Professional Ethics (5 cr)

Evaluation scale

Pass/Fail

Objective

Purpose of the course is to strengthen participants’ ethical knowledge and skills by helping them to reflect, analyse and understand ethical dilemmas occurring in professional practice. Another purpose is to examine general ethical principles and a set of standards adopted by professional communities in health and social care and review their effect on opinion and decision-making of professionals.

Competences:
Ethical competence
Internationalisation and communications competence

Learning objectives:
At the end of the course, you are able to differentiate among values, morals and ethical guidelines and recognize how they affect on professional practice. You have an ability to identify, critically analyse and discuss a wide variety of issues related to ethical dilemmas within your professional practice. In addition, you can apply ethical decision-making processes and generate solutions to conflicts arising in professional practice.

Content

Introduction to Professional Ethics
Ethical issues in professional practice: cases, exercises
Ethical approaches
Ethical decision-making: exercises, group work
Professional competency and autonomy

Materials

JAMK’s open study material “Introduction to Professional Ethics – study material for the master students by Paalanen, T. & Hopia, H. (http://oppimateriaalit.jamk.fi/ethics/) The National Advisory Board on Social Welfare and Health Care Ethichs ETENE: publications. (http://www.etene.fi/e n) Literature from student's field of expertize.

Completion alternatives

Review of an article or book on ethics 40 % Describing and discussing ethical dilemmas with the group 50 % Self review and evaluation of the course 10 %

Student workload

Online studies 135 h

Assessment criteria, approved/failed

Approved S:
Student is able to identify and explain main differences between ethical dilemmas and work issues with an ethical concern at one's own professional field. Student demonstrates ability to discuss ethical dilemmas in a critical manner with fellow students. Student also applies decision-making and problem-solving knowledge and skills during the course.