Distinguished Ethics Scholars Program

The Distinguished Ethics Scholars Program encourages and recognizes Clemson University students, both undergraduate and graduate, engaged in co-curricular education that is focused on ethics, ethical leadership, and ethical decision-making.

The Distinguished Ethics Scholars Program allows students to earn one of two scholar designations accompanied by an item to enhance your regalia at graduation: Ethics Scholar (Graduation Cord) and Distinguished Ethics Scholar (Graduation Medallion). Students will also receive a co-curricular ethics certificate upon graduation, giving them a competitive edge in the professional interviewing process.

You can self-enroll in our Ethics Scholars or Distinguished Ethics Scholars Pathway through the Clemson JobLink. By enrolling in either pathway, you can complete and monitor your progress as you move through the program. Students may also learn more and register for our Ethics Scholars Program Workshop offered each Fall and Spring semester. 

How Do I Enroll?

Ethics Scholar Log In

To obtain one of the scholar designations, students will enroll in either the Ethics Scholars or the Distinguished Ethics Scholars pathway, and must fulfill the following requirements prior to graduation:

Ethics Scholar

1. Successful completion of a minimum of one (1) academic course (minimum grade of “C”) where ethics is the main focus of the curriculum. Student may also fulfill requirement by successfully completing the Ethics Scholars Program Workshop.
2. Attend a minimum of three (3) of the Program Attendance requirements listed above OR involvement in a minimum of one (1) of the Program Participation requirements listed above OR completion of a minimum of one (1) of the Leadership requirements listed above. 

Distinguished Ethics Scholar

1. Successful completion of a minimum of one (1) academic course (minimum grade of “C”) where ethics is the main focus of the curriculum AND successful completion (minimum grade of “C”) of a Department of Philosophy ethics course OR successful completion of the Ethics Scholars Program Workshop.
2. Attend a minimum of three (3) of the Program Attendance requirements listed above.
3. Involvement in a minimum of one (1) of the Program Participation requirements listed above.
4. Completion of a minimum of one (1) of the Leadership requirements listed above. 

There are four program requirement areas that determine level of participation:

1. Coursework:
Successful completion of any pre-approved professional ethics course or three credit hour academic course (minimum grade of "C") where ethics is the main focus of the curriculum. Courses can be selected from the list below (not all courses may be offered every semester) or you can send course information for a course you believe may be eligible to ethics@clemson.edu to get approval.

Pre-approved Ethics Classes:
ACCT 8540 - Ethical, Professional, and Societal Responsibilities
AGED 4160 - Ethics and Issues in Agriculture and the Food and Fiber System
AL 8640 - Ethical Issues in Collegiate Athletics Administration
ASL 4350 - Ethics in the American Sign Language Community
AVS 8150 - Animal Welfare and Ethics
BCHM 8050 - Issues in Research
BIOE 4000 - Bioengineering Leadership and MedTech Commercialization
BUS 3010- Business Ethics
CHE 8010 - Graduate Research Skills and Ethics
COMM 3030 - Communication Law and Ethics
CPSC 2920 - Computing, Ethics, and Global Society
ECON 2050 - Why Business?
ECON 3500 - Moral and Ethical Aspects of a Market Economy
EDL 9500 - Education Policy, Law, & Ethics
EDL 9720 - Ethics in Educational Leadership
EDLL 8250 - Law and Ethics for School Leaders
EDC 8240 - Ethical Issues in Counseling
EDSA 8080 - Legal and Ethical Issues in Student Affairs Practice and Counselor Education
EDSP 8710 - Ethical and Legal Considerations in Applied Behavior Analysis
GEN 4900 - Parent Undergraduate Ethics
GEN 8050 - Issues in Research
HLTH 4780 - Health Policy Ethics and Law<
HON-3960 - Forecasting the Future
HCG 9050 - Genomics, Ethics, and Health Policy
JUST 6880 - Ethics in Criminal Justice
MBA 8810 - Seminar on Ethics and Leadership
MHA 7240 - Health Care Ethics
NURS 3510 - Contemporary Health Care Ethics
NURS 9080 - DNP Genomics, Ethics, and Health Policy
PADM 8620 - Administrative Leadership
PHIL 1030 - Introduction to Ethics
PHIL 3260 - Science and Values
PHIL 3440 - Business Ethics
PHIL 3450 - Environmental Ethics
PHIL 3460 - Biomedical Ethics
PHIL 3470 - Ethics in Architecture
PRTM 2260 - Foundations of Management and Administration in PRTM
SPAN 4410 - Medical Interpreting, Ethics, and Intercultural Communication
STS 1010 - Survey of Science and Technology in Society
STS 1020 - The Ethics of Progress
YDP 4500 - Professional Issues and Ethics in Youth Development
YDP 8030 - Creative and Ethical Leadership in a Changing Society

A course may qualify for the Ethics Scholars Program when ethics and ethical decision-making are substantive components of the curriculum. To be eligible for approval, a course should generally meet the following criteria:

• Ethical theory, ethical analysis, professional ethics, moral reasoning, or ethical decision-making are explicitly included in the course learning objectives or outcomes.
• Ethics-related content constitutes a significant and recurring component of the course rather than a single lecture, module, or assignment.
• Students are evaluated on ethics-related competencies through assignments, discussions, projects, case studies, reflections, exams, or other assessed activities tied to ethical reasoning and decision-making.
• The course requires students to engage critically with ethical issues, dilemmas, responsibilities, or societal impacts relevant to the discipline.
• Ethics instruction is integrated throughout the course in a meaningful and measurable way.

Courses that mention ethics only briefly or incidentally may not satisfy the program requirement. Students seeking approval for courses not listed on the pre-approved course list should submit a course syllabus to ethics@clemson.edu for review. Approval decisions will consider course objectives, weekly topics, readings, assignments, and assessment methods related to ethics instruction.

Students will also have the opportunity to fulfill coursework requirements by successfully completing a one-day course offered each semester by the Rutland Institute for Ethics. The Ethics Scholars Program Workshop will be offered at the beginning of each fall and spring semester. The 2024-2025 workshops will be offered Monday, August 19, 2024 and Monday, January 6, 2025. Follow the link above for more information.

While created specifically for graduate students, the Ethics Scholars Program Workshop is also available to undergraduate students to fulfill the coursework requirement.

2. Program Attendance:

• Attendance at any formal Rutland Institute for Ethics or CHANGE Student Ethics Committee program during the academic year.
• Attendance at any formal and pre-approved Clemson University ethics-related program.

To satisfy the Ethics Scholars Program attendance requirement, approved programs or events must include a substantive focus on ethics, ethical decision-making, moral reasoning, professional responsibility, public impact, or societal implications within a disciplinary or interdisciplinary context.

Eligible programs generally include:

• lectures, panels, workshops, seminars, conferences, or symposia focused substantially on ethics-related topics;
• events sponsored by the Rutland Institute for Ethics;
• Clemson University programs addressing ethical leadership, professional ethics, research ethics, public ethics, civic responsibility, or ethical challenges within a profession or field;
• approved external or student organization events where ethics is a primary theme of discussion or learning.

To qualify for approval, a program or event should generally:

• devote a significant portion of the event to ethical analysis, ethical dilemmas, or ethical decision-making;
• provide educational or reflective engagement with ethical issues rather than solely informational, promotional, or networking content;
• include opportunities for participants to critically consider ethical responsibilities, impacts, or perspectives;
• align with the educational mission of the Ethics Scholars Program.

Students seeking approval for an opportunity not listed above should submit an email with a description of the event to  ethics@clemson.edu for review.

3. Program Participation:

• Demonstrated active participation in the CHANGE student ethics organization.
• Demonstrated active participation of an ethics-focused campus organization and/or volunteering for a Rutland Institute for Ethics sponsored event. Examples include the following:
  • Ethics Bowl Participants
  • The Clemson Philosophical Society
  • Clemson Rotaract Club
  • Eller Competition Team: Ethics in Action
  • LEAD Scholars Camp Counselor
  • Business 3010 Speaker*
  • High School Ethics Case Competition Judge*
• Being an active part of an outside ethics-focused organization
  • Rotary Club

To satisfy the participation requirement for the Ethics Scholars Program, students must demonstrate sustained and meaningful engagement in an ethics-focused organization, initiative, competition, leadership role, or service activity.

Qualifying participation should involve active contribution to programming, discussion, leadership, service, mentorship, competition, or educational activities substantially connected to ethics, ethical leadership, or ethical decision-making.

Examples of qualifying participation may include:

• membership with regular participation in an ethics-focused student organization;
• leadership or service roles in ethics-related campus or community initiatives;
• participation in ethics competitions, case studies, or debate programs;
• volunteering for Rutland Institute for Ethics events or programs;
• mentoring, facilitating, judging, or speaking in ethics-related educational activities;
• sustained involvement in approved external ethics-focused organizations.

To be considered “active participation,” involvement should generally include one or more of the following:

• regular attendance and engagement over time;
• documented service, volunteer hours, or event support;
• leadership, facilitation, mentorship, or organizational responsibilities;
• participation in ethics-related projects, programming, or competitions;
• contribution to ethical dialogue, education, or community engagement activities.

Mere membership, passive attendance, or limited participation without demonstrated engagement may not satisfy the program requirement. Students seeking approval for an opportunity not listed above should submit an email with a description of the program to  ethics@clemson.edu for review.

*These opportunities are only open to graduate students. Please reach out to Dr. William McCoy (wmccoy@clemson.edu) for more information.

4. Leadership:

• Presentation of poster or paper on ethics at a conference.
• Being a part of CHANGE student organization leadership.
• Developing and executing an on/off campus ethics program focused on ethical leadership and/or ethical decision-making

To satisfy the leadership requirement for the Ethics Scholars Program, students must demonstrate meaningful leadership, initiative, scholarship, or programmatic contribution related to ethics, ethical leadership, ethical decision-making, professional responsibility, or civic engagement.

Qualifying leadership experiences should involve active responsibility for advancing ethical dialogue, ethical education, ethical practice, or ethics-related community engagement within academic, campus, professional, or public settings.

Examples of qualifying leadership activities may include:

• presenting scholarly work on ethics at a conference or professional meeting;
• serving in a leadership role within the CHANGE student ethics organization or another approved ethics-focused organization;
• organizing, facilitating, or leading ethics-related programs, workshops, discussions, or initiatives;
• developing and implementing on-campus or community-based ethics programming;
• mentoring peers in ethics-related educational or leadership activities;
• leading projects or initiatives focused on ethical leadership, ethical decision-making, or societal responsibility.

To qualify for approval, leadership experiences should generally demonstrate one or more of the following:

• initiative in creating or leading ethics-related activities or programs;
• sustained responsibility or organizational leadership;
• contribution to ethical scholarship, discussion, or education;
• measurable impact on participants, organizations, or the campus/community;
• facilitation of ethical reflection, dialogue, or decision-making.

Activities involving only passive membership, limited involvement, or attendance without substantive leadership responsibility may not satisfy the leadership requirement. Students seeking approval for an opportunity not listed above should submit an email with a description of the leadership opportunity to ethics@clemson.edu for review.