CQUniversity Unit Profile
MGMT20135 Critical Thinking and Managerial Decision-Making
Critical Thinking and Managerial Decision-Making
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All details in this unit profile for MGMT20135 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

This unit introduces the principles and practices of critical thinking and effective decision-making in contemporary business and organisational contexts. You will explore how reasoning, reflection, and evidence-based analysis underpin sound managerial judgment and problem-solving. The unit develops your ability to construct and evaluate arguments, apply decision-making frameworks, and critically assess the influence of cognitive biases and rational thinking on decision quality. You will examine the integration of digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI), and data-driven insights in managerial decision making, and assess both the opportunities and limitations of these technologies. The unit also foregrounds ethical reasoning, cultural awareness, and Indigenous perspectives on decision making, encouraging inclusive and values-based approaches to complex business problems. By engaging in individual and group activities, you will strengthen your skills in analytical reasoning, persuasive communication, and collaborative problem solving. You will also reflect on emerging trends shaping the future of decision making, including cognitive computing and human–AI collaboration, to prepare for leadership in an increasingly digital and interconnected world.

Details

Career Level: Postgraduate
Unit Level: Level 8
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 10
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

There are no requisites for this unit.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 1 - 2026

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Sydney

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Website

This unit has a website, within the Moodle system, which is available two weeks before the start of term. It is important that you visit your Moodle site throughout the term. Please visit Moodle for more information.

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Regional Campuses
Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Metropolitan Campuses
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Practical and Written Assessment
Weighting: 30%
2. Presentation and Written Assessment
Weighting: 30%
3. Written Assessment
Weighting: 40%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

CQUniversity Policies

All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.

You may wish to view these policies:


This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from In Class

Feedback

Students demonstrated strong engagement with case studies but occasionally struggled to apply critical thinking frameworks consistently across different scenarios.

Recommendation

Provide a structured checklist or decision-making framework that students can use during exercises to build consistency and confidence in application.

Feedback from In Class

Feedback

Some students expressed difficulty linking theoretical models of decision-making with real-world managerial contexts.

Recommendation

Incorporate more industry-based examples, guest speakers, or short simulations to demonstrate how critical thinking frameworks are applied in practice.

Feedback from In Class

Feedback

Written assessments revealed that students could identify issues well but occasionally lacked depth in evaluating alternative solutions.

Recommendation

Provide exemplars of high-quality responses and emphasize evaluation criteria during assessment briefings to strengthen analytical depth.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Critically evaluate the principles and processes of critical thinking and reasoning as foundations for effective managerial and organisational decision-making.
  2. Apply and critique creative, digital, data-driven, and AI-supported decision-making tools and frameworks to address complex and uncertain business problems.
  3. Evaluate and integrate ethical, cultural, and Indigenous perspectives to promote inclusive, values-based, and responsible decision-making in contemporary organisations.
  4. Persuasively communicate complex ideas, evidence, and decision recommendations to specialist and non-specialist audiences using critical reasoning and data-informed insights.
  5. Reflect on emerging trends shaping the future of managerial decision-making, including digital transformation, cognitive computing, and human-AI collaboration.
Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Practical and Written Assessment - 30%
2 - Presentation and Written Assessment - 30%
3 - Written Assessment - 40%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4 5
1 - Knowledge
2 - Communication
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills
4 - Research
5 - Self-management
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility
7 - Leadership
8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures
Textbooks and Resources

Information for Textbooks and Resources has not been released yet.

This information will be available on Monday 16 February 2026
Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?