SENATE DOCUMENT #25

                      ACADEMIC POLICIES COMMITTEE

                              DOCUMENT #15

                                1984-85




306  Ethics for the Professions (3)

     A treatment of ethical theories and moral decision making as they apply
     to the professions.  Topics include:  paternalism, confidentiality,
     loyalty and "whistleblowing," truthfulness, community responsibility.
     Prerequisite:  junior standing in any major.



Rationale:

Ethical issues arise in all of the professions.  Every student in every 
professional program should have the opportunity to study problems in 
professional ethics.  Philosophers normally teach these courses at other 
schools.  We propose a broad-based course of interest to all professional and 
preprofessional programs.  In particular, it is to be a required part of the 
Communications program.  We have qualified staff for the course and based on 
experience at other colleges would anticipate a large, regular enrollment for 
this course.  It is put at the junior level to try to guarantee some student 
awareness of issues likely to arise in their profession.