Biomedical and Healthcare Ethics Intercalated BA

Intercalation is a great way to explore a new subject area, enhance your employability, and broaden your perspective. If you're studying medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine or a related subject our intercalation courses will make the ideal supplement for your degree.

You'll explore the complex ethical dilemmas arising from working in medicine and healthcare, and gain the skills you need to respond quickly and effectively.

You'll study a range of issues including consent, responsibility, abortion, euthanasia, patient rights, and genetic enhancement. You'll learn alongside non-intercalation students including professionals in a range of fields, allowing you to benefit from their insights and experiences.

If you're looking to gain a more advanced qualification, this course is also available as a Masters degree. The courses share taught content, but the Masters course students also complete an independent research dissertation.

Course structure

The list shown below represents typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.

For more information and a full list of typical modules available on this course, please read Biomedical and Healthcare Ethics BA in the course catalogue

Modules

Year 1

Learning and teaching

You'll gain a solid knowledge base through lectures, and then develop yourself understanding by discussing the course content with your coursemates in small group seminars. You'll expand on what you learn in this taught content with independent study, enhancing your research skills and exploring areas of particular interest to you.

Assessment

Assessment is normally by written assignment but includes a small proportion of individual and group presentation work. There are no exams for this course.

Entry requirements

Other course specific tests:

You must have successfully completed at least the first two years of a degree in medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, or a related subject. Your current institution must also allow you to take an intercalation year as part of your main degree.

If English isn't your first language, you'll need a qualification that proves your language level, such as IELTS (6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component). We accept a range of alternative qualifications for both degrees and language qualifications - contact us for more information.

English language requirements

IELTS 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in any component..

How to apply

For information about how to apply, visit the School of Medicine’s intercalation pages.

Documents to include

• Your degree certificate and transcripts of all relevant qualifications, or a partial transcript if you’re still studying.
• Two academic references – see the admissions policy (below) for details.
• Evidence of your English language test scores, if English isn’t your first language.
• Supporting statement: this is optional, but presents a great opportunity to tell us more about yourself and can be useful preparation for your interview. There's no word limit but you should include:
  • Why you want to study your chosen course at Leeds
  • What role ethics play in your professional life (if relevant)
  • What knowledge and understanding you currently have of ethics (if relevant)
  • How studying ethics will contribute to your academic and/or professional development
• Application essay: this will be used to assess your ability to construct arguments and defend a coherent ethical position. It should be 1000-1500 words long and address a topic relevant to your chosen course. You can choose from the questions below, or contact us about an alternative:
  • How should doctors decide who shall live when not all can live?
  • Is foetal abnormality a morally defensible ground for performing an abortion?
  • Should women be allowed to bear babies for a fee?
  • Can deception in research be justified?
  • When, if ever, are doctors justified in breaching a patient’s confidentiality?

Fees

UK: See fees section below

For UK and non-UK EU full-time students starting in 2018, the fee for 2018/19 will be £9,250. 

For UK and non-UK EU full-time students starting in 2019, the fee for 2019/20 will be £9,250. 

The fee may increase in future years of your course in line with inflation, and as permitted by law. For example, the increase of 2.8% in 2017/18 was based on the government’s forecast for the RPI-X measure of inflation.

The UK government has confirmed that non-UK EU students starting in the 2019/20 academic year will have home fee status and be eligible for UK government student loans. The UK government has not confirmed the situation for future years, so keep checking our website for updates.

Financial support

Read about possible financial support for intercalation on the School of Medicine website.

Intercalating gives you the opportunity to build upon the skills and knowledge you develop in your main degree, and gain a more rounded perspective on your subject.

An additional qualification can also be an advantage in the competitive graduate job market, or if you're applying to the NHS Foundation Programme.

Our courses are also excellent preparation if you decide to pursue a career in research or academia, and some of our students have chosen to pursue a doctoral degree after completing their studies.

Careers Support

We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.

Leeds for Life is our unique approach to helping you make the most of University by supporting your academic and personal development. Find out more at the Leeds for Life website.

The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.