Explore UCD

UCD Home >

MDCS40460

Academic Year 2025/2026

Ethics, Research Methods and Clinical Applications (MDCS40460)

Subject:
Medicine Clinical Science
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Medicine
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Dr Grainne Donohue
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

Jacques Lacan's Seminar The Ethics of Psychoanalysis is the central text for this module. Students encounter how psychoanalytic ethics differ from humanist ethics and why they resist codification. The applicatuion of psychoanalytic theory and practice to the following two will also be addressed
1) addiction, where the role of the administration of in diagnosis and treatment will be explored;
2) criminality, where the implications of Freud's concept of criminals being so from a sense of unconscious guilt will be assessed.
Consideration is given to implications for our understanding of science, clinical practice and clinical writing. In light of this there will be sessions on research and clinical writing appropriate to the psychoanalytic field to support the work of the Dissertation.
Other applications in field of gender studies and disability may also be covered.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate understanding of Lacan's teaching in his seminar on ethics including appreciation of his critique of Aristotelian ethics.
2. Demonstrate understanding of Lacan's reference to Sophocles' Antigone.
3. Demonstrate understanding of the application of psychoanalysis in fields of criminality, addiction and other relevant areas.
4. Understand and apply the implications of the discussion of science and research for properly psychoanalytic research where the unconscious is a fundamental concept.

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

10
Autonomous Student Learning

60
Lectures

32
Total

102

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
peer and group work; lectures; critical writing; reflective learning; in-class discussion case-based learning; student presentations

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Student must engage in their own personal psychoanalysis


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): Each student presents on a topic and submits a report subsequently Week 14 Graded Yes
50
 Yes
Assignment(Including Essay): Each student leads the reading on a topic and submits a report subsequently which is based on the leading of the reading Week 15 Graded Yes
50
 Yes

Carry forward of passed components
No
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students are invited to contact the Programme Leader following receipt of grades to learn from their work

Name Role
Mr Liam Barnard Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Grainne Donohue Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Miles Link Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Barry O'Donnell Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Hugh Cummins Tutor
Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.