Course - Research, ethics and society - SMED8004
Research, ethics and society
Choose study yearAssessments and mandatory activities may be changed until September 20th.
About
About the course
Course content
The course is compulsory for all PhD students at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at NTNU. The main aim of the course is to provide a meta perspective on medical research. What is good research in a broad meaning? And how can we achieve it? Ethical and social discussion of medical research will be a topic through the whole course. Relevant perspectives from the philosophy of science, the history of science as well as methodological discussion, will be part of this. Many of the discussion will be situated within modern medical technologies and the strategic areas at the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences.
Learning outcome
The aim of the course is to provide a broad insight into medical research through a systematic examination of the ethical, philosophical, social and legal aspects of the research as well as of being a researcher. The group exam will provide practical training in meta-reflection as well as cross-disciplinary collaboration. After completed SMED8004 students are able to systematically reflect up on medical research in terms of research ethical aspects, societal aspects as well as basic philosophy of science. After completion of the course the student:
Knowledge:
- has knowledge of ethical, methodological and philosophical scientific perspectives related to the PhD study.
Skills:
- is able to identify relevant and interesting ethical and theoretical aspects in their own research projects as well as in others, and judge the relation between the design of a research project and good research.
General competence: is able to critically and constructively judge the authority of science in today's society.
Learning methods and activities
The teaching language in the fall semester is English, the teaching language in the spring semester is Norwegian. There are four days of lectures and discussion.
Compulsory assignments
- Lectures and group assignments
Further on evaluation
The mandatory group-based course work consists of the development and presentation of a discussion paper based on a topic given on the first day of the course. The group work should be done outside the course days. All four course days have mandatory attendance. The oral exam is on the last course day where the group work is presented, with instant feedback from the external examiner. All group participants have to define their contribution in the preparation and presentation of the discussion paper. Each group also has to prepare a critical and constructive feed-back to one other group's work.
Recommended previous knowledge
Enrollment in the PhD-programme
Required previous knowledge
Completed Master's degree. Medical students at The Student Research Programme.
Course materials
Recommended literature will be posted on Blackboard.
Credit reductions
| Course code | Reduction | From |
|---|---|---|
| SMED8000 | 5 sp | Spring 2006 |
| MEDT8001 | 1 sp | Autumn 2007 |
| PALC8001 | 2 sp | Autumn 2012 |
| MN8000 | 5 sp | Autumn 2019 |
Subject areas
- Health Science
- Medicine