HBS300 - Ethics: Frameworks and Decisions
Unit details
| Year | 2025 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 3: Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 3: Bridget Hoban |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | Online independent and collaborative learning activities, including a minimum of 10 scheduled online seminars across the trimester |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site. |
Content
The unit proceeds from the perspective that all decisions and actions in the health sector are impacted on by many frameworks. For example, ethics, legislation, personal needs organisational missions, and social context. The unit commences with discussions of complex decisions within different work settings, which often have ethical and legal elements in them. For example, conflict of duties and interest, duty to client, duty to colleagues, duty to disclose unprofessional conduct of colleagues.
Students will be introduced to different types of ethical approaches, with a view to providing a framework for exploring ethical issues. The relationship between personal and professional ethics will be examined and discussed in conjunction with professional accountability and practitioner autonomy. Throughout the unit students will be encouraged to critically reflect upon their own personal and discipline-related value systems and the value systems of the organisations with which they have frequent and significant contact. The unit concludes with an examination of strategies for ethical decision making in health services and the student's creation of a coherent ethical and values-based framework for their own use as a person with integrity operating in varied health roles.
Learning Outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Explain the role of the law and ethics in human services. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Demonstrate a coherent personal ethical and values based approach. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO3 | Identify the dominant frameworks shaping the decisions and actions of individuals and organisations/groups. | GLO4: Critical thinking |
| ULO4 | Critically evaluate the interrelated nature of the ethical frameworks that surround complex decision making. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO5 | Demonstrate critical reasoning in decision making through problem synthesis; the generation of hypotheses; critical appraisal of information and data analysis. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO6 | Utilise regular reflection as a strategy to engage in ongoing self-appraisal for professional development and growth. | GLO3: Digital literacy |
Assessment
| Assessment description | Student output | Grading and weighting | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Online group discussion | Approximately 200 words per online discussion | 20% |
|
| Assessment 2: Personal values identification | Individual reflection: 800 words | 20% |
|
| Assessment 3: Reflection on group decisions | Individual reflection: 800 words | 20% |
|
| Assessment 4: News article | Discussion article: 1600 words | 40% |
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The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for HBS300 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.