Ethics Education in the MPA Curriculum: What Difference Does It Make?

Abstract

This study of 203 public administrators from across the United States, each of whom holds a master's degree in public administration, addresses the effects of ethics education upon professional behavior. Survey respondents were grouped on the basis of whether or not they had in their MPA program a semester-long class that focused solely or primarily on ethics. Those who reported having had this formal ethics education recognized ethical conflict as distinct from other conflicts significantly more often than those who did not. They were also significantly more likely to refuse to engage in unethical behavior, even when directed to do so by a superior, than were those reporting no formal ethics education. Implications for further research are outlined.