Introduction to Law and Ethics module (LW50110)

This focuses on differences between criminal vs civil law, public vs private law and national vs international law.

It will discuss moral dilemmas such as:

• the application of key legal principles
• laws
• and ethical concepts

It introduces perspectives like:

• utilitarianism
• deontological ethics
• virtue ethics
• ethics of healthcare
• and ethical reasoning

What you will learn

In this module, you will:

• gain an understanding of how to discuss and write about biomedical ethical principles
• gain an understanding of the legal principles and laws that may also apply
• learn about law and legal systems
• how to use and cite legal sources
• how to conduct legal research
• how to apply biomedical ethical principles to complex moral dilemmas

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• understand the distinction between different areas of law. This includes areas such as tort and delict, contract law, criminal and civil law, public and private law, and national and international law
• understand key legal terminology and concepts
• know the basic structure of the courts in Scotland and England
• be acquainted with the primary legal sources of cases, statutes, EC directives, etc
• access legal materials in the library or on the internet

Assignments / assessment

• coursework (100%)
  • 6 assessments: 4 online tests and 2 written assessments

This module does not have a final exam.

Teaching methods / timetable

This is a distance learning module and materials are provided through our virtual learning environment, My Dundee. This will include the module handbook, reading list and any slides or additional materials.

You and your fellow students are offered various ways of interacting with each other and with the tutor. This will be done through email, discussion boards, etc.