Critical Thinking
UndergraduateUNE-PHIL1022025
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 15 June 2025
- Entry requirements
- Part of a degree
- Duration
- 16 weeks
- Start dates
- 23 June 2025,
- 20 Oct 2025
- Price from
- $2,351
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- FEE-HELP available
Critical Thinking
About this subject
Upon completion of this subject, students will be able to:
- identify and analyse arguments in academic and everyday contexts;
- apply appropriate theoretical concepts to evaluate arguments as a pathway for further learning;
- apply critical thinking skills to recognise and avoid flawed reasoning; and
- independently and satisfactorily apply all these good thinking skills to dealing with real life complex arguments
- Topics will be available to enrolled students in the subjects moodle site approximately one week prior to the commencement of the teaching period.
Please note: Previous title - The Art of Good Thinking.
In your personal and professional life, being able to think deeply and broadly, analyse problems and find rational solutions is fundamental to success. In this subject we examine the principles of critical thinking, and consider how to distinguish good reasoning from bad. You will learn the basic skills of argument analysis and evaluation, including how to determine the logical structure of a piece of reasoning, through the use of of techniques such as argument diagrams. You will learn how to detect and avoid common fallacies of reasoning, and you will learn how to construct clear, rigorous and logical arguments. Throughout the subject you will learn the fundamentals of good thinking through analysing and critically evaluating real-life arguments drawn from the media, politics, law, science, and everyday life. A bonus topic concerns creativity in reasoning.
Assessment 1: Skills-based and short answer questions - 1500 words. Relates to Learning Outcomes 1-4;
Assessment 2: Skills-based and short answer questions - 1500 words. Relates to Learning Outcomes 1-4;
Assessment 3: Skills-based and short answer questions - 1500 words. Relates to Learning Outcomes 1-4.- Skills-based and short answer questions (33%)
- Skills-based and short answer questions (33%)
- Skills-based and short answer questions (34%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
The University of New England is the only Australian public university to be awarded the maximum 5 stars for Overall Experience by the Good Universities Guide, 13 years in a row. UNE has delivered distance education since 1955—that’s longer than any other Australian university. Perhaps that’s why students continue to rate UNE so highly for student satisfaction and teaching quality. With over 170 degrees offered online, and more than 22,000 students, UNE is an expert in online education.
Learn more about UNE.
Explore UNE courses.
- QS World University Ranking 2025, within Australia:
- 36
Entry requirements
Part of a degree
To enrol in this subject you must be accepted into one of the following degrees:
Elective
- UNE-ART-DIP-2025 - Diploma in Arts
- UNE-LGS-DEG-2025 - Bachelor of Legal Studies
- UNE-PLS-DIP-2025 - Diploma in Paralegal Studies
Others
Candidature in Diploma in Arts
Additional requirements
- Equipment requirements - Headphones or speakers (required to listen to lectures and other media). Headset, including microphone (highly recommended). Webcam (may be required for participation in virtual classrooms and/or media presentations).
- Software requirements - It is essential for students to have reliable internet access in order to participate in and complete your units, regardless of whether they contain an on campus attendance or intensive school component. For additional information please visit UNE Hardware Requirements: https://www.une.edu.au/current-students/support/it-services/hardware
- Other requirements -
Textbook requirements:
Textbook information is not available until approximately 8 weeks prior to the commencement of the Teaching period.
Students are expected to purchase prescribed material.
Textbook requirements may vary from one teaching period to the next.
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
Related degrees
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
UndergraduateUNE-ART-DIP
UndergraduateUNE-LGS-DEG
UndergraduateUNE-PLS-DIP