APG5393 Ethical theory
Faculty of Arts
APG5393 Ethical theory is a level 5, 12-credit-point, postgraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2025 in Semester 1 at Clayton. It has no prerequisites and unlocks 1 unit.
- Credit points
- 12
- Offered in 2025
- Semester 1
- Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 3 tasks
- Workload
- 288 hours
- per semester
This is the 2025 handbook entry. See the 2027 entry.
Reviews
No reviews yetNo reviews yet. Be the first to review APG5393.
Requisites
Before APG5393
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After APG5393
1 unit list APG5393 as a prerequisite or corequisite.
Enrolment rules
Prohibition: APR5393, APG4393
Overview
In this unit, you will explore the key elements of ethical theory, as a foundation for your studies in bioethics. You will consider several key perspectives in normative ethics, including Utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, and Virtue Ethics, and examine several key problems for each of these approaches. You will also examine recent critiques of a reliance on moral principles in bioethics, along with debates about the relations between morality and meaningfulness in life.
Offerings in 2025
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| First semester | Clayton | Online |
| First semester | Clayton | Flexible |
Assessment
- ParticipationExercise30%
- EssayWritten30%
- EssayWritten40%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Critically evaluate issues in bioethics, drawing on a solid theoretical framework;
- 2
Recognise, analyse, and evaluate ethical arguments;
- 3
Critically analyse assumptions underlying debates in bioethics and applied ethics;
- 4
Form your own views about these theories based on the relative merits of key ethical theories.
Workload and teaching
- Tutorials28 hours
- Lectures12 hours
- Teaching approachEnquiry-based learning
- Teaching approachActive learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 288 hours per semester typically comprising a mixture of scheduled learning activities and independent study. Scheduled activities may include a combination of teacher directed learning, peer directed learning and online engagement.
The APG5393 Ethical Theory moodle site includes weekly readings and notes which guide you through your learning for this unit. The weekly notes (pdfs) provide explanations of the topics, theories, and concepts for each week, guiding you through the readings, and presenting you with activities to help you engage with these resources and issues.
APG5393 Ethical Theory is taught using approaches including active learning and enquiry-based learning in online seminar discussions. APG5393 uses teaching materials and online activities to facilitate your understanding of ethical theories and concepts, to help you to recognise, analyse, and evaluate ethical arguments, and to help you to develop your own views about the relative merits of different ethical theories and approaches.
Contacts
- Chief Examiners
- Professor Justin Oakley
- Unit Coordinators
- Professor Justin Oakley
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for APG5393?
APG5393 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
What can I take after APG5393?
APG5393 is a prerequisite or corequisite for 1 unit, including APG5051.
When is APG5393 offered?
In 2025, APG5393 runs in Semester 1 at Clayton, with an online option.
How much work is APG5393?
The handbook expects about 288 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does APG5393 have an exam?
No. APG5393 has 3 assessment tasks and no exam.