Learning Objectives

• Ethically analyse end-of-life decisions.
• Develop critical thinking and synthesise bioethical knowledge concerning the ethical issues associated with medically assisted reproduction and genetics, including genetic diagnosis, genetic manipulation, and genetic testing.
• Apply bioethical principles to mental health and health psychology, addressing telemedicine and digital technologies in healthcare.
• Analyse the relationship between bioethics and spirituality, considering spirituality, the spirit, and experience as anthropological and philosophical foundations of human existence.
• Understand the ethical challenges and opportunities associated with artificial intelligence and emerging technologies applied to the life sciences.
• Understand the concept of integral human development and its relationship with bioethics.

Syllabus

• Contemporary Issues in Bioethics: Ageing and palliative care; inequalities in access to healthcare and social justice; changes affecting education; the digital age and its ethical challenges.
• End-of-Life Decisions.
• Ethical Issues in Assisted Reproduction and Genetics.
• Ethical Issues in Mental Health and Health Psychology.
• Spirituality and Bioethics: Spirituality, the spirit, and experience as anthropological and philosophical foundations of human existence.
• Ethical Challenges of Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies Applied to the Life Sciences: Ethics of and within artificial intelligence (biomedical research, healthcare, management and administration, teaching and education, and society); ethics and governance of artificial intelligence; digital technologies; genome editing science; germline genome editing; and somatic cell genome editing for therapeutic purposes.
• Integral Human Development and Bioethics.

Assessment

The depth and complexity of the activities undertaken as part of the assessment process, as well as the autonomy and critical thinking demonstrated by each student throughout the PhD programme, are of particular importance.

Continuous feedback from faculty members will play a central role in helping students identify areas for improvement and develop their competencies throughout the programme, particularly given the complexity of the topics and analyses involved.

Continuous Formative Assessment – 20% of the Final Grade

Assessment of students' active participation in lectures, thematic seminars, and plenary discussions.

Active participation in classroom group activities, including the analysis of practical cases and the presentation of responses to ethical decision-making processes.

Summative Assessment – 80% of the Final Grade

Preparation of a final individual or group assignment involving an in-depth analysis of a specific topic in bioethics, demonstrating research skills, the ability to synthesise knowledge, and the application of ethical and bioethical concepts.

Presentation and discussion of the assignment in class to assess students' ability to communicate and develop well-founded arguments on topics related to ethics and bioethics.