Course Descriptions

The course will introduce students to the prominent theories in ethics and political philosophy that inform our ethical arguments and the articulation of our values. By the end of the course, students will be able to articulate ethical problems, understand how they differ from problems that can be addressed by empirical investigations or scientific discoveries; explain the difference between various schools of thoughts in ethics, and analyze ethical claims in terms of their theoretical assumptions and commitments.

Offered: 1st 8-week session Fall Semester (Fall A)

This course will examine the ethical responsibilities of conducting research with special emphasis on collaborative international research that involve scientific integrity, determination of authorship, peer review, conflicts of interest, ownership of data and intellectual property across borders with differing laws. By the end of the course, students will be able to describe examples of research misconduct and methods of dealing with misconduct; discuss the relationship between authorship and accountability; discuss the ethical and legal foundations of intellectual property; and describe how conflicts of interest can corrupt scientific objectivity.

Offered: 1st 8-week session Fall Semester (Fall A)

This course will acquaint students with basic concepts in research ethics, will examine the ethical and philosophical issues raised by involving human subjects in research, review concepts of risks and benefits, vulnerability, privacy and confidentiality, undue inducement, exploitation, equipoise, and therapeutic misconception. By the end of the course, students will be able to analyze research protocols and assess the ethical appropriateness of such protocols.

Offered: 2nd 8-week session Fall Semester (Fall B)

This course will examine the ethical and philosophical issues raised by research involving human subjects that is conducted in international settings and examine issues involved wit h the standard of care, informed consent, exploitation, post-trial benefits, and a developmental and organizational model of ethics review systems. By the end of the course, students will be able to construct and support valid arguments in the analysis of exploitative research; analyze ethical questions regarding international collaborations in research, describe methods to achieve a culturally valid informed consent; describe the issues involved with tissue sample research performed between international partners, and assess an ethical review an international protocol.

Offered: 1st 8-week session Spring Semester (Spring A)

This course will cover the legal and regulatory aspects of ethical review systems and cover topics critical to performing clinical research, including structures and operations of institutional review boards, understanding investigational new drug (IND) applications, and conflict of interests. By the end of the course, students will be able to explain the issues involved with regulating institutional review boards and human subject protection programs.

Offered: 2nd 8-week session Spring Semester (Spring B)

This course will introduce students to the identification and assessment of moral dilemmas in the context of changes and development in an increasingly globalized world with attention to both its theoretical and practical dimensions, including global health. By the end of the course, students will be able to explain the forces associated with globalization; evaluate the impact of globalization on social justice issues; evaluate the moral theories underlying a just globalization; and explain the moral dilemmas posed by an increasingly globalized world.

Offered: 2nd 8-week session Spring Semester (Spring B)