MSt in Practical Ethics

MSt in Practical Ethics

Orange painting of the profile of a face, made up of words associated with ethics

Applications for 2024 entry will open in September 2023.

To be notified when applications open, please register your interest. 

Level: Postgraduate

Mode: Part-time

Duration: 2-3 years

The MSt offers high quality training in practical ethics, drawing on the internationally recognised expertise of Oxford’s Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics, the Ethox Centre and the Faculty of Philosophy.

This new course run by the Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics in the Faculty of Philosophy, and the Department for Continuing Education, provides training in practical ethics through flexible, part-time learning. The course is highly interdisciplinary in character but the primary focus is ethical and philosophical. It focuses on the application of rigorous philosophical analysis to real-life ethical problems and provides a grounding in ethical concepts and methods, as well as in major debates in practical ethics. Students will also have the opportunity for in-depth research on a topic of their choice.

Course details

Who is the course for?
The course is relevant to students from a range of professional backgrounds, including medicine and other health sciences, cognitive science, philosophy, bioethics and the legal and public policy sectors.

Programme details

The MSt in Practical Ethics is a part-time course consisting of six taught modules and a dissertation. There is one compulsory module and a choice of five out of eight option modules. Students will be assigned a tutor throughout the taught elements of the course.

Compulsory modules:

Option modules:

The core compulsory module, and five out of the eight option modules (six modules in total) will run each year. We cannot guarantee that all eight option modules will be covered in any 2 years. 

Each module will be taught over an intensive residential teaching week in Oxford to include lectures, seminars, discussion groups and student presentations. Modules are normally provided in clusters, offering students options around the number of visits to Oxford each year.  Online materials are available including essential readings, texts and online lectures, alongside forums where students can communicate and continue discussion when away from Oxford.

Course aims
The programme:

  • provides high quality training in practical ethics, drawing on the considerable teaching and research strengths of Oxford in this area.
  • offers students the opportunity to develop their critical thinking and analytical skills, and to build an in-depth knowledge of contemporary ethical and philosophical issues.
  • is designed to accommodate philosophy graduates wanting to specialise in practical ethics and professionals with a background in other relevant areas (e.g. medicine or law) who either wish to transition to practical ethics or who desire training in practical ethics to supplement their career.
  • is flexible, allowing students to complete the course part-time with short but intensive teaching sessions in Oxford, allowing employed professionals to complete the degree without disruption to their careers. 
  • covers a wide range of topics within practical ethics, including both core issues in bioethics and medical ethics and emerging areas of research such as neuroethics and the philosophy of mental health.
  • is research-led, taught by (and informed by the research of) leading contributors to current debates in practical ethics.

For full details, visit https://www.conted.ox.ac.uk/about/mst-in-practical-ethics

Enquiries: ethics@conted.ox.ac.uk

Current students
Related events
Student publications

Journal articles

Arora, C., (2022), When is the use of suboptimal treatment in functionally untreatable multi-drug resistant tuberculosis morally permissible?, Global Public Health, DOI: 10.1080/17441692.2022.2120047

Bradfield, O. and Giubilini, A., (2021), 'A spoonful of honey or a gallon of vinegar? A conditional COVID-19 vaccination policy for frontline healthcare workers', Journal of Medical Ethics, Vol: 47(7): 467-472 [Open Access PMC8257552]

Brown, R., Savulescu, J., Williams, B. and Wilkinson, D., (2020), A Passport to Freedom? Immunity Passports for COVID-19. Journal of Medical Ethics 46:652-659 [PMC7525773]

Cordeiro, J.J. (2023) On the Permissibility of Elective Ectogestation, The American Journal of Bioethics, 23:5, 116-118, DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2023.2191048

Jennings, K. & Braun, E. (2023) Beyond Suppressing Testosterone: A Categorical System to Achieve a “Level Playing Field” in Sport, The American Journal of Bioethics, DOI: 10.1080/15265161.2023.2232750

Locke, L.G., (2020), The Promise of CRISPR for Human Germline Editing and the Perils of “Playing God”. The CRISPR Journal 3(1): 27-31 

Malhi, G.S. and Savulescu, J., (2020), Fairness and Protection for the Vulnerable: Lessons from Esketamine [Open Peer Commentary], The American Journal of Bioethics 20(9):36-38

Minehan, M.J., (2021), Moral status of the fetus and the permissibility of abortion: a contractarian response to Thomson’s violinist thought experiment. Journal of Medical Ethics, online first.

Nix, H., (2021), "Canadian perspective on ageism and selective lockdown: a response to Savulescu and Cameron", Journal of Medical Ethics, online first [freely available]

Nix, HP, Largent, EA, Taljaard, M, Mitchell, SL, Weijer, C. Ethical analysis of vulnerabilities in cluster randomized trials involving people living with dementia in long-term care homes. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2022; 1- 11. doi:10.1111/jgs.18128

Wibye, J.V., (2022), Liberty to Request Exemption as Right to Conscientious Objection, The New Bioethics, DOI: 10.1080/20502877.2022.2114135

Williams, B., Cameron, J., Trauer, J., Marais, B., Ragonnet, R. and Savulescu, J., (2021), 'The Ethics of Selective Restriction of Liberty in a Pandemic', Journal of Medical Ethics, Vol: 47(8): 553-562 [PMC8327318]

Williams, B., (forthcoming 2022), 'The Ethics of Selective Mandatory Vaccination for COVID-19', Public Health Ethics, phab028, published online: 15 December 2021

Opinion Pieces

Minehan, M.J., (2021), The Unconscious Violinist - 50 Years On, Journal of Medical Ethics blog. (9 May)

Marber, P. and Savulescu, J., (2021), Biden’s First Mandate: A Pandemic G.I. Bill, Global Affairs Review. (27 February)

Marber, P. and Savulescu, J., (2021), Biden’s First Mandate: A Pandemic G.I. Bill, RSA Comment. (6 January)

 

5th Anniversary Events

We are looking forward to welcoming our MSt students and alumni to the double celebration of the 5th anniversary of the MSt programme and the 20th anniversary of the Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics.  

We hope that you will enjoy the weekend events. Bookings are now closed, and we will be emailing all registrants shortly with their timetables. Please don't forget to email with any dietary or access requirements. Please note that all catering will be vegetarian/vegan, in line with the Uehiro Centre’s DefaultVeg commitment.  

If you have any questions about the event please contact the team. 

Friday 9th June  
4:00pm – Seminar on 'Brave New worlds: The impact of art on ART': Dr. Gillian Lockwood. Chaired by Katrien Devolder (Mawby Room, Rewley House) 
6:00pm – Lockwood Lecture and medal presentation Speaker: Prof Heather Widdows. Chaired by Roger Crisp (Rewley House lecture theatre) 
7:00pm – Drinks reception (Rewley House common room)  
7:30pm - Dinner (Rewley House dining room).  Please note the slightly earlier time than originally shown.

Saturday 10th June  
10:30am – ‘Behind the scenes tour’ at the Natural History Museum (OUMNH) (20 places):  OR 
10:30am – walking tour of central Oxford including college and Bodleian visits (18 places):  (Meet at OUMNH or the centre of town, respectively)  
2:00-3:00pm - 3 short talks (15 min each) from members of the Uehiro Centre about their research followed by a Q&A (Mawby Room, Rewley House) 
3:30-5:00pm - ‘What is the point of practical ethics?’ Chaired by Roger Crisp. (Mawby Room, Rewley House) 
6:00pm - Pre-dinner drinks (Rewley House common room)  
6:30pm - MSt anniversary dinner (Rewley House dining room).

Sunday 11th June  
11:00am - Chauffeured punting OR
11:30am – Bodleian tour (Old Library) (13 places)
1:15-2:30pm - Closing lunch (Rewley House dining room).