1. The status of ethics
and bio-ethics as a philosophic discipline, and the distinction amongst ethics,
morality, and legality.
2. Knowledge of different ethical systems; their foundations and their
advantages or disadvantages.
3. The importance of ethics to health care
professions, including the general principles found in health care codes of
ethics and the issue of a Patient’s Bill of Rights.
4. The ethical aspects of the patient-physician relationship, death and
dying, and the questions associated with the definition of Life itself.
·
There will be 300
points of testing material. (three 100 pt tests)
·
Readings
and other assignments, regular participation are
required.
·
There is a
research-based presentation due: this may be a video, or paper, or power-point
presentation, etc.
·
A weekly journal
is required: must be submitted routinely
Other activities are
suggested for additional credit, but are not required. For special activities
it is best to obtain permission first. Extra credit is NOT designed as an
alternative to the regular requirements.
Active participation is essential in order to assimilate
the material in preparation for the exams. In addition, it is the student's
responsibility to become involved in the class interaction, voice objections or
criticisms, yet be respectful of the opinions of others. The instructor
reserves the right to establish a grade or penalty should any of these
responsibilities not be met. Inadequate interaction can impact on any of the
following; qualifying for an "A", individual test grade (make-up),
course grade, applying for an "incomplete" grade, etc. These
penalties may be offset, with the instructors’ permission, by submitting additional
work (papers, readings & reaction reports, or additional homework). There
are no exceptions to this policy other than those approved by the Academic Dean.
The tests will involve extended essays, and may have
objective questions or some short answer explanations. The grade for this
course will be largely based on the numerical average of those tests. If
possible, all make-up exams will be oral and may be docked accordingly.
The grade scale in the college catalog will be followed for a final grade,
though a numerical scale for averaging individual tests may be used. The Final
Exam may be objective, and will in part be comprehensive. The Final Grade may
be based on a G.P.A. style numerical average (1.0 = D, 2.0 =C, 3.0=B, 4.0=A),
while individual test grades and averages posted may be a
"fractional" grade (such as 3.5, roughly a "B+", although
the college does not recognize plusses and minuses).
Besides the tests there are also the requirements of
the presentation, journals, interaction, and possibly "reaction" or
"compare & contrast" papers, all of which are necessary to
complete the course and can be significant in determining final grades. Quite
simply, a student can get an "A" in all of
their tests, and still fail the course for not complying with these other assignments.
Such additional assignments and participation will be evaluated on a Ö('check') andÖ+ or Ö - ('check-plus/minus') basis, where those
earning the Ö + or Ö - will mean
points added or subtracted to the average of their exam grades (the Ö alone means satisfactory, and doesn't affect the
average). For example, a Ö + could add one point to a students test average. Alternatively, the
same Ö + could be worth .125 added to a G.P.A.-style course
grade. In either case, four Ö + marks
would equal raising the students one half grade level
(ex.: from a 2.50 to a 3.0, or a C+ to a B). Students desiring extra-credit may
elect to gain additional points with other approved research work and reporting
on it to the class. The numerical grade established then serves as the basis
of the assigning the final grade for the course; ultimately though, that grade
will reflect the instructor's assessment of the student's level of competency
with regard to the goals of the course and its overall content.
Penalties;
It is expected that all work will be
submitted in a timely fashion. A student may be prohibited from taking an exam
if work is not completed prior to the exam being posted. Also, if a student is
not cooperating with regards to the assignments and their timely submission, a
penalty may be assigned (a "check-minus" grade -.125 or
greater) to the final grade. {ex. -- an uncooperative student is late with
posting the presentation, or fails to submit journals routinely, would be
penalized; even if their final grade was a 3.0 / "B", by subtracting
a penalty of .125 their grade is reduced to 2.875, which ranks as a
"C"}
N.B.-- Disabilities:.Students with
disabilities may be eligible for reasonable accommodations in this course.
Please contact the Director of Services for Students with Disabilities in the Disability Services Center, College Hall 131, at (215) 641-6575 or 6574 for more
information. At the West Campus, contact the Coordinator of Disability
Services, Student Development Center (W-152), at (610) 718-1853.