Sessional Lecturer: PHL382H Ethics: Death and Dying

SESSIONAL LECTURER for Fall 2026 Term, at .5 FCE – CUPE 3902 Unit 3 

Course# & Course Title: PHL382H Ethics: Death and Dying

Course Description: 

This course is an intermediate-level study of ethical, social and legal issues of death and dying with a primary focus on human health, public health and healthcare systems. Key topics include: the definition and determination of death; ethical and ontological implications of new technologies; last chance therapies and ‘right to try’; withholding/ withdrawing of treatment; medical assistance in dying; advance care planning; palliative care; global health ethics; and the implications of artificial intelligence and climate change on death and dying. In this course, students will be exposed to a range of disciplinary perspectives to illuminate the practical and normative complexity of contemporary health policy and practice related to death and dying. Recent judicial decisions, regulatory guidance, and other policy directions will help to inform discussion of the evolving landscape of health policy and practice related to death and dying in Canada and beyond. An overarching theme of the course is the exploration of what comprises a ‘good death’ and why this question matters – to each of us as individuals and as a society.

Course Learning Objectives: 

• To explore philosophical, ethical and legal aspects of human death and dying
• To assess the role of health technologies in creating, mediating, and influencing ethical issues associated with death and dying
• To examine the ethical implications of broader existential concerns globally and locally on human death and dying
• To develop skills in ethical reasoning and analysis on course topics

Estimated course enrolment : 110                  

Estimated TA support : 160 hrs                                                                               

Schedule : Thursdays, 2-5pm                                                                                        

Sessional dates : September 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026                           

Salary :            $9,997.48 (Sessional Lecturer I)

$10,699.22 (Sessional Lecturer I Long Term)

$10,699.22 (Sessional Lecturer II)

$10,953.96 (Sessional Lecturer II Long Term)

$10,953.96 (Sessional Lecturer III)

$11,228.90 (Sessional Lecturer III Long Term)

(Salary inclusive of 4% or 6% vacation pay, where applicable)

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 : PhD in Philosophy, Bioethics or related field. Advanced knowledge of bioethics theory and its relationship to the course topics required. Experience teaching bioethics in a university setting required.

Preferred Qualifications: Experience with the study and application of bioethics theory to practical matters of health care, public health, and/or health policy. Familiarity with diverse disciplinary perspectives on course topics. Previous experience teaching bioethics to undergraduate arts and sciences students.

D escription of duties : All normal duties related to teaching of a university credit course, including developing and delivering course content; developing and administering assignments; supervising teaching assistants (graders); maintaining regular communication with students; managing the Quercus course page; and calculating and submitting course grades.

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 ) to :

c/o   Christine Lowe

Dalla Lana School of Public Health

University of Toronto

Email:  View email address on jobs.utoronto.ca

Closing Date: 08/07/2026, 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.