Analysis of an Ethical Dilemma
For the final project in this course, you will be required to examine in detail a public service ethical dilemma. It must be in the public sector, so it must involve government and its structure and functions. It can be one that you have faced yourself, or one that you believe you may face as you continue in your career, or something that you have perceived as an ethical dilemma that no one is addressing.
The assignments in this course will help you to explore the ethical dimensions of your dilemma. You will synthesize these components, incorporating feedback from your instructor and your peers, into your final project.
To successfully complete this project, you will be expected to:
1. Analyze an ethical dilemma in public administration.
2. Evaluate traditional and contemporary theories of ethics in relationship to an ethical dilemma in public administration.
3. Devise a plan to aid in ethical decision making that leads to an ethical solution.
4. Illustrate the meaning of professional integrity.
5. Think critically and communicate effectively to explain personal and professional leadership in the public sector.
Project Requirements
To achieve a successful project experience and outcome, you are expected to meet the following requirements.
- Describe an ethical dilemma that you will face, might face, or have faced in your career as a public administrator, including any competing ethical issues that add complexity to your dilemma.
- Provide an analysis of your dilemma based on the theories you have identified in the units of this course.
- Propose a plan that will help you maintain integrity in your ethical decision making. Include who you will consult and the resources available to assist you.
- Describe and evaluate the ethical approach you will take to resolve your dilemma.
- Reflect on the ways in which the ethical dilemmas described in this class have caused you to think differently about the field of public administration and role within it.