| CODE | PPG1002 | ||||||||
| TITLE | The Rule of Law and Ethical Standards | ||||||||
| UM LEVEL | 01 - Year 1 in Modular Undergraduate Course | ||||||||
| MQF LEVEL | 5 | ||||||||
| ECTS CREDITS | 4 | ||||||||
| DEPARTMENT | Policy, Politics and Governance | ||||||||
| DESCRIPTION | This introductory study-unit on the rule of law and ethics presents a set of fundamental concepts that are useful to every profession, particularly for those students who aspire for a career characterized by public management. More specifically, this unit introduces the following key concepts. - The rule of law - The law and democracy - Constitutionalism - Rights and Obligations - Good governance (Accountability, meritocracy, transparency etc.) - Ethical conduct in professional life. The study-unit applies these concepts and principles to cases drawn from the real world, with a view to training students in analysing ethical issues and making good choices. Study-Unit Aims: The aim of this study-unit is to familiarise students with fundamental notions of law and ethics, as determinants of the institutional character of the State, sound business practice, and ethical leadership. Accordingly, the unit is designed: - To cultivate a thorough understanding about how laws are made and implemented, and how disputes are adjudicated; - To explore the role of regulatory frameworks in regulating markets; - To identify and examine the ethical principles applying in leadership, professional practice, public institutions and business enterprises; and - To help students acquire skills of analysis and decision-making in applying the foregoing concepts and principles to real world cases. Learning Outcomes: 1. Knowledge & Understanding: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Discuss the role played by law in regulating the State, economy and society; - Recognise the value of the Separation of Powers in upholding the rule of law; - Explain how laws are made and implemented, and how disputes are adjudicated; - Invoke and apply Rights and Obligations in the Commercial world; - Interpret the Rule of Law paradigms as safeguards of economic and financial stability; - Identify fundamental principles of ethical leadership and discuss their applicability in particular situations; - Understand the purpose and scope of codes of professional conduct. 2. Skills: By the end of the study-unit the student will be able to: - Recall and relate to legal instruments of institutional design; - Navigate, in general terms, through the principal legislation regulating the State and markets; - Analyse simple situations requiring ethical choices by distinguishing the legal, ethical and prudent dimensions of a situation; - Discern the normative dimension of decision-making and predict the implications of breaches and transgressions; - Research and draft basic advice on ethical considerations in both professional and public life. Main Text/s and any supplementary readings: Main Texts: - Aquilina, K. (2017), The Rule of Law a鈥� la Maltaise, BDL. - Attard, D.J. (2012), The Maltese Legal System, Vol. 1, Malta University Press. - Bonello, G. (2018), Misunderstanding the Constitution 鈥� How the Maltese judiciary undermines human rights, BDL Publishing. - Standards in Public Life, CAP 570, Laws of Malta. - Warrington, E. (ed.) (2021), Serving People and Parliament 鈥� The Ombudsman Institution in Malta, 1995-2020, Office of the Ombudsman. Supplementary Readings: - Borg, T. (2016), A Commentary on the Constitution of Malta, Kite Group. - Meli, S. (2020), The Philosophy of Law 鈥� A brief introduction, Kite Group. |
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| STUDY-UNIT TYPE | Lecture | ||||||||
| METHOD OF ASSESSMENT |
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| LECTURER/S | Kurt Borg Bernard Anthony Busuttil Clayton Paul Silvio |
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The University makes every effort to ensure that the published Courses Plans, Programmes of Study and Study-Unit information are complete and up-to-date at the time of publication. The University reserves the right to make changes in case errors are detected after publication.
The availability of optional units may be subject to timetabling constraints. Units not attracting a sufficient number of registrations may be withdrawn without notice. It should be noted that all the information in the description above applies to study-units available during the academic year 2025/6. It may be subject to change in subsequent years. |
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