Cursos / 1º Ciclo / Faculty of Architecture and Arts :: Design

ÉTICA, DEONTOLOGIA E LEGISLAÇÃO - 2025/2026

3º curricular year
Semestralidade: 2nd semester
ECTS: 3

Teachers

Leading Teacher: Prof. Doutora Paula Costa Soares
Assistant Professor: Prof. Doutora Paula Costa Soares

Class type and School hours

Teórica : 2 Horas

Teaching Language

Portuguese

Main Aims/Objectives

To stimulate critical articulation between the domains of EDL and those of Design
To understand the deontological dimension in the practice of Design
To reflect on the responsibilities of the designer
To promote a critical understanding of sustainability in design, developing the ability to integrate ethical principles, social responsibility, and legal framework in design decisions
To know the regulation of design practice, the rights and duties of the designer, and the respective legislation

Specific Aims/Objectives

To understand ethical and deontological culture;
To promote ethical awareness and attitudes in design practice;
To relate professional ethics and sustainability;
To understand sustainable principles and their relevance in contemporary design;
To identify sustainable design strategies;
To analyze concrete examples of design that integrate sustainable practices;
To encourage design decision-making aware of environmental, social, and legal impacts.

Skills to be acquired

Awareness of ethical and deontological culture;
To apply the concept of ethics in different professional contexts;
To recognize the responsibilities of the designer;
To identify the principles of sustainability applied to design;
To integrate sustainability criteria into reflection and decision-making in the design process;
To be capable of analyzing critically the impact of their design projects;
To promote the development of attitudes that foster constant flexibility in postmodernity

Teaching Procedures

The teaching methodology will consist of: 1) expository and interrogative methods during the programmatic contents explanation (with concrete examples); 2) active method by the techniques of debate and case study.

Programme

1) Conceptual framework: origin, foundation, and current state of ethics in general and design in particular.
2) Ethics, deontology and responsibilities of the designer in design practice.
3) Foundations of sustainability: concept sustainability and sustainable development.
4) Environmental impact of design: product life cycle and impacts of production and consumption.
5) Sustainable design strategies: Ecodesign, durability, reuse, recycling, and circular economy.
6) Case studies: analysis of examples of good practices in sustainable design.
7) Function of regulatory bodies of the design profession.
8) Professional codes: advantages, and limitations.
9) National and international legislation in the field of design.
10) Design as an area within the industrial and artistic domains of intellectual activity.
11) Intellectual property, copyright, and industrial property.
12) Design and the different legal regimes of industrial property.

Evaluation Type

The evaluation will be carried out according to the specifications present in the General Evaluation Regulation of the University Lusíada. In addition, continuous assessment criteria are: a) attendance and oral participation in classes; b) two research work; c) two written evaluation exercises; d) the Frequency Test.

Teaching Resources

Exposition classes (audio-visual resources);
Study visits (if they fit the topics covered);
Texts analysis;
Research and analysis of study cases;
Individual and/or group work for presentation and debate.

Sustainability Objectives

To stimulate critical, conscious and responsible thinking, through reflection on human actions and how they translate into society, and what impacts they have on the present and future (SDG 4);
To promote awareness and attitudes in the ethical dimension of designer practice (SDG 8);
To encourage reflection on the meaning of the designer´s responsibility(ies) in the development of sustainable products, the formation of new consumption habits and new ways of life (SDG 12).

Keywords

Design. Ethic. Deontology. Legislation.

Main Bibliography

Complementary Bibliography