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Professional Ethics for Engineers
Edward Brunet, Jr., P.E.
Overview
Prior to 1900,
professional societies generally subscribed to the belief that ethics was a
matter of an engineer’s personal responsibility and not appropriate for a
written code. That changed with the development of the first written codes
of conduct for engineers in the early 1900's. These early codes emphasized
the importance of an engineer's loyalty to his or her employer. It wasn't
until the middle of the 20th century that engineering codes of ethics began
addressing the engineer's obligation to the public.
On October 28, 1946, the
Board of Directors of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE)
adopted a "Canon of Ethics for Engineers" that was prepared by the Engineers'
Council for Professional Development (ECPD), which is now the Accreditation
Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
The ECPD/ABET model, which has evolved over the years, is the basis for the
codes of conduct enacted as law by the state engineering boards. This
course investigates the most common ethics violations prosecuted by state
engineering licensing boards and provides guidance on how to ensure that you
don't end up on the wrong side of a board disciplinary hearing.
Additionally, a section near the end of the course examines conflicts of
interest.
Case studies are used throughout the course to
demonstrate real life scenarios where engineers have faced ethical dilemmas in
professional practice related to the subjects covered in the course.
The student must take a multiple-choice quiz consisting of ten questions at the end of
this course to obtain PDH credits.
Specific Knowledge or Skill Attained
This course teaches the following specific knowledge and
skills:
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History of
engineering ethics and codes of conduct
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What are the
Fundamental Canons of the NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers
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Why it is important
to study and practice engineering ethics
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Consequences that
can result from unethical behavior
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The most common
ethics violations prosecuted by state engineering licensing boards
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Avoiding conflicts
of interest
Course
Click on the following link to review the
course "Professional Ethics for Engineers" prior to taking a quiz for PDH
credit.
Professional Ethics for Engineers (84 KB)
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