Master's degree Public Health Track Medical Ethics
This programme is taught in French.
field(s) of training :
Science, Technology, Health
diploma level :
Master's degree (five-year degree)
duration of the program :
2 years
Course overview
Ethical issues are more and more important in healthcare and medical and social fields. You wish to be trained in ethical research in Normandy? EREN, l’Espace de réflexion éthique de Normandie (website in French) (Normandy Ethical Reflexion Centre) and the University of Caen Normandy offer a master’s programme in Public Health specialised in Medical Ethics.
This two-year full-time programme is multidisciplinary and relies on health, law, and human sciences. To answer questions related to ethics in healthcare, you must understand the important links between scientific fields (biomedical sciences and human and social sciences) and prescriptive fields (law, deontology), as well as the links between theory and practice. As such, the master’s in Medical Ethics includes supervised projects and internships related to the needs of the Norman territory.
The master’s in Ethics in Healthcare aims at developing your knowledge and works in research, so that you based your research on the analysis of ethical issues in professional practices and on the evaluation of healthcare pathways on fundamental questions, notably:
- End-of-Life decisions
- Predictive medicine
- Organ donation
- Personal autonomy regarding dependence
- Support of vulnerable states
- Biomedical research ethics
- Ethical issues in public health
Welcoming international students
Since 2019, the University of Caen Normandy has been awarded the "Bienvenue en France" label by Campus France, highlighting the quality of the university's welcome for international students.
Application requirements
Entry requirements
To enter this master’s, you should
- Have fundamentals in human and social sciences
- Have writing skills
- Graduate from a degree in
- Sciences, such as: mathematics, statistics, biology
- Health, such as: medicine, pharmacy, midwifery
Applicants must provide:
- Academic records
- Cover letter
- CV
You may be called for an interview with the jury.
Language proficiency requirements
Minimum French proficiency level required: C2
Minimum English proficiency level required: B2
Specific conditions
Entry requirements for Year 2
If you completed Year 1 of this master's, you will automatically enter Year 2.
If you completed Year 1 of another master's (sciences, health, human sciences with statistics), you can apply to Year 2 of this master's. To do so, send your CV and cover letter by mail to formation.eren@unicaen.fr or at the address
Espace de Réflexion Éthique de Normandie (EREN)
Pôle de formations et de recherche en santé (PFRS) - Campus 5
2 rue des Rochambelles · 14 032 Caen Cedex
Apply and register
The registration process takes place in 3 steps:
Application process
Admission and registration requirements may vary depending on your nationality, country of residence, foreign secondary school leaving certificate, and the nature of your programme of study. Discover how to apply to the University of Caen Normandy.
Course structure
Courses
- Take place
- Year 1: online from October to April
- Year 2: on site in Campus 5 of the University of Caen Normandy from mid-September to December (6 consecutive half-days per week)
- Are completed by compulsory internships an is available for adult education
Course units
In Year 1, courses are full-remote:
- Introduction to health sociology and fundamentals in ethics
- Medical and treatment law and ethics
In Year 2, courses are all on site, and focus mainly on:
- Risk theory and care ethics
- Health, law and bioethics
- Law of persons
- Moral philosophy and care philosophy
- Discussion and deliberation ethics
- Health and distributive justice
- Research and conflict of interest ethics
- Dependence, vulnerability, disability, end-of-life
- Ethics and new health technologies
Internships and placements
The master’s programme includes two compulsory internships, in France or abroad:
- Year 1: 6-week internship in a healthcare institution
- Year 2: 3-week internship in a healthcare or medical and social institution used as a case study
Both internships will be evaluated through detailed written report and an oral presentation of this report.
Coursework and assessment
The course lasts 2 years and is divided in 4 semesters, each comprising several courses units. Examinations are held at the end of each semester and are graded on a scale from 0 to 20, 20 being the best grade. Grade compensation is organised without eliminatory marks and on the basis of the general average obtained in every course unit:
- Over each semester
- Over the 2 semesters of year 1.
The 2 semesters do not compensate each other in year 2.
To successfully complete a semester, you must have an average mark of at least 10 points out of 20. If you have not completed your semester, you can retake the courses units you failed; you do not have to retake the courses in which you have obtained at least 10 points out of 20.
Language
French
Learning outcome
By the end of this course, you will be able to
- Identify ethical issues of health practices
- Design a methodical approach of ethical considerations applied to a professional situation or a health organisation
- Implement a methodology appropriate to field interventions during the internship
- Collect and analyse results in a multidisciplinary discussion
- Write and publish a master’s thesis
- Prepare and write a scientific publication (in French and in English)
- Train and foster ethical considerations among professionals (nursing staff, researchers or actors of public health), within institution or healthcare networks
- Contribute to the implementation of ethical committees and train to collegial and multidisciplinary deliberation
Further study
Once you’ve obtained your master’s, since this programme is research-oriented, you are encouraged to pursue doctoral studies in medical ethics.
Careers
With an expertise in medical ethics, the main opportunity is clinical ethicist in healthcare or medial and social fields. Main missions include:
- Design an approach for ethical consideration in an institutional environment (health, social, education)
- Support the implementation of decision-taking approaches by healthcare professionals
- Take part in ethical and persons’ protection committees and train to medical ethics
- Join organisations that regulate biomedical activity and public health institutions
Address
Université de Caen Normandie
UFR Santé
Pôle des formations et de recherche en santé (PFRS)
2 rue des Rochambelles · CS 14032 · 14032 Caen Cedex 5
France
Course leader
formation : Gregoire Moutel · gregoire.moutel@unicaen.fr
formation : Guillaume Grandazzi · guillaume.grandazzi@unicaen.fr