Applied Ethics Thesis

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

340 hours each semester

Enrolment in MC-ARTPAE Master of Arts in Professional and Applied Ethics program

Bachelor of Arts or equivalent

For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

The thesis provides students with the opportunity to research, design and write an original thesis on a topic in applied ethics. Students will also acquire research skills and an understanding of the methods required for advanced research in philosophy.

Students who successfully project this subject should:

• have developed an understanding of the fundamentals of philosophical argumentation and theory;
• be able to demonstrate a substantial knowledge of one or more areas in the study of applied ethics;
• understand the theoretical sources of the key concepts in these areas of study;
• have developed research and analysis skills to enable further study in the area of applied ethics at a higher academic level;
• understand the application of these concepts to their professional field or study area;
• present theories and arguments concisely and critically.

• A thesis of 15,000 words on a topic to be approved by the course coordinator due at the end of the second semester of enrolment (100%)

Hurdle Requirements:

The following hurdle requirements must be met in order for students to be eligible to submit the final thesis:

1. Supervision: Regular supervisory meetings

2. Topic Proposal Form: To be submitted by the first week of the semester of thesis enrolment.

3. Progress Report: To be submitted half way through the thesis year.

4.Thesis Draft: A full draft of the thesis is to be submitted approximately 5 weeks prior to the final thesis submission date.

Appropriate texts will be determined in consultation with the thesis supervisor

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

Students who successfully project this subject should:

• understand and analyse complex ethical issues;
• detect ambiguity, vagueness, inconsistency, and other weaknesses in the expressions of ideas;
• distinguish different types of question, claim or argument, and respond to them appropriately;
• distinguish what is relevant to a given issue from what is not;
• see ways in which an argument or explanation could be improved.