Course Outline
CMN228 Media Law and Ethics
Course Coordinator:Jane Stephens (efynes@usc.edu.au) School:School of Business and Creative Industries
2026Trimester 1
UniSC Sunshine Coast |
Blended learning | Most of your course is on campus but you may be able to do some components of this course online. |
Online |
Online | You can do this course without coming onto campus, unless your program has specified a mandatory onsite requirement. |
Please go to unisc.edu.au for up to date information on the
teaching sessions and campuses where this course is usually offered.
What is this course about?
Description
New information technologies continually spawn legal risks and present ethical challenges to professional communicators. A legal mistake - even if accidental - could cost millions of dollars. This course centres on developing an essential understanding of the laws affecting professional communicators, including defamation, contempt, copyright and privacy. The ethical frameworks that guide best professional practice are also thoroughly explored and tested. An understanding of both the legal and ethical areas equips future professional communicators to work more expertly and confidently.
How will this course be delivered?
| Activity | Hours | Beginning Week | Frequency |
| Blended learning | |||
| Learning materials – Interactive online learning activities. | 1hr | Week 1 | 12 times |
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Scheduled face to face workshops. | 2hrs | Week 1 | 12 times |
| Online | |||
| Learning materials – Interactive online learning activities. | 1hr | Week 1 | 12 times |
| Tutorial/Workshop 1 – Scheduled online workshops (Recorded). | 2hrs | Week 1 | 12 times |
Course Topics
Ethical frameworks in communications professions, Australian legal system, privacy, defamation, contempt of court, freedoms and limitations, intellectual property, discrimination and censorship.
Mature Content
What level is this course?
200 Level (Developing)
What is the unit value of this course?
12 units
How does this course contribute to my learning?
| Course Learning Outcomes On successful completion of this course, you should be able to... | Graduate Qualities Completing these tasks successfully will contribute to you becoming... | |
| 1 | Research an ethical problem affecting communications professionals and present decision based on ethical considerations. |
Knowledgeable Ethical |
| 2 | Explain the legal system elements, structures and parameters as they apply to writing and publishing. |
Knowledgeable Creative and critical thinker |
| 3 | Discuss, reflect on and apply lessons of significant relevant cases and legislation. |
Knowledgeable Ethical |
| 4 | Demonstrate how to produce professional products that are legally sound. |
Knowledgeable Empowered |
Am I eligible to enrol in this course?
Refer to the UniSC Glossary of terms for definitions of “pre-requisites, co-requisites and anti-requisites”.
Pre-requisites
Not applicable
Co-requisites
Not applicable
Anti-requisites
Not applicable
Specific assumed prior knowledge and skills (where applicable)
Principles and concepts of disciplines as laid out in the introductory creative industry courses.
Microcredential Information
Not applicable
How am I going to be assessed?
Grading Scale
Standard Grading (GRD)
| High Distinction (HD), Distinction (DN), Credit (CR), Pass (PS), Fail (FL). |
Details of early feedback on progress
Formative online quizzes are part of the weekly content from Week 1.
Assessment tasks
| Delivery mode | Task No. | Assessment Product | Individual or Group | Weighting % | What is the duration / length? | When should I submit? | Where should I submit it? |
| All | 1 | Essay | Individual | 25% | 1000 words |
Week 4 | Online Assignment Submission with plagiarism check |
| All | 2 | Oral and Written Piece | Group | 35% | 10 minutes |
Week 10 | In Class |
| All | 3 | Examination - not Centrally Scheduled | Individual | 40% | 75 minutes |
Week 12 | Online Submission |
| All - Assessment Task 1:Essay | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | Academic format. To reflect basic legal concepts and understanding of key principles as they apply to professional communicators. |
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| Product: | Essay | |||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||||||||
| Format: | You will write an essay on a provided topic developed from course content and directed research. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Information literacy |
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| All - Assessment Task 2:Oral ethics presentation | ||||||||||
| Goal: | To enable you to demonstrate your understanding and apply ethics in professions that deal in public communications. |
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| Product: | Oral and Written Piece | |||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||
| Format: | Professional/industry format. In groups, you will give a presentation on an ethical scenario selected from a list. You will submit supporting written materials. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Collaboration, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
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| All - Assessment Task 3:Exam | ||||||||||||||||
| Goal: | To demonstrate your understanding of the content explored in this course. |
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| Product: | Examination - not Centrally Scheduled | |||||||||||||||
| Authorship Statement: | ||||||||||||||||
| Format: | Academic format. Questions will be drawn from all areas of the course. |
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| Criteria: |
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| Generic Skills: | Communication, Problem solving, Organisation, Applying technologies, Information literacy |
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Directed study hours
A 12-unit course will have total of 150 learning hours which will include directed study hours (including online if required), self-directed learning and completion of assessable tasks. Student workload is calculated at 12.5 learning hours per one unit.
What resources do I need to undertake this course?
Please note: Course information, including specific information of recommended readings, learning activities, resources, weekly readings, etc. are available on the course Canvas site– Please log in as soon as possible.
Prescribed text(s) or course reader
Specific requirements
Nil
How are risks managed in this course?
What administrative information is relevant to this course?
Assessment: Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is the ethical standard of university participation. It ensures that students graduate as a result of proving they are competent in their discipline. This is integral in maintaining the value of academic qualifications. Each industry has expectations and standards of the skills and knowledge within that discipline and these are reflected in assessment.
Academic integrity means that you do not engage in any activity that is considered to be academic fraud; including plagiarism, collusion or outsourcing any part of any assessment item to any other person. You are expected to be honest and ethical by completing all work yourself and indicating in your work which ideas and information were developed by you and which were taken from others. You cannot provide your assessment work to others. You are also expected to provide evidence of wide and critical reading, usually by using appropriate academic references.
In order to minimise incidents of academic fraud, this course may require that some of its assessment tasks, when submitted to Canvas, are electronically checked through Turnitin. This software allows for text comparisons to be made between your submitted assessment item and all other work to which Turnitin has access.
Assessment: Additional Requirements
Eligibility for Supplementary Assessment
Your eligibility for supplementary assessment in a course is dependent of the following conditions applying:
(a) The final mark is in the percentage range 47% to 49.4%; and
(b) The course is graded using the Standard Grading scale
Assessment: Submission penalties
Late submissions may be penalised up to and including the following maximum percentage of the assessment task’s identified value, with weekdays and weekends included in the calculation of days late:
(a) One day: deduct 5%;
(b) Two days: deduct 10%;
(c) Three days: deduct 20%;
(d) Four days: deduct 40%;
(e) Five days: deduct 60%;
(f) Six days: deduct 80%;
(g) Seven days: A result of zero is awarded for the assessment task.
The following penalties will apply for a late submission for an online examination:
Less than 15 minutes: No penalty
From 15 minutes to 30 minutes: 20% penalty
More than 30 minutes: 100% penalty
Links to relevant University policy and procedures
For more information on Academic Learning & Teaching categories including:
- Assessment: Courses and Coursework Programs
- Review of Assessment and Final Grades
- Supplementary Assessment
- Central Examinations
- Deferred Examinations
- Student Conduct
- Students with a Disability
For more information, visit https://www.usc.edu.au/explore/policies-and-procedures#academic-learning-and-teaching
Student Charter
UniSC is committed to excellence in teaching, research and engagement in an environment that is inclusive, inspiring, safe and respectful. The Student Charter sets out what students can expect from the University, and what in turn is expected of students, to achieve these outcomes.
General Enquiries
For course-specific questions, contact your teaching staff or Course Coordinator.
For other enquiries or to access support, please contact Student Central: