Abstract:
The teaching of ethics in public administration is afield that has grown considerably over the last 40 years. This is because of concerns within educational institutions that offer the Masters in Public Administration (MPA) and Doctor of PublicAdministration (DPA) graduate degrees, as well as the belief that citizens beyond the profession hold that public administrators must be account-able, must act in ways that are transparent and public, and must keep to a high standard of ethical behavior. To this end, professional organizations like the National Association of Schools of Public. Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) have asserted the importance of ethics in the pedagogical structures of MPA, DPA, and PhD programs,and a large number of philosophy and political science departments offer undergraduate applied ethics courses on Ethics in Public Administration and Ethics in Public Policy. There are a variety of specific areas to consider: the student audience,the ethical theories and values that are included,and the case studies or dilemmas that students use to practice their decision-making methods and keeping the course relevant and current to the professional life of public administrators currently working in the field. Courses in ethics in public administration are frequently the first step to a broader sense of professionalization for the student, as well as an opportunity to address a deeper set of values and concerns beyond administrative or bureaucratic procedures.
Description:
James, Christine (2016). Teaching Ethics in Public Administration. Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration Public Policy, and Governance. 1 electronic record (PDF).