Graduate diplomas
Graduate Diploma in Bioethics and Health Law (GradDipBHL)
This diploma offers a grounding in Bioethics and Health Law. It could be of interest for students, health professionals and others, who have little background in Bioethics/Health Law and do not plan to go onto any further study. Please do not apply for the GDipBHL without first seeking course advice from staff at the Bioethics Centre.
Diploma for Graduates (DipGrad)
This qualification is ideal for graduates of three- or four-year degrees who would like to do honours equivalent study in Bioethics. Our postgraduate papers are all available for this qualification, and they can be selected as part of a wider package of papers.
Postgraduate certificates
Postgraduate Certificate in Health Sciences ( PGCertHealSc ) endorsed in Clinical Ethics
The Certificate in Clinical Ethics (Postgraduate Certificate in Health Science Endorsed in Clinical Ethics) provides healthcare professionals with ethical tools and skills that will better equip them when faced with difficult ethical situations. It will be of interest to health care professionals who are interested in reflecting upon their clinical practice and all students with an interest in clinical ethics.
Ethics in Clinical Practice will be taught in the evening. The Certificate does not assume any existing knowledge of Bioethics. It is available part-time, and may be commenced in either semester 1 or semester 2. It can be studied either on-campus in Dunedin or at a distance.
Certificate of Proficiency ( CoP )
Students may take any Bioethics paper as a standalone Certificate of Proficiency. Some papers require you to have taken other Bioethics papers first.
Postgraduate papers in Bioethics
Postgraduate diplomas
Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences ( PGDipHealSc )
This Bioethics programme offers continuing education for those holding a undergraduate degree or certificate, or having relevant experience. They offer candidates a comprehensive coverage of theories and issues in Bioethics.
Students who achieve at a sufficiently high level (B+ average) may apply to do the MHealSc (Bioethics).
Postgraduate Diploma in Bioethics and Health Law ( PGDipBHL )
For students holding a undergraduate degree or certificate, or having relevant experience. The programme will include papers offered in both Law and Bioethics and aims to give students the ability to explore legal and ethical ramifications of modern health care.
This qualification, and all the papers within it, are available for distance study. LAWS papers offer an informal distance option. Although official information for these papers at enrolment will not state that distance learning is available, it is: remote access to lectures and material will be provided to distance students once they are approved into the paper.
Students who achieve at a sufficiently high level (B+ average) may apply to do the Master of Bioethics and Health Law ( MBHL ) upon completion.
Please Note: Current Otago LLB students who complete LAWS 447, LAWS 448 and/or LAWS 311 will have limited postgraduate Law paper options available if they then progress to the PGDipBHL/MBHL programmes. LLB students are advised to contact Dr Jeanne Snelling at the Faculty of Law to discuss this.
Bachelor of Medical Science with Honours ( BMedSc (Hons))
If you are a medical student who has developed a keen interest in bioethics, then the Bachelor of Medical Science with Honours is an opportunity to carry out in-depth research in this subject.
The BMedSc(Hons) is usually taken between third and fourth years of the medical degree (i.e. between the Early Learning in Medicine ( ELM ) stage and Advanced Learning in Medicine ( ALM ) stage).
Students choose from a range of topics offered by the Centre.
Bachelor of Medical Science with Honours (BMedSc(Hons))
Masters' degrees
Master of Bioethics and Health Law ( MBHL )
The MBHL draws on papers offered in both Law and Bioethics. It aims to give students the ability to explore legal and ethical ramifications of modern health care. Students have the opportunity to research an issue of particular interest to them in a dissertation.
This qualification, and all the papers within it, are available for distance study. LAWS papers offer an informal distance option. Although official information for these papers at enrolment will not state that distance learning is available, it is: remote access to lectures and material will be provided to distance students once they are approved into the paper.
Students include health and legal professionals, graduates of law, arts, sciences and health sciences. Many international students have come through this qualification.
Please Note: Current Otago LLB students who complete LAWS 447, LAWS 448 and/or LAWS 311 will have limited postgraduate Law paper options available if they then progress to the PGDipBHL/MBHL programmes. LLB students are advised to contact Dr Jeanne Snelling at the Faculty of Law to discuss this.
Master of Health Sciences ( MHealSc )
The MHealSc (Bioethics) offers a student both breadth and depth, and theory and application, in the study of Bioethics. Students include health professionals, graduates of all disciplines, including international students.
The programme can be studied at a distance and part-time.
In the first year, students have to complete the equivalent of a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Sciences (Bioethics). In the second year students write a supervised research thesis.
Master of Medical Science ( MMedSc )
The MMedSc is for medical graduates, offering them a chance to write a thesis (30,000–40,000 words), containing an in-depth consideration of a bioethical topic of their own choice.
Doctoral study
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
The Bioethics Centre's postgraduate community is built around its doctoral research students. Topics of study are various, reflecting the range of research interests for which the Centre can offer supervision.
The students are both local and international, and study on-campus and at a distance.
The interdisciplinary nature of the Centre means that this research degree can be offered to applicants with an appropriate grounding in Bioethics or a related area from a range of academic disciplines (for example, philosophy, theology, law, medicine or the sciences), and to those with qualifications in Bioethics.
Contact us
For non-doctoral postgraduate inquiries, contact:
Dr Simon Walker
Postgraduate Co-ordinator
Email simon.walker@otago.ac.nz
For further information on PhD study in Bioethics, contact: