Postgraduate Course: Biotechnology, Bioethics and Society (LAWS11371)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | This course considers the ethics of biotechnology and the life sciences. It begins by giving the student an ethics toolbox with which to approach, analyse and assess current bioethical controversies and discourses. It then addresses specific topics to further explore ethical issues arising from biotechnology and its uses, as well as an exercise to explore crucial ethical concepts and arguments. Finally, in an age of moral pluralism, it can be difficult for stakeholders to secure social consensus on how new biotechnologies should be controlled and exploited. As a result, the regulation of biotechnology has often been a site of sharp disagreement. This module will also examine how the bioethical discussion feeds into the regulatory and governance considerations of biotechnology. |
| Course description |
Session 1- Biotechnology and critical bioethics: a toolbox for ethical and normative analysis and discussion.
Session 2- Assisted reproductive technologies: reproductive freedoms and procreative imperatives
Session 3: The embryo in research: stem cell technologies and gene editing.
Session 4: Neuroethics: interventions in the brain, peripheral nervous system and brain-machine interfaces
Session 5: Genomics : smart pharmacology and customised therapeutics and non-medical use of genomics
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2017/18, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Feedback/Feedforward Hours 2,
Formative Assessment Hours 2,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
84 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
One essay of up to 4,000 words (60%); one piece of assessed work (20%); contribution to class discussions (20%). |
| Feedback |
Students can expect to receive timely feedback on their assessments |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Appreciate the range of competing considerations and interests at play in the ethics and regulation of biotechnology and the life sciences;
- Formulate well-reasoned and coherent arguments relating to biotechnology and bioethics;
- Show a solid understanding of current bioethical debates, concepts and arguments relating to bioethics, as well as their normative and regulatory implications where applicable
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Reading List
| Readings will be provided on a weekly basis |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Not entered |
| Keywords | biotechnology,bioethics,genomics |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Agomoni Ganguli Mitra
Tel:
Email: |
Course secretary | Mr David Morris
Tel: (0131 6)50 2010
Email: |
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