Postgraduate Course: Medical Ethics in Literature (ENLI11257)
Course Outline
| School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course examines the representation of medical ethics in poetry, prose and drama from the late nineteenth century to the present day, tracing the development of medical ethics from a professional code of practice to the application of ethical reasoning to decision making. The course considers literary representations of ethical dilemmas encountered by medical professionals, philosophical frameworks used to negotiate competing ethical claims, and the dynamic relationship between medical practice and the humanities. |
| Course description |
This course examines the representation of medical ethics in poetry, prose and drama from the late nineteenth century to the present day, tracing the development of medical ethics from a professional code of practice to the application of ethical reasoning to decision making. The course considers literary representations of ethical dilemmas encountered by medical professionals, philosophical frameworks used to negotiate competing ethical claims, and the dynamic relationship between medical practice and the humanities. English Literature and Medicine students will have the opportunity to bring the perspectives of the humanities to bear on medical ethics; but they will also be asked to critically examine the ethical positions and perspectives espoused by literary criticism and literary texts. Medical ethical frameworks will be subject to scrutiny, but so too will the ethical frameworks developed within medical humanities. The course will appeal to students who have a particular interest in ethics, the intersections between medicine, science and literature, and the medical/health humanities.
In this course we will be discussing content that may be traumatising to some students. We believe in the importance of engaging with this material and so please rest assured that we will work with you to ensure you can participate fully and demonstrate your achievement of the learning outcomes of the course, without compromising your wellbeing or your academic development. If you have concerns at any point we invite you to approach the course organiser Dr Katherine Inglis (k.inglis@ed.ac.uk) to discuss how we can best support you in your work on this course. We affirm that you will be treated with dignity and respect in all discussions and at every stage of the course.
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Academic year 2022/23, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
|
Quota: 6 |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
196 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Final Essay (4000 words)
|
| Feedback |
Students will receive written feedback on their coursework essay with suggested priorities for improvement; they will also have the opportunity to discuss exam essay plans one-to-one with the course organiser prior to submitting their exam essays. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- understand the relationship between literature, medicine, and ethics, as expressed in literary and critical texts from the late nineteenth century to the present day
- utilise an advanced critical vocabulary for analysing medical ethical dilemmas in their literary and historical contexts, drawing upon major critical and theoretical approaches to the study of ethics and the ethics of representation in the literary medical humanities, particularly: close reading, narrative medicine, narrative ethics, and disability studies
- analyse the relationship between literature, medical ethics, and narrative ethics, as expressed in texts on the course
- research, synthesize, employ, and evaluate literary critical, narrative medicine, narrative ethici, and disability studies approaches to conceptual problems encountered on the course
- articulate (in written and oral form) an informed and critical understanding of the ethical problems explored in texts on the course
|
Reading List
The course reading list is available via LEARN or via the Library's Resource List Service:
https://eu01.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/leganto/readinglist/lists/18387918350002466
|
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Apply critical analysis, evaluation and synthesis to issues
Develop original and creative responses to problems and issues
Deal with complex issues and make informed judgements in situations in the absence of complete or consistent data/information.
Exercise substantial autonomy and initiative |
| Keywords | illness,medical humanities,history of medicine,literary form,disability studies,trauma |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Marie Allitt
Tel:
Email: marie.allitt@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Kara McCormack
Tel: (0131 6)50 3030
Email: Kara.McCormack@ed.ac.uk |
|
|
University Homepage