This is a list of just some of the classes offered at USC that have an ethics component.  Many other courses not listed here surely also have either an ethics component or touch on ethical issues.  If you know of such courses, please drop us a line and let us know.

 

American Studies and Ethnicity

American Studies 101gm: Race and Class in Los Angeles (4 units)
Analysis of race and the economic, political, gender, and social dimensions of contemporary Los Angeles including topics such as residential segregation, economic inequality, and city politics.

American Studies 252gm: Black Social Movements in the U.S. (4 units)
This course examines black social movements for freedom, justice, equality, and self determination. Beginning with Reconstruction, movements include labor, civil rights, radical feminism, socialism, reparations, Black Nationalism, prisoners' rights, and Hip Hop.

American Studies 353m: Race and Racism in the Americas (4 units)
Examination of selected topics in the historical development of racism with the goal of understanding the complex ways in which race has functioned in the modern world.

Anthropology

Anthropology 125g: Social Issues in Human Sexuality and Reproduction (4 units)
Examination of the "natural" (biological) and "unnatural" (social and cultural) dimensions of human sexuality and reproduction.

Business

Business Entrepreneurship 491: Introduction to Social Entrepreneurship (4 units)
Analysis of social enterprise models from micro-finance to job development. Analysis of basic issues regarding the difference between socially responsible companies, for-profit, and non-profit-run enterprises

Communication

Communication 345: Social and Economic Implications of Communication Technologies Social and economic impacts of information and communication technologies; social factors that shape technological change; issues include access, privacy, freedom of expression, productivity, democratic control.

Communication 371: Censorship and the Law: From the Press to Cyberspace (4 units)
The study of current and historical battles over the limits of free expression from press and public parks to television, movies, music and cyberspace. (Duplicates credit in former JOUR 371.)

Communication 498: Ethical Issues in Entertainment and Communication (4 units)
Examines social and political controversies over conflicting ethical standards for communication in a variety of media: mass-media, communication technology, and entertainment. Recommended preparation: COMM 200, COMM 201 Prerequisite: COMM-300

Journalism

Journalism 350: Principles of Public Relations (4 units)
Theories, processes, and techniques involved in planning and implementing programs designed to influence public opinion and behavior through socially responsible performance and mutually satisfactory communication.

Journalism 371: Censorship and the Law: From the Press to Cyberspace (4 units)
The study of current and historical battles over the limits of free expression from press and public parks to television, movies, music and cyberspace. (Duplicates credit in former JOUR 371.)

Journalism 500: Media and Society (3 units)
Analysis of major theories on the role of communication media and society with special emphasis on the role and responsibility of the news media

East Asian Languages and Cultures

East Asian Languages and Cultures 110g: East Asian Humanities: The Great Tradition (4 units)
Introduction to the major humanities traditions of China, Japan, and Korea through an examination of representative works drawn from literature, aesthetics, philosophy, religion, and historical writing.

Economics

Economics 432: Economics of Happiness (4 units)
What is happiness? How does it vary by socio-economic status and over the life cycle? This course will develop insight into the nature and determinants of subjective well-being. Recommended preparation: ECON 305 Prerequisite: ECON-303

Engineering

Civil Engineering 473: Engineering Law, Finance and Ethics (3 units)
An examination of the legal, financial and ethical issues regularly considered by all practicing engineers. Upper division standing.

Environmental Studies

Environmental Studies 150xg: Environmental Issues in Society (4 units)
Exploration of the major social, political, economic, religious, and philosophical disagreements that exist between scholars, leaders, and citizens concerning today's most serious environmental issues and problems. Not available for credit to environmental studies majors and minors.

Gender Studies

Gender Studies 384m: Gender, Social Inequality, and Social Justice (4 units)
Analysis of the most effective strategies and techniques for reducing prejudice against racial/ ethnic minorities, women, gays and lesbians, and others subjected to stigma.

General Education

Arts and Letters 100g: Happiness and the Human Condition (35242R) Susan Lape 

Arts and Letters 101g: The Holocaust: Issues of Gender and Sexuality (35400R) Judith Halberstam   

Geography

Geography 257g: Environment and Ethics (4 units)
Examination of ethical issues in environmental context: systematic analysis of problems associated with protection and use of selected environments.

Gerontology

Gerontology 483: Global Health and Aging (4 units)
Overview of the impact aging populations will have on global institutions from a variety of perspectives. Examination of public health policy issues.

Gerontology 540: Social Policy and Aging (4 units)
Major legislation and programs; examination and analysis of policy-making and political processes affecting development and implementation of programs for older persons.

International Relations

International Relations 308: Globalization: Issues and Controversies    
People, money, things, information, and ideas flow across national borders. How can we understand globalization, its consequences, and how to manage it? Multimedia training is involved.

International Relations 310: Introduction to Peace and Conflict Studies    
Interdisciplinary study of the pursuit of peace, including causes of wars, arms races, conflict resolution, peace movements, domestic violence, nonviolent resistance, and peace with justice.

International Relations 316: Gender and Global Issues    
An examination of the role women have played in world politics focusing on issues of war and peace, the environment and the global economy.

Jewish Studies

Jewish Studies 211g: The Holocaust (4 units)
Historical background and responses to the Holocaust, with special emphasis on ethical implications.

Philosophy

Philosophy 137gm: Social Ethics for Earthlings and Others (4 units)
A systematic study of contemporary issues in social and political philosophy engaging multimedia works of science fiction to illuminate classic Western moral and political theories.

Philosophy 140g: Contemporary Moral and Social Issues (4 units)
Critical study of controversial social issues such as abortion, euthanasia, the death penalty, war & terrorism, pornography, and economic justice.

Philosophy 340: Ethics (4 units)
Study of major philosophical theories of moral right and wrong, such as utilitarianism, Kantianism, egoism, virtue ethics, and theological ethics.

Philosophy 355: Existentialism (4 units)
A critical survey of major nineteenth and twentieth century existentialist writers, including Kierkegaard, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Kafka, Kietzsche, Camus, and Sartre.

Policy, Planning, and Development

Policy, Planning, and Development 240: Citizenship and Public Ethics (4 units)
Review of legal and ethical traditions of citizenship with emphasis on the latter; consideration of implications for current practice of public policy-making and management.

Political Science
    
Political Science 130g: Law, Politics and Public Policy (4 units)
Interaction between law and politics; overview of the American legal system; value conflicts and public policy questions which arise within it.

Political Science 380: Political Theories and Social Reform (2-4 units)
Multidisciplinary survey of gender assumptions in relation to sexuality, mental health, social and political relations, and artistic expression.

Political Science 441: Cultural Diversity and the Law (4 units)
Jurisprudential approach to the study of cultural differences. Consideration of circumstances under which law should accommodate cultural diversity in the United States and abroad.

Psychology

Psychology 201Lg: The Science of Happiness (4 units)
Evaluates scientific research on human happiness. Integrates research from psychology, economics, and neuroscience in the evaluation of personal and public policy choices.

Religion

Religion 111g: The Hebrew Bible in the cultural setting of the ancient Near East; the formation of theological and ethical concepts which have shaped Western culture.

Religion 319: Religious and Ethical Issues in Death and Dying (4 units)
Analysis of religious and ethical approaches to death and dying, including refusal of treatment for competent and incompetent patients, voluntary and involuntary euthanasia, and resuscitation.

Religion 462: Religion and Violence (4 units)
Religious and moral perspectives on war, pacifism, violent and non-violent protest, and religion-based terrorism and militia.

Sociology

Sociology 150gm: Social Problems (4 units)
Analysis of factors in current American social problems: crime, delinquency, prostitution, family disorganization, race relations, mental illness.

Sociology 210g: Science, Technology, and Social Conflict (4 units)
Science and technology change society and how we understand ourselves. In turn, social struggles influence science. We will explore the interplay between these forces.

Sociology 360m: Social Inequality: Class, Status, and Power (4 units)
Inequalities in wealth, prestige, and power in the United States; the American class structure and the extent of upward mobility in that structure.

Sociology 552: Sex and Gender in Society (4 units)
The social organization of gender in the contexts of work, families, intimacy, sexuality, reproduction, violence. Variations by race, ethnicity, social class. Processes of social change.

Thematic Option

Thematic Option 102: Culture and Values: Thematic Option Honors Program (4 units)
Systematic reasoning about values and ways of living; close reading of major texts within the Western Tradition; Biblical and classical through contemporary sources. Students may not take this course on a P/NP basis.

Thematic Option 104: Change and the Future: Thematic Option Honors Program (4 units)
Analysis of historical change; social and political theory and revolutionary thought; introduction to competing images of future states of affairs; the continuing process of change. Students may not take this course on a P/NP basis.