OAKTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE
GENERIC COURSE SYLLABUS
I.
II.
Course
Prefix
PHL
Course
Number
180
Course
Name
Medical Ethics
Credit Lecture
3
3
Lab
0
Prerequisites
None
III.
Course (Catalog) Description
Course uses ethical theories to investigate moral problems in medicine and health care
delivery. Of value to both health care professionals and humanities students. Topics
include patients’ rights, professional obligations of physicians and nurses, euthanasia,
genetics and reproduction, experimentation on human subjects, and the right to health
care.
IV.
Learning Objectives
After completing this class, students will be able to do the following:
A. Define the basic vocabulary needed to discuss ethical theories and be able to state
the problems that ethical theories address.
B. Explain and compare at least four conflicting ethical theories and the arguments
that support these theories.
C. Evaluate ethical theories by critically examining (both orally and through written
work) the arguments that support the theories and by discussing what important
considerations may be lacking in the theories studied.
D. Apply ethical theories to concrete issues and situations faced by health care
professionals. Issues concerning patient autonomy, death and dying, reproduction
and new reproductive technologies, and privacy will be included.
E. Apply theories of social justice to the debates over the right to health care and how
it should be realized as well as to the debates about the ethics of experimentation
on human subjects and about racism and sexism within the health car delivery
system.
F. Use the ethical theory with which they agree to defend their own positions on
contemporary moral issues in health care ethics both orally and in writing.
G. Exhibit values related to teamwork and collaboration, fostered by the pedagogy of
shared-inquiry and critical dialogue appropriate to the humanities and philosophy.
COURSE SYLLABUS (GENERIC)
PHL 180
V.
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Academic Integrity
Students and employees at Oakton Community College are required to demonstrate
academic integrity and follow Oakton’s Code of Academic Conduct. This code prohibits:
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cheating,
plagiarism (turning in work not written by you, or lacking proper citation),
falsification and fabrication (lying or distorting the truth),
helping others to cheat,
unauthorized changes on official documents,
pretending to be someone else or having someone else pretend to be you,
making or accepting bribes, special favors, or threats, and
any other behavior that violates academic integrity.
There are serious consequences to violations of the academic integrity policy. Oakton’s
policies and procedures provide students a fair hearing if a complaint is made against
you. If you are found to have violated the policy, the minimum penalty is failure on the
assignment and, a disciplinary record will be established and kept on file in the office of
the Vice President for Student Affairs for a period of 3 years.
Details of the Code of Academic Conduct can be found in the Student Handbook.
VI.
Outline of Topics
(This is a sample outline of topics. In your outline of topics, please specify the dates when
you will cover specific topics and other important dates such as exams and paper
deadlines.)
I. Introduction
A. History of medicine and health care
B. Early understandings of medical ethics
II. Theories of ethics
A. Utilitarianism
B. Deontology
C. Natural law and religious ethics
D. The ethic of care
E. Theories of social justice
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COURSE SYLLABUS (GENERIC)
PHL 180
Page 3
III. Autonomy and paternalism
IV. Defining death and euthanasia
V. Issues about reproduction
VI. Experimentation on human subjects
VII. Health care and social justice
VIII. The ethics of nursing
IX. Ethics and health information professionals
X. The global AIDS crisis
VII. Methods of Instruction
Course may be taught as a face-to-face, media-based, hybrid, or online course.
VIII.
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Lectures and discussion
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Small group work
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Films
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Student presentations and debates
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Guest speakers
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Field trips may be required
Course Practices Required
(Please include information here about all expectations you have for your students
regarding behavior, work, etc. The following are sample topics you may wish to cover.
Please be aware that you must require students in this course to produce at least 15 pages
of critical written assignments over the course of the semester. These may be assigned in
a variety of ways including journals, response papers, field trip projects, etc.)
A. Attendance
B. Standards for written work
C. Quizzes/Exams
D. Participation
E. Essays
F. Final Project
G. Special policies about make-up exam, late papers, or other matters of concern
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COURSE SYLLABUS (GENERIC)
PHL 180
IX.
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Instructional Materials
Note: Current textbook information for each course and section is available on Oakton’s
Schedule of Classes.
A text such as Ethical Issues in Modern Medicine edited by Arras and Steinbock should
be used. It is appropriate to supplement such a text with another book that offers an in
depth look at nursing, the AIDS crisis, the debate over how to reshape our health care
system, or some other appropriate topic. The use of Internet assignments means that the
material discussed can be very timely.
X.
Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
(In this section, please present the percentages or point breakdown of their final grade.
The writing assignments should count for at least 40% of the final grade. An example
follows.)
A. Quizzes/Exams……40 points
B. Essays……40 points
C. Final project with oral presentation……10 points
D. Attendance and participation………10 points
E. Grading scale: 90-100, A…….80-89, B………70-79, C……….60-69……..D
XI.
Other Course Information
A. Disabilities
If you have a documented learning, psychological, or physical disability you may be
entitled to reasonable academic accommodations or services. To request accommodations
or services, contact the Access and Disability Resource Center at the Des Plaines or Skokie
campus. All students are expected to fulfill essential course requirements. The College
will not waive any essential skill or requirement of a course or degree program.
B.
Discrimination
The Oakton Community College Catalog states:
Oakton Community College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed,
religion, national origin, disability, age, sex, sexual orientation, or marital status in
admission to and participation in its educational programs, activities and services, or
employment practices. The College does not tolerate sexual harassment or sexual
assault by or of its students or employees.
In keeping with this policy of tolerance and non-discrimination, in this class all of us
(myself included) should strive to listen and give careful consideration to all ideas
expressed in class, especially those that are different from our own, without attacking or
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COURSE SYLLABUS (GENERIC)
PHL 180
Page 5
demeaning the people who have those views. We should also strive to avoid using
insulting terms or telling offensive jokes when talking to or about individuals or groups.
C.
Instructor information
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Office and office hours:
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Phone:
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Email and website:
Approval Dates:
(Faculty: Do not include the following information on your individual syllabi created for class
distribution.)
Effective beginning term:
Fall 2013
Ending term:
Syllabus prepared by: Hollace Graff
Date: March 2006
Revised by:
Date: June 2010
Hollace Graff
Reviewed by Chair:
Hollace Graff
Date: July 2010
Approval by Dean:
Linda Korbel
Date
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June 2013