Professional Ethics

Total Hours in Course81

Number of hours for lectures16

Number of hours for seminars and practical classes16

Independent study hours49

Date of course confirmation29.10.2021

Responsible UnitInstitute of Social Sciences and Humanities

Course developer

Sociālo un humanitāro zinātņu institūts

Juris Vuguls

Dr. phil.

Prior knowledge

Filz1013, History of Philosophy

Course abstract

The aim of the study course is to provide knowledge about the main categories of ethics and morality in the context of humanity and professionalism, as well as to develop skills to apply this knowledge in the profession of sociologist and in the management of internal and external communication of organizations.
The study course acquires knowledge of the main categories of ethics, the central moments of the development of ethical thought, acquires various moral concepts about moral values, and clarifies the essence of professional ethics. The course examines how significant ethical problems arise today and how knowledge of ethical categories can be practically applied in the development and management of internal and external communication of public and private organizations and how this knowledge can be combined with the sociological profession. Relevant codes of ethics for the profession are being studied. In addition to lectures, the course includes discussions in seminars, work groups, presentation of independent work.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge: The study course provides in-depth knowledge of the essence of ethics and its main categories and its connection with areas important to society (1st test, seminars, discussions), as well as the principles of professional ethics and the principles of sociologist’s professional ethics and them application in various internal and external communication and management situations of organizations (2nd test, seminars, discussions, essays, their presentation)
Skills: The study course acquires skills to apply knowledge of ethics and its main principles in the analysis of organizational and public administration and its problems; to identify ethical problem situations in the organization and public administration, to analyze their causes and to find solutions for the improvement of internal and external communication (tests 1 and 2, seminars, discussions); general skills - is able to responsibly plan time and perform the assigned tasks, independently obtain the necessary information, critically evaluate and analyze the obtained information using various sources of information, form cooperation, engage in discussion and reasonably defend their opinion (discussions, group work).
Competence: Students acquire competence to use knowledge based on the essence of ethics, the main categories, and the peculiarities of professional ethics of a sociologist to analyze the ethical dimensions of the sociology of organization and public administration.
Students are also able to use this knowledge and skills to solve various communication problems, the causes of which are to be found in non-compliance with ethical principles. (essay presentation and code presentation and analysis)

Course Content(Calendar)

List of lectures (16 hours)
1. Peculiarities of ethics and philosophy research methods. - 1 hour
2. Ethics as a practical philosophy. Ethics, morality, virtue, ideal. - 1 hour
3. Types of moral motivation. Moral and legal. - 1 hour
4. The main moral principles. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. - 1 hour
5. The main categories of ethics. Good and evil. - 1 hour
6. Ways of understanding of human as moral being. - 1 hour
7. Concepts of I and personality. Problem of Identity and quality of life. - 1 hour
8. Communication. Dialogue and ethics. Otherness. - 1 hour
9. Morality in public administration, economics, ideology and politics. Consumer society and ethics. - 1 hour
10. Professional ethics and its relation to the general theory of morality. - 1 hour
11. Genesis of professional ethics. The historical origin of professional morality. - 1 hour
12. Professional morality in modern society. - 1 hour
13. Professionalism as a moral quality of personality. - 1 hour
14. Codes of ethics for specialists - professionals in various social and humanitarian spheres. - 1 hour
15. Practical ethics in public administration. Possibilities of practical realization of moral action. - 1 hour
16. Peculiarities of the moral requirements of the profession of sociologist. Codes of ethics for sociologists. - 1 hour

List of seminars (16 hours)
1. Morality, virtue and ideal. Diversity of virtues (1 hour)
2. Moral motivation in different eras. (1 hour)
3. Differences between moral and legal. Analysis of examples. (1 hour)
4. Characterization of a moral problem situation and analysis of examples. (1 hour)
5. The essence and main categories of ethics. (test, 1 hour)
6. Moral principles in real life. Analysis of examples. (1 hour)
7. Categories of good and evil. (1 hour)
8. The essence of human in the context of ethics and communication. (1 hour)
9. Who is a person? Human as a moral being. Essay. (presentation, 1 hour)
10. The role of self-knowledge in the context of self-management, ethics and communication. (1 hour)
11. Moral paradoxes in the consumer society. (1 hour)
12. The essence of professional ethics in the context of the possibilities of the sociological profession. (test, 1 hour)
13. Relationship between ethics and professional ethics and professional morality. (1 hour)
14. Practical ethics in public administration. Individual work. (1 hour)
15. Codes of professional ethics for sociologists. (presentation of individual works, 2 hours)

Requirements for awarding credit points

The cumulative assessment in the 10-point system consists of: 1. test - 10%, 2. test - 10%, discussions and group work - 30%; essay preparation - 10%; development of the code - 20%; essay and code presentation - 20%.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

During the studies, the student develops and submits in printed form at the specified time. 2 works:
1. Who is a human? Human as a moral being. Essay.
2. Independent development and presentation of a code of ethics.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Independent work is assessed according to the quality requirements of compliance with the task.
Discussions are judged by engagement, ability to reasonably argue and discuss issues related to study topics.
Main focus in assessment of independent and discussion tasks – development of individual critical, philosophical thinking and elements of independent thinking.

Compulsory reading

1. Lasmane S., Milts A., Rubenis A. Ētika. Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC, 1995. 252 lpp. ISBN10: 9984560651
2. Blekbērns S. Ētika. Rīga: ¼ Satori, 2008. 168 lpp. ISBN: 978-9984-9966-8-4
3. Praktiskā filosofija. Jelgava: LLU, 2008. 549 lpp.
4. Geuras D., Garofalo C., Practical Ethics in Public Administration. B.v., Management Concepts, 2005. 362 p.
5. Lasmane S. Komunikācijas ētika. Rīga: LU, 2012. 304 lpp. ISBN13 9789984455280
6. Naagarazan R.S. Professional Ethics and Human Values. Pieejams: https://soaneemrana.org/onewebmedia/Professional%20Ethics%20and%20Human%20Values%20by%20R.S%20NAAGARAZAN.pdf

Periodicals and other sources

1. American Sociological Association Code of Ethics. Pieejams: https://www.asanet.org/sites/default/files/savvy/images/asa/docs/pdf/CodeofEthics.pdf
2. Journal of Moral Philosophy. Pieejams: https://brill.com/view/journals/jmp/jmp-overview.xml
3. Latvijas Sociologu asociācijas (LSA) profesionālās darbības kodekss sociālo un tirgus pētījumu veikšanai. Pieejams: http://sociologija.lv/etika-2/lsa-kodekss/
4. Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Pieejams: https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights
5. Žurnāls "Rīgas Laiks" - ISSN 1407-1622.

Notes

Compulsory study course for ESAF academic bachelor study program "Sociology of Organizations and Public Administration".

Atsauksmes