Course coordinator
Dr Suzanne Bonner
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 2, 2025 (28/07/2025 - 22/11/2025)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Economics School
Economics focuses on finding the best ways of using scarce resources, but what is 'best' for serving an individual's self-interest may not be 'right' in terms of the greater good. For policymakers who are expected to act in the interest of the wider population, what does it mean to say that 'society' is 'better off'? Changes in policy result in winners and losers, which raises questions of equity and fairness. This course examines the past, present and potential future relationships between ethics and economics, and questions the ethical side of choices made by individuals or groups. This includes what (not) to teach in economics and how this may influence the ethical outlook of social scientists.
Important note: In ECON3460 Ethics in Economics, maintaining a respectful and productive discourse is paramount. We encourage diverse viewpoints and open dialogue, recognizing that ethical considerations in economics can often be complex and contentious. To foster a positive learning environment, students are expected to engage with each other respectfully, listen actively, and contribute thoughtfully to discussions.
Adherence to the Student Code of Conduct is mandatory. This includes upholding academic integrity, avoiding any form of harassment or discrimination, and respecting the ideas and opinions of peers and instructors.
Course requirements
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
ECON1010 or 1011 or 2011
Course contact
School enquiries
Student Enquiries, School of Economics
All enquiries regarding student and academic administration (i.e. non-course content information, e.g., class allocation, timetables, extension to assessment due date, etc.) should be directed to enquiries@economics.uq.edu.au.
Enquiries relating specifically to course content should be directed to the Course Coordinator/Lecturer.
Course staff
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
There is a single workshop for this course. Assessment is required to be submitted in some classes. Students are expected to take this into account when planning their semester activities.
Week 1 attendance is essential as students will need to choose their group and topic for assessment.
Note that Workshop Recordings may be of limited use to students for anything other than review purposes. The viewing of recordings will not be a sufficient substitute for attendance and engagement with the materials from the course.
Please see the Learning Activities section of this Course Profile for the timetabling implications of public holidays.
Important Dates:
- Public Holidays: Wed 13 August (Royal Queensland Show Holiday), Mon 6 October (King’s Birthday public holiday).
- Mid-Semester Break: 29 September – 3 October. Semester 2 classes recommence on Tue 7 October.
Students should refer to the timetable prior to the commencement of classes to ensure that they have the most up to date information, as from time-to-time late room changes may occur.
Aims and outcomes
This course examines the relationship between ethics and economics. By completing this course, students will be able to integrate moral philosophy with economic theory and practice.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Identify value judgements and ethical judgements inherent in economic theory and policy.
LO2.
Examine how ethical thinking and ethical decision-making can be applied in economic and social context.
LO3.
Apply ethical frameworks to decision-making in economic, social, and political contexts to address real world problems.
LO4.
Critically reflect on ethical responsibilities of economists in academic and policy debates.
LO5.
Communicate and defend ethical arguments in addressing economic and social problems.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Presentation |
Persuasive Presentation (Group)
|
30% |
During Allocated Week (determined in week 1 workshop). The class schedule will be made available as a link on the BB website. |
| Essay/ Critique, Reflection |
Online Reflective Disputation
|
40% |
22/08/2025 3:00 pm 19/09/2025 3:00 pm 24/10/2025 3:00 pm |
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation |
Policy Brief
|
30% |
31/10/2025 3:00 pm |
Assessment details
Persuasive Presentation (Group)
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
During Allocated Week (determined in week 1 workshop). The class schedule will be made available as a link on the BB website.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
Students are required to complete a group presentation during the semester. Working in groups, students are required to present a persuasive perspective on an ethical issue related to economics and public policy. These issues will be on the topics covered in weeks 3 to 11/12. Students will elect a group and a topic in Week 1. Groups are of 3 - 4 students. The topics aligned with the weekly learning topics and a list will be made available in the first workshop (week 1). Any student who does not sign up in Week 1 will be allocated a group and topic at the start of week 2.
- Students must present in the week in which they sign up - no exceptions.
- You must be ready to present at your scheduled time. Late starts will not be accommodated.
- As this represents the secure assessment for this course - students cannot have any electronic device on them during the presentation (this includes mobile phones and iPads).
- Presentations will be completed using only the Lecture Room Computer. No personal computers or devices can be used to drive the PowerPoint. Students should bring a USB device to upload their presentation to the University Computer.
- Students must show their ID to teaching staff for verification before presenting.
- Presentations will be recorded on the lecture recordings.
Presentations are limited to 12 - 15 minutes per group. You will be asked questions in relation to the material and views presented. These questions will contribute to your mark. Each student must present for a minimum of 3 minutes as part of the assessment task. Slides must be submitted prior to your presentation online to TurnItIn to check for plagiarism. No more than 12 slides can be presented, with no more than 600 words total (excluding references).
A peer assessment may be used to re-weight this assessment item at the discretion of the course coordinator.
Further details will be provided on Blackboard.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
Submission guidelines
Presentations will be completed in the workshop times scheduled.
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
As this assessment is a group assessment, no extensions are available. If a student does not present with their group on the allocated date, they receive a zero (0). Alternative assessment will be available if required and supported with appropriate evidence.
Late submission
You will receive a mark of 0 if this assessment is submitted late.
Online Reflective Disputation
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique, Reflection
- Weight
- 40%
- Due date
22/08/2025 3:00 pm
19/09/2025 3:00 pm
24/10/2025 3:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L03, L04, L05
Task description
Students will be required to write a reflective disputation. The disputation will require students to reflect either on the course content of prior weeks or a presentation provided by other students.
There will be three reflective disputations submitted online. The breakdown of marks is outlined below.
Online Reflective Disputation 1 = 10%
Online Reflective Disputation 2 = 15%
Online Reflective Disputation 3 = 15%
Further details will be provided on Blackboard.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
Submission guidelines
Submitted online. See Blackboard for detail
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Extensions are limited to 14 calendar days to ensure timely feedback to other students.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Policy Brief
- Online
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Paper/ Report/ Annotation
- Weight
- 30%
- Due date
31/10/2025 3:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03, L04, L05
Task description
As part of the policy brief, students are expected to conduct through research on the selected policy issue, analyse the economic aspects of the policy issue and apply an ethical lens to evaluate the policy dilemma. A list of policy topics will be provided.
There is an expectation that a student will complete sufficient research on the selected topic, including historical context and current challenges. Data should be collected to support analysis and arguments. Economic analysis is required as well as the application of ethical frameworks to the issue selected.
- The text component of the brief is limited to 2 pages.
- Font required is 12pt Times New Roman.
- Normal margins required - (2.54cm top, bottom and sides)
Please See Blackboard for specific question, details, and criteria. Submit via Turnitin via Blackboard.
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.
A failure to reference generative AI use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI tools.
Submission guidelines
Submitted online. See Blackboard for detail
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Extensions are limited to 14 calendar days to ensure timely feedback to other students.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0% - 29% |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 2 (Fail) | 30% - 46% |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47% - 49% |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes |
| 4 (Pass) | 50% - 64% |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65% - 74% |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75% - 84% |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85% - 100% |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. |
Additional course grading information
A student’s final overall end of semester percentage mark will be rounded to determine their final grade. For example, 64.5% rounds to 65%, while 64.4% rounds to 64%.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
Using AI at UQ
Visit the AI Student Hub for essential information on understanding and using Artificial Intelligence in your studies responsibly.
Plagiarism
The School of Economics is committed to reducing the incidence of plagiarism. You are encouraged to read the UQ Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy available in the Policies and Procedures section of this course profile.
The Academic Integrity Module (AIM) outlines your obligations and responsibilities as a UQ student. It is compulsory for all new to UQ students to complete the AIM.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Additional learning resources information
Course materials are available online for this course. Please refer to the library reading list and the Blackboard website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Week 1 (28 Jul - 03 Aug) |
Workshop |
Introduction to Ethics and Primer in Welfare Economics Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L05 |
Week 2 (04 Aug - 10 Aug) |
Workshop |
Happiness and Wellbeing Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Week 3 (11 Aug - 17 Aug) |
Workshop |
Markets and Morality Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04, L05 |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Public Holiday - EKKA Workshop runs as normal. Consultation will not run on Wednesday |
|
Week 4 (18 Aug - 24 Aug) |
Workshop |
Globalisation and International Trade Learning outcomes: L02, L04, L05 |
Week 5 (25 Aug - 31 Aug) |
Workshop |
Climate Change Learning outcomes: L02, L04, L05 |
Week 6 (01 Sep - 07 Sep) |
Workshop |
Inequality and Poverty Learning outcomes: L02, L04, L05 |
Week 7 (08 Sep - 14 Sep) |
Workshop |
Behavioural Nudge Learning outcomes: L02, L04, L05 |
Week 8 (15 Sep - 21 Sep) |
Workshop |
Health and Healthcare Learning outcomes: L02, L04, L05 |
Week 9 (22 Sep - 28 Sep) |
Workshop |
Ageing, Population Growth, and Natalism Learning outcomes: L02, L04, L05 |
Mid Sem break (29 Sep - 05 Oct) |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Mid-Sem Break No classes this week |
Week 10 (06 Oct - 12 Oct) |
Workshop |
Migration Learning outcomes: L02, L04, L05 |
No student involvement (Breaks, information) |
Public Holiday - King's Birthday Workshop runs as normal. Consultation will not run on Monday |
|
Week 11 (13 Oct - 19 Oct) |
Workshop |
Other Topics 1 - Ethics in Economics Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Week 12 (20 Oct - 26 Oct) |
Workshop |
Research Ethics and Other Issues Learning outcomes: L04, L05 |
Week 13 (27 Oct - 02 Nov) |
Workshop |
Other Topics 2 - Ethics in Economics Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.