Medical Ethics, Law and Humanities MA/PGDip/PGCert

Future of Medicine Ethics (15 credits)

In this module, you will explore the ethics of emerging medical practices, technologies, and scientific advancements, focusing on proactive approaches to ethical analysis and regulation. As medicine evolves through innovations like AI, robotics, genetics, and data science, you will examine future trends and ethical challenges in biomedicine, including the implications for birth, life, and death. The module will help you develop ethically-informed recommendations for the future of medical practice.

History of Medicine (15 credits)

This module introduces key developments in medical practice and thought, along with the main methods and debates in medical history. Drawing on City St George’s (formerly St George’s) rich archives, founded in 1733 as the second medical school in England, the module focuses primarily on the modern period from 1700 to the present. You will explore the evolution of Western medicine and biomedical research, with opportunities to consider its historical construction in a comparative context.

Introduction to Medical Humanities (15 credits)

This module introduces essential skills and approaches in medical humanities, helping you engage with other course modules. You will explore various methods, such as narrative, ethical, philosophical, visual, and literary analysis, to examine key aspects of healthcare practice, including the doctor-patient relationship, experiences of illness, trauma, and healing.

Medical Ethics and Law (15 credits)

This core module explores the ethical and legal issues in healthcare practice, applying moral philosophy to the clinical setting. It provides essential knowledge and reasoning skills in medical ethics and law, forming the foundation for the entire MA programme and critically examining key legal aspects of healthcare.

Research Project (60 credits)

In this module, you will undertake an independent research project on a topic of your choice, from planning and analysis to presenting outcomes. Supervised by an experienced academic at City St George’s, you will either explore a pre-existing topic or develop a research idea from scratch, gaining valuable professional and analytical skills along the way.

Clinical Ethics and Law (15 credits)

In this module, you will explore the ethical, legal, and social aspects of clinical practice. By reflecting on key concepts like autonomy, paternalism, and consent, and discussing ethical and legal dilemmas from birth to end-of-life care, you will gain in-depth insight into clinical ethics. You will also develop tools for systematically analysing ethical cases.

Conflict and Crises Medicine and Humanitarian Ethics (30 credits)

This module examines ethical challenges in humanitarian responses to conflict, focusing on the impact of war on health systems and populations. It explores the complexities of conflict, climate change, migration, and forced displacement, as well as the pressures faced by humanitarian organisations in volatile political environments. You will critically analyse the ethical dilemmas humanitarian health workers face, using real-world case studies to explore issues of human rights, health injustice, and the role of medical technologies in crisis settings.

Finding a Leg to Stand On (30 credits)

This module uses an applied medical humanities approach to explore the leg as a focus for examining illness, human experience, and clinical practice. Through lenses like philosophy, cultural studies, and sociology, you will explore how bodies are constructed culturally, clinically, and experientially. Key themes include normality vs. abnormality, visibility vs. invisibility, and illness vs. health, while addressing questions about the body’s meaning, its failures, and its treatment from both patient and healthcare practitioner perspectives.

Global Health Governance, Ethics and Law (30 credits)

This module explores global health challenges, particularly in low-income countries, and the impact of globalisation on national health policies. It examines the role of governments in addressing both domestic and cross-border health issues like HIV/AIDS, avian influenza, and COVID-19, while considering broader political, economic, and social factors. Key topics include health governance, foreign policy, and international development assistance, as well as the influence of global industries like tobacco and pharmaceuticals. The module also discusses the ethical, legal, and philosophical aspects of global health, focusing on the role of international organisations, governments, and civil society in addressing health inequities.

Imagining the Other (15 credits)

This module explores loss, death, and bereavement through literary representations, focusing on how literature can help us understand these complex experiences. You will examine how these themes shape personal identity and challenge the sense of self. You will choose from a range of literary texts, complemented by art and clinical literature, to critically engage with these issues and their impact on healthcare workers.

Neuroethics (15 credits)

In this module, you will explore the ethical challenges arising from rapid advancements in neuroscience, cognitive science, and neurotechnologies. You will examine issues such as privacy, incidental findings, and the societal impact of neurotechnologies, including brain imaging in clinical practice. The module will cover questions about free will, responsibility, and autonomy, as well as the ethical implications of cognitive enhancement and the distribution of neurotechnologies. You will develop ethical reasoning tools to address these contemporary issues in neuroethics.

Research Ethics and Law (15 credits)

This module focuses on the ethical and regulatory aspects of biomedical research. You will explore the history and rationale behind research regulation, critically examine its purpose and limitations, and learn about relevant laws, regulations, and philosophical principles. By engaging with current issues in scientific and medical research, you will develop a toolkit of key moral theories and approaches to analyse research ethics and regulation effectively.

Transcultural Mental Health Humanities (30 credits)

This module explores global mental health through a humanities lens, challenging the Western medical approach to mental disorders. You will engage with diverse materials, including readings, films, and case studies, to examine the relationship between mental health and culture. The module focuses on storytelling and trauma, analysing narratives from exiled writers and health activists to explore mental health in adversity. You will reflect on marginalised voices in global health and develop advocacy strategies, using humanities-based methods to address mental health issues and promote human rights in conflict zones and resource-limited settings.