Military College of Signals

Rawalpindi

Course Plan – Semester Fall 2012

Course Code: Professional Ethics

By: Lec Alia Razia Malik

Office Hours (Day, time and place):

Day Timing and Place

Monday 8:00-9:00 (office CSE department)

Friday 11:00-12 00 (Office CSE department)

Pre-Requisite:
Nil

Course Objectives and Outcomes

 Ethics is a branch of philosophy concerned with answering the question
"What does moral goodness consist in? Or, how should I to live my life, if I
want to be morally good? The study of morality or ethics has occupied
human beings for centuries. The study of morality helps us sort through
different moral positions and reasons and to understand the foundation of
our own moral beliefs.

 This course has been designed especially for engineering students. Most
students in engineering programs after their graduation will find
themselves in situations where a "moral point of view" is expected and
taken for granted. Too often, however, in the pressure of professional
education too little time is spent helping students not only understand the
moral problems they will face, but facing the foundation on which they will
make moral decisions.

 By the end of the semester the students should have developed a critical
awareness of a variety of sociological perspectives in Ethics and their
relevance to other areas of study.
Course Outline:

Week no. Detail

Week 1
 Why study Professional Ethics
 What is Ethics and Morality?
 Definition, distinction
 Professional Ethics
Week 2  Professional Ethics

 What is Profession
 Characteristics of profession
 Ethics in Profession

Week 3  Ethics and Morality

 Moral Judgment
 Moral Development
 Ethics- The Study of Morality
 Descriptive Ethics
 Normative Ethics
 Meta Ethics

Week 4  Human Values

 Preference Value
 Instrumental Value
 Intrinsic Value
 Subjective & Objective Value
 Development of Human Society and Culture
 Culture and Society
 Concept of Society and Culture

Week 5  Development of Human Society and Culture

 Qualities of Culture
 Ethnocentrism
 Xenocentrism
 Culture and Humanity
 Culture Relativism

 Personality and Moralization

Week 6  Concept of Personality
  Factors in the development of Personality
 Self Knowledge

Week 7  Personality and Moralization

 Types of Personality
 Desirable and undesirable Personality Traits
 Case Study

Week 8  Personality and Moralization

 Character Ethics or Virtue Ethics

 Case Study

Week 9  Ethics – Role and Status

 Moralization through Role and Status
 Ascribed and Achieved Status

Week 10  Moral Philosophy and Theories

 Utilitarian Theory
 Duty and Right Theory
 Strength and Weaknesses of Theories

Week 11  Ethical Problem Solving Techniques

 Ethics and Role of Social Institutions
 Functions of Social Institution
 Family

Week 12  Ethics and Role of Social Institutions

 Education
 Religion
Week 13  Contemporary Moral Issues
 Moral Dilemma
 Problem Solving
Week 14  Contemporary Moral Issues
 Safety and Risk
 Gender

Week 15  Contemporary Moral Issues

  Environmental Ethics
 Computer Ethics

Week 16
Selected Case Study
Revision and Problem Solving Session

Assessment Plan

1- Quizzes:
Four quizzes of 5 marks each

2- Assignment:
Two assignments of 10 marks

3- One Hour Test:

Two OHTs (one hour duration) , 15 marks each

4- Final Term Examination:

Final exam of two and half hours duration, 50 marks

Recommended Course Literature:

 Engineering Ethics: Concepts & Cases by Harris, C. E. - Wordsworth

 Engineering Ethics by Charles B – Pearson Education
 A Text Book of Professional Ethics by Naargan
 The elements of moral philosophy, 3rd ed., by James Rachels,
McGraw-Hill

Recommended Course Requirements and Expectations:

• The course requires sound logical reasoning, critical and analytical

thinking. Students have to raise logical arguments to back their point
of view. Therefore, inquisitiveness and hard work are expected from
all participants throughout the course.