Short course
Business Ethics: From Theory to Practice
Course status:
Applications being accepted
Location:
Online
Dates:
14/04/2027 - 23/06/2027
Study format:
Online - live
Fees:
£430.00
We can all think of examples of businesses, or their managers, behaving unethically and causing harms to wider society, such as the Enron scandal.
But can we really expect more of businesses? Do they simply exist to pursue profit? Some think that ‘business ethics’ is an oxymoron, so is business an ethics-free zone? In this short course we consider the role of business in society and consider perspectives on the ethical requirements for businesses and those who work in them.
The course is suitable for anyone with an interest in the application of ethics to the business world. We will contrast different approaches such as stakeholder theory, shareholder primacy and the market failures approach.
During the course we will look at various ways in which businesses engage in controversial activities. Some of these are about fairness in dealing with others, such as the treatment of suppliers, workers and customers. The course will consider issues such as environmental sustainability, and the dilemmas arising where duties to wider society and duties to managers and shareholders seem to conflict. We end with a discussion of the controversies arising where businesses engage in the political realm.
Book this course
Book your place online using the button below.
Programme details
This course begins on the 14 Apr 2027, which is when course materials are made available to students. Students should study these materials in advance of the first live meeting, which will be held on 21 Apr 2027, 18:00-19:00 (UK time).
Week 1: Ethical dilemmas in business
Week 2: Rights and responsibilities
Week 3: Stakeholder theory
Week 4: Bluffing and the purpose of capitalist business competition
Week 5: Market failures: Business, capitalism and dishonesty
Week 6: Moral agency and Whistleblowing
Week 7: Advertising and sales
Week 8: Fairness in the workplace
Week 9: Business and politics
Week 10: Sustainability and environmental responsibility
Level and demands
This course is open to all, and no prior knowledge is required.
This course is offered at FHEQ level 4 (first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours.
English Language Requirements
We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but we warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements, please see here.
Course aims
This course aims to:
- To introduce students to prominent approaches to business ethics, and to apply them to controversial cases.
- To develop students’ knowledge and understanding of the main theoretical positions in business ethics and of the key arguments for and against them.
- To enable students to practice the analysis and critical assessment of arguments and in presenting their own views.
IT requirements
Any standard web browser can be used to access course materials on our virtual learning environment, but we recommend Google Chrome. We also recommend that students join the live webinars on Microsoft Teams using a laptop or desktop computer rather than a phone or tablet due to the limited functionality of the app on these devices.
Programme details
This course begins on the 14 Apr 2027, which is when course materials are made available to students. Students should study these materials in advance of the first live meeting, which will be held on 21 Apr 2027, 18:00-19:00 (UK time).
Week 1: Ethical dilemmas in business
Week 2: Rights and responsibilities
Week 3: Stakeholder theory
Week 4: Bluffing and the purpose of capitalist business competition
Week 5: Market failures: Business, capitalism and dishonesty
Week 6: Moral agency and Whistleblowing
Week 7: Advertising and sales
Week 8: Fairness in the workplace
Week 9: Business and politics
Week 10: Sustainability and environmental responsibility
Teaching methods
This course takes place over 10 weeks, with a weekly learning schedule and weekly live webinar held on Microsoft Teams. Shortly before a course commences, students are provided with access to an online virtual learning environment, which houses the course content, including video lectures, complemented by readings or other study materials. Working through these materials over the course of the week will prepare students for a weekly 1-hour live webinar you will share with your expert tutor and fellow students. All courses are structured to amount to 100 study hours, so that on average, you should set aside 10 hours a week for study. Although the course finishes after 10 weeks, all learning materials remain available to all students for 12 months after the course has finished.
All courses are led by an expert tutor. Tutors guide students through the course materials as part of the live interactions during the weekly webinars. Tutors will also provide individualised feedback on your assignments. All online courses are taught in small student cohorts so that you and your peers will form a mutually supportive and vibrant learning community for the duration of the course. You will learn from your fellow students as well as from your tutor, and they will learn from you.
Learning outcomes
By the end of the course, students should:
- be able to recognise ethical controversies in business practices and apply ethical reasoning to them.
- have learnt how to formulate and evaluate arguments about ethically controversial issues relating to business practices.
- have learnt how to formulate and evaluate arguments about ethically controversial issues relating to business practices.
Assessment methods
You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.
Dr Doug Bamford
Doug Bamford is lecturer in Lifelong Learning (Political Philosophy) at OUDCE, teaching courses in philosophy and political economy. His main interest is in political philosophy and its application to public policy, particularly taxation. He obtained his PhD in 2013 and became an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA) in 2023. He is author of Rethinking Taxation (Searching Finance, 2014) and several papers (including articles in the Journal of Applied Philosophy, Moral Philosophy and Politics, Problema, and Think). He blogs at Doug Bamford’s Tax Appeal.
Assessment methods
You will be set two pieces of work for the course. The first of 500 words is due halfway through your course. This does not count towards your final outcome but preparing for it, and the feedback you are given, will help you prepare for your assessed piece of work of 1,500 words due at the end of the course. The assessed work is marked pass or fail.
Level and demands
This course is open to all, and no prior knowledge is required.
This course is offered at FHEQ level 4 (first year undergraduate level), and you will be expected to engage in independent study in preparation for your assignments. Our 10-week Short Online Courses come with an expected total commitment of 100 study hours.
English Language Requirements
We do not insist that applicants hold an English language certification, but we warn that they may be at a disadvantage if their language skills are not of a comparable level to those qualifications listed on our website. If you are confident in your proficiency, please feel free to enrol. For more information regarding English language requirements, please see here.
Fees
| Description | Costs |
|---|---|
| Course Fee | £430.00 |
Module code: O26P856PHZ
Please use the ‘Book now’ button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an enrolment form.