Bioethics
Admission requirements
Admission to the Graduate Certificate in Bioethics requires:
- a bachelor's degree from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification in the field of Science, Medicine, Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, Philosophy/Ethics, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Law or other relevant field.
Admission to the Graduate Diploma in Bioethics requires:
- a bachelor's degree from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification in the field of Science, Medicine, Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, Philosophy/Ethics, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Law or other relevant field; or
- completion of the requirements of an embedded graduate certificate or equivalent qualification
Admission to the Master of Bioethics requires:
- a bachelor's degree with a credit average from the University of Sydney or equivalent qualification in the field of Science, Medicine, Nursing, Allied Health Sciences, Philosophy/Ethics, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Law or other relevant field; or
- completion of the requirements of an embedded graduate certificate or graduate diploma or equivalent qualification.
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 a credit average in 24 credit points of study may request to 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.
Suggested study pathways
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 optional pathways that allow you to specialise in a specific area of bioethics according to your plans for future employment and/or research.
Please note that these pathways are not compulsory and you can choose your own pattern of study so long as you meet the course structure requirements described above.
Suggested pathways are:
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.
Sample unit of study selections for pathways
Public Health Ethics Pathway
| Unit of Study code and name | Credit points |
|---|---|
| Core units of study | |
| BETH5101 Introduction to Ethical Reasoning |
6 (available semester 1) |
| Part 1 units of study | |
| BETH5102 Philosophy of Medicine |
6 (available semester 1) |
|
BETH5104 |
6 (available semester 1) |
| BETH5000 Critical Concepts in Bioethics |
6 (available semester 2) |
| BETH5103 Biomedicine and Society |
6 (available semester 2) |
| Part 2 units of study - select any 3 from the following units of study: | |
| BETH5203 Ethics and Public Health |
6 (available semester 2) |
| BETH5202 Human and Animal Research Ethics |
6 (available semester 2) |
| BETH5209 Medicines policy, economics and ethics |
6 (available semester 2) |
| PUBH5422 Health and Risk Communication |
6 (available semester 2) |
Research Ethics Pathway
| Unit of Study code and name | Credit points |
|---|---|
| Core units of study | |
| BETH5101 Introduction to Ethical Reasoning |
6 (available semester 1) |
| Part 1 units of study | |
| BETH5102 Philosophy of Medicine |
6 (available semester 1) |
| BETH5104 Bioethics, Law and Society |
6 (available semester 1) |
| BETH5000 Critical Concepts in Bioethics |
6 (available semester 2) |
| BETH5103 Biomedicine and Society |
6 (available semester 2) |
| Part 2 units of study | |
| BETH5201 Ethics and Biotechnology |
6 (available semester 1) |
| BETH5202 Human and Animal Research Ethics |
6 (available semester 2) |
| One additional 'BETH' code unit of study from Part 2 of the Table | |
Clinical Ethics Pathway
| Unit of Study code and name | Credit points |
|---|---|
| Core units of study | |
| BETH5101 Introduction to Ethical Reasoning |
6 (available semester 1) |
| Part 1 units of study | |
| BETH5102 Philosophy of Medicine |
6 (available semester 1) |
| BETH5104 Bioethics, Law and Society |
6 (available semester 1) |
| BETH5000 Critical Concepts in Bioethics |
6 (available semester 2) |
| BETH5103 Biomedicine and Society |
6 (available semester 2) |
| Part 2 units of study | |
| BETH5204 Clinical Ethics |
6 (available semester 1) |
| BETH5205 Ethics and Mental Health |
6 (available semester 2) |
| One additional 'BETH' code unit of study from Part 2 of the Table | 6 |
Health Humanities Pathway
| Unit of Study code and name | Credit points |
|---|---|
| Core units of study | |
| BETH5101 Introduction to Ethical Reasoning |
6 (available semester 1) |
| Part 1 units of study | |
| BETH5102 Philosophy of Medicine |
6 (available semester 1) |
| BETH5000 Critical Concepts in Bioethics |
6 (available semester 2) |
| BETH5103 Biomedicine and Society |
6 (available semester 2) |
| Part 2 units of study | |
| MMHU6902 Independent Study |
6 (available semester 1 and semester 2) |
| MMHU6910 Ethics, Narrative Competence and Health |
6 (available semester 1) |
| MMHU6913 See How Societies Collapse: Health and world history |
6 (available semester 2) |
| PUBH5422 Health and Risk Communication |
6 (available semester 2) |
Research Pathway (Master’s degree only)
| Unit of Study code and name | Credit points |
|---|---|
| Core units of study | |
| BETH5101 Introduction to Ethical Reasoning |
6 (available semester 1) |
| Part 1 units of study | |
| BETH5000 Critical Concepts in Bioethics |
6 (available semester 2) |
| BETH5102 Philosophy of Medicine |
6 (available semester 1) |
| BETH5103 Biomedicine and Society |
6 (available semester 2) |
| BETH5104 Bioethics, Law and Society |
6 (available semester 1) |
| Part 2 units of study | |
| BETH5202 Human and Animal Research Ethics |
6 (available semester 2) |
| Part 3 units of study | |
| BETH5301 Research Project A |
6 (available semester 1 and semester 2) |
| BETH5302 Research Project B |
6 (available semester 1 and semester 2) |