POL3050 : Ethics Across Borders and Time
POL3050 : Ethics Across Borders and Time
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Dr Nicola Mulkeen
- Co-Module Leader: Dr Johannes Kniess
- Owning School: Geography, Politics & Sociology
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Pre-requisite
Modules you must have done previously to study this module
Pre Requisite Comment
N/A
Co-Requisite
Modules you need to take at the same time
Co Requisite Comment
N/A
Aims
This module aims to:
• Foster knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts which inform theoretical and empirical discussions.
• Demonstrate the interplay between normative and empirical considerations when it comes to assessing, proposing, and recommending policies.
• Equip students with the skills necessary to understand and critically analyse real-world arguments relating to the political significance of ethics.
• Help students to draw their own conclusions, and the relationship of these theories to specific practical public policy issues.
Outline Of Syllabus
Topics studied may include:
Methods and Moral Theory
Global Health Ethics
Just War Theory
The Ethics of Emerging Technologies and AI in Life-and-Death Decision-Making
Climate Change, Catastrophic Risk
The Non-Identity Problem & Population Ethics
Saving the Greater Number
Essay Writing Workshop
Learning Outcomes
Intended Knowledge Outcomes
By the end of this course, students should:
• Have a good understanding of the main normative issues at stake;
• Understand objections to the main solutions proposed in the literature;
• Be able to distinguish empirical from normative objections to specific proposals;
• Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within
them;
• Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
Intended Skill Outcomes
POL3050 equips students with the theoretical background necessary to expertly engage in political debates—amongst policymakers, non-governmental organisations, and activists. Such debates arise for those working in the government and third sectors, whether in the UK or abroad.
More generally, the module gives students many useful transferable skills including:
• the ability to research, source and examine information thoroughly;
• the ability to critically analyse evidence and construct coherent arguments;
• excellent written and oral skills;
• intellectual independence and autonomy;
• team working skills;
• a more flexible and open-minded approach to complex moral issues.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 2 | 2:00 | 4:00 | N/A |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 145:00 | 145:00 | Independent study/Assessment preparation and completion |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Guided reading for seminar preperation |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 7 | 1:00 | 7:00 | PiP Lecture |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Pre-recorded lecture materials |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | PiP Seminar |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Pre-recorded lecture materials
Connected Outcome
• Have a good understanding of the main normative issues at stake;
• Understand objections to the main solutions proposed in the literature;
• Be able to distinguish empirical from normative objections to specific proposals;
PiP Lecture
• Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
• Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
• team working skills;
• excellent oral skills.
• a more flexible and open-minded approach to complex moral issues.
Small group teaching
• Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
• Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
• the ability to critically analyse evidence and construct coherent arguments;
• team working skills;
• excellent oral skills;
• a more flexible and open-minded approach to complex moral issues.
Structured research and reading activities
• the ability to research, source and examine information thoroughly;
• intellectual independence and autonomy;
Reading Lists
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Exams
| Description | Length | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Examination | 110 | 2 | A | 60 | N/A |
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 2 | M | 40 | 1500 word Critical review |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
110 minute exam
• Have a good understanding of the main normative issues at stake;
• Understand objections to the main solutions proposed in the literature;
• Be able to distinguish empirical from normative objections to specific proposals;
• Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
• Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
• the ability to research, source and examine information thoroughly;
• the ability to critically analyse evidence and construct coherent arguments;
• Be able to relate issues surrounding ethics of killing and saving lives to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
• Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
• Excellent written skills;
• Intellectual independence and autonomy;
Critical Review 1500 words
• Have a good understanding of the main normative issues at stake;
• Understand objections to the main solutions proposed in the literature;
• Be able to distinguish empirical from normative objections to specific proposals;
• Be able to relate these to current political debates, thus locating the relevant moral dilemmas within them;
• Be able to apply the arguments and approaches studied to real and hypothetical cases.
• the ability to research, and examine information thoroughly;
• the ability to critically analyse evidence and construct coherent arguments;
• excellent written skills
• intellectual independence and autonomy;
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- POL3050's Timetable
Past Exam Papers
- Exam Papers Online : www.ncl.ac.uk/exam.papers/
- POL3050's past Exam Papers
General Notes
N/A
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