MECO3603: Semester 1, 2026

Units MECO3603 Semester 1 2026 [Normal day]

Unit outline_

MECO3603: Media, Law and Ethics

Semester 1, 2026 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

This unit will introduce students to the area of media, law and ethics through discussion of key legal, ethical, and cultural issues relevant to journalism and the professional fields of public communication. Students will be given an introductory survey of the main ethical theories in Western thought to establish a framework within which to examine specific ethical issues that relate to media. They will also be introduced to those aspects of the law that impinge on the work of media professionals.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Media and Communications
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	18 credit points at 2000 level in Media and Communications
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	MECO3003 or MECO3607
Assumed knowledge ?	None
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Dominic Knight, dominic.knight@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Dominic Knight, dominic.knight@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Saba Vasefi, saba.vasefi@sydney.edu.au
	Uzma Aleem, uzma.aleem@sydney.edu.au
	Simon Levett, simon.levett@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 31 March 2026

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written exam	Formal exam Formal exam conducted on paper (Date and time to be set by Exam Office)	35%	Formal exam period	1.5 hours	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Comment piece Online submission of comment piece to Canvas + In-class presentation	10%	Multiple weeks	800 words + 7 minutes presentation	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Presentation on Comment Piece n/a	10%	Multiple weeks	n/a	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written work	Essay Online submission of essay to Canvas	45%	Week 06 Due date: 10 Apr 2026 at 23:59	2000 words	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:

Assessment summary

Detailed information for each assessment can be found in the Canvas site for this unit.

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.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

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.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

According to FASS policy

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

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.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Introduction, unit overview	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Introduction to media ethics	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Ethics and law issues from the perspective of media users	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 03	Introduction to media law	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 03	Workshop on assignment requirements and academic honesty	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 04	The Public interest - Principles in practice	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Student presentations: Media ethics	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 05	Responsibility and accountability: Law and regulation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Student presentations: Media law	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 06	Codes of ethics and self regulation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Student presentations: The public interest	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 07	Contempt	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Student presentations: Responsibility and accountability	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 08	Defamation	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Student presentations: Codes of ethics and self regulation	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 09	Privacy	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Student presentations: Contempt	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 10	Vilification, hate speech and limits of free speech	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Student presentations: Defamation	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 11	Copyright and IP	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 11	Student presentations: Privacy	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 12	Commercial media cultures and objectivity	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Student presentations: Vilification, hate speech and limits of free speech	Tutorial (1 hr)
Week 13	The future of media law and ethics?	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Student presentations: Copyright and IP	Tutorial (1 hr)

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: Most lectures (in recording-equipped venues) will be recorded and may be made available to students on the LMS. However, you should not rely on lecture recording to substitute your classroom learning experience.
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

Readings for this unit can be accessed from the "Reading list" link on the Canvas site for this unit.

Required text: Pearson, M. & Polden, M. (2019). The Journalist's Guide to Media Law: a handbook for communicators in a digital world, 6th ed. Allen and Unwin.

Learning outcomes

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.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

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

LO1. recognise and identify legal and ethical issues for media practitioners
LO2. possess basic legal literacy, sufficiently to know where and when to seek further advice
LO3. identify and draw on ethical theories and principles to think through ethical dilemmas for the media
LO4. understand concerns, key thinkers and key legal and ethical frameworks for reflective, responsible and professional public communicators
LO5. work collaboratively to resolve legal and ethical concerns in specific case studies.

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
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

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

The assignments have been reverted back to the arrangements in semester 1, 2020 – ie, including the exam.

Disclaimer

Important: the University of Sydney regularly reviews units of study and reserves the right to change the units of study available annually. To stay up to date on available study options, including unit of study details and availability, refer to the relevant handbook.

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

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links