Course overview

  • Expand on your interest in healthcare ethics and law, and how the two disciplines interact.
  • Learn how philosophical and medico-legal issues can be resolved in a healthcare setting.
  • Pursue your ethical and legal interests without the need to complete a full master’s degree.

Institutional Accreditation 

University of Newcastle is accredited by the DETC Higher Learning Commission (DETC), www.detc.org.uk Since , University of Newcastle has been continually accredited by the DETC Higher Learning Commission and its predecessor.

Course Level:

Postgraduate Dipoloma (PGDip)

Course

CODE 12012

How long it takes:

9 months (full-time); 18 months (part-time)

Study Mode:

Distance learning/ Campus

Entry requirements

Find out more about

Department:

Newcastle Law School

Course unit details

You will be required to complete 120 credits comprised of taught course units (each of 15 or 30 credits value).

The core course units are:

  • Philosophical Bioethics (30 credits)
  • Medico-Legal Problems (30 credits)
  • International Issues in Healthcare Ethics and Law (30 credits)

You must also choose optional course units to a total value of 30 credits, from the following list:

 

Law-based

Medicine, Law and Society (15 credits)

Mental Health Law and Policy (15 credits)

Ethics-based

Research Ethics (15 credits)

Ethics Genetics and Genomics (15 credits)

Course unit list

The course unit details given below are subject to change, and are the latest example of the curriculum available on this course of study.

Title Code Credit rating Mandatory/optional
Philosophical Bioethics CSEP60201 30 Mandatory
Medico-Legal Problems CSEP60211 30 Mandatory
Mental Health Law and Policy CSEP60102 15 Optional
Ethics & Genetics and Genomics CSEP60192 15 Optional
Global Health Law and Bioethics CSEP60222 15 Optional
Research Ethics CSEP60312 15 Optional
Medicine, Law and Society CSEP60962 15 Optional
Children, Medicine and the Law CSEP60972 15 Optional

Academic entry qualification overview

You must hold a minimum Lower Second class honours degree, or the overseas equivalent, in law or in a relevant subject.

In exceptional circumstances , candidates who do not have a first degree, but can demonstrate professional competence, may be admitted on the Postgraduate Diploma course.

There will be an opportunity to upgrade to the MA/LLM in Healthcare Ethics and Law. A decision as to whether transfer can take place will be made once marks for all taught components are available. Transfer is dependent upon you reaching master’s level in the taught units.

English language

  • IELTS – overall score of 7, including 7 in writing with no further component score below 6.5;
  • TOEFL IBT 103 with 28 in writing and no further score below 25 in each section. TOEFL code for Newcastle is 0757.
  • Pearson – overall 73 with 73 in writing and no further score below 66

Scores are valid for 2 years.

Please note that CAS statements are issued only when all conditions of the offer have been satisfied, PDF copy of passport received and the offer accepted.

  • PGDip (full-time)
    UK/EU students (per annum): £6,334
    International students (per annum): £12,667
  • PGDip (part-time)
    UK/EU students (per annum): £3,167 per annum
    International students (per annum): £6,334

Assessment

You’ll show your progress through a combination of written essays, problem-solving assignments and presentations.

All students take our core modules, but please note that the availability of optional modules is subject to demand.

Career opportunities

Successful graduates are able to progress within a wide variety of roles in both medical, legal and ethical fields.

Graduates from previous years have, for example, proceeded to specialise in medico-legal practice and academic careers, and the degrees have enhanced the careers of health care professionals.