TRS6202 - Applied Ethics

Objectives:

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:
Critically evaluate ethical perspectives on a range of topics including business, sport, war, the environment and the punishment of criminals.
Apply ethical theories and perspectives to contemporary ethical issues in the world.
Evaluate scholarly approaches to a range of contemporary ethical issues and suggest alternatives.
Develop and present a scholarly oral presentation on a current ethical issue.
Construct a scholarly argument which may help society to deal with a particular contemporary ethical issue.

Content:

Building on TRS4202 and TRS5442, students will be encouraged to use their knowledge of ethical theories to assess global issues such as the relationship between the law and morality, whether there is a place for ethical values in business and sport and how offenders should be punished in order to ensure that society is protected from further harm and the offender is offered the opportunity to reform.

The module will apply various ethical theories to specific topics, such as the environment for instance, and enable students to critically evaluate scholarly approaches and present and defend their own position.

Material covered in TRS5202 will not be discussed as TRS5202 is a module that is focussed specifically on human sexuality and bioethical issues.

Students will also be offered the opportunity to negotiate their essay titles and presentation topics in line with the learning objectives of the module.

Possible topics may include:

- Business ethics;
- Environmental ethics;
- Sporting ethics;
- The punishment of criminals;
- The treatment/ethical status of animals;
- Surveillance in contemporary society;
- The ethics of torture and enhanced interrogation techniques;
- The ethics of military cyber operations;
- Topics negotiated by students.

Learning and Teaching Information:

The module will be taught in plenary sessions which will make use of a blend of teaching and learning methods. These will normally include: lecture-style presentations by the tutor or visiting lecturers; seminar-style discussion of a particular topic; prepared presentations by students, followed by discussion; other exercises as appropriate to material and group. The main pedagogical approach will be student-led enquiry. Guidance on reading in preparation for each session and activity will be given; and learning will be supported where appropriate by VLE and other electronic resources. Guidance on research and essay-writing will be embedded in the learning and teaching process throughout the module; and may also be supported by tutorial guidance on essay plans and feedback on submitted work.

Workshops/Seminars
Contact hours: 32
Intended Group size: 5-10

Guided independent study
Hours: 168

Further details relating to assessment
Please note that the presentation must be 'presented' in order to meet the learning objectives of the module.
Students may also negotiate their assessment topic with the lecturer.

Assessment:

001 Essay; 2,000 words; mid semester 50%
002 Presentation; 10 minutes; end of semester 50%

Fact File

Module Coordinator - Ann Marie Mealey
Level - 6
Credit Value - 20
Pre-Requisites - NONE
Semester(s) Offered - 6S2

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