Director: Associate Professor Helga Kuhse
Deputy director: Dr Justin Oakley
Graduate coordinator: Dr David McCarthy
Distance education coordinator: Dr John McKie
Helga Kuhse Medical end-of-life decisions, new reproductive technologies, nursing ethics, resource allocation, partiality and impartiality in ethics, feminist ethics.
David McCarthy Ethical theory, especially nonconsequentialist moral theory; resource allocation, especially the use of gambles to allocate scarce resources; rationality and morality; risk, especially ethical questions involving risks of harm; the nature of persons and ethics; political philosophy.
John McKie Ethical theory; resource allocation including theories of justice; moral psychology and moral development.
Justin Oakley Ethical issues in patient care, especially involving autonomy and confidentiality; ethics of clinical trials; surrogacy; ethical theory, especially virtue ethics and its applications, and the connections between moral psychology and ethical theory; emotions and their relevance to ethics.
Peter Singer Bioethics, especially the moral status of human beings and non-human animals; resource allocation and genetic engineering; the nature of ethics, including the contribution of ethical theory to our understanding of ethics, and the role of impartiality in ethics; environmental ethics; ethics and non-human animals; ethics and self-interest.
The growth of scientific knowledge and technical ability in medicine and the biological sciences has led to a number of ethical dilemmas which perplex all of us, but especially those in the health care field. Does the fact that we can prolong the life of a patient in a permanent vegetative state mean that we should do so? Is destructive embryo experimentation justified by the prospect it offers of alleviating infertility? Should more medical resources go into intensive care for extremely premature infants given the cost of such treatment and its mixed outcome? These and many other questions raise complex ethical and legal issues. The study, discussion and teaching of these issues has come to be known as bioethics - a field generally defined as covering the ethical issues raised by medicine and the biomedical sciences.
These issues are the focus of the Master of Bioethics (Mbioeth), Masters Qualifying (in bioethics) with a research component, and the Graduate Diploma of Bioethics (GradDipBioeth) courses, which are taught by the Centre for Human Bioethics. These courses aim to provide an interdisciplinary education for health care professionals, teachers in the health care field, and others with a general interest in bioethics. It is hoped that those taking these courses will develop a deeper understanding of the considerations which should enter into ethically sensitive decisions in this new and complex area. The Centre for Human Bioethics also accepts applications for PhD candidature in bioethics.
Course code: 0020
Course fee: Local students HECS; international students $A12,000 pa
The PhD degree is for advanced research and the university regulations apply. Candidates must first have obtained either high honours in an appropriate bachelors degree or Masters Qualifying in bioethics (with a research component), or a graduate qualification, such as a masters by research degree.
Course code: 0122
Course fee: local students HECS; international students $A12,000 pa
The Master of Bioethics by research requires students to complete a substantial and original supervised thesis of 40,000-60,000 words comparable to the thesis required for other masters degrees, such as the MA by research
Only those students with appropriate qualifications in a suitable area, such as a good honours degree in philosophy (eg distinction or above, or equivalent), or a Masters Qualifying in bioethics (completed at distinction level or above), will be permitted to enrol for the degree of Master of Bioethics by research. Candidates for the PhD may be required to enrol in the masters degree by thesis for an initial probationary period and after a period of not less than twelve months may then seek permission to transfer to PhD candidature.
* Subject to approval.
This course will be offered at Clayton, and is available on campus and through distance education.Course code: 0122
Course fee: Local students HECS; international students $A12,000 pa
Course code: To be advised
Course fee: local students HECS; international students (FT) $A9000 pa
Coordinator: Dr Justin Oakley
Over the past two decades, there has been increasing community concern about ethics in science, especially in the health sciences and the biological sciences. This course is a response to that concern, and will enable those taking it to deepen their understanding of ethical issues in health care and the biological sciences. While the course is particularly well-suited for those health care professionals and scientists who face complex ethical issues in their working lives, it will also be valuable for those involved in the fomulation of public policy and law regarding these issues, as well as for anyone who simply wishes to explore issues of public concern in greater depth.
From 1998 the Masters of Bioethics by coursework is available both to on-campus students and also to students from anywhere in the world through distance education. Those interested in taking the course through distance education in 1998 should contact Dr David McCarthy at the Centre for Human Bioethics for further details.
The primary objectives of this course are to enable students completing it to gain a clear understanding of current philosophical views about the nature of ethics, including the role that reason can play in ethical debates; broad familiarity with the major ethical approaches to decisions about right and wrong; skills that enable them to think critically about key issues in some of the most controversial areas of bioethics, for example life and death decisions in health care, and issues relating to patient autonomy and confidentiality; and the ability to apply what they have learnt to practical questions in bioethics, so as to reach a coherently thought-out decision that can be explained to others and defended in writing.
The course will consist of two units of twelve points each and three units of eight points each. All students will take CHB5101 (Ethics), in their first semester. Normally the next unit to be taken will be CHB5102 (Questions of life and death), followed by CHB5203 (Ethical sssues in patient care), and CHB5204 (Legal issues in bioethics). It is expected that CHB5206 (Supervised reading course), will be taken simultaneously with these last two units. Full-time students will enrol in both CHB5203 and CHB5101 concurrently, followed by CHB5102 and CHB5204 concurrently, while they will take CHB5206 throughout the course.
Note that the Master of Bioethics by coursework does not meet the entry requirements for the Master of Bioethics by research or the PhD. Applicants who do not already meet the entry requirements for the Master of Bioethics by research or the PhD, but who intend to proceed to either of those courses, should apply for the Masters Qualifying in bioethics.
Students must have either (a) a degree, gained with at least a credit average in the final year of the course, in medicine or any other health science, in law, the biological or social sciences, or in a branch of the humanities, such as philosophy (or other degree as approved by the faculty board), requiring the equivalent of not less than four years full-time study in an approved tertiary institution; or (b) a degree, gained with at least a credit average in the final year of the course, in any of the fields referred to in (a) requiring the equivalent of not less than three years full-time study in an approved tertiary institution, plus not less than three years of documented relevant practical experience (or equivalent) for example, working as a health care professional at a senior level in an area in which dealing with ethical problems in health care was a component of the duties undertaken; or (c) qualifications and experience which in the opinion of the faculty board are a suitable preparation for the candidates proposed field of study.
Students who have already completed a unit in ethics that, in the opinion of the graduate coordinator of the Centre for Human Bioethics is of a standard at least equal to that of CHB5101 (Ethics), and covering essentially the same content as CHB5101, may be given an exemption with credit for that unit. Normally at least a distinction result must have been achieved for that unit, and it cannot have been part of another degree on the basis of which a student has met the entry requirements for the Master of Bioethics by coursework. If the equivalent unit in ethics was part of another degree on the basis of which a student has met the entry requirements for the Master of Bioethics by coursework, then an exemption without credit may be given for CHB5101.
In accordance with Faculty of Arts policy for all masters level units, satisfactory completion of the Master of Bioethics requires achieving an average grade of credit (60 per cent) or above in the degree. Students are also advised that units will be assessed at a fifth-year level standard, and essay topics will differ from those set for parallel units in the centre's graduate diploma and masters qualifying programs.
Note that students who began the Master of Bioethics (by coursework and supervised research paper) or the Graduate Diploma of Bioethics prior to 1998 should enrol in the respective HBM/HBD subjects contained in the 1997 Arts graduate handbook. If in doubt, please consult the centre.
* Subject to approval.
Program code: 1988Program fee: Local students HECS; international students $A12,000 pa
Coordinator: Dr Justin Oakley
This program will be offered on Clayton campus only.
Over the past two decades, there has been increasing community concern about ethics in science, especially in the health sciences and the biological sciences. This program is a response to that concern, and will enable those taking it to qualify for admission to a research degree in this field. While the program is particularly well-suited for those health care professionals and scientists who face complex ethical issues in their working lives, it will also be valuable for those who wish to develop their skills in carrying out research in the formulation of public policy and law regarding these issues. The program will take one year full-time and two years part-time.
The primary objectives of this program are to enable students completing it to gain a clear understanding of current philosophical views about the nature of ethics, including the role that reason can play in ethical debates; broad familiarity with the major ethical approaches to decisions about right and wrong; skills that enable them to think critically about key issues in some of the most controversial areas of bioethics, for example life and death decisions in health care, and issues relating to patient autonomy and confidentiality; and the ability to formulate a proposal for a minor research project, to carry out this research project, and to write up their results in a clear and coherent manner that demonstrates that they have the potential to carry out a larger research project in bioethics.
The program will consist of four units of twelve points each. All students will take CHB4101 (Ethics), in their first semester. Normally the next unit to be taken will be CHB4102 (Questions of life and death), followed by CHB4203 (Ethical issues in patient care), and CHB4215 (Bioethics supervised research paper). Full-time students will, however, enrol in both CHB4101 and CHB4203 concurrently, followed by CHB4102 and CHB4215 concurrently.
Students must have either (a) a degree in a health science, in law, the biological or social sciences, or in a branch of the humanities, such as philosophy (or other degree as approved by the faculty board), requiring the equivalent of not less than three years full-time study in an approved tertiary institution; and for which the student maintained at least a credit average; or (b) qualifications and experience which in the opinion of the faculty board are a suitable preparation for the candidate's proposed field of study.
Students who have already completed a unit in ethics that, in the opinion of the graduate coordinator of the Centre for Human Bioethics is of a standard at least equal to and of the same content as CHB4101 (Ethics), and covering essentially the same content as CHB4101, may be given an exemption with credit for that unit. Normally at least a credit result must have been achieved for that unit, and it cannot have been part of another degree on the basis of which a student has met the entry requirements for the Masters Qualifying in bioethics. If the equivalent unit in ethics was part of another degree on the basis of which a student has met the entry requirements for the Masters Qualifying in in bioethics, then an exemption without credit may be given for CHB4101
Admission to the Master of Bioethics by research will require a distinction average, or above, for all units in the masters qualifying year. Students who obtain outstanding results in the Masters Qualifying may meet the entry requirements for PhD enrolment at the centre.
Note that students taking this program are not permitted to enter the Master of Bioethics by coursework.
Course code: 1158
Course fee: Local students $6600; international students $A12,000 pa
Course code: To be advised
Course fee: Local students $6600; international students $A9000 pa
Coordinator: Dr Justin Oakley
Over the past two decades, there has been increasing community concern about ethics in science, especially in the health sciences and the biological sciences. This course is a response to that concern, and will enable those taking it to deepen their understanding of ethical issues in health care and the biological sciences. While the course is particularly well-suited for those health care professionals and scientists who face complex ethical issues in their working lives, it will also be valuable for those involved in the fomulation of public policy and law regarding these issues, as well as for anyone who simply wishes to explore issues of public concern in greater depth.
The Graduate Diploma of Bioethics will normally be available on a part-time basis, and would normally be taken over two years. Full-time admission may be possible in certain cases, such as where an applicant has already completed some formal study in ethics or philosophy. The graduate diploma is also available to students from anywhere in the world through distance education. Applicants interested in taking the course through distance education in 1998 should contact Dr John McKie at the Centre for Human Bioethics for further details.
The Graduate Diploma of Bioethics provides an interdisciplinary education for health care professionals, teachers in the health care field, and others with a general interest in bioethics; develops and extends an individual's understanding of the nature of the ethical issues in health care and produces graduates who are equipped with a solid theoretical framework with which they can analyse and evaluate issues in bioethics.
Students wishing to enrol for the course must have (a) a degree in medicine or any other health science, in law, the biological or social sciences, or in a branch of the humanities, such as philosophy (or other degree as approved by the faculty board), requiring the equivalent of not less than three years full-time study in an approved tertiary institution; or (b) qualifications and experience which in the opinion of the faculty board are a suitable preparation for the candidate's proposed field of study.
Students who have already completed a unit in ethics that, in the opinion of the graduate coordinator of the Centre for Human Bioethics is of a standard at least equal to that of CHB4101 (Ethics), and covering essentially the same content as CHB4101, may be given an exemption with credit for that unit. That unit cannot have been part of another degree on the basis of which a student has met the entry requirements for the Graduate Diploma of Bioethics. If the equivalent unit in ethics was part of another degree on the basis of which a student has met the entry requirements for the Graduate Diploma of Bioethics, then an exemption without credit may be given for CHB4101.
Students in the course will enrol in the following subjects
Note that the Graduate Diploma of Bioethics does not meet the entry requirements for the Master of Bioethics by coursework, the Master of Bioethics by research, or the PhD. Applicants who do not already meet the entry requirements for the Master of Bioethics by research or the PhD, but who intend to proceed to either of those courses, should apply for the Masters Qualifying in bioethics.
Inquiries or applications for the Master of Bioethics and the Graduate Diploma of Bioethics (on campus) should be directed to the administrative officer, Ms Heather Mahamooth (telephone 9905 4279). Inquiries or applications for the Graduate Diploma of Bioethics (by distance education) should be directed to Dr John McKie (telephone 9905 4278). Inquiries concerning the PhD should be directed to Dr Helga Kuhse, director, Centre for Human Bioethics, Monash University, Clayton 3168 (telephone 9905 4266).