An Ethics and Professionalism Seminar in the Civil Engineering Curriculum

This paper describes the development of a seminar devoted to ethics and professionalism in engineering. The course is designed to provide an introduction to the role of the engineer in society in addition to an overview of the ethical and professional responsibilities of the engineer. Another important factor in offering the seminar is related to the recommendations of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET), which states that, “an understanding of the ethical, social, economic, and safety considerations in engineering practice is essential for a successful engineering career.”