Sessional Lecturer: CHL3003H - Empirical Approaches in Bioethics

Date Posted: 06/27/2025
Req ID: 43974
Faculty/Division: Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Department: Dalla Lana School of Public Health
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

SESSIONAL LECTURER for Fall 2025 Term, at .25 FCE – CUPE 3902 Unit 3

Course# & Course Title: CHL3003H: Empirical Approaches in Bioethics

Course Description:

CHL 3003H is a required course in the first term of the Master of Health Sciences (MHSc) in Bioethics program. The MHSc in Bioethics is a two-year professional Master's degree program. Its students are early and mid-career professionals who work in healthcare, public health or other health-related settings. The MHSc in Bioethics has a hybrid program format with both in-person and online components. The in-person component is conducted during a Residency Week in September at the University of Toronto on the St. George Campus. The online component is conducted during six 2-hr synchronous online seminar sessions scheduled through the Fall Term.  

CHL 3003H explores key concepts and applications of empirical approaches in bioethics. The course aims to provide foundational skills to contribute to the empirical bioethics literature and produce educated consumers of empirical literature with the skills to assess and critique it from a methodological perspective. Students will be introduced to fundamental conceptual and methodological considerations in the empirical creation of bioethics knowledge, explore the relationships between descriptive empirical data and normative ethical reasoning, examine and assess a broad range of empirical methods employed in contemporary bioethics (including, but not limited to, quantitative methods such as randomized control trials and cross-sectional surveys and qualitative methods such as phenomenology and ethnography), and develop skills in the critical appraisal of empirical literature.

Course Learning Objectives: 

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

• Describe the relationship between descriptive empirical data and normative ethical reasoning
• Apply critical appraisal methods to analyze and critically examine the empirical bioethics literature from a methodological perspective
• Define, develop and justify research questions for the empirical study of bioethics issues
• Identify appropriate empirical methods to address bioethics research questions

Estimated course enrolment: 18                     

Estimated TA support: n/a                                                        

Schedule:

• In-Person: Residency Week - September 15-19 (8hrs TBD) 
• Online: Seminar Sessions – Tuesdays, 9-11am: September 9 & 30, October 21, November 4 & 18, December 2                                                                                                         

Sessional dates: September – December 2025

Salary:            $ 4,910.35 (Sessional Lecturer I)

$ 5,255.02 (Sessional Lecturer I Long Term)

                             $ 5,255.02(Sessional Lecturer II)

                             $ 5,380.14 (Sessional Lecturer II Long Term)

                             $ 5,380.14 (Sessional Lecturer III)

                             $ 5,515.18 (Sessional Lecturer III Long Term)

Please note that should rates stipulated in the Collective Agreement vary from rates stated in this posting, the rates stated in the collective agreement shall prevail.

Minimum Qualifications: LLB or JD and Graduate Degree in Bioethics, Health Policy or related field. Detailed knowledge of Canadian health law. Direct experience with applying Canadian health law to bioethical issues in health policy and practice. Experience teaching graduate courses.

Preferred Qualifications: Previous experience teaching registered health professionals preferred.

Description of duties: As well as normal teaching duties, the sessional lecturer work collaboratively with the course co-instructor to plan lectures and other learning activities, monitor student progress, and assess student assignments; lead small group discussions; maintain course Quercus page; attend MHSc faculty meetings; and communicate with the MHSc Program Director as necessary

Application process: 

All individuals interested in this position must submit a Curriculum Vitae, and the CUPE 3902 Unit 3 application form (PDF or RTF, also available at https://uoft.me/CUPE-3902-Unit-3-Application-Form) to:

c/o   Christine Lowe

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

University of Toronto

Email:  christine.lowe@utoronto.ca  

Closing Date: 07/18/2025, 11:59PM EDT
**

This job is posted in accordance with the CUPE 3902 Unit 3 Collective Agreement. 

It is understood that some announcements of vacancies are tentative, pending final course determinations and enrolment. Should rates stipulated in the collective agreement vary from rates stated in this posting, the rates stated in the collective agreement shall prevail.  

Preference in hiring is given to qualified individuals advanced to the rank of Sessional Lecturer II or Sessional Lecturer III in accordance with Article 14:12 of the CUPE 3902 Unit 3 collective agreement.

Please note: Undergraduate or graduate students and postdoctoral fellows of the University of Toronto are covered by the CUPE 3902 Unit 1 collective agreement rather than the Unit 3 collective agreement, and should not apply for positions posted under the Unit 3 collective agreement.