Teaching business ethics in an effective way presents a difficult challenge. Courses that focus on abstract philosophical ethics employ terminology and methodology that are not familiar to most business students. Yet courses that employ the strictly empirical methodology of the social sciences lack a truly normative core. Further, learning about ethics in the abstract is often far removed from the difficult ethical decisions business people confront in the real world of business.

At the McDonough School of Business, we have developed a method of teaching business ethics through experiential learning that is truly normative, communicated in terms readily understood by business students, and involves actual ethical decision-making on the part of the students. We have found that our approach results in students becoming more invested in the course and more committed to successfully resolving the ethical issues that confront them in a business environment.

The Workshop on Teaching Professional Ethics through Experiential Learning: The Georgetown Approach is designed to acquaint those who will be teaching business ethics in both business schools and philosophy departments with the various individual techniques we have developed and train those who are interested in how to use them in an integrated manner to create a highly effective business ethics course.

This year’s workshop will be held in person on May 23-25. The Institute covers travel and lodging expenses and will provide a $500 honorarium. The workshop agenda is available at http://gisme.georgetown.edu/workshop-on-teaching-professional-ethics

To apply, send a short CV and a short cover letter before March 1st, 2022, expressing your interest in the workshop, to the director of the institute, Michael Douma, at mjd289@georgetown.edu. Please title your email “GISME 2022 Business Ethics Teaching Workshop.”