Module manager: Joshua Hobbs
Email: J.J.Hobbs@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semester 1 Nov to 31 Jan View Timetable
Year running 2025/26
This module is not approved as an Elective
This module is an introduction to professional ethics. It explores what constitutes a profession before asking questions such as: do professional roles imply moral standards, what is the purpose of professional codes of ethics, why is trust so important in professional relationships, and what is the nature of professional integrity? Various professional duties will be critically discussed, such as honesty, integrity, trust and confidentiality.
The aims of this module are to introduce you to some of the philosophical and ethical issues and arguments within professional ethics and the implications they have for professional conduct and society more generally, to give you a critical awareness of the roles professions may play in society, how they ought to be organised, and to develop your evaluative and argumentative skills so you can draw your own conclusions about the relationship between ethics and professional ethics.
The objectives will be fulfilled through:
- Independent online learning where you are introduced to core concepts, readings, and arguments and are encouraged to read texts critically and reflect on and analyse these arguments and concepts.
- Online discussion forums and synchronous webinars where you will have the opportunity to develop their own arguments on the topics and test these through critical reflection with other learners and academic staff.
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Critically evaluate key concepts in professional ethics.
2. Critically evaluate arguments in professional ethics concerning the nature of professional ethics, and its relationship to general ethics and professional responsibilities.
3. Construct insightful and sophisticated arguments in defence of your own view on issues in professional ethics.
Skills Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
4. Reflect on, empathise and engage with a diverse range of perspectives. (Academic, Sustainability and Work Ready skill)
5. Communicate ideas in a clear and scholarly manner. (Academic and Work Ready skill)
6. Apply research skills and specialist knowledge in new contexts. (Academic, Work Ready and Enterprise skill)
7. Identify ethical questions and use appropriate ethical frameworks when analysing issues arising in real-world contexts (Work Ready, Enterprise and Sustainability skill)
8. Effectively communicate, participate and collaborate in an online environment. (Academic, Digital, Sustainability and Work Ready skill)
The syllabus may vary annually. Possible topics include:
- What is a profession, what does it mean to be a professional, and what are the implications for professional ethics?
- The role of professional codes in ethics
- Trust and professional relationships
- Personal and professional integrity
- The problem of fragmentation (making a clear demarcation between one's professional life and one's personal life, having different ethical practices in each)
- Confidentiality
- Conflicts of interest
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| On-line Learning | 8 | 2 | 16 |
| WEBINAR | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Independent online learning hours | 33 | ||
| Private study hours | 100 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 17 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150 | ||
In addition to the formative feedback available to students in student hours and on the discussion forums throughout the module, each student is invited to complete ONE piece of formative work which will receive written feedback. Students are given a choice of: essay plan; exposition of an argument; objection and reply.
To ensure that students get the formative feedback that they need, they are asked to read and reflect on (i) the PRHS marking criteria and (ii) the specific guidance provided on the summative assessment in this module, and identify for themselves the form of formative feedback that will be most beneficial to them. This requires students to play an active role in honing their knowledge and skill development.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Coursework | Essay | 90 |
| Coursework | Contributions to online discussion | 10 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
The resit for the discussion contributions will be an essay demonstrating familiarity with a wide range of debates and will be descriptively as opposed to analytically focused.
The reading list is available from the Library website
Last updated: 14/02/2025
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team