392398: Ethics for Human Resources Professionals
MGMT-859.50

This course takes place fully online and includes scheduled live meetings through the Canvas Zoom feature. Course weeks run from Monday at 12:00 am to Sunday at 11:59 pm Pacific Time (US).

Live meetings are offered as an opportunity for you to expand your knowledge in this field and connect with your instructor and classmates. The Zoom meetings are scheduled for the following dates and times. Attendance is optional during Weeks 1 and 3 and required for Week 4. All meetings will be recorded. 

• Week 1: Sunday, 10:00 am - 11:00 am (PT) - Optional
• Week 2: Sunday, 10:00 am - 11:00 am (PT) - Optional
• Week 4: Sunday, 10:00 am - 11:30 am (PT) - Required for Team Project Live Presentations

Today's HR professionals function as a key source of ethical awareness for managers and employees. This course heightens awareness of when integrity and an understanding of ethical issues are required, not only when advising others, but also when addressing the issues HR professionals face. Instruction enables participants to recognize the parts of their jobs in which ethical issues are most likely to be experienced; they employ practical techniques to develop solutions, evaluate their impacts, and decide on a course of action. Additionally, participants understand the impact of cultural and organizational pressures to conform, identify when to escalate issues and to whom, know the early warning signals of conflict between personal and work values, and assess how to maintain personal integrity.

During this course, you will:

• Work through conceptual frameworks and toolkits for making ethical decisions.
• Evaluate various scenarios from an ethical perspective.
• Make ethical decisions in real time. 

By the end of this course, you should be able to:

• Identify where and when ethical issues are likely to occur and how to maintain personal integrity.
• Articulate the impact of cultural and organizational pressures to conform.
• Develop solutions, evaluate their impacts, and decide on a course of action.
• Apply a toolkit with practical information in the workplace.

Available for purchase at the online shop of Josephson Institute.
Note: A condensed version of Making Ethical Decisions is available as a PDF.

• A computer with headset and a camera
• Internet connectivity

This is a Pass/Not Pass course worth 1.80 CEU.

Welcome! I am looking forward to collaborating with you, as well as learning about what you're doing and how you plan to use the course in your career.

• During this course, simply be yourself. Everyone brings different kinds of experiences in which we can learn from each other.
• Each of you will have unique needs, expectations, concerns, and agendas. It will be easier for me to help meet your needs if you communicate them directly and sincerely. I will respond to your questions within 24-48 hours. 

• This course is designed to be completed entirely online via Canvas.
• The course is broken into weekly modules which run Monday at 12:00 am (PT) to Sunday at 11:59 pm (PT).
• You may log in at any time of the day; however, you are expected to prepare and participate in the course on a weekly basis. Preparation includes completing the readings, videos, and other resources provided in the weekly modules. Participation includes completing all written assignments when due, and actively engaging in online discussions. If you have an emergency and must be off-line for an extended period, please communicate with me.
• You should be active all week, not just on weekends. Pacing your work earlier in the week will give you more time for larger projects when you need it.
• You are expected to participate in online discussions in a professional and respectful manner. Disagreements with either the instructor or class members must be communicated professionally, respecting personal dignity and the right to have an opinion that is not universally shared.
• All formal written work must reflect the use of proper grammar and should be carefully edited. Your work should feature proficient writing, correct spelling and mechanics. We judge one another substantially by the quality, clarity, and depth of our writing. 
• Grades will be based on the quality of completed course assignments and participation in discussions.

• Online interaction stimulates the learning process, so be prepared to respond to weekly online discussion questions regarding the concepts from the weekly lectures and videos.
• Active participation in weekly online discussions is required in this course. 
• A full explanation of questions is described in the discussion. If you have any concerns, contact the instructor for clarification.

Weeks with Two Discussions

• There are two discussion topics per week during Weeks 1 and 2 of the course. You will be responsible for participating in both discussions; however, your graded participation will depend on the group in which you are assigned.
  • Students will be divided into two groups. 
  • Students in Group 1 will be responsible for submitting an initial post to Discussion 1 and responding to two classmates' posts in Discussion 2.
  • Students in Group 2 will be responsible for submitting an initial post to Discussion 2 and responding to two classmates' posts in Discussion 1.
• Your initial post (responses to the discussion question) to your assigned discussion is due each week by Friday at 11:59 pm (PT) to give you and your classmates time to read and respond to each other.
• Your responses to at least two of your classmates' posts in the other discussion are due each week by Sunday at 11:59 pm (PT). 
• All postings will be reviewed and scored according to the assignment rubrics, based on both the quality of your initial response to the posted questions and your response to classmates.
• Your initial posts should:
  • Be professional and respectful.
  • Be 250-400 words in length.
  • Incorporate your opinions, pertinent information from things that you have read, weekly study materials, and illustration with relevant examples from the workplace.
  • Feature proficient writing, correct spelling, and mechanics.
• Your responses to classmates should:
  • Be professional and respectful.
  • Be 250-400 words in length.
  • Agree and disagree with others as long as they apply to the topic and are respectful.
  • Include more than phrases such as "I agree with that" or "Interesting comment." (Note: One-word responses or casual conversation will not receive any points towards your grade.)
  • Refer to specific items in the study materials, not mentioned in the initial post you are responding to and include examples from the workplace.
  • Motivate and engage others in a collaborative effort to expand and deepen the discussion and create a dialogue among the participants on the topic at hand.
  • Share your thoughts, ideas, and opinions.
  • Feature proficient writing, correct spelling, and mechanics.
• If a classmate’s post already has multiple replies, consider replying to another classmate's post to increase the overall communication in the discussion.
• All discussions will be reviewed and scored with 7 days of the due date.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but please be respectful and thoughtful with your responses to each other.

During this course, you will be assigned to a team and complete a team project. The goal of the team project is to apply all of the concepts and tools provided in the course to analyze, discuss, and come to a team consensus on the solution to an ethical dilemma in a given case study. The team project replaces a final exam, and it is required to successfully complete this course.

• The first part of the Team Project takes place during Week 3. During this time, all team members are responsible for, individually, reviewing and analyzing a specific case study.
• Each team member's Individual Case Study Analysis is due by Friday at 11:59 pm (PT) to to give you and your team members time to read and respond to each other's analysis.
• Your responses to at least two team members' posts are due by Sunday at 11:59 pm (PT). 
• Please review the Individual Case Study Analysis worksheet and example for further guidance. If you have any concerns, contact the instructor for clarification.
• This assignment will be reviewed and scored according to the assignment rubric based on both your analysis and your responses to classmates.
• The assignment will be reviewed and scored within 3 days of the due date.

• The second part of the Team Project takes place during Week 4. At this time, the team will:
  • Go over each section of the case study analysis as outlined in the Team Response Template, discuss perspectives, and arrive at a team consensus on the analysis and solution for your case study (noting dissenting voices).
  • Prepare and practice the Final Team Response.
  • Submit the Final Team Response by Friday at 11:59 pm (PT)
• If you have any concerns, contact the instructor for clarification.
• This assignment will be reviewed and scored according to the assignment rubric. 
• The assignment will be reviewed and scored within 7 days of the due date.

• The Team Project culminates with a live meeting on the last Sunday of the course for Team Presentations and discussions.
• The focus of the Team Presentation will be on the summary of your team’s final response, the rationalization behind it, and what you would do to monitor and modify your decision.
• You are expected to participate in the Team Presentation as either a presenter or panelist. (Panelists are responsible for asking questions to the team who presented before them and responding to questions from the team who presented after them.)
• In preparation for the Team Presentation, you are responsible for:
  • Practicing your own presentation with your team and preparing for the panelists’ questions.
  • Reviewing other teams' Final Team Responses for their case studies and preparing questions for their presentations.
• 15 minutes are allotted for each Team Presentation, and each team is responsible for keeping time for their presentation and discussion.
  • 3 minutes for the case presentation
  • 7 minutes for panelists’ questions and discussion
  • 5 minutes for instructor feedback on the case
• The Team Presentation will be reviewed and scored according to the assignment rubric.
• The Team Presentation will be reviewed and scored within 7 days of the due date.

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT THE LIVE PRESENTATION:

• Role play
• Practice presenting and giving feedback
• Receive immediate applause and "what can be done differently" tips from your peers and course facilitator

The Team Project, in its entirety, is a great portfolio piece that you can add to your learning experience and as a sample to your practice experience. 

• Please submit work by the due dates identified in the Schedule section of the Course Syllabus.
• Due dates for all assignments are final unless prior arrangements have been agreed to by the instructor. Points will be deducted from your grade if arrangements were not made prior to the due date.
  • If your work is submitted within one week of the due date, you’ll lose 10% for each day that it is late. 
  • Late work will not be accepted after one week of the due date. 
• Life happens, and I understand that work and family emergencies occur that may prohibit you from submitting work on time. Please notify me IN ADVANCE of the deadline if an assignment will be submitted late. 
• All work must be turned in by the last day of class. 
• Please note that ALL COURSE GRADES ARE FINAL.

No change of grade may be made by anyone other than the instructor, and then, only to correct clerical errors. No term grade except Incomplete may be revised by re-examination. The correction of a clerical error may be authorized only by the instructor of record communicating directly with personnel of Student and Alumni Services.

The interim grade Incomplete (I) may be approved for a student who has completed the majority of the course requirements, with passing quality (grade C or higher), but is unable to complete a small portion of the coursework by the course end date for good cause. For courses in which an Incomplete may be allowed, approval by the instructor of record and the academic program director is required. The Incomplete grade is not an option for courses that do not bear credit, such as 700, 800, or 900-level courses.

• It is the student’s responsibility to petition for an Incomplete by emailing the appropriate academic program department at least one week before the end of the course. The Program Department will initiate the petition process once the email is received.
• The student, the instructor, the CE/Program Director, and the program staff must complete the petition prior to the final course meeting or before the quarter end date. This process can take up to one week to complete. 
• The instructor will approve or deny the request. The instructor will provide details on what the student needs to accomplish in order to complete the course, as well as a due date for submitting completed work. The due date cannot exceed the end of the ensuing quarter when a final grade must be reported or the Incomplete lapses to the grade “F,” “NP,” or “U.” Visit UCLA Extension Grading Scale for more information.  

An Incomplete allows the student to complete only work that is outstanding and does not allow prior completed work to be retaken or resubmitted.

The University of California is committed to creating and maintaining a community where all individuals who participate in University programs and activities can work and learn together in an atmosphere free of harassment, exploitation, or intimidation. Every member of the community should be aware that the University prohibits sexual harassment and sexual violence, and that such behavior violates both law and University policy. The University will respond promptly and effectively to reports of sexual harassment and sexual violence, and will take appropriate action to prevent, to correct, and when necessary, to discipline behavior that violates our policy.

All Extension students and instructors who believe they have been sexually harassed are encouraged to contact the Department of Student and Alumni Services for complaint resolution: UCLA Extension, 1145 Gayley Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024; Voice/TTY: (310) 825-7031. For more information, please view the University’s full Policy on Sexual Harassment and Sexual Violence.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, UCLA Extension provides appropriate accommodations and support services to qualified applicants and students with disabilities. These include, but are not limited to, auxiliary aids/services such as sign language interpreters, assistive listening devices for hearing-impaired individuals, extended time for and proctoring of exams, and registration assistance. Accommodations and types of support services vary and are specifically designed to meet the disability-related needs of each student based on current, verifiable medical documentation. Arrangements for auxiliary aids/services are available only through UCLA Extension’s Service for Students with Disabilities Office at (310) 825-7851 or by email at [email protected]. For complete information, please visit Accessibility and Disability Services.

Students are subject to disciplinary action for several types of misconduct or attempted misconduct, including but not limited to academic dishonesty, such as cheating, multiple submission, plagiarism, or knowingly furnishing false information to the University; or behavioral misconduct, such as theft or misuse of the intellectual property of others, harassment, or disruption of the learning environment. Students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Student Rights & Responsibilities Policy and to report concerns.

Protecting Privacy and Data During Live Instruction

Live meeting sessions for this class, when applicable, are being conducted over Zoom. As the host, the instructor may be recording live sessions. Only the host has the ability to record meetings, no recording by other means is permitted. Recorded sessions will be posted in the Videos area of this class unless otherwise notified. Due to privacy, recordings are not available for download and are only accessible via Canvas for the duration of the class. If you have privacy concerns and do not wish to appear in the recording, do not turn on your video and/or audio. If you also prefer to use a pseudonym instead of your name, please let the instructor know what name you will be using so that the instructor knows who you are during the session. To rename yourself during a Zoom meeting, click on Participants, click on your name, click on More, click on Rename. If you would like to ask a question, you may do so privately through the Zoom chat by addressing your chat question to the instructor only (and not to ""everyone""). Additionally, chat may be used and moderated for live questions, and saving of chats is enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this, please contact the instructor via Canvas Inbox.

Pursuant to the terms of the agreement between Zoom and UCLA Extension, the data is used solely for this purpose and Zoom is prohibited from re-disclosing this information. UCLA Extension also does not use the data for any other purpose. Recordings will be deleted when no longer necessary. However, recordings may become part of an administrative disciplinary record if misconduct occurs during a video conference.

Course and Instructor Evaluation

UCLA Extension values your feedback on course and instructor evaluations. We ask all students to take a few minutes to complete an end-of-course evaluation survey. Updates to the course and instruction are influenced by your feedback. Understanding your student experience is essential to ensure continuing excellence in the online classroom and is appreciated by your instructor and the UCLA Extension academic leadership.

Your participation in a survey is voluntary, and your responses are confidential. After instructors submit grades, they will be given an evaluation report, but this report will not contain your name.

Please note the following about online course components at UCLA Extension:

• Students must have basic computer skills, including the use of word processing software, email, and the ability to use internet browsers, such as Safari, Firefox, or Chrome.
• Students are responsible for meeting the technical requirements of Canvas and familiarizing themselves with the Canvas Learning Management System.
  • What are the browser and computer requirements for Canvas?
• Students are responsible for keeping a copy of all assignments and work submitted, and to be aware of all assignments, due dates, and course guidelines.
• Students have access to courses via Canvas for an additional 30 calendar days after the course end date listed in the syllabus (the first 14 days are full access; the rest are read-only).
• Students are encouraged to download/print content throughout the duration of the course and before the additional 30-day access ends. No further access is possible after the course becomes unavailable.
  
  To download all your assignment submissions in Canvas, please refer to the online support guide. for more information or contact Canvas Support via the help menu within Canvas.

For immediate 24/7 Canvas technical support, including holidays, click on Help (located on the menu to the left) where you can call or chat live with a Canvas Support representative.

UCLA Extension Academic Technology and Learning Innovation
The UCLA Extension Learning Support staff assists both students and instructors with Canvas-related technical support, as well as general and administrative questions.

Learning Support staff is available Monday through Friday, from 8 AM to 9 PM (Pacific Time), except holidays:

• Email: [email protected]

For students taking classes held on the UCLA campus and in and around Westwood Village, the UCLA Police Department provides a free walking escort service every day of the year from dusk until 1 a.m. Community Service Officers (CSOs) are available to walk students, faculty, staff members and visitors to and from anywhere on campus, in Westwood Village, and in the village apartments. CSOs are uniformed students who have received special training and are employed by the UCLA Police Department. To obtain an escort, please call (310) 794-9255 and allow 15 to 20 minutes for your escort to arrive. For complete information, see UCLA Evening Escorts.