The Erasmus Mundus Master of Bioethics consists of 60 ECTS credits. The courses are offered during one year in the three universities. Each partner university is responsible for specific courses, related to the expertise these universities have acquainted. Some activities are interuniversitary and will run through the whole academic year. The programme contains the following educational parts:

(1)     Core Bioethics courses (18 ECTS credits):

The core bioethics courses are the basic courses that deal with the basic topics in the field of bioethics. Among the topics included are palliative care and euthanasia, research ethics, ethics of genetics, nursing ethics... These courses are compulsory for all the students of the program. The core bioethics courses (18 ECTS) are divided among the three universities (each 6 ECTS). Every year various bioethics courses will be offered. The topics taught at every university are based on the focus and strength of the research that is performed at these universities, which ensures that for each topic the best quality courses are offered in the program.

(2)     Lecture Series on Bioethics (6 ECTS credits):

The three universities jointly organize a Lecture Series on Bioethics that cover a whole range of actual and controversial issues in the field of bioethics and various experts are invited to talk. Due to their flexible structure, they make it possible to include visiting scholars and new controversial issues that are not covered sufficiently in existing courses. While the core bioethics courses are courses devoted to specific topics, the aim of the lecture series is to devote time and attention to various actual and controversial topics in the field of bioethics.

(3)     Specializing courses (9 ECTS credits):

In function of their background and their research project students can select a number of courses (for a minimum of 9 ECTS credits) from the courses that are offered at the KU Leuven. Courses from the faculties of Medicine, Theology, Philosophy, Social Sciences, Anthropology and Psychology are offered to the students.

(4)     Research component (21 ECTS credits):

The research component of the program consists of a Seminar Research in Bioethics (which is provided in Leuven, 3 ECTS) and the master thesis research project (18 ECTS). The master thesis research project will be elaborated under guidance of one of the academic staff and brings the student into contact with a multinational and multidisciplinary research environment of a research institute. The research project will be finalized with a public presentation of a Master’s Thesis and oral defense at the end of the academic year.

(5)     Bioethics training (6 ECTS credits):

In this module, the students are trained to present and moderate two case presentations (3 ECTS) and one literature review (3 ECTS). The case presentations are aimed to train the students in clinical ethics committees. The literature reviews are aimed to critically analyze the scientific literature in their research field. These modules are provided in Nijmegen and Padova.

For a detailed description of every course, please consult the education database (http://www.kuleuven.be/onderwijs/aanbod/opleidingen/E/SC_51016975.htm)