ATS3445 Communications ethics, policy and law
Faculty of Arts
ATS3445 Communications ethics, policy and law is a level 3, 6-credit-point, undergraduate unit from the Faculty of Arts, offered in 2023 in Semester 2 at Caulfield and Clayton. It has no prerequisites.
- Credit points
- 6
- Offered in 2023
- Semester 2
- Caulfield, Clayton
- Assessment
- No exam
- 4 tasks
- Workload
- 144 hours
- per semester
This is the 2023 handbook entry. See the 2025 entry.
Reviews
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Requisites
Before ATS3445
No prerequisites or corequisites besides the enrolment rules below.
After ATS3445
No unit lists ATS3445 as a prerequisite in the 2023 handbook.
Enrolment rules
Prerequisite: Twelve credit points of second-year Arts units.
Prohibition: ATS2445
Overview
Fake news, conspiracies, trolling and hate speech are some of the many issues that pose significant challenges for contemporary societies. This unit explores our ethical responsibilities for communication, the role of platforms in moderation, and the principles liberal democracies use to limit freedom of expression. Next, we challenge the assumptions that underpin freedom of expression as a consensual political value. In doing so, we explore the key arguments in the historical development of 'freedom of expression' as a concept and consider whether these ideas are still fit for purpose in the internet age.
Offerings in 2023
| Teaching period | Campus | Mode |
|---|---|---|
| Second semester | Caulfield | On campus |
| Second semester | Clayton | On campus |
Assessment
- Participation15%
- Other5%
- Presentation25%
- Essay55%
Learning outcomes
When you finish this unit, you should be able to:
- 1
Demonstrate an understanding of the main ideas informing policy and media debates about communication
- 2
Critically assess the arguments that justify freedom of expression, and the reasons this freedom may be limited
- 3
Understand basic moral frameworks and identify moral issues
- 4
Articulate a coherent position about a current issue relating to freedom of expression
- 5
Explain their ideas and justify their conclusions in oral and written contexts.
Workload and teaching
- Lectures12 hours
- Tutorials24 hours
- Teaching approachActive learning
- Teaching approachProblem-based learning
Minimum total expected workload to achieve the learning outcomes for this unit is 144 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.
This unit engages students in actively applying their knowledge, skills and attributes in interactive, collaborative and reflective activities.
This unit includes problem-based learning approaches, where students engage in research, integrate theory and practice and apply knowledge and skills to develop viable solutions in response to a problem or set of problems.
Where it fits
ATS3445 is part of 6 areas of study in the 2023 handbook.
- COMMUNIC05Level 2 and 3 elective unitsCommunications and media studiesNo reviews yet
- COMMUNIC06Level 2 and 3 elective unitsCommunications and media studiesNo reviews yet
- MEDIA02Media elective listMediaNo reviews yet
- POLITICS02Level 2 and 3 elective unitsPoliticsNo reviews yet
- POLITICS03Level 2 and 3 elective unitsPoliticsNo reviews yet
- PUBLREL01Public relations elective unitsPublic relationsNo reviews yet
Contacts
- Unit Coordinators
- Dr Elizabeth Coleman
- Chief Examiners
- Dr Elizabeth Coleman
Common questions
What are the prerequisites for ATS3445?
ATS3445 has no prerequisites, but enrolment rules apply.
When is ATS3445 offered?
In 2023, ATS3445 runs in Semester 2 at Caulfield and Clayton.
How much work is ATS3445?
The handbook expects about 144 hours of study across the semester. No students have rated its difficulty yet.
Does ATS3445 have an exam?
No. ATS3445 has 4 assessment tasks and no exam.
Which majors and minors include ATS3445?
ATS3445 is part of Communications and media studies; Media; Politics; and Public relations.