MA and Postgraduate Diploma in Medical Ethics and Law

Introduction

This part-time course is designed especially for health care professionals and those working in fields related to health care. It will provide them with an opportunity to gain a deeper and more systematic understanding of ethical and legal issues in those fields; to explore the moral problems which they face in their work; to recognise issues raising potential legal liability; and to understand health care practice in its legal and social context.

The course is taught by lecturers in law and in ethics from the School of Law, who have a research interest and expertise in health care ethics and law, and between them have written a broad range of books and articles in this area. From time to time, expert speakers from outside Keele may also be invited to speak on the course.

We regard high levels of student participation in discussion as particularly important for teaching and learning in this area, and employ teaching techniques which encourage this wherever possible. Students come from a diverse range of backgrounds, and from all over the UK, and sometimes from other European countries. Past and current students have reported that meeting and exchanging ideas with others who work in different fields and in different parts of the country is one of the major benefits of the course.

The Medical Ethics and Law teaching team have many years experience of teaching postgraduate applied ethics courses. We are aware of the special problems and challenges which may face mature students and those combining study with full-time work, and therefore we do our utmost to offer a supportive and stimulating environment for learning. Each student is assigned a personal supervisor from the teaching team, whom they can contact for help or advice at any time during the course.

A report in January 2001 from the Quality Assurance Agency, involving external assessors, awarded the top mark of 24 out of 24 for our Postgraduate Diploma / MA courses.

Entry Requirements

Applicants should have either a degree in a relevant subject, or appropriate professional qualifications and / or experience. Applications are welcome from people with a professional or other serious interest in health care ethics and law, including (but not limited to) doctors, nurses, midwives, health care managers, physiotherapists, radiographers, chaplains, voluntary workers, and members of hospital ethics committees.

If you are unsure about your suitability for the course (or the course's suitability for you) please email us or phone (01782 734 084), for informal advice and further information. Click here for more information about making an application.

Course Structure

The course is specially structured so that it may be taken by health care professionals in full-time employment. The innovative teaching structure allows students to combine study with full time work, and family and other commitments. It also enables students from all over the country to attend.

The first year of the course is the taught year, during which contact teaching time is organised into four intensive blocks of three days each, spread throughout the academic year. Dates of teaching blocks for the next intake can be found here.

Each teaching block is followed by a 4,000 word assignment. Candidates who successfully complete all four assignments may either take the Postgraduate Diploma or proceed to the MA.

Students who pass the diploma may then proceed onto the MA year and write a dissertation (15,000-20,000 words) on a subject agreed with their supervisor and the Course Director within the area of Medical Ethics and Law. There are no specific attendance requirements during the second year, though students are expected to keep in regular contact with their supervisors, either by arranging meetings in person, or by telephone or email. Candidates who successfully complete the dissertation will be awarded the Degree of Master of the Arts (MA) in Medical Ethics and Law.

It is also possible to take the course full time over one year, rather than part-time over two, and to write the MA dissertation at the same time as the teaching blocks and assignments.

Suitably qualified candidates with a background in Medical Ethics or a related subject might wish to consider a Professional Doctorate instead. Supervision is also available for PhD, MRes, and MPhil students. Please contact us for further information

Course Content

Module 1: Introduction to Moral and Legal Concepts

An introduction to the concepts and theories used on the course; the distinction between consequentialist and deontological theories of ethics; the relationship between law and morality and the nature of moral and legal rights; an introduction to some basic legal concepts, the structure of the English legal system, and the Human Rights Act.

Module 2: Autonomy and Paternalism

Is paternalism ever acceptable? Is lying to patients always wrong? To what extent should patients have control over their own medical treatment? To what extent should doctors use their discretion to keep information from the patient? Topics covered in this module include: medical negligence, ethical and legal issues raised in consent to treatment; confidentiality.

Module 3: Life and Death.

This module examines a variety of difficult ethical issues relating to the creation and destruction of human life. For example, does the law currently strike the right balance between protecting the foetus and respecting women's autonomy? Should we deny terminally ill patients the right to choose to end their own lives by lethal injection? Topics covered include: the moral and legal status of the embryo; issues raised by reproductive technologies; the definition of death; moral and legal problems regarding euthanasia and withdrawal of medical treatment.

Module 4: Public Health

Areas normally covered include: justice and resource allocation or `rationing'; research ethics; discrimination and health care; organ transplantation; issues raised by new technologies. Module 4 normally includes at least one session which looks at a topical issue in public health policy.

We have produced a short leaflet which looks at one particular moral dilemma as an example of the kinds of issues that we cover on the course, and of the value of the formal study of ethics and ethical arguments for healthcare professionals.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

When should I apply? Is there a closing date for applications?

Please see our Course Dates and Applications Deadlines page for the latest information on closing dates. The closing date for applications will also be stated in the information pack. Occasionally we can accept late applications but this will mean a delay in obtaining access to the library and computer systems etc. We do advise that you apply as early as possible as our courses are on occasion over-subscribed.

Click here for more information about making an application.

Is the course suitable for me?

If you have a strong interest in the ethical questions that are raised in the area, and have either a degree in a relevant subject or a professional qualification and / or strong personal experience in this area, then you are probably suitable for the course.

The idea of returning to education (particularly at postgraduate level) may seem very daunting. However, our course is designed specifically for practitioners, and assumes no prior knowledge of law or moral philosophy. In the first teaching block, there are introductory sessions on how to construct and analyse ethical arguments, and also on the style, content, and structure required for a good ethics essay.

Each student will also be assigned a personal supervisor, who will offer advice and support on any aspect of the course, both during and between teaching blocks, as well as feedback and suggestions for improvement after each assignment.

If you have any questions about the course, about your suitability, or whether it meets your particular needs, please contact us for an informal chat. You may also want to have a look at our sample case study which illustrates our approach.

One of the dates of the teaching blocks look more convenient than the other. Can I apply to join a particular group?

Please include a covering letter with your application, and we will do our best to accommodate you - particularly if there is a group with teaching dates that clash with unalterable commitments. We cannot offer a cast-iron guarantee that we will be able to do so, especially if you are applying close to the start of the courses, but we will do our very best for you. It is not normally possible to change groups once the course has started, except under exceptional circumstances.

What are the fees? Is there any funding available?

Please contact us for information about fees. Like all UK universities, Keele has different rates for "home" (UK and EU students) and "overseas" students. Fee status is determined by residency rather than nationality. More information on what your fee status is likely to be can be found on this "ready reckoner" produced by the Department for Education and Skills.

Unfortunately, Keele University is not currently able to offer any assistance with fees. We would recommend that students enquire whether any training funds are available from their employers, as some of our current students have been successful in obtaining whole or part funding for the course.

Some funding may be available for GPs through Personal Learning Plans.

Do you accept students from outside the UK?

We do. Fees from students from all EU Member States are the same as for home students. The same admissions criteria apply to overseas applicants, but we would also normally expect English language test scores of at least IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent) from students from non-English-speaking countries. Excellent English language skills are particularly important for this kind of course, as small differences in language can make a large difference in meaning in ethics and applied philosophy.

How many hours per week will it take?

It is difficult to give a definitive answer, as this will obviously vary from student to student and from week to week. In addition to the four teaching blocks, we expect that the time commitment required will be around eight or nine hours per week for the majority of people. Many students spend a lot of time working on an assignment, but might then put in much less time in the weeks following submission. Although the course is designed to fit around work and family responsibilities, it is still a substantial commitment.

Is accommodation provided during the taught blocks? Do the course fees include accommodation?

Students are responsible for booking their own accommodation, and this is not included in the course fees. However, a list of accommodation in the local area will be provided before the course starts. Students may be able to obtain accommodation at a discounted rate from the University Management Centre during teaching blocks. The Management Centre is a conference venue (not a student hall of residence) and is located about fifteen minutes walk from the main university campus.

I live a long way away from Keele. How will I be able to get access to books and journals?

As well as Keele library, our students also have online access to a wide range of books, journal articles and other materials through the ATHENS password system. Keele is a member of the UK SCONUL scheme, which means that our students can borrow books from most other university libraries in the UK. Keele students also have access to the Blackwell Reference Online, The Philosophers' Index, Lawtel, Westlaw, LexisNexis Butterworths, and netLibrary. A Library and IT training session is included in the first module of the course. More information on electronic resources can be found on our Information for Current Students page.

Course tutors regularly check the availability of books on the reading list for each assignment, and try to recommend readings that are not only in the Keele library, but which are also either available online or as part of a reasonably-priced edited collection. Assignment questions and reading lists for the whole first year are contained in the course handbook in order to allow students to plan ahead.

What have past MA students written about in their dissertations?

Some students start the course with a clear idea about what they want to write about - often an ethical issue from within their own practice - but others find and develop particular interests as the course progresses and they learn more about ethical theory, so don't worry if you have no clear idea what to write about at the moment. Here is a far-from-exhaustive sample list of topics that students have written on in the past:

If there is a particular area you wish to write about, and would like to discuss this prior to applying for the diploma year, please contact us.

See our disabilites and equal opportunities pages.

Are Continuing Professonal Development (CPD) points available for this course?

CPD points may be available. Please see our CPD page for details.

Application Pack

You can download a full information pack here. However, if you prefer, we would be very happy to send you a hard copy of the information through the post.

Unless noted otherwise, the information is available as a .pdf file and will open in a new window. To read .pdf files, you may need to download the (free) Adobe Acrobat Reader. Click the symbol for further information.

• Covering Letter
• Dates and Fees
• Colour Leaflet
• Aims and Objectives
• Information for Employers
• About Studying Ethics - case study
• Summary of our other courses
• Preliminary Reading List
• Teaching Staff Biographies
• BMJ Article by a former student
• Application Form Notes
• Application Form (Word document for electronic application or pdf to print and complete manually)
• Reference Form (Word document for electronic application or pdf to print and complete manually)