Professional Ethics in Computing
| Code | School | Level | Credits | Semesters |
| COMP3020 | Computer Science | 3 | 10 | Autumn UK |
- Code
- COMP3020
- School
- Computer Science
- Level
- 3
- Credits
- 10
- Semesters
- Autumn UK
Summary
The module introduces students to the legal, social, ethical and professional issues (LSEPIs) relating to computing, as per BCS accredited programme requirements.
Target Students
Available to Level 3 and Level 4 students in the School of Computer Science. This module is part of the Software Engineering theme in the School of Computer Science.
Classes
- One 2-hour workshop each week for 10 weeks
- One 1-hour lecture each week for 11 weeks
For the weekly workshops, the class is usually split into groups of no more than 40. Each student is required to attend one 2-hour workshop session per week. Then during the workshops, students work in groups but also individually, activities should be usually completed by the end of each workshop. Workshops are also used to prepare coursework.
Assessment
- 100% Coursework 1: The coursework is an essay (3000 words) on a topic of ethics and professionalism in computing. Students will be guided towards the essay topics by smaller assignments. Reassessment is 100% coursework.
Assessed by end of autumn semester
Educational Aims
The module aims to develop knowledge and understanding of the social harms enabled by computing, professional codes of ethics, professional responsibilities, dependability in computing, privacy and data protection, security by design, the ethical challenges posed by contemporary computing, and responsible research and innovation.Learning Outcomes
Knowledge and Understanding
- Social harms enabled by computing
- Professional codes of ethics
- Professional responsibilities
- Dependability
- Security by design
- Privacy and data protection
- Ethical challenges of contemporary computing
- Responsible research and innovation
Intellectual Skills
- Understanding the nature of ethics in computing.
Professional Skills
- Knowledge, understanding and application of ethical codes in computing.
Transferable Skills
- Ability to reason about ethics in a digital world.