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Isenberg Business Ethics Academy

What does it mean to be ethical? Why is ethics important in the business context? What obligations do businesses have to be ethical? If you think these questions are interesting, then this class is for you!

This two-week course will look at the role of law and ethics in business decision-making. Students will learn about significant aspects of business law, as well as important ethical frameworks. Additionally, students will explore ethical challenges faced by businesses, looking at the business decisions made by companies like Boeing, Amazon, and Wells Fargo.

Students will then get a chance to apply what they have learned to an actual business case, coming up with a solution that is ethical, legal, and financially viable. They will work in teams to put together a power point presentation, which they will present to a panel of judges as the culminating project for the class.

This course is led by Prof. Jennifer Merton, faculty advisor for the undergraduate Isenberg Ethics Team at UMass Amherst, which competes in case competitions both nationally and internationally.


This course is offered at the UMass Amherst campus as a residential program. Local students may apply to attend as a commuter.