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MGMT20135 - Critical Thinking and Managerial Decision-Making

General Information

Unit Synopsis

This unit introduces the principles and practices of critical thinking and effective decision-making in contemporary business and organisational contexts. You will explore how reasoning, reflection, and evidence-based analysis underpin sound managerial judgment and problem-solving. The unit develops your ability to construct and evaluate arguments, apply decision-making frameworks, and critically assess the influence of cognitive biases and rational thinking on decision quality. You will examine the integration of digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), and data-driven insights in managerial decision making, and assess both the opportunities and limitations of these technologies. The unit also foregrounds ethical reasoning, cultural awareness, and Indigenous perspectives on decision making, encouraging inclusive and values-based approaches to complex business problems. By engaging in individual and group activities, you will strengthen your skills in analytical reasoning, persuasive communication, and collaborative problem solving. You will also reflect on emerging trends shaping the future of decision making, including cognitive computing and human–AI collaboration, to prepare for leadership in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.

Details

Level Postgraduate
Unit Level 8
Credit Points 6
Student Contribution Band SCA Band 4
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load 0.125
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites There are no pre-requisites for the unit.

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).

Class Timetable View Unit Timetable
Residential School No Residential School

Unit Availabilities from Term 2 - 2026

Term 2 - 2026 Profile
Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

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).

Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Postgraduate 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.

Assessment Tasks

This information will not be available until 8 weeks before term.
To see assessment details from an earlier availability, please search via a previous term.

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

Past Exams

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Previous Feedback

Term 1 - 2025 : The overall satisfaction for students in the last offering of this course was 25.00% (`Agree` and `Strongly Agree` responses), based on a 25% response rate.

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.

Source: SUTE student comments.
Feedback
Real-world examples and interactive classes are highly appreciated.
Recommendation
Retain the approach of providing extensive and contemporary case studies and examples, as well as the interactive learning experience.
Action Taken
The unit has continued to integrate real-world case studies and contemporary industry examples into lectures and tutorials to enhance relevance and engagement. Interactive learning approaches, such as class discussions, group problem-solving activities, and scenario-based exercises, have been maintained and expanded. Practical examples from current business contexts were also introduced where possible to strengthen the connection between theory and practice, ensuring students benefit from both applied learning and interactive classroom experiences.
Source: In Class
Feedback
Students demonstrated strong engagement with case studies but occasionally struggled to apply critical thinking frameworks consistently across different scenarios.
Recommendation
Provide a structured checklist or decision-making framework that students can use during exercises to build consistency and confidence in application.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: In Class
Feedback
Some students expressed difficulty linking theoretical models of decision-making with real-world managerial contexts.
Recommendation
Incorporate more industry-based examples, guest speakers, or short simulations to demonstrate how critical thinking frameworks are applied in practice.
Action Taken
In Progress
Source: In Class
Feedback
Written assessments revealed that students could identify issues well but occasionally lacked depth in evaluating alternative solutions.
Recommendation
Provide exemplars of high-quality responses and emphasize evaluation criteria during assessment briefings to strengthen analytical depth.
Action Taken
In Progress
Unit learning Outcomes
This information will not be available until 8 weeks before term.
To see Learning Outcomes from an earlier availability, please search via a previous term.