ETH-40045 - Module Specification
School of Law
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences

Programme/Approved Electives for 2024/25

Available as a Free Standing Elective

Co-requisites

None

Prerequisites

For students enrolled on the MA in Medical Ethics and Law, MA in Medical Ethics and Palliative Care or the LLM in Law and Society there are no additional entry requirements.
Students enrolled on other postgraduate programmes may be admitted to the module at the discretion of the Module Leader and the Director of the MA in Medical Ethics and Law.

Barred Combinations

None

Description for 2024/25

This module is designed for students on the MA Medical Ethics and Law, but is also available to students on the LLM Law and Society and other programmes at the discretion of the Programme Director.
Students taking this module can expect to acquire knowledge of key principles, cases and statutes in medical law, to critique aspects of medical law and to apply their knowledge of the law to practices in medicine and healthcare, and to develop an understanding of the norms and conventions of academic argument and writing in medical law.
Topics covered typically include:
- introduction to law, including the use of cases and statutes
- healthcare law and the concept of health
- regulation and self-regulation in the healthcare system
- law and consent
- capacity
- professional negligence
- mental health law
- confidentiality and the law
- the relationship between law and morality
- writing law essays: legal arguments and referencing
The contact teaching is delivered in an intensive three-day block in order to be accessible to healthcare practitioners in full-time employment. Teaching is by interactive lectures, plenary and small-group discussion. Students on the MA Medical Ethics and Law will meet with their supervisor during the teaching block, and will receive feedback on a 500-word assignment plan.

To equip students with a knowledge of key principles, cases and statutes in medical law.
To enable students to critique aspects of medical law and to apply their knowledge of the law to practices in medicine and healthcare.
To provide students with a practical understanding of the norms and conventions of academic argument and writing in medical law.

Intended Learning Outcomes

describe, analyse, compare and critique key principles, cases and statutes in medical and healthcare law: 1
assess and engage with arguments and debates in the academic literature concerning legal principles and their application to practical issues in medicine and healthcare: 1
synthesise findings into a logical argument that explicitly addresses the assignment question, and defend the argument against foreseeable criticism: 1
communicate complex issues and arguments in a clear, concise and structured manner: 1
employ appropriate academic conventions regarding citation and referencing: 1
apply knowledge of legal principles, cases and statutes to practices and policies in medicine and healthcare: 1

Study hours

Interactive lecture/seminar/workshop sessions:17
Individual discussions with tutor (face-to-face and/or via electronic communications): 1
Background reading: 100
Preparation of assignment plan: 20
Assignment research and writing: 162

School Rules

None

Description of Module Assessment