Course content
The lectures for this course are fully online and will be live streamed via Zoom. Recordings of these will be available for preparation for assessment.
There is an in-person Weekend Seminar component of the course held at the Kelburn Campus on Sunday 25th February, attendance is required unless there are compelling reasons not to be there. It is also live streamed via Zoom.
Attendance at scheduled times is required for all teaching lectures.
If you are an international student and you are not in NZ, you will need to email the Course Coordinator to request permission to take this course.
This course develops an understanding of the place of ethics in clinical research, common ethical issues that arise, how to analyse these issues and find solutions. The role of ethics committees, appllications to ethics committees and Good Clinical Pracitce. An in-depth consideration of obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi with special regard to ethics and community based research. The development of an appropriate and inclusive apporach to clinical reserach with special populations.
The course will cover the following topics during the trimester:
Why ethics
Introduction to clinical ethics, history and principles
The New Zealand ethics application process
Māori consultation and engagement
Bi-cultural ethical considerations, the importance of consultation with Māori, Te Ara Tika
Ethical issues
Principles of beneficence, respect and justice, including informed consent, autonomy, security, privacy, conflicts of interest, serious adverse events, and research methodological challenges
‘Special’ populations
Including people with intellectual and other impairments, mental health issues, children and elderly people, prisoners, ethnic minorities, other potentially vulnerable groups
Course learning objectives
Students who pass this course will be able to:
Have a comprehensive understanding of the critical place of ethics and good ethical practice in clinical research.
Recognise the issues associated with ethical problems and find solutions to ethical problems in clinical research.
Have an in-depth understanding of issues around research in the context of disadvantaged or ‘vulnerable’ populations such as Māori, Pacific peoples, people with mental health conditions and people with physical and intellectual impairments, and children.
Describe the need and demonstrate how to undertake specific community based research inclusively.
Address issues related to the Treaty of Waitangi for a specific research project whether or not Māori are a focus of that research.
Explain the requirements of the Ministry of Health’s ethics application process.
Academic requirements
All students must apply to be accepted by the Programme Director.
Available offerings
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Required materials and equipment
Class representative
The class representative provides a useful way to communicate feedback to the teaching staff during the course. They also work with the VUWSA Education Office on any academic issues that arise in their course. Reps are elected by students by the third week of classes every trimester. Being a rep requires a weekly commitment.
The Use of Te Reo Māori for Assessment Policy
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington values te reo Māori. Students who wish to submit any of their assessments in te reo Māori must refer to The Use of Te Reo Māori for Assessment Policy - PDF 134kb
He mea nui te reo Māori ki Te Herenga Waka. Ki te pīrangi koe ki te tuhituhi i ō aro matawai i roto i te reo Māori, tēnā me mātua whakapā atu ki te kaupapa here, The Use of Te Reo Māori for Assessment Policy - PDF 134kb
Course additions and withdrawals
If you want to add or drop a course you need to make sure you follow the correct process.
Important information
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