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BPA/421

Organizational Behavior and Ethical Responsibility

3 credits

Total credits

5 weeks

Course length

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Take this course on its own, or as part of a degree or certificate program.

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Please Note: Attendance and participation are mandatory in all University courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.

Course level: Upper Division

This course focuses on the study of individual and group behavior in public administration settings and explores the ethical issues to which employees are exposed. Students will learn to recognize ethical dilemmas and resolve them through active deliberation and sound decision making.

Please Note: Attendance and participation are mandatory in all University courses, and specific requirements may differ by course. If attendance requirements are not met, a student may be removed from the course. Please review the Course Attendance Policy in the Catalog for more information.

University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative.

What you'll learn

Course skills and outcomes

  • Describe the differences between Government and Nonprofit Organizations.
  • Define the sources of ethical ideas.
  • Identify the basic components of administrative ethics.
  • Describe the differences between ethics, morality and law.
  • Identify the responsibilities and ethics of Administrators.

  • Compare Virtuous, Principle-Based and Utilitarian Approaches.
  • Describe the Ethics Triangle
  • Describe the breadth, purpose and enforcement of Code of Ethics.
  • Incorporate Codes of Ethics into your own professional standards.

  • Identify major challenges to the ethical behavior of Public Administrators.
  • Describe unethical choices shaped by circumstances.
  • Describe the stages, steps, and approaches to the Problem Solving Model.

  • Describe a whistleblower, conditions for responsible whistleblowing and steps to protect a whistleblower.
  • Identify ways to strengthen an organization and management culture.
  • Identify Clear Expectations, Effective Training and Advice, and Mechanics for Control Positive Management Practices.

  • Describe open meeting laws and freedom of information requirements
  • Describe the role of Inspectors of General and Auditors.
  • Identify State Ethic laws and enforcement.
  • Identify the duties of Public Administrators.

Why UOPX

Why take courses at University of Phoenix

Accreditation that matters

We’ve been accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org) for more than 40 years.

Real-world instructors

Learn from instructors who bring an average of 25 years of working experience to the classroom.

Affordable and potentially reimbursable

Our tuition and fees are competitive and fixed. Also, check to see if your employer will cover you for this course.

Next Steps

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Transfer Credits

Credit Transfer

Need to transfer credits to another college or university?

Before you enroll in a course, check with your school of choice to make sure they will accept our transfer credits and to understand any requirements or limitations. Then you can complete your course, and request your official transcript be sent to your school. That’s it!

How to request your transcripts

Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice. If you have a question contact us at (866) 354-1800.

The University of Phoenix reserves the right to modify courses. Although our continuing teacher education courses are accepted by some state agencies in the United States toward teacher certifications and endorsements, this may not be the case in all states or foreign jurisdictions. If you plan to use courses for certification or endorsement, please check with your own state agency and your school district for applicability. Continuing teacher education courses are not eligible to apply to degree programs at University of Phoenix. These courses are not eligible for federal financial aid. Transferability of credit is at the discretion of the receiving institution. It is the student’s responsibility to confirm whether or not credits earned at University of Phoenix will be accepted by another institution of the student’s choice. While widely available, not all programs are available to residents of all states. Please check with a University Enrollment Representative. If you have a question contact us at (866) 354-1800.