1.

2. Overview of this event
Introduction to the course
The syllabus
Questions and refreshments at 5:20pm
How the course is taught
Short case study
Questions and discussion
Finish at 7pm

3. Introduction to the course

4. Rationale
An online distance learning course allowing you to:
develop ethical reasoning skills to tackle ethical issues in your work
apply these skills to the resolution of practical ethical problems that arise across working life
focus on ethical issues arising in your own area of work, and discuss your experience with people from other professional backgrounds

5. Background
Developed by Inter-disciplinary Ethics Applied, a Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning based at the University of Leeds
Builds on the success of our long-standing Masters course in Health Care ethics
Uses teaching materials and case studies developed through partnerships with professional bodies and colleagues at Leeds

6. Professional focus
Appropriate for people from a range of backgrounds, including the professions, business and the public and third sectors
Case studies will be drawn from, for example:
Finance, business and accountancy
The computer industry
The environmental sector
Engineering and industry

7. Three principles
The course aims to be:
Practical: addressing problems that youll recognise from day-to-day working life
Welfare-enhancing: providing skills that help you deal with troubling ethical challenges
Intellectually demanding: stretching you with challenging and engaging ideas and materials

8. Practical details
The course will run for the first time from September 2010
The course takes two years to complete as a part-time student
The course is entirely online, with no lectures, seminars or supervisions to attend
Applicants need either a first degree, or relevant professional experience (but no prior background in philosophy is expected)

9. The syllabus

10. Structure of the course
Eight taught modules in a range of subjects:
Three compulsory modules
Option to replace one of the other five modules with a special project
A dissertation
Students can register for a Postgraduate Diploma which does not include the dissertation element

11. 1. Introduction to ethics
Examines some of concerns that are prominent in ethical discussion generally
Moral psychology
Duty or obligation
The good human life (or well-being or happiness)
The importance of consequences
Virtues and vices, such as truthfulness, justice, courage, self-control, cowardice, meanness, foolishness

12. 2. Professional Issues
Introduces the concept of professional ethics
What a profession is, and the role of ethics in professional life
Professional codes of ethics
Personal and professional integrity
Fragmentation between personal and professional life
Professional duty and conscientious objection
Trust, honesty, openness

13. 3. Agents and Responsibility
Examines how we understand individuals and their responsibilities
Individual responsibilities and duties
The practices of praise, blame, punishment and reward, and various ways in which these practices can be justified
People assessment in issues such as pay, hiring and firing, corporate culture, and disciplinary practice
The ethics of leadership

14. 4. Privacy and Confidentiality
The right to privacy, and how far it extends
Do some people give up their right to privacy (by becoming celebrities for example?
Whose duty is it to protect/respect a persons privacy?
Whether confidentiality should be limited or absolute
Contrasting approaches in different professional domains

15. 5. Consent and Contracts
Moral limits on what a person may consent or agree to
The role and limits of consent and contract in explaining obligations and rights
Exploitation
Promise keeping and contracts

16. 6. Justice, Rights and Interests
The nature of justice
Justice, equity and diversity
Justice and public and private interests
Just prices and just rewards

17. 7. Environmental Ethics
The moral status of the environment
Justice and fairness considerations: is environmental harm unfair to animals, plants, future generations or to no-one/nothing?
How environmental considerations should be weighed against others

18. 8. Business Ethics
What is the purpose of business?
Corporate Social Responsibility and License to Operate
Hiring and firing and human resources
Ethics of the supply chain
International business ethics
Ethics and financial decision making
Ethics and marketing

19. 9. Special Project Module
Students may choose a project for this module on which they will produce a 3-4,000 word essay or presentation equivalent. The normal expectation is that the topic would be closely related to their workplace experience.
This module may replace one of modules 4-8

20. Dissertation
Students may choose a project for this module on which they will produce a 12,000 word dissertation or presentation equivalent.
The project may be on any topic in the field of applied and professional ethics, but this module also provides an opportunity for a student to examine in depth a topic closely related to their work-place experience or professional practice.

21. Questions?

22. How the course is taught

23. Modules
Modules last for five weeks, and assessments are due three weeks later

• Terms are Sep Dec; Jan Apr; May Jun
• 24. 6 modules in the first year
• 25. 2 modules and dissertation in the second year