Durham University
Programme and Module Handbook

Postgraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2024-2025

Module PHIL41515: Business Ethics

Department: Philosophy

PHIL41515: Business Ethics

Type Tied Level 4 Credits 15 Availability Available in 2024/2025 Module Cap
Tied to N2P109
Tied to N2P209
Tied to N2P609
Tied to N2P909
Tied to N2PA09
Tied to N5K609

Prerequisites

  • None

Corequisites

  • None

Excluded Combination of Modules

  • None

Aims

  • To introduce students to key philosophical questions in Business Ethics
  • To provide students with the tools to understand the links between philosophical theory and the practice and theory of business
  • To examine topics, debates and concepts at the heart of the field and thereby promote an advanced critical understanding of a wide range of concerns and discussions in Business Ethics
  • To provide students with the knowledge and skills required to research and write about a specific topic under the guidance of members of staff

Content

  • Topics may vary depending on staff expertise. A list of indicative topics is as follows:
  • Philosophical theories of business ethics
  • Corporate Social Responsibility
  • Ethical limits of markets
  • Ethics of pricing, marketing and employment
  • Human rights and business practice
  • Models of ethical decision making
  • The paradox of business ethics

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:
  • Students will be able to:
  • Understand the main challenges facing the notions of ethical leadership in a business context
  • Gain insight into the theories that may be able to shed light on and/or resolve some of these challenges
  • Apply ethical thinking and studies to real life cases and examples
  • Understand the background issues that shape the debate and influence current discussion in the field
  • Be able to draw parallels between different kinds of cases and examples by means of conceptual analysis and philosophical theory
  • Recognise the relevance of philosophical research to business theory and practice
Subject-specific Skills:
  • Students will be able to:
  • Identify key issues, questions and debates in business ethics
  • Draw analogies between these issues, questions and debates
  • Identify and make use of relevant literature
  • Identify a philosophical problem, formulate a philosophical position and employ critical skills to address the problem
  • Write an essay which answers a question in an appropriately focused manner, with a clear and concise discussion of the topic area and a structured argument
Key Skills:
  • Students will be able to:
  • Identify and locate research materials
  • Write in a clear and rigorous style
  • Manage their time efficiently
  • Pursue interdisciplinary research
  • Make a responsible decision about their chosen essay topic
  • Think clearly and independently in a variety of professional and commercial contexts

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Most of the teaching will take the form of seminars, which will consist of a mix of lecture and discussion. In the seminars, we will address questions that are central to the relevant field and apply ethical thinking to real life cases in business. Students will have the opportunity to ask questions and debate the topics outlined in the lecture, and will be encouraged to develop their own opinions and defend their own points of view with the help of philosophical concepts and distinctions. They will be guided through the material and have a chance to develop both their analytic and argumentative skills.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Activity Number Frequency Duration Total/Hours
Seminars 8 Epiphany 2 hours 16
Preparation and Reading 134
Total 150

Summative Assessment

Component: Summative Essay Component Weighting: 100%
Element Length / duration Element Weighting Resit Opportunity
Essay 3,000 words 100%

Formative Assessment:

Regular formative assessment


Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University