This module aims to develop the critical and reflective skills of students in ethical reasoning, debate and negotiation and facilitates the application of these skills to a range of contested issues in relation to death and dying. Issues addressed include: living and dying well, organ transplantation and the ownership of body parts, physician-assisted suicide, euthanasia, futility and the allocation of scarce resources, moral disagreement and the limits of ethical reasoning; slippery slope arguments, religious and cultural perspectives on death and dying.

 

Learning Outcomes: On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:

• Delineate key ethical concepts, positions and arguments that arise in relation to a range of controversial ethical challenges that arise in end-of-life care.
• Critically evaluate and discuss a range of controversial ethical issues as they arise in position papers and selected case studies in relation to death and dying
• Critically review relevant empirical ethics research in relation to a range of controversial ethical issues such as assisted suicide and euthanasia.
• Summarise relevant professional, organisational, regulatory and legal guidelines and policies pertaining to ethical issues arising in end-of-life care.
• Articulate and defend an ethical position on a chosen ethical issue arising in relation to death and dying.
• Engage in reasonable and informed debate in relation to controversial issues arising in end-of-life care.

The module is 10 credits of a 90 credit MSc in End-of-Life Healthcare Ethics, a multidisciplinary programme that is offered on a part-time basis over 2 years (with exit routes for a Certificate in End-of-Life Healthcare Ethics [30 credits] and a Postgraduate Diploma in End-of-Life Healthcare Ethics [60 credits]).