incorporate the special considerations required for research on vulnerable populations. The course also aims to prepare students to be able to work at an international level and be equipped with the skills necessary to work in participation with local populations to design and conduct research that addresses major health priorities of communities in less developed countries.

The overall objectives for the graduate certificate cover three main curricular themes; basic bioethics and the application of bioethical principles to research in both domestic and international collaborative contexts.

On completion of the course students will:

• describe the origins and features of the various philosophies underlying the practice of bioethics in research
• have developed an appreciation of the role of bioethics in regulating research on humans, special issues in international health research, and describe the constraints on research in the developing country setting
• describe the special features of research involving human subjects where the investigators are from a different cultural or ethnic setting
• describe the ways that research on vulnerable populations demands special protection for the subjects
• develop appropriate attitudes of concern for the well-being of vulnerable subjects and communities
• practical operation of research applications and approval processes, including ethics committees
• describe the origins and composition of human research ethics committees
• describe the roles and functions of the different members of such committees
• describe the international and domestic legal frameworks in which research ethics committee's function.

Assessment

Assessment includes written assignments, practical exercises, oral presentations, class participation, web based tasks and examinations.

This course comprises four core units.

Students complete:

• EPM5021 Ethical research with at risk populations
• EPM5023 Health research and exploitation of low income countries
• EPM5024 Legal issues in research
• EPM5025 Human research ethics committees: ethical review of research and research governance

This course articulates with Master of International Research Bioethics 3440.

Graduate Certificate in International Research Bioethics