Free Business Ethics Course: 105 Video Lessons + Transcripts

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Business Ethics: every lesson, free with a free account

19 chapters · 105 video lessons with full transcriptsBusiness 211 · 3 credits · recommended for credit by NCCRS

Earn 3 college credits for Business EthicsRead any transcript free; a free account unlocks every video. Enrolling adds the quizzes, graded work and the transcript that earn the credit.
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Chapter 1Foundations of Business Ethics and Moral Reasoning

  1. 1.1 · 15 minBusiness Ethics Today: Frameworks for the Modern Workplace
  2. 1.2 · 14 minHow Ethical Decisions Get Made: A Step-by-Step View
  3. 1.3 · 15 minWhat Shapes Ethics at Work: People, Culture, and Context
  4. 1.4 · 16 minRights-Based and Natural Law Approaches to Ethics
  5. 1.5 · 15 minApplying Utilitarian Thinking to Business Situations
  6. 1.6 · 15 minFrom Aristotle to Rawls: Philosophical Roots of Business Ethics
  7. 1.7 · 15 minWhere Ethical Dilemmas Begin: Root Causes and Triggers

Chapter 2Organizational Ethics, Compliance, and Fair Competition

  1. 2.1 · 15 minBuilding Systems to Manage Ethics Inside Organizations
  2. 2.2 · 15 minCreating a Workplace Culture Rooted in Ethical Values
  3. 2.3 · 12 minHidden Risks in Decision-Making: Understanding Moral Hazard
  4. 2.4 · 16 minEthics Programs: Policies, Training, and Whistleblower Channels
  5. 2.5 · 16 minGoing Beyond the Job: Organizational Citizenship in Practice
  6. 2.6 · 15 minWhen Professional Conduct Meets Legal Obligation
  7. 2.7 · 15 minIdentifying and Addressing Unfair Competition in Business
  8. 2.8 · 15 minCompetition in Free Markets: Forms, Functions, and Implications

Chapter 3Employees, Stockholders, and Corporate Governance

  1. 3.1 · 15 minIdentifying Key Stakeholders: Employees, Investors, Communities, and Beyond
  2. 3.2 · 15 minHow Business Decisions Ripple Across Stakeholder Groups
  3. 3.3 · 15 minShareholder Influence: Pursuing Financial and Social Aims
  4. 3.4 · 13 minWhen Interests Collide: Navigating Owner, Investor, and Stakeholder Priorities

Chapter 4Public Relations for Business

  1. 4.1 · 15 minWhy Public Issues Matter to Corporate Strategy and Reputation
  2. 4.2 · 13 minManaging Public Affairs: Organizational Structures, Skills, and Frameworks for Emerging Issues
  3. 4.3 · 15 minCorporate Public Relations: Objectives, Functions, and Scope
  4. 4.4 · 16 minCrisis Management: Preparation, Response, and Recovery
  5. 4.5 · 16 minStrengthening Ties with the Groups That Matter Most to Your Organization

Chapter 5Workforce Diversity: Culture, Gender, Age, and Ability

  1. 5.1 · 14 minThe Personal Dimensions of Diversity: Demographics and Background
  2. 5.2 · 14 minWorkforce Composition in a Changing World: Cultural Diversity at Work
  3. 5.3 · 16 minClosing the Gap: Gender Diversity and Inclusion in Organizations
  4. 5.4 · 15 minManaging Multigenerational Teams: Age Diversity at Work
  5. 5.5 · 15 minFrom Accommodation to Integration: Disability and Ability in the Workplace

Chapter 6Diversity Leadership, Equal Opportunity, and Work-Life Balance

  1. 6.1 · 16 minLeadership Practices for a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce
  2. 6.2 · 17 minAffirmative Action: Policy Rationale, Implementation, and Debate
  3. 6.3 · 16 minEqual Employment Opportunity Law: Legal Foundations and Title VII Employer Obligations
  4. 6.4 · 15 minWork-Life Integration: Policies That Support Employee Balance

Chapter 7The Relationship Between Business, Government, and Society

  1. 7.1 · 15 minThe Three-Way Relationship: Business, Government, and Society
  2. 7.2 · 15 minCapitalism as an Economic System: Free Markets, Private Ownership, and Competition
  3. 7.3 · 16 minPluralism and Democracy: How Political Systems Shape Business-Society Relations
  4. 7.4 · 15 minInterest Groups in the U.S.: Origins, Types, and Evolution
  5. 7.5 · 16 minHow Interest Groups Shape Political Outcomes and Policy
  6. 7.6 · 14 minFederal Agencies That Protect the Public from Corporate Misconduct
  7. 7.7 · 17 minOversight Mechanisms That Guard Against Stock Market Abuse
  8. 7.8 · 15 minOperating in Market and Non-Market Environments Simultaneously
  9. 7.9 · 15 minCorporate Stakeholder Mapping: Who They Are and Why They Matter

Chapter 8Business-Government Relations and Political Influence

  1. 8.1 · 14 minHow Government Shapes Business: Subsidies, Incentives, Regulation, and Oversight Mechanisms
  2. 8.2 · 16 minAdministrative Agencies: Formation, Function, and Business Impact
  3. 8.3 · 15 minBeyond Regulation: Other Ways Government Influences Business Behavior
  4. 8.4 · 15 minEntering the Political Arena: Why Businesses Engage and at What Cost
  5. 8.5 · 12 minInside the Public Affairs Function: Purpose, Scope, and Value
  6. 8.6 · 14 minFour Pillars of Corporate Strategy: Informational, Societal, Political, and Legal Levers

Chapter 9Corporate Social Responsibility and Citizenship

  1. 9.1 · 12 minMutual Obligations Between Business and Society: The Ethics Compact
  2. 9.2 · 14 minEmbedding Social Purpose into Everyday Organizational Operations
  3. 9.3 · 15 minHow Corporate Social Responsibility Took Shape: A Historical Overview
  4. 9.4 · 16 minThe Spectrum of CSR: From Minimal Compliance to Proactive Leadership
  5. 9.5 · 16 minEthical Business Practices as a Driver of CSR Performance
  6. 9.6 · 16 minAssessing Corporate Citizenship: Stages of Maturity and Standards for Measuring Social Performance
  7. 9.7 · 16 minPeople, Planet, Profit: The Triple Bottom Line in Corporate Strategy

Chapter 10Business, Community, and Media Accountability

  1. 10.1 · 13 minHow Business and Community Create Mutual Value Through Partnerships
  2. 10.2 · 15 minWhat Companies Owe Their Communities: Roles and Responsibilities
  3. 10.3 · 16 minCorporate Giving and Civic Engagement: Strategies for Community Investment
  4. 10.4 · 16 minPress, Power, and Accountability: Examining the Media’s Role in Business
  5. 10.5 · 16 minFrom Print to Digital: The Transformation of American Mass Media
  6. 10.6 · 17 minMedia Regulation: Rules, Standards, and Enforcement Frameworks

Chapter 11Consumer Rights and Regulations

  1. 11.1 · 15 minUnpacking the Marketplace: Customers, Consumers, and the Rise of Consumerism
  2. 11.2 · 16 minThe Core Rights Every Consumer Is Entitled To
  3. 11.3 · 16 minWho Enforces the Rules? Federal Agencies in Consumer Protection
  4. 11.4 · 16 minConsumer Privacy Laws: Key Legislation and Regulatory Frameworks
  5. 11.5 · 17 minDigital Privacy Challenges: Data Breaches, Surveillance, and Consumer Consent
  6. 11.6 · 16 minProduct Liability: Legal Standards and Business Implications
  7. 11.7 · 16 minProfessional Ethics in Medicine and Psychology: Standards and Obligations

Chapter 12Ethics in Advertising and Marketing

  1. 12.1 · 16 minWhen Marketing Crosses a Line: Principles of Marketing Ethics
  2. 12.2 · 15 minTargeted Marketing: Where Ethical Strategy Meets Exploitation Risk
  3. 12.3 · 16 minThe AMA’s Ethical Framework: Norms, Values, and Professional Standards
  4. 12.4 · 16 minHow Advertising Is Regulated: Laws, Agencies, and Industry Self-Governance
  5. 12.5 · 12 minRecurring Ethical Issues in Advertising: Deception, Manipulation, and Vulnerable Audiences

Chapter 13How Organizations Shape and Respond to Public Advocacy

  1. 13.1 · 10 minSpecial Interest Groups and Activists: Who They Are and What They Want
  2. 13.2 · 10 minSocial Interest Organizations: Mission, Methods, and Influence
  3. 13.3 · 11 minBusiness Interest Organizations: Trade Groups, Lobbies, and Industry Coalitions
  4. 13.4 · 11 minHow Businesses Respond to Activist Pressure and Campaigns

Chapter 14Technology, Business, and Society

  1. 14.1 · 11 minDigital Transformation and Competitive Advantage: How Technology Reshapes Business Operations and Strategy
  2. 14.2 · 11 minNavigating the Ethical Dimensions of Technology in Business Environments

Chapter 15Environmental Ethics, Law, and Sustainability

  1. 15.1 · 12 minEnvironmental Ethics: Philosophical Foundations and Real-World Relevance
  2. 15.2 · 12 minThe Legal Landscape: Key Environmental Laws and Their Origins
  3. 15.3 · 12 minBalancing Environmental Protection with Economic Priorities
  4. 15.4 · 11 minWhat Sustainable Development Means: Definitions, Goals, and Global Frameworks
  5. 15.5 · 12 minBarriers to Sustainability: Economic Pressures, Political Resistance, and Implementation Challenges

Chapter 16Corporate Environmental Responsibility and Stewardship

  1. 16.1 · 15 minThe Path to Sustainability: Organizational Stages and Milestones
  2. 16.2 · 15 minMarket-Based Tools for Encouraging Environmental Compliance
  3. 16.3 · 15 minCorporate Activities and Their Consequences for Global Ecosystems
  4. 16.4 · 15 minWhy Environmental Stewardship Makes Business Sense

Chapter 17Going Global: International Business Ethics and Strategy

  1. 17.1 · 15 minHow and Why Businesses Expand Internationally
  2. 17.2 · 14 minThe Environments Multinational Firms Must Navigate
  3. 17.3 · 16 minWeighing the Gains and Losses of Business Globalization
  4. 17.4 · 15 minCross-Cultural Leadership Across National Borders
  5. 17.5 · 16 minWhen Work Moves Abroad: The Logic and Trade-Offs of Offshoring
  6. 17.6 · 15 minThe Decision to Outsource: Drivers, Criteria, and Consequences
  7. 17.7 · 15 minGovernance and Economic Frameworks as Variables in Global Strategy
  8. 17.8 · 16 minRegional Economic Integration: Purpose, Models, and Business Implications

Chapter 18Ethical Challenges in Cross-Border Business Operations

  1. 18.1 · 16 minMoral Judgment Without Borders: Ethical Decision-Making in Global Firms
  2. 18.2 · 15 minCorporate Values on a Global Scale: Responsibility Beyond Domestic Borders
  3. 18.3 · 16 minFree Trade, Capitalism, and Globalization After 1990
  4. 18.4 · 16 minThe Ethics of Global Information Flow in the Digital Age
  5. 18.5 · 16 minWhy Global Business Goes Wrong: Cultural Roots and Common Ethical Pitfalls in Cross-Border Operations
  6. 18.6 · 16 minBribery in Global Markets: Ethical Analysis and Real-World Cases

Chapter 19Individual Integrity and Ethics

  1. 19.1 · 15 minHow Personal Values and Moral Reasoning Shape Professional Business Decisions
  2. 19.2 · 16 minDefining and Developing a Personal Moral Code in a Business Context
  3. 19.3 · 16 minPutting Ethics into Practice: Moral Judgment and Integrity in Daily Business Life

FAQ

Questions about Business Ethics

Is this Business Ethics lesson free?
Yes, with a free UPI Study account. Every one of the 105 video lessons in Business Ethics has its own page with the full transcript, free to read; a free account unlocks the videos. The practice quizzes, graded work and college credit come with the course.
How many college credits is Business Ethics?
Business Ethics (Business 211) carries a NCCRS credit recommendation for 3 semester credits. ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities.
How much does Business Ethics cost and what is included?
$250, paid once, with lifetime access: all 105 video lessons, a practice quiz after each, the graded work and final exam, and an official transcript when you finish. Students who want several courses choose UPI Study PRO instead.
Which universities accept UPI Study credits?
UPI Study has signed partner agreements with universities such as Thomas Edison State University, University of the People and Charter Oak State College, and works with universities such as Penn State, SNHU and SUNY. ACE and NCCRS have over 2,100 cooperating colleges that will consider accepting credits; the final decision is with the universities. Use "Find my college" on this page to check yours.
Can I download the Business Ethics syllabus?
Yes, the full syllabus is a free PDF download; it asks you to sign in with a free UPI Study account first.
How long does Business Ethics take?
It is self-paced with no deadlines. The 105 lessons total about 26 hours of video; most students add reading and practice time and finish in a few weeks to a few months, on their own schedule.
Do I need a prerequisite first?
Chapter 1 starts from what business ethics is and the main ways of reasoning about right and wrong, so no business or philosophy background is needed. UPI Study also offers Business Law and Ethics in the Social Sciences as separate courses.
How are the exams done?
Quizzes and assignments are online in the course. The final exam is taken online with proctoring; a person on the UPI Study team checks assignments, usually within two days.
How do my credits reach my college?
When the course shows 100% complete, request the official transcript from your dashboard. It is sent to the college you name, and you can send it to more than one. Check your college first with "Find my college" on this page, or ask Athena.
Is there a way to get every course, not just this one?
Yes. UPI Study PRO gives access to every current course, monthly, yearly, or once for Lifetime access. See the pricing page for the plans.