BIO340 Bioethics
Norsk emneinformasjon
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Showing course contents for the educational year 2020 - 2021 .
Course responsible: Deborah Helen Oughton
ECTS credits: 5
Faculty: Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management
Teaching language: EN, NO
(NO=norsk, EN=Engelsk)
(NO=norsk, EN=Engelsk)
Limits of class size:
Maximum 20 and a minimum of 6 students
Teaching exam periods:
This course starts in January block. This course has teaching/evaluation in January block.
Course frequency: Every other year (odd years)
First time: Study year 2003-2004
Preferential right:
PhD students and Master students in bio- and gene technology, environmental sciences
Course contents:
The course has a broad definition of Bioethics, covering use of modern and traditional biotechnology, genetechnology as well as environmental assessment and management. It covers the Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects (ELSA) of biotechnology and environmental sciences.
Lectures will be held intensively for the first week of the course with the following topics: 1: Legislation. 2: Risk assessment and consequence analyses. 3: Ethics and ethical evaluations.
Guest lecturers from the Biotechnology Advisory board will participate
Following an assignment seminar, during the rest of the course, the students will write a semester assignment on a subject of their own choice.
Learning outcome:
Knowledge:
Students should get acquainted with the legislation in the field and their applications. Since the legislation requires consequence and risk evaluation as well as ethical argumentation, this must also be known to the students. The students will be given insight into the most important ethical theories , principles and dilemmas linked to biotechnology and environmental management.
Skills:
Students are to be capable of holding a discussion on the ethical and social consequences of the use of modern biotechnology in the way it is required in cases of applications linked to,field experiments using genetically modified organisms or for conducting research on genetic engineering.Students will be able to identify relevant ethical arguments and values linked to assessment of biotechnology and environmental protection
General competence:
Students should be acquainted with the methods used, the application and possibilities, conflicts of interests, and the discussion about science and politics related to this issues. The students should therefore have an understanding of the rationale behind the legislation and the application of the relevant theories, laws and acts. .
Learning activities:
Lectures, discussions and semester assignment. In the semester assignment, the students are to document knowledge from the course through an ethical evaluation of the application of biotechnology or genetic engineering, or environmental management.
Teaching support:
The students will get individual supervision from the course responsible.
Syllabus:
Norwegian legislation. International articles which change from year to year will be useful background knowledge for the semester assignment.
Prerequisites:
General bio- and gene technology or solid competence in general biology or environmental sciences.
Recommended prerequisites:
Mandatory activity:
Participation in lectures is compulsory (80%) as well as an assignment seminar.
Assessment:
Semester assignment. Grading system: Pass / Not pass
Nominal workload:
Structured lectures: ca. 30 hours. The students" own contributions in the form of semester assignment writing: ca. 120 hours.
Entrance requirements:
Special requirements in Science
Reduction of credits:
-
Type of course:
Lectures and discussions: 20 - 30 hours.
Examiner:
An external examiner will be used for evaluating the semester assignment.
Examination details: Term paper: Passed / Failed