Governance & Canon Law

Curriculum Objectives

This unit provides opportunities for students to develop a foundational knowledge and understanding of governance in Catholic Church organisations. Theoretical insights from selected organisational research will be explored for their relevance to the variety of ways in which governance is exercised in the Church’s different contexts and organisational arrangements.  In particular it will focus on the relationship between governance, mission, ministry and work.

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this unit of study, students will be able to:

• demonstrate specialised knowledge of the organisational and theoretical aspects of Catholic Church governance and its relationship to the wider field of the governance
  of non-profit organisations
• demonstrate specialised knowledge of the relationship between Mission and Governance, how work or ministry is organised to fulfil the Mission, and the capacity to apply such knowledge in specific professional contexts
• demonstrate an ability to analyse and critically evaluate the governance arrangements of the Catholic Church and its various organisational forms, and
• demonstrate skills in deploying imagination and creativity in solving problems related to governance in mission and ministry contexts.

Assumed Knowledge 

Not applicable

Study hours   

10 hours per week for 12 week session, comprised of

• At least one hour per week for online lectures
• At least three hours per week of reading.
• At least six hours per week of directed study, including optional and assessable online activities.

Teaching methods

Online lectures; online activities; guided reading; scaffolded assessments; feedback on assessments.

Indicative Assessment

At the Institute we use a range of assessment tasks, including essays, research papers, online posts, critical reflections, projects and praxis exercises. Within a unit of study each set of assessment tasks is designed as an integral part of your learning experience. These tasks vary across units and programs. All assessment tasks are aligned to the Australian Qualifications Framework level appropriate for graduate awards.