ETHSO-IHN - Ethics in Society

The honors program in Ethics in Society offers undergraduates the opportunity to write a senior honors thesis within a community of interdisciplinary scholars. The course of study combines the analytical rigor of moral and political philosophy with the subject matter of each student's major to develop a sophisticated understanding of problems of social concern. Such problems include: the nature and implications of treating people with equal dignity and respect; the scope of liberty; the legitimacy of government; and the meaning of responsibility. The program poses these issues and others in the context of debates which arise in our common public life. It thus extends moral concern and reflection across disciplines such as medicine, law, economics, political science, sociology, computer science, international relations, and public policy.

Students in the program write honors theses on such topics, employing moral and political philosophy to address practical problems. Previous theses have considered questions such as the just distribution of health care, obligations to future generations, the role of ethical values in education, the moral implications of genetic engineering, and the relationship between gender inequality and the structures of work and family. Students in the program have won scholarships to graduate study including Marshall, Rhodes, and Fulbright fellowships. Others have taken the step from moral analysis to moral commitment, pursuing careers of public service.

The honors program in Ethics in Society is open to majors in every field and must be taken in addition to a department major. Applicants must declare a major before applying to the program. Applicants should have an overall GPA of B+ or higher. Required courses must be taken for a letter grade.

Students interested in pursuing honors in Ethics in Society can apply for early acceptance in spring of their sophomore year or apply at the regular deadline in mid-October of their junior year. Students should contact the program coordinator for more information and to begin the application process.

All courses counted towards the honors program must be taken at Stanford University.

The department expects undergraduate majors in the program to be able to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:

1. Understand and articulate normative frameworks from historical and contemporary moral and political philosophy

2. Apply moral reasoning to current problems at the heart of political and social life

3. Define and critically engage with moral values and describe their potential tensions with one another

4. Master research, writing and oral communication in normative philosophy