Print as pdf if you want a pdf! If you want a nicer printout, click off the browser's automatically added header and footer.
Blekinge Institute of Technology
Department of Software Engineering
Revision: 2
Reg.no:
Course syllabus
Digital Ethics and Sustainable Development
Digital Ethics and Sustainable Development
6 credits (6 högskolepoäng)
Course code: PA1481
Main field of study: Software Engineering, Computer Science, Technology
Disciplinary domain: Technology
Education level: First-cycle
Specialization: G1N - First cycle, has only upper-secondary level entry requirements
Language of instruction: English
Applies from: 2024-11-01
Approved: 2024-11-01
1. Descision
This course is established by Dean 2023-04-27. The course syllabus is approved by Head of Department of Software Engineering 2024-11-01 and applies from 2024-11-01.
2. Entry requirements
General entry requirements as well as Physics 2, Chemistry 1 and Mathematics 4.
3. Objective and content
3.1 Objective
The course aims to provide students with a basic understanding of the issues and approaches related to digital ethics and sustainable development within the context of the computing domain. Students will acquire knowledge about the need to reflect on and address ethical, social, economic, and environmental issues while developing, operating, and maintaining software systems such as traditional and AI-based software systems. The course’s focus is thus to raise awareness about the various ethical and sustainability challenges and their implications in the context of software systems and solutions – and to provide students with the knowledge and skills for addressing such challenges in their professional careers.
3.2 Content
The course consists of two modules: digital ethics and sustainable development within the context of the computing domain. The computing domain includes software engineering and computer science areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), security engineering, and games development.
• Digital ethics
- Introduction to ethical theories
- Ethics in the context of the computing domain
- Professional practices and codes of ethics for engineers
- Ethics and AI
- Security, privacy, and other ethical issues while developing different types of software systems, such as traditional software systems, AI-based software systems, and games
• Sustainable development
- Introduction to sustainability, including Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
- Environmental, social, and economical sustainability
- Sustainability and diversity in the context of the computing domain
- Sustainable software and systems development
- Sustainability and AI
4. Learning outcomes
The following learning outcomes are examined in the course:
4.1. Knowledge and understanding
On completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Describe the basic concepts of digital ethics and sustainable development in computing.
- Identify and present key ethical issues that may arise during the development of software systems.
- Identify and present key sustainability issues relevant to software system development, maintenance, and operation.
4.2. Competence and skills
On completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Analyze ethical issues and their impact during the development of software systems.
- Analyze sustainability issues, their implications, and potential solutions during software systems' development, operation, and maintenance.
4.3. Judgement and approach
On completion of the course, the student will be able to:
- Reflect on the appropriateness of the approaches and solutions for addressing important ethical and sustainability issues during software systems' development, operation, and maintenance.
5. Learning activities
The course consists of lectures and student-led seminars. The students are expected to participate in the lectures and seminars actively. The seminars will be led by students wherein they will be required to present their analysis on an assigned topic. Participation in the seminars is mandatory to get a passing grade in the corresponding assessment component. In addition to leading seminars, the students will investigate given problems or topics related to ethics and sustainable development within the context of the computing discipline.
6. Assessment and grading
Modes of examinations of the course
| Code | Module | Credit | Grade |
| 2505 | Seminars I | 1 credits | GU |
| 2515 | Seminars II | 1 credits | GU |
| 2525 | Project Assignment I | 2 credits | GU |
| 2535 | Project Assignment II | 2 credits | GU |
The course will be graded G Pass, UX Failed result, a little more work required, U Fail.
The examiner may carry out oral follow-up of written examinations.
Seminar I and Project Assignment 1 cover the digital ethics module, while Seminar II and Project Assignment II cover the sustainable development module of the course.
The information before a course occasion states the assessment criteria and make explicit in which modes of examination that the learning outcomes are assessed.
An examiner can, after consulting the Disability Advisor at BTH, decide on a customized examination form for a student with a long-term disability to be provided with an examination equivalent to one given to a student who is not disabled.
7. Course evaluation
The course evaluation should be carried out in line with BTH:s course evaluation template and process.
8. Restrictions regarding degree
The course can form part of a degree but not together with another course the content of which completely or partly corresponds with the contents of this course.
9. Course literature and other materials of instruction
• Johnson, Deborah, “Computer Ethics”, Fourth Edition, Pearson 2009, ISBN: 9780131112414
• San Murugesan, and G. R. Gangadharan, , “Harnessing Green IT: Principles and Practices”, IEEE Computer Society Press, 2012, ISBN: 9781119970057.
In addition to the above books, the course literature shall also include additional sources including recent published scientific literature, technical reports and cases on digital ethics and sustainable development. The list of such additional sources will be shared on the course page.
This is not a legal document. If you would like a copy of the legal decision regarding this course plan, contact the registrar at Blekinge Institute of Technology.