Ethics, Sustainability and Economics

Description

Overview: This module aims to assist students to understand their role in engineering sustainability, business and professional ethics and how that may influence their future professional practice. To provide students with an understanding of process economics and cost estimation and the role of economics in decision making, in preparation for use of basic principles in design projects. Syllabus: The module will teach the following: History and global context of sustainable development; basic concepts in sustainable development; introduction to life cycle assessment. Ethical dimensions to engineering problem solving; professionalism, codes of conduct; and obligations to the public; ethical frameworks; introduction to applied ethics; psychological aspects of decision making; case studies engineering ethics. Decision-making. Business structures, methods of finance, discounted cash flow, taxation, allowances, grants, pricing, costing. Ethics and economic decision-making. Learning Outcomes: On completion of the module the student is expected to be able to LO1 Understand the historical and global context of sustainable development and be able to discuss life cycle assessment LO2 Understand the nature of professional responsibility and develop a professional ethical identity to carry forward in working life LO3 Discuss the factors that affect pricing and how they differ from value and describe the different types of business structures and their influence on financing and responsibilities LO4 Appreciate the importance of good decision-making in engineering practice, and produce discounted cash flow forecasts and understand how they can be interpreted to support project go/no go decisions. (UK SPEC suggests no more than 4 learning outcomes per module. Statements must be broad and be syllabus free and link in with the intended learning outcomes on the programme specifications.) Assessment: ASSESSMENT: Examination 70% weighting Coursework 30% weighting