BIO426 Bioethics
Syllabus | International University of Sarajevo - Last Update on Mar 03, 2026
Syllabus Quick Jump
Search and navigate to any syllabus instantly
Genetics and Bioengineering
Course Objectives
To provide students with an understanding of the relationship between health-care providers and their patients; To learn the significance of having the choice of medical intervention for the individual patient; To develop an understanding of the choice of public health interventions; To provide a reasonably broad perspective of the evaluation of effects of health-care interventions; To identify a broad perspective of the collaboration between teams engaged in health care activities; To increase student’s awareness and recognition of bioethics.
Learning Outcomes
After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to:
Course Materials
Required Textbook
BIOETHICS CORE CURRICULUM, UNESCO 2008, 2011; Global Bioethics: What for?, Published in 2015 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France © UNESCO 2015.
Additional Literature
Teaching Methods
Lectures
Case studies
Class discussions
Active tutorial sessions with problems solving and team assigments
Guest Speakers
Weekly Topics
| Week | Topic | Readings / References |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to Bioethics | Textbook, Unit #1 & 2 |
| 2 | Ethical, legal, and social issues in genetics, medicine, health care and life sciences | Selected material |
| 3 | The Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights - Human dignity and human rights | Unit #3 |
| 4 | Solidarity and cooperation | Unit #13 |
| 5 | Benefit and harm; Application of bioethics, including well-being, justice, and autonomy | Unit #4 and # 15 |
| 6 | Autonomy and individual responsibility; e.g. genetic editing and enhancement | Unit #5 |
| 7 | Respect for human vulnerability and personal integrity | Unit #8 |
| 8 | MIDTERM EXAM | |
| 9 | Informative consent | Unit # 6 and #7 |
| 10 | Privacy and confidentiality | Unit # 9 |
| 11 | Equality, justice and equity | Unit # 10 |
| 12 | Non-discrimination and non-stigmatization | Unit # 11 |
| 13 | Respect for cultural diversity and pluralism | Unit #12 |
| 14 | Protection of the environment, the biosphere and biodiversity | Unit # 16 and #17 |
| 15 | Final review and discussion |
Course Schedule (All Sections)
Office Hours & Room
Assessment Methods and Criteria
Assessment Components
Final Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3
Midterm Exam
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3
Presentation
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Case study/Homeworks
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 1 2 3 4 5
Professional Development
AI: Not AllowedAlignment with Learning Outcomes : 4 5
IUS Grading System
| Grading Scale | IUS Grading System | IUS Coeff. | Letter (B&H) | Numerical (B&H) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 - 44 | F | 0 | F | 5 |
| 45 - 54 | E | 1 | ||
| 55 - 64 | C | 2 | E | 6 |
| 65 - 69 | C+ | 2.3 | D | 7 |
| 70 -74 | B- | 2.7 | ||
| 75 - 79 | B | 3 | C | 8 |
| 80 - 84 | B+ | 3.3 | ||
| 85 - 94 | A- | 3.7 | B | 9 |
| 95 - 100 | A | 4 | A | 10 |
Late Work Policy
Information about late submission policies will be shared during class and posted in this section. Please check back for official guidelines.
ECTS Credit Calculation
📚 Student Workload
This 6 ECTS credit course corresponds to 150 hours of total student workload, distributed as follows:
Lecture hours
42 hours ⏳ (14 week × 3 h)
Assignments
6 hours ⏳ (2 week × 3 h)
Active tutorials
14 hours ⏳ (14 week × 1 h)
Home study
28 hours ⏳ (14 week × 2 h)
150 Total Workload Hours
6 ECTS Credits
Course Policies
Academic Integrity
All work submitted must be your own. Plagiarism, cheating, or any form of academic dishonesty will result in disciplinary action according to university policies. When in doubt about citation practices, consult the instructor.
Attendance Policy
Students are expected to adhere to the attendance requirements as outlined in the International University of Sarajevo Study Rules and Regulations. Excessive absences, whether excused or unexcused, may impact academic performance and eligibility for assessment. Mandatory sessions (e.g., labs, workshops) require attendance unless formally exempted. For detailed policies on absences, documentation, and penalties, please refer to the official university regulations.
Technology & AI Policy
Laptops/tablets may be used for note-taking only during lectures. Phones should be silenced and put away during all class sessions. Audio/video recording requires prior permission from the instructor.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) Usage: The use of AI tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini) varies by assessment component. Please refer to the AI usage indicator next to each assessment item in the Assessment Methods and Criteria section above. Submitting AI-generated content as your own work, where AI is not explicitly allowed, constitutes an academic integrity violation.
Communication Policy
All course-related communication should occur through official university channels (institutional email or SIS). Emails should include [BIO426] in the subject line.
Academic Quality Assurance Policy
Course Academic Quality Assurance is achieved through Semester Student Survey. At the end of each academic year, the institution of higher education is obliged to evaluate work of the academic staff, or the success of realization of the curricula.
Learning Tips
Be prepared to contribute thoughtfully during class discussions, labs, or collaborative work. Active participation deepens understanding and encourages critical thinking.
Complete assigned readings or prep materials before class. Take notes, highlight key ideas, and jot down questions. Aim to grasp core concepts and their applications—not just facts.
Use course frameworks or methodologies to analyze problems, case studies, or projects. Begin early to allow time for reflection and refinement. Seek feedback to improve your work.
Don’t hesitate to reach out when something is unclear. Use office hours, discussion boards, or peer networks to clarify concepts and stay on track.
Syllabus Last Updated on Mar 03, 2026 | International University of Sarajevo
Print Syllabus
Referencing Curricula Print this page
| Course Code | Course Title | Weekly Hours* | ECTS | Weekly Class Schedule | ||||||
| T | P | |||||||||
| BIO426 | Bioethics | 3 | 1 | 6 | ||||||
| Prerequisite | Junior Standing | It is a prerequisite to | - | |||||||
| Lecturer | Office Hours / Room / Phone | Currently not available |
||||||||
| Assistant | Assistant E-mail | |||||||||
| Course Objectives | To provide students with an understanding of the relationship between health-care providers and their patients; To learn the significance of having the choice of medical intervention for the individual patient; To develop an understanding of the choice of public health interventions; To provide a reasonably broad perspective of the evaluation of effects of health-care interventions; To identify a broad perspective of the collaboration between teams engaged in health care activities; To increase student’s awareness and recognition of bioethics. | |||||||||
| Textbook | BIOETHICS CORE CURRICULUM, UNESCO 2008, 2011; Global Bioethics: What for?, Published in 2015 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France © UNESCO 2015. | |||||||||
| Additional Literature | ||||||||||
| Learning Outcomes | After successful completion of the course, the student will be able to: | |||||||||
|
||||||||||
| Teaching Methods | Lectures, Case studies, Class discussions, Active tutorial sessions with problems solving and team assigments, Guest Speakers | |||||||||
| Teaching Method Delivery | Teaching Method Delivery Notes | |||||||||
| WEEK | TOPIC | REFERENCE | ||||||||
| Week 1 | Introduction to Bioethics | Textbook, Unit #1 & 2 | ||||||||
| Week 2 | Ethical, legal, and social issues in genetics, medicine, health care and life sciences | Selected material | ||||||||
| Week 3 | The Universal Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights - Human dignity and human rights | Unit #3 | ||||||||
| Week 4 | Solidarity and cooperation | Unit #13 | ||||||||
| Week 5 | Benefit and harm; Application of bioethics, including well-being, justice, and autonomy | Unit #4 and # 15 | ||||||||
| Week 6 | Autonomy and individual responsibility; e.g. genetic editing and enhancement | Unit #5 | ||||||||
| Week 7 | Respect for human vulnerability and personal integrity | Unit #8 | ||||||||
| Week 8 | MIDTERM EXAM | |||||||||
| Week 9 | Informative consent | Unit # 6 and #7 | ||||||||
| Week 10 | Privacy and confidentiality | Unit # 9 | ||||||||
| Week 11 | Equality, justice and equity | Unit # 10 | ||||||||
| Week 12 | Non-discrimination and non-stigmatization | Unit # 11 | ||||||||
| Week 13 | Respect for cultural diversity and pluralism | Unit #12 | ||||||||
| Week 14 | Protection of the environment, the biosphere and biodiversity | Unit # 16 and #17 | ||||||||
| Week 15 | Final review and discussion | |||||||||
| Assessment Methods and Criteria | Evaluation Tool | Quantity | Weight | Alignment with LOs | AI Usage |
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 | 1, 2, 3 | Not Allowed | |
| Semester Evaluation Components | |||||
| Midterm Exam | 1 | 50 | 1, 2, 3 | Not Allowed | |
| Presentation | 1 | 15 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | Not Allowed | |
| Case study/Homeworks | 1 | 10 | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 | Not Allowed | |
| Professional Development | 10 | 4, 5 | Not Allowed | ||
| *** ECTS Credit Calculation *** | |||||
| Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | Activity | Hours | Weeks | Student Workload Hours | |||
| Lecture hours | 3 | 14 | 42 | Assignments | 3 | 2 | 6 | |||
| Active tutorials | 1 | 14 | 14 | Home study | 2 | 14 | 28 | |||
| Midterm exam study | 12 | Final exam study | 15 | |||||||
| Homework | 6 | |||||||||
| Total Workload Hours = | 90 | |||||||||
| *T= Teaching, P= Practice | ECTS Credit = | 6 | ||||||||
| Course Academic Quality Assurance: Semester Student Survey | Last Update Date: 27/03/2026 | |||||||||