Certificate in Ethics, Justice and Law

About this programme

Planned outage: Beginning Nov. 1, you will not be able to access the USask admission application and event registration system for up to six days. Learn more . This program allows you to earn a certificate of proficiency, a qualification that recognizes a focus of philosophical study of values in moral, social and legal contexts. You will gain knowledge of ethical theories which have been influential in shaping our thinking about rights, citizenship, democracy, virtue and our obligations to others. You will develop rigorous, critical thinking about practical issues in ethics, justice and the law. You will explore the fundamentals of ethical theory and its application to contemporary issues and debates such as ethics in technology, scientific research and business, as well as ethical questions pertaining to sexuality, our relations with animals, and medical practice. An overview of ethical issues related to the impact of modern technology on society, on scientific research, on the activities of corporations and professionals, and how technology affects our understanding of ethical responsibility. Specific topics that may be considered include issues in biotechnology (including genetic engineering and genomic medicine), information technology (including data privacy and the use of encryption technologies), as well as related issues such as intellectual property rights and risk assessment. An examination of contemporary biomedical ethical issues such as the definition of a person, determination of life and death, euthanasia, abortion, prenatal diagnosis and intervention, p