Overview
This unit introduces key ethical theories and principles and examines their relationship to the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Code of Ethics, analysing how they inform ethical, socially just, and relational social work practice. Emphasis is placed on working respectfully and responsively with individuals, families, and communities, valuing lived experience, promoting human rights, and challenging structural inequalities that affect people's lives. Students will apply ethical decision-making frameworks to different practice contexts and identify the individual, social, cultural, structural and professional factors that require consideration when forming an ethical response. In examining the appropriate use of self in professional practice, students will analyse how personal and professional values, power relations and broader social and cultural forces influence decision-making and ways of working with people. The unit develops skills in critical reflection, reflexivity and self-care to support an ethical and sustainable professional practice. The unit also examines ethical issues across culturally diverse contexts, supporting the development of culturally responsive, ethically informed practice responses grounded in principles of social justice.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Successful completion of 48 credit points in any course.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 2 - 2026
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from Student evaluation
The amount of reading was overwhelming.
Reduce weekly readings and reiterate to students how to utilise study modules and prescribed and supplementary readings in completing assessment tasks.
Feedback from Student evaluation
The Indigenous and Cross Cultural Issues study module needs to be introduced earlier in the term.
Social workers' ethical responsibilities to culturally safe and inclusive practice are integrated throughout the study modules, and key ethical concepts related to this specific study module are not introduced until later in the term. However, the first two study modules will incorporate a further emphasis on social workers' ethical responsibility to culturally safe and responsive practice.
- Critically analyse and apply key ethical theories and principles, evaluating their alignment with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Code of Ethics, and relevance to professional identity and ethical practice in contemporary practice contexts
- Critically analyse and respond to ethical dilemmas commonly encountered in diverse social work practice settings by applying ethical decision-making frameworks and exercising professional judgment informed by individual, social, cultural, structural, and professional considerations
- Evaluate how personal and professional value systems, power relations, and broader social, cultural and structural forces influence ethical decision-making and relational ways of working with individuals, families and communities
- Demonstrate the ethical and appropriate use of self in professional social work practice by engaging in critical reflection, reflexivity, and self-care strategies to develop awareness of cultural positioning, power, and diversity, for culturally responsive, socially just, and ethically informed accountable practice.
The revised learning outcomes align with the ASWEAS (2024) in the following ways.
Learning Outcome 1:
Required Curriculum Content
Ethics and Values – Ethical theories, principles and the AASW Code of Ethics
Professional Identity – Ethics as foundational to professional social work identity
Graduate Attributes
- Ethical and professional behaviour
- Knowledge and application of the AASW Code of Ethics
- Professional identity and accountability
Learning Outcome 2:
Required Curriculum Content
- Ethical Decision‑Making – Identification, analysis and resolution of ethical dilemmas
- Ethics and Values – Application of ethical frameworks in practice
Graduate Attributes
- Critical thinking and professional judgement
- Ability to manage ethical complexity in diverse practice contexts
- Accountability in ethical decision‑making
Learning Outcome 3:
Required Curriculum Content
- Values, Power and Ethics – Influence of values and power in ethical practice
- Culture, Identity and Intersectionality – Social, cultural and structural influences on practice
Graduate Attributes
- Reflexive and self‑aware practice
- Culturally responsive and power‑aware practice
- Ethical practice grounded in social justice
Learning Outcome 4:
Required Curriculum Content
- Ethics and Values – Ethical use of self and professional accountability
- Critical Reflection and Reflexivity – Ongoing reflexive examination of self in practice
- Culture, Identity and Intersectionality – Awareness of cultural positioning, power and diversity in professional relationships
Graduate Attributes
- Ethical and professional behaviour
- Reflexive and self‑aware practice
- Culturally responsive practice across diverse contexts
- Professional sustainability and accountability
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Group Discussion - 50% | ||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 50% | ||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
| 1 - Communication | ||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | ||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | ||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | ||||
| 5 - Team Work | ||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | ||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | ||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | ||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | ||||
| 10 - First Nations Knowledges | ||||
| 11 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | ||||