You’ve heard of medical ethics, environmental ethics, research ethics, and so on. But did you know that undergraduate engineering programs must teach engineering ethics in order to stay accredited?
The body that accredits engineering programs (ABET) lists criteria that all programs must follow, including ethics (Criterion 3). Engineering educators have had a lot of discussion about how to handle this, especially since the wording is a little vague (e.g., “understanding of professional and ethical responsibility”).
What’s been written about this fascinating concept? Skim through some of the compelling case studies in books such as Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases, get the big picture from Ethics in Engineering, or look at some our online books such as Engineering, Poverty, and the Earth.
Consult the library’s collection for more information. Engineers of today and of tomorrow must understand how to use the power they have to make the world a better place.