Program description
Ethics is the branch of study that deals with human behaviour and values in the context of the society in which we live. Ethics seeks to answer two questions: how to live one’s life well and how to do the right thing.
Offered by the Faculty of Philosophy, the Public Ethics undergraduate program provides a basic understanding of the major ethical issues within contemporary society, and of ethical problems in such areas as religion, politics, health, business, communications, justice, environment, public affairs, etc. Applying key ethical theories, students analyze these issues, identify their inherent values and conflicts, and suggest possible solutions to these ethical dilemmas.
In addition to the foundational courses,* the program offers courses on the theories developed by leading thinkers in the fields of ethics and moral and political philosophy. Students are given an opportunity to deepen their understanding of specific subjects by applying their theoretical knowledge to concrete ethical challenges.
*The foundational courses are a compulsory part of every bachelor’s degree program offered at Saint Paul University.
What you’ll learn
During your studies you will explore the major fields and themes of philosophy and their related issues, in order to define, explain and clarify an ethical problem.
You will also learn to communicate your knowledge effectively (in writing and orally), and to take a position on an ethical dilemma and suggest possible solutions.
Why choose Saint Paul University?
Career opportunities
Click here to find out more about Admission Scholarships at Saint Paul University.
Other programs that may interest you
The list of required courses is presented under the Program Requirements tab.
A student enrolled in this Honours Bachelor’s with Specialization Program cannot add a complementary program.
Modalités d’admission au programme
Les candidates et candidats admissibles du Cégep de l’Outaouais désirant se prévaloir de la présente entente doivent suivre la procédure suivante :
L’Université Saint-Paul se réserve le droit de refuser cette entente à une candidate ou un candidat ayant obtenu son diplôme collégial du programme d’études du Cégep de l’Outaouais plus de trois ans avant sa demande d’admission.
Demande d’admission
Vous devez remplir ce formulaire :
Note : Si vous prévoyez faire demande d’admission à plus d’une université, nous vous recommandons de remplir le formulaire de demande d’admission du Centre de demande d’admission aux universités de l’Ontario (OUAC)
DOCUMENTS REQUIS POUR L'ÉVALUATION DE VOTRE DEMANDE D'ADMISSION |
Afin que nous puissions évaluer votre demande d’admission, vous devez soumettre des relevés de notes officiels pour l’ensemble de vos études antérieures (niveaux secondaire, collégial et universitaire). Ces relevés de notes doivent être envoyés directement par votre établissement scolaire à l’adresse suivante :
Université Saint-Paul
Bureau de l’admission et des services aux étudiants
223, rue Main
Ottawa (Ontario)
K1S 1C4
CANADA
Toutefois, pour accélérer le processus d’évaluation de votre demande d’admission, vous pouvez numériser vos documents et les faire parvenir par courriel au Bureau de l’admission à l’adresse admission@ustpaul.ca et, par la suite, transmettre vos documents officiels par la poste.
L'ÉVALUATION DE VOTRE DEMANDE D'ADMISSION |
Dès que le Bureau de l’admission aura reçu l’ensemble des documents qui sont exigés, il procèdera à l’évaluation de votre demande d’admission et l’une des décisions suivantes vous sera envoyée à l’adresse courriel que vous nous avez fournie, ainsi qu’à votre adresse postale.
Décisions possibles
ACCEPTEZ VOTRE OFFRE D'ADMISSION |
Pour accepter l’offre d’admission et l’offre de bourse, le cas échéant, vous devez signer le formulaire d’acceptation qui accompagne votre offre d’admission et le faire parvenir, avant la date butoir, à l’Université Saint-Paul par courriel à l’adresse suivante admission@ustpaul.ca ou par la poste à :
Université Saint-Paul
Bureau de l’admission et des services aux étudiants
223, rue Main
Ottawa (Ontario)
K1S 1C4
CANADA
FAITES VOTRE CHOIX DE COURS |
Avec votre offre d’admission, vous recevrez également tous les renseignements nécessaires pour faire votre choix de cours. Vous recevrez également les coordonnées de nos conseillères aux études que vous pourrez rencontrer, de façon individuelle ou lors de sessions d’information, pour vous conseiller et vous aider à compléter votre choix de cours.
Formation disciplinaire (57 crédits)
Cours obligatoires (39 crédits)
PHI 1505 Introduction à la pensée critique
Cours optionnels (18 crédits)
9 crédits parmi :
ISC 2706 Médias et éthique
9 crédits parmi :
PHI 3529 Éthique, intelligence artificielle et Big Data
Cours au choix 3 crédits (doivent être de niveau 3000 ou 4000)
Introduction to theoretical approaches in the Humanities and to the methods that are applied to interpret the multiple expressions of human experience, particularly those expressed in important works of art and literature.
Social and ecological challenges facing humanity today, and related issues of social justice. These questions will be examined from a perspective of community building and efforts towards ecological and social transformations for a hopeful future.
Development of abilities to read critically and understand academic works. Focus on formal writing skills: techniques of clear expression and construction of texts, argument development and organization. This course also includes a library laboratory component with focus on research skills, citations, and academic integrity.
Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives on the First Peoples in Canada, cultural diversity, traditional practices and beliefs, relationship with the environment, changing roles and structures influenced by colonization. Contemporary issues faced by First Nations, Métis and Inuit, including cultural genocide and trauma.
Constitutive elements of ethical behavior. Basic ethical criteria in media communication. Rights in communication situations. Deontology codes in use in several institutions. Case analysis in media praxis: persuasion communication and fiction.
Explores the various sides of Critical Thinking: the nature of arguments, common errors in reasoning as well as evaluating evidence and information. Enables students to acquire and develop research and writing skills.
When offered, this course would take one of the following three forms: I. Ancient and Medieval Ethics: Greek, Hellenistic, and Roman Ethics. Selection from Plato’s Dialogues, and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. Selection from the Epicureans, Stoics, Neoplatonists, and Aquinas. II. Early Modern Ethics: Renaissance Humanists, Hobbes, Descartes, Spinoza, Locke, and Hume. III. Post-Kantian Ethics. Selections from Hegel, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, J.S. Mill, T.H. Green. Selections from Moore, the positivists and post-modernists. Western ethics may be compared and contrasted to selected non-Western traditions.
Impact of robotics and new technologies on the patient-healthcare practitioner relationship, medical interventions, the manner in which we perceive our own bodies, and transhumanism.
Study of the fundamentals of democracy and governance, and of its principal thinkers and critics, starting from Plato. Distinction between ancient and modern forms of democracy. Overview of the principles of political liberalism underpinning contemporary democracies. Comparison between democracy and other forms of government. Study of different models of governance and of the implications of a managerial conception of politics.
General history of utilitarianism, with readings from main thinkers in the tradition from its beginnings up to the present day (Bentham, Mill, Sidgwick, Singer, Lazari-Radek). Study of applied dimensions of this approach, as well as of its limitations.
General history of deontology, with readings from main thinkers in this tradition from its beginnings up to the present day (Kant, Ross, O’Neill). Study of applied dimensions of this approach, as well as of its limitations.
General history of virtue ethics, with readings from main thinkers in this tradition from its beginnings to the present day (Aristotle, MacIntyre, Nussbaum, non-western perspectives). Study of applied dimensions of this approach, as well as of its limitations.
Explores, from the perspective of social justice theories, issues such as social inequalities, poverty, refugees, war, and environmental degradation. Examines criticisms of this perspective.
Study of the traditional, universalist, approach to knowledge as well as contemporary standpoint approaches, such as feminist and postmodernist.
Study of different philosophical conceptions of the human being.
Examination of the philosophical and psychological research on the formation of ethical judgments. Relationships between judgment, feeling, and moral action. Examination of how various learning theories can be incorporated into teaching ethics to children, how ethics may be taught to children both inside and outside a religious context. Education as a pillar of democratic citizenship.
Study of emerging ethical issues and dilemmas prompted by the Internet and related technologies. Range of topics that could include privacy, cyber-bullying, algorithms governance, control society, accessibility issues, and the monetization of data. Foundations of artificial intelligence, and ethical and public policy issues linked to emerging and possible artificial intelligence technologies.
Examination of the development of critical theories and new ethical models in different feminist currents. How these ethics take into consideration the marginalized voices of oppressed groups.
Explores ethical issues concerning non-human animals and the environment, such as harvesting non-human animals for food production and the social problems arising from global warming.
This course examines the relation of ethics, multiculturalism, and immigration, studies the questions regarding the possibility of a multicultural ethics, and addresses the issues and debates arising from cultural relativism and identity politics in the functioning of modern societies.
Ethical issues relating to the public sector. Definitions of the common good and of public service. Study of the role of public policy in the functioning of various states and governments, and the implications of their coherence or conflict in the social, political and economic realms.
This course examines the philosophical foundations of various ethical and religious traditions and addresses the possibility of their convergence in modern liberal societies.
Explores the various kinds of conservative and libertarian philosophies with an emphasis on their differing views on the nature of truth and reason. Investigates conservative and libertarian critiques of social justice.
Analysis of Marxist theories as well as non-western and recent post-marxist interpretations and their mobilization in thinking through oppression and power relationships.
A minimum of 130 hours professionally supervised in an environment that includes a component of public ethics or analysis of public policies. The internship incorporates a cumulative reflective practice component in order to encourage the critical integration of theory and practice. The internship culminates in the writing of a detailed practicum report. Prerequisite: 24 PHI credits with a cumulative grade point average of 8.0. Graded S/NS.
Analysis of ethical, political, and public policy dimensions of armed conflict in a global era: just war theory, humanitarian intervention, war and diplomacy, emerging military technologies, torture, detainment, state of exception, and human rights.
Analysis of ethical issues emerging in organizational contexts. Case studies to demonstrate how ethical decisions are made on the ground.
Study of a particular topic, thinker or tradition. Critical analysis of the link between ethics and politics.
Writing of a major research project. Application of what the student has learned over the course of the B.A. to a topic of his or her own interest.
Analyzes models of disability from medical to social and political models. Critically investigates the implications of these models for the social construction of individuals as disabled.
A minimum of 130 hours under professional supervision in a work environment related to ethics. The student develops a clearly defined research project integrating his or her theoretical knowledge. The internship culminates in the writing of a practicum report detailing the outcomes of the project while integrating a critical reflection on theory and practice. Prerequisite: PHI3901 Internship I. Graded S/NS.
Contact Us
Office of the Associate Vice-Rector, Strategic Enrolment Management
Room 148
Saint Paul University
223 Main Street
Ottawa, ON
K1S 1C4
CANADA
Notice to gmail address holders, be sure to check your junk mailbox regularly, as due to your server's firewalls our email response to your application may end up there.
Telephone: 613-236-1393 ext. 8990
Fax: 613-782-3014
admission@ustpaul.ca
Hours of Operation
Monday to Friday | 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. |
1 p.m. to 4 p.m. |
Please leave your documents in the mailbox in front of room 148 when our offices are closed.
223 Main Street
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
K1S 1C4
Toll free
1.800.637.6859
613-236-1393
613-782-3005
info@ustpaul.ca