Table of contents

The course is connected to the following study programs

Teaching language

Norwegian

Learning outcomes

Through reading, lectures and group work, the students should have acquired basic knowledge of key ethical and professional ethical questions with emphasis on ethical challenges in social work. The students should be able to concretise ethical changes as they emerge in social work, and they will develop the ability to reflect on them based on ethical thinking and theory.

Contents

Course contents

The course consists of two main parts: ethics in principle and ethics in practice 
ethics in principle, topics:

  • Introduction to ethical schools of thought: deontological ethics, consequentialism, virtue-based ethics and ethics of discourse.
  • Special emphasis on relational ethics that revolves around the works of K.E. Løgstrup, M. Buber and E. Levinas
  • What does it mean to be å human being?
  • Ethical Reflection

Ethics in social work:

  • Values in social work
  • Ethical challenges in meetings and conversations
  • Substance and function of professional Ethics
  • Between person and system

Teaching and learning methods

Lecture and group work with assignments and/or group presentations. Expected workload is about 270 hours.

Examinations

5-hour individual written examination. Graded assessment

Student evaluation

The study programme manager, in consultation with the student representative, decides the method of evaluation and whether the courses will have a midterm- or end of term evaluation, see also the Quality System, section 4.1. Information about evaluation method for the course will be posted on Canvas.

Reduction of Credits

This course’s contents overlap with the following courses. A reduction of credits will occur if one of these courses is taken in addition:

Course Reduction of Credits
SV-121 – Ethics, Judgement and Professional Practice. 10
SV-104 – Ethics and Professional Conduct. 10
Last updated from FS (Felles studentsystem) Oct. 15, 2026 6:57:48 AM