6 ECTS credits
150 h study time

Offer 2 with catalog number 4023299EEW for working students in the 2nd semester at a (E) Master - advanced level.

Semester
2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Possible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
NOTE: registration for this course is only possible for working students. Day students can register for courses whose code ends with an R. At Inschrijven / studentenadministratie@vub.be you must be registered at the VUB as a working student for the current academic year.
Taught in
English
Faculty
Faculty of Law and Criminology
Department
Metajuridica
Educational team
Paul Quinn (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
36 contact hours Lecture
100 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

Students will discover, undertsand and be to engage with the various legal and ethical issues that surround the phenomenon of human augmentation. The phenomena of human augmentation is not new, but it is one that is becoming of increasing importance with increased development of  biotechnology. This trend will only accelerate in the future as both the technological possibilities for augmentation and the societal willingness to accept them expand. Human Augmentation will become of notable importance in a range of sectors and activities.

Course material
Digital course material (Recommended) :
Additional info

A proficent level of writen and spoken English is required to engage with course corrrectly.

The backbone of this will be 10 lectures (hoorcolleges). Lectures I & II will available online for all participant in the EUTOPIA programme. This will allow other students (who are not involved in the course directly to participate). Innovative teaching methods will be used based on a blended learning approach. All lectures will be recorded and available for later access in order to aid students with revision purposes. Each will be 3 hours long and will tackle specific areas. Students will recieve recomended reading material and be encoraged to discuss this during lecutures.

Group Work 

In this session students will be split into smaller more manageable groups and given a collective exercise that requires the analysis of the application of the law to a practical case of innovation in human augmentation which will be their written assignment. It will  be of a multi-disciplinary character. In week 5 the students will recieve their written assignment, and be placed into groups.  In week 10 the students will submit their group work for review.

 

 

Learning Outcomes

Algemene comptetenties

Students will be to apply the knowlege they have developed surrounding relevant legal practices to potential example of future augmenation.

Students will be able to identify which legal frameworks are relevant for a particular instance of augmentation and will be able to outline what the implications will be.

Students will be able to identify key ethical and societal issues with regards to various forms of enhancement and be able to give a reasoned opinion on the issue.

Students will also learn how to work in a group in a focused and interdisciplinary manner. They will demonstrate this through their group work which will involve writing a legal opinion on the use of augmentation techniques in the future.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Oral Exam determines 40% of the final mark.
SELF Teamwork determines 10% of the final mark.
SELF Presentation determines 10% of the final mark.
SELF Paper determines 40% of the final mark.

Within the Oral Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Examen Mondeling with a relative weight of 40 which comprises 40% of the final mark.

Within the SELF Teamwork category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • ZELF Groepswerk with a relative weight of 10 which comprises 10% of the final mark.

Within the SELF Presentation category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • ZELF Presentatie with a relative weight of 10 which comprises 10% of the final mark.

Within the SELF Paper category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • ZELF Paper with a relative weight of 40 which comprises 40% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

Examination Structure: 

50% Group Work (Written paper)

50% Oral exam on the course material

Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Master of Laws: Civil and Procedural Law (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Laws: Criminology (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Laws: Economic Law (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Laws: Tax Law (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Laws: International and European Law (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Laws: Public Law (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Laws: Social Law (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Laws: Criminal Law (only offered in Dutch)
Master of Laws: Law and Technology (only offered in Dutch)