APG5394 Ethics of life and death
Faculty of Arts
APG5394 Ethics of life and death is a level 5, 12-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2026 in Semester 2 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 12
- Offered in 2026
- Semester 2
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 8 tasks
- Workload
- 288 hours
- per semester
This is the 2026 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
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Requisites
Before APG5394
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After APG5394
No unit lists APG5394 as a prerequisite in the 2026 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Prohibition: APG4394, APR5394
Overview
In this unit you will explore ethical issues that arise in healthcare at the beginning and end of life. You will examine core concepts that shape ethical debates, including the sanctity of life doctrine, potentiality and the nature of personhood, killing and letting die, and the definition of death. You will apply these concepts to practical issues in life and death decision-making in healthcare, which could include embryo experimentation, abortion, neonatal resuscitation, advanced directives, voluntary assisted dying and brain death.
Offerings in 2026
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Clayton | Online |
| Second semester | Clayton | Flexible |
Assessment
- Module 1 QuizQuiz / Test5%
- Module 2 QuizQuiz / Test5%
- Module 3 QuizQuiz / Test5%
- Module 4 QuizQuiz / Test5%
- Critical Analysis 1Written20%
- Critical Analysis 2Written20%
- Essay PlanExercise5%
- Argumentative EssayWritten35%
Assessment details may change. Please refer to the assessment information in Moodle closer to the start of the teaching period.
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Critically analyse and explain core concepts in the ethical debates that arise at the beginning and end of life;
- 2
Discuss and critically evaluate the relevance of these concepts to core issues in contemporary biomedical practice;
- 3
Use well-developed research skills to undertake rigorous, in-depth analysis of bioethical issues.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures12 hours
- Tutorials30 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 288 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
This unit engages students in actively applying their knowledge, skills and attributes in interactive, collaborative and reflective activities.
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Julian Koplin
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Julian Koplin
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for APG5394?
APG5394 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is APG5394 offered?
In 2026, APG5394 runs in Semester 2 at Clayton, with an online option.
How much work is APG5394?
The handbook expects about 288 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does APG5394 have an exam?
No. APG5394 has 8 assessment tasks and no exam.