Bioethics

Admission requirements

In general, admission to the Graduate Certificate in and the Graduate Diploma in Bioethics requires an undergraduate degree in Science, Medicine, Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, Philosophy/Ethics, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Law or other relevant field.

Admission to the Master of Bioethics requires an undergraduate degree with a credit average in Science, Medicine, Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, Philosophy/Ethics, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Law or other relevant field.

See course rules for further details.

Course structure

The Graduate Certificate in Bioethics requires the successful completion of 24 credit points of units of study including:

• 6 credit points from core units of study; and
• 12 credit points from Part 1 of the Table of units of study; and
• 6 credit points from Part 1 or Part 2 of the Table of units of study.

The Graduate Diploma in Bioethics requires the successful completion of 36 credit points of units of study including:

• 6 credit points from core units of study; and
• 12 credit points from Part 1 of the Table of units of study; and
• 18 credit points from Part 1 or Part 2 of the Table of units of study.

The Master of Bioethics, coursework pathway, requires the successful completion of 48 credit points of units of study including:

• 6 credit points from core units of study; and
• 24 credit points from Part 1 of the Table of units of study; and
• 18 credit points from Part 1 or Part 2 of the Table of units of study.

Master of Bioethics candidates with credit average in 24 credit points of study may be admitted to the research pathway. The research pathway requires the successful completion of 48 credit points of units of study including:

• 6 credit points from core units of study; and
• 24 credit points from Part 1 of the Table of units of study; and
• 6 credit point from Part 2 of the Table of unit of study; and
• 12 credit points from Part 3 of the Table of units of Study.

Sample pattern of enrolment and pathways

All students must complete the required number of credit points for core and foundational units of study. If you enrol in a master's or graduate diploma, you may also elect to structure your program of study according to one of five different pathways that allow you to specialise in a specific area of bioethics according to your plans for future employment and/or research. These pathways are:

• Public Health Ethics
• Research Ethics
• Clinical Ethics
• Health Humanities
• Research (Master’s degree only).

The units of study for each pathway are shown in the tables below for students enrolled in the Master’s degree. Students enrolled in the Graduate Diploma must complete the core unit of study, Introduction to Ethical Reasoning (BETH 5101), plus two further units of study from Part 1 of the Table of Units of study, plus an additional three units of study selected from Part 1 or Part 2 of the Table of Units of study. The Research pathway is available only to Master’s students who have attained a credit or better over 24 credit points of study from the program, and who have an appropriate supervisor.

Public Health Ethics Pathway

Research Ethics Pathway

Clinical Ethics Pathway

Health Humanities Pathway

Research Pathway (Master’s degree only)