BAXDC3004 Applied Ethics in Contemporary Societies
How we respond to ethical issues defines who we are as individuals and practitioners. It also determines the kinds of institutions and organisations in which we participate, and the kind of society in which we want to live. It is paramount that we understand the complexity of these issues if we are to engage the world responsibly. This unit, through an interrogation of values (personal/professional/social/political), explores how we engage the world as ethically responsible citizens and professional practitioners. The unit will begin with an introduction to major ethical theories, including utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics. We will then interrogate the role of values, principles, emotion, and reasoning in responding to some of the pressing practice issues and ethical questions of our day. In particular, we will focus on how we understand and justify our relations with other human beings, contemporary technologies, non-human animals, the environment, institutions, and organisations. The unit will draw upon real-world scenarios that engage students in complex cases of ethical decision-making.
Commonwealth supported place (CSP)
A CSP is subsidised by the Australian Government and students pay a contribution amount. Each unit is classified into a band, depending on the study area of the unit (this discipline may be different from the study area of your course).
2025 contribution amount* $2,124
2025 grandfathered contribution amount* $997
Grandfathered contribution amount - if you are a continuing student, who commenced your course before 1 January 2021, you will continue paying the same amount as you would have, had legislative reforms not been implemented, for any units that would otherwise have an increased student contribution amount.
* For Clinical Psychology & Professional Pathways bands the unit fee amount is determined by accredited courses. Students in Postgraduate Clinical Psychology, Professional Pathway Psychology or Professional Pathway Social Work accredited courses should refer to the information below.
