What are ethics, and why are they important to learn about?

Ethics is the system of principles that determine whether the behavior of a person or organization is right or wrong from the perspective of morality and society. An understanding of ethics is important in our personal lives as well as in business and public life, where ethical leadership can inspire and motivate your team - and unethical actions can permanently tarnish the way you or your company is perceived, or even have legal repercussions. While fundamental principles of ethics have been a subject of moral philosophy since the days of Aristotle, the modern era has led to countless questions about the ethical use of new technologies. For instance, the convergence of the internet, social media, and data science has made privacy and the proper use of individuals’ data an important subject for business ethics. Similarly, many technologists have expressed concern that unethical forms of artificial intelligence (AI) could have harmful consequences for society.

What kinds of careers can I have with a background in ethics?

Strong principles of business ethics and an understanding of the power of ethical leadership can be an asset for any career in management. Many people want to work for companies that are helping to make positive change in the world - and very few want to work for or with an actively unethical organization. Being able to give voice to values and establishing yourself as an ethical leader can help attract and retain top talent as well as align and motivate your team to success. As our society becomes more and more dependent on the internet and artificial intelligence (AI), the ethics of the development, deployment, and use of these emerging technologies is becoming a critical subject of discussion in universities and tech companies around the world. Data scientists and AI engineers are thus increasingly expected to have a background in the potential ethical issues surrounding their work. According to Glassdoor , AI Engineers earn an average annual salary of $114,121.

Can I learn about ethics by taking online courses on Coursera?

Yes. Whether you want to learn about ethics from a personal or philosophical interest or to inform your career, Coursera offers a range of courses to fit your needs. You can learn remotely from top-ranked institutions from around the world, including Yale University, University of Michigan, the University of Virginia, the University of Lausanne, and the University of Amsterdam, all for a significantly lower tuition than on-campus students. You can even get a professional certificate in the ethics of technology through Coursera and CertNexus, giving you a valuable credential for careers in tech.

What skills or experience do I need to already have, before starting to learn ethics?

Good reading skills are typically the main skill you need to have before starting to study ethics. This is because the concepts can be complex and cases studies can contain a number of details to consider. Compassion for others can be useful because it might help you to consider how others would feel in a given situation. Critical thinking skills can also typically help you when learning about ethics. A background in philosophy can support the ethics topics you may choose to study. Business courses may also provide some background that you can quickly apply to topics you study in the field of ethics.

What kind of people are best suited for roles in ethics?

People who care more about doing what’s right than they care about making popular decisions are typically best suited for roles in ethics. These are often people who show respect for others even if they don’t agree with them, and people who treat others fairly without showing any type of bias. People who are honest and who lead by example are also often well suited to ethics roles. These may be people who enjoy exploring historical events or who study business areas like international trade, in which companies can make unethical blunders based on lack of knowledge about local customs or environmental issues.

What are common career paths for someone in ethics?

Some common career paths for someone in ethics include the health field and the legal field. These fields typically require people who have a high level of ethics due to the complexity of cases and the amount of privacy regulations involved. Education and research are two fields that can provide career paths for someone who studies ethics. Compliance specialists and ethics managers are two more paths that typically fall under the ethics topic. Ethics analysts and social services case workers also generally require a solid understanding of ethics.

What types of places hire people with a background in ethics?

Public service agencies and charitable organizations typically hire people who understand and practice ethics. Additionally, companies that engage in international trade and that need business management professionals can sometimes specifically seek out corporate social responsibility professionals to support ethical business practices. Tech companies like AI developers can hire ethics professionals. Additionally, marketing firms and accounting firms can seek out employees who have ethics training.

What are the benefits of taking an online Ethics course?

Online Ethics courses offer a convenient and flexible way to enhance your knowledge or learn new Ethics skills. Choose from a wide range of Ethics courses offered by top universities and industry leaders tailored to various skill levels.

What Ethics courses are best for training and upskilling employees or the workforce?

When looking to enhance your workforce's skills in Ethics, it's crucial to select a course that aligns with their current abilities and learning objectives. Our Skills Dashboard is an invaluable tool for identifying skill gaps and choosing the most appropriate course for effective upskilling. For a comprehensive understanding of how our courses can benefit your employees, explore the enterprise solutions we offer. Discover more about our tailored programs at Coursera for Business here .

Top Ethics Courses - Learn Ethics Online

Explore the Ethics Course Catalog

Duke University
AI Product Management
Skills you'll gain: Deep Learning, MLOps (Machine Learning Operations), Data Ethics, Data Management, Unsupervised Learning, Human Computer Interaction, User Experience Design, Classification And Regression Tree (CART), Data Quality, Human Centered Design, Machine Learning, Human Factors, Regression Analysis, Technical Management, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Applied Machine Learning, Artificial Neural Networks, Computer Vision, Data Processing, Personally Identifiable Information
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
718 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
ISC2
Security Principles
Skills you'll gain: Security Controls, Information Assurance, Cybersecurity, Risk Management Framework, Information Systems Security, Security Awareness, Cyber Governance, Security Management, Cyber Security Policies, Cyber Risk, Data Ethics, Data Integrity
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
513 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Stanford University
Introduction to Healthcare
Skills you'll gain: Pharmaceuticals, Health Systems, Healthcare Industry Knowledge, Health Care, Health Care Administration, Health Care Procedure and Regulation, Medicare, Quality Improvement, Quality Assessment, Performance Measurement, Regulatory Affairs, Payment Systems, Financial Systems, Insurance, Billing Systems, Business Ethics, Ethical Standards And Conduct
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
1.2K reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Rutgers the State University of New Jersey
Global Procurement and Sourcing
Skills you'll gain: Strategic Sourcing, Supplier Management, Procurement, Supplier Relationship Management, Supplier Performance Management, Negotiation, Contract Negotiation, Request For Quotation (RFQ), Stakeholder Management, Contract Management, Market Analysis, Purchasing, Stakeholder Engagement, Supply Management, Request for Proposal, Competitive Analysis, Risk Management, Supply Chain Management, Vendor Contracts, Business Ethics
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
2.3K reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
IBM
Cybersecurity Compliance Framework, Standards & Regulations
Skills you'll gain: IT Service Management, Governance Risk Management and Compliance, Information Technology Infrastructure Library, NIST 800-53, Regulatory Compliance, Auditing, Cybersecurity, Compliance Management, ISO/IEC 27001, Control Objectives for Information and Related Technology (COBIT), Artificial Intelligence, Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), Risk Management, Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standards, General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Business Ethics
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
3.3K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center
Avoiding AI Harm
Skills you'll gain: ChatGPT, Data Ethics, OpenAI, Generative AI, Social Justice, Artificial Intelligence, Ethical Standards And Conduct, Data Validation, Personally Identifiable Information, Verification And Validation, Diversity Awareness, Information Privacy, Mitigation, Data Security, Algorithms
5
Rating, 5 out of 5 stars
6 reviews
Beginner · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Google
Google Data Analytics (PT)
Skills you'll gain: Data Cleansing, Rmarkdown, Data Storytelling, Data Presentation, Data Validation, Spreadsheet Software, Data Visualization, Data Ethics, Tableau Software, Data Visualization Software, Data Analysis, Ggplot2, Analytical Skills, Stakeholder Communications, Presentations, SQL, Dashboard, Data Quality, Data Collection, Data Processing
4.9
Rating, 4.9 out of 5 stars
4K reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
MedCerts
Pharmacy Technician Fundamentals
Skills you'll gain: Medical Terminology, Conflict Management, Anatomy, Cultural Responsiveness, Patient Safety, Cultural Diversity, Pharmacy, Cultural Sensitivity, Pharmaceuticals, Professionalism, Medication Administration, Patient Education and Support, Professional Development, Medical Records, Time Management, Emotional Intelligence, Hazard Communication (HazCom), Health Information Management and Medical Records, Medical Science and Research, Practice Management Software
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
938 reviews
Beginner · Specialization · 3 - 6 Months
DeepLearning.AI
Build Basic Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs)
Skills you'll gain: Generative AI, PyTorch (Machine Learning Library), Image Analysis, Deep Learning, Artificial Neural Networks, Applied Machine Learning, Data Ethics, Computer Graphics, Machine Learning
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
2K reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Tableau Learning Partner
Tableau Business Intelligence Analyst
Skills you'll gain: Data Storytelling, Exploratory Data Analysis, Requirements Elicitation, Ad Hoc Reporting, Data Governance, Data Ethics, Tableau Software, Business Analysis, Data Visualization Software, Data Warehousing, Business Metrics, Dashboard, Statistical Visualization, Extract, Transform, Load, Data Analysis, Spatial Data Analysis, Data Quality, Data Management, Descriptive Statistics, Interactive Data Visualization
4.7
Rating, 4.7 out of 5 stars
851 reviews
Beginner · Professional Certificate · 3 - 6 Months
Microsoft
Ethical and Regulatory Implications of Generative AI
Skills you'll gain: Compliance Management, Data Ethics, Generative AI, Law, Regulation, and Compliance, Regulatory Requirements, Governance, Regulatory Affairs, Artificial Intelligence, Business Ethics, Ethical Standards And Conduct, Business Risk Management
4.8
Rating, 4.8 out of 5 stars
8 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 4 Weeks
Fractal Analytics
Responsible AI - Principles and Ethical Considerations
Skills you'll gain: Data Ethics, Artificial Intelligence, Ethical Standards And Conduct, Information Privacy, Personally Identifiable Information, Data Governance, Data Security, Governance, Data Integrity, Data-Driven Decision-Making, Accountability, Diversity Awareness, Machine Learning, Data Analysis, Algorithms
4.4
Rating, 4.4 out of 5 stars
16 reviews
Intermediate · Course · 1 - 3 Months