Applied Ethics for Professionals

Since 2002, the Wits Philosophy Department has offered an integrated, part-time programme in Applied Ethics for Professionals. As the name suggests, the programme is tailored for experienced and successful people in all walks of professional life, and is now affiliated with the recently created Wits Centre for Ethics.

The course work component consists of three-hour seminars on Saturday mornings. Sixteen such Saturdays are involved during the first year, eight per semester, and eight further seminars complete the course work during the first half of the second year. Research Reports are done on the student’s own time, in conjunction with a supervisor from the Wits Department of Philosophy. Research Reports are expected to be completed within six months to a year after completion of the course work component.

The next intake is to begin the Programme in 2014. Applications will be accepted beginning in Sept. 2013. For information on how to apply, please contact the Programme Coordinator (details below).

Prerequisites

• An Honours degree or a professional qualification at least equivalent to an Honours degree (e.g., MBA, BSc(Eng), CA, LLB (second degree), MBBCh);
• At least one year’s experience in a professional, managerial or leadership position;
• Excellent English comprehension and writing skills;
• Ready and convenient access to email and the Internet;
• The ability to attend the Saturday seminars on the Wits campus.

Duration

The course work takes a year and a half to complete, and is followed by a Research Report of 10,000 -15,000 words, often on an ethical topic related to the participant’s professional field.In total, the programme normally takes two to two-and-a-half years to complete.

Programme Structure

First Year of Study

Term 1 (February – May): Required core course: Methods of Applied Ethics (8 Saturday seminars)

Term 2 (July – October): Two from a set of three electives on offer (4 Saturday seminars each, 8 in total)

Second Year of Study

Term 1 (February – May): Two further electives from a set of three electives on offer (8 Saturday seminars)

Term 2 (July – October): Research Methodology Seminar and individual supervised work on research reports*

(* This may be continued into the following year if necessary.)

Approved Electives

Six of the following courses will be offered during any two-year cycle:

• Cultural Pluralism and Ethics, 
• Ethical Theory, 
• Ethics and the Environment, 
• Ethics and International Affairs, 
• Information and Privacy, 
• Issues in Biomedical Ethics, 
• Morality and the Law, 
• Morality and the Marketplace, 
• Social Justice, 
• The Value of Life, and 
• Directed Study of a Further Approved Topic (by individual arrangement). 

For more information on each of these electives, click here.

Contact Details

Course Coordinator

Dr Brian Penrose
Phone: 27 11 717 4352
Fax: 27 11 717 4359
Email: Brian.Penrose@wits.ac.za