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Unit outline_

GOVT6301: Public Sector Ethics and Corruption

Semester 2, 2020 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Much recent attention has focused on preventing corruption and improving ethics in public sector organisations around the world. This unit equips students to identify and analyse different forms of corruption and ethical failure, and to reflect critically on the best ways of combatting corruption and enhancing ethics in the public sector. The unit takes a comparative approach to these issues.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Government and International Relations
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
None
Corequisites
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None
Prohibitions
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None
Assumed knowledge
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None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

No

Teaching staff

Coordinator Rodney Smith, rodney.smith@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Rodney Smith, rodney.smith@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s) Rodney Smith, rodney.smith@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Assignment Short paper
Essay analysing a short set text (see GOVT6301 Canvas site for details).
15% Week 04
Due date: 14 Sep 2020 at 23:59
900 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO5
Assignment Essay
Essay comparing two countries (see GOVT6301 Canvas site for details).
60% Week 10
Due date: 02 Nov 2020 at 23:59
3600 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3 LO5
Assignment Reflective journal
Short entry reflective journal (see GOVT6301 Canvas site for details).
25% Week 12
Due date: 20 Nov 2020 at 23:59
1500 words
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a High distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a Distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

 

Distinction

75 - 84

 

Credit

65 - 74

 

Pass

50 - 64

 

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Introduction to Public Sector Ethics. Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 02 Approaches to Understanding Corruption Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 03 Researching and Comparing Corruption: Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 04 Grand and Petty: Understanding the Causes and Mechanisms of Corruption. Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 05 Thin Blue Lines: Do Some Public Sector Activities Require Special Ethical Attention? Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO4 LO5
Week 06 What Use are Codes of Ethics and Codes of Conduct? Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5
Week 07 Do Specialist Anti-Corruption Agencies (ICACs etc) Help Prevent Corruption and Promote Integrity? Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 08 Protecting Whistleblowers and Handling Whistleblower Reports. Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 09 What Role can Civil Society (the Media, NGOs, Citizen Action) Play in Promoting Ethics and Curbing Corruption? Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 10 Do We Need ‘Integrity Systems’ to Thwart Corruption and Promote Ethics in the Public Sector? Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 11 International Anti-Corruption Treaties and Other International Measures. Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 12 Conclusions: Where to Start to Improve Public Sector Ethics and Resist Public Sector Corruption? Online class (2 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

  • Attendance: According to Faculty Board Resolutions, students in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are expected to attend 90% of their classes. If you attend less than 50% of classes, regardless of the reasons, you may be referred to the Examiner’s Board. The Examiner’s Board will decide whether you should pass or fail the unit of study if your attendance falls below this threshold.
  • Lecture recording: Lectures will be recorded and made available to students on the LMS (Canvas).
  • Preparation: Students should commit to spend approximately three hours’ preparation time (reading, studying, homework, essays, etc.) for every hour of scheduled instruction.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Details of weekly prescribed readings are available on the GOVT6301 Canvas site.  All these readings can be accessed via the Library eReserve, available via the GOVT6301 Canvas site. 

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. create new knowledge and understanding through the process of research and inquiry
  • LO2. recognise the impact of cultural contexts on public sector ethics and corruption.
  • LO3. conduct comparative research into public sector ethics and corruption using a range of sources.
  • LO4. take part in informed discussions about public sector ethics and corruption using appropriate language and critical listening.
  • LO5. reflect more critically on the ethical issues involved in public sector activities at local, national and international levels.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Minor changes to the structure of the GOVT6301 curriculum and to the readings have been made since the unit of study was last offered in 2019.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.