Teaching ethics across the public relations curriculum

Abstract

This article suggests ways of incorporating ethics across the undergraduate public relations curriculum. Ethics is discussed in numerous textbooks for a variety of public relations courses. The most concentrated and comprehensive discussion of ethics occurs primarily in public relations principles texts. This article will review current coverage of ethics in public relations principles, public relations writing, cases in public relations and public relations campaigns textbooks, identify current pedagogical strategies and suggest other methods that teachers can use to incorporate ethical pedagogical tools in all public relations courses in an effort to develop students’ ethical awareness and to improve their skills in ethical decision-making.