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Ethical Theory and Practice (PHIL90004)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
For information about the University’s phased return to campus and in-person activity in Winter and Semester 2, please refer to the on-campus subjects page.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 1
Email: ccordner@unimelb.edu.au
Please refer to the LMS for up-to-date subject information, including assessment and participation requirements, for subjects being offered in 2020.
Overview
Availability | Semester 1 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject offers an introduction to philosophical ethics. Ethics spans the distance from intimately personal contexts and encounters, to the domains of social and political engagement and the forming and re-forming of public policy. Units in ‘applied ethics’ are usually fitted specifically to those latter contexts. This subject has a broader aim: to explore the important links across the gap between the many ethical concerns and issues of public and professional life, and the more personal and intimate dimensions of ethics.
While we will engage with some key philosophical figures in the history of ethics – including Plato, Aristotle, Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill and Peter Singer – no previous grounding in philosophical ethics will be assumed. The distinction between ethical theory and practice is not at all sharp. We will be moving continually between broader philosophical reflection on ethics, and reflection on particular ethical issues/aspects both of personal life, and also of social and professional activity, and public policy. In this way the subject aims to situate ethical dimensions of social, political and public policy activity in relation to the personal and interpersonal dimension of ethics.
Intended learning outcomes
Students who successfully complete this subject will:
- appreciate some of the main themes of philosophical thinking about ethics;
- have developed their capacity to think clearly, imaginatively and critically about these themes;
- appreciate the bearing of these themes on ethical thinking and practice both in their own personal life and in their professional life.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Due to the impact of COVID-19, assessment may differ from that published in the Handbook. Students are reminded to check the subject assessment requirements published in the subject outline on the LMS
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
An assignment research essay
| During the teaching period | 30% |
An essay
| End of semester | 70% |
Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 80% of classes in order to pass this subject. | Throughout the teaching period | N/A |
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Dates & times
- Semester 1
Principal coordinator Christopher Cordner Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 24 hours: 5 x 4 or 5 hour seminars held on Saturdays at regular intervals throughout the semester, Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 2 March 2020 to 7 June 2020 Last self-enrol date 13 March 2020 Census date 30 April 2020 Last date to withdraw without fail 5 June 2020 Assessment period ends 3 July 2020 Semester 1 contact information
Email: ccordner@unimelb.edu.au
Time commitment details
170 hours
Additional delivery details
This subject is for students admitted into the Master of Arts in Professional and Applied Ethics or MC-EMA Executive master of Arts or 344AB Master of Public Policy and Management or ANZSOG Executive Master of Public Administration or another Masters by Coursework programme at the University of Melbourne with coordinator approval.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
All required subject readings will be available online.
- Subject notes
This class meets on 5 Saturdays during semester, the exact dates to be determined in the first meeting.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Informal specialisation 100 Point Master of Arts (Professional and Applied Ethics) Informal specialisation 200 points Master of Arts (Professional and Applied Ethics) - Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
Subject coordinator approval required
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 3 November 2022