16 Best Ethics Courses To Build New Skills In 2025
Between mass layoffs, integration of artificial intelligence, changing labor regulations and corporate social responsibility efforts, navigating ethics in HR can feel like surviving trench warfare.
Okay, that's a bit of an exaggeration, but you get the idea. It's difficult, there's a lot of things going on at once and you don't know what the next big challenge is going to be. Staying up to date with best practices and techniques to create better ethical decision makers within your organization is something you need to do, not just want to do, and an ethics course can help you understand how to make these practices part of your culture.
Here are some of the best ethics courses for professionals to learn about new technology, strategies, and philosophies about the way we work.
Best Ethics Courses Shortlist
Here's a shortlist of the best ethics courses I think are worth your time in 2025:
- Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability (Harvard University)
- Leadership and Ethics: Moral Leadership in Personal Practice (Harvard University)
- Ethics: An Introduction (Online) (Oxford University)
- Intro to Managing Ethics in the Workplace & Marketplace (Northeastern University)
- Ethical Leadership Specialization (The University of Notre Dame)
- Managerial Ethics: Reflective Practices For Action (Indian Institute of Management Bangalore)
- Ethical Leadership Through Giving Voice to Values (University of Virginia)
- The Ethical Leader (Johns Hopkins University)
- Project Management Foundations: Ethics (LinkedIn Learning)
- Business Ethics (UCLA)
- Applied and Professional Ethics Short Course (University of Leeds)
- Professional Ethic (Texas State University)
- Practical Ethics for Businesses and Individuals (LinkedIn Learning)
- Professional Ethics for Helping Professions (Udemy)
- Human Values and Professional Ethics (Udemy)
- Master Course of Professional Ethics (Udemy)
Find more details about each course below.
Overview Of The Best Ethics Courses
1. Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability (Harvard University)
This online course helps leaders navigate their responsibilities to various stakeholders while addressing ethical and legal challenges. Participants will learn strategies for making tough decisions and communicating them effectively. The course equips leaders with tools to manage conflicts and uphold accountability.
- Who It’s For: Business leaders and managers
- Topics Covered:
- Ethical decision-making
- Corporate governance
- Accountability mechanisms
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 5 weeks
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 6-7 hours per week, Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $1,850
- Take The Course: Harvard University
2. Leadership and Ethics: Moral Leadership in Personal Practice (Harvard University)
This course teaches the fundamentals of moral leadership, focusing on mobilizing people to address complex challenges and make progress toward solutions. It emphasizes building leadership competency by helping participants understand the nuances of leadership, such as managing values, addressing conflicts, and navigating ethical dilemmas through comprehensive ethics training.
- Who It’s For: Individuals seeking to enhance their moral leadership
- Topics Covered:
- Moral leadership
- Personal integrity
- Ethical decision-making
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 6 weeks
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 10-12 hours, Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $995
- Take The Course: Harvard University
3. Ethics: An Introduction (Online) (Oxford University)
This course provides an introduction to the philosophy of ethics, exploring key ethical theories and their application to practical issues.
With no specific prerequisites, it offers accessibility to learners from various backgrounds. Participants will engage with concepts such as online ethics, virtue ethics, deontology, expressivism, and utilitarianism, applying them to real-world topics like animal rights and euthanasia.
- Who It’s For: Beginners in ethics
- Topics Covered:
- Ethical theories
- Moral philosophy
- Ethical analysis
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 10 weeks
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 10 hours per week
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: £385
- Take The Course: Oxford University
4. Intro to Managing Ethics in the Workplace & Marketplace (Northeastern University)
This course provides practical guidance on navigating ethical decision-making in business settings. Through case studies, readings, and field experiences, participants will learn to address ethical challenges that can impact trust, shareholder value, and career success.
- Who It’s For: Business professionals
- Topics Covered:
- Workplace ethics
- Ethical management
- Ethical challenges
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 15 hours
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 5 hours a week
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: Free
- Take The Course: Coursera
5. Ethical Leadership Specialization (The University of Notre Dame)
This specialization focuses on ethical leadership, integrating personal integrity and values into business practices. Participants will engage with ethical issues through critical thinking, self-reflection, and decision-making exercises.
With a hands-on approach, the 6-course series explores how ethical leadership intersects with fields like data science and human resources. Each course culminates in a project that applies ethical theories to real-world leadership challenges, helping learners develop a strong moral foundation in their professional lives.
- Who It’s For: Aspiring leaders
- Topics Covered:
- Ethical leadership
- Decision-making
- Organizational ethics
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 3 months
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 10 hours a week
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: Free
- Take The Course: Coursera
6. Managerial Ethics: Reflective Practices For Action (Indian Institute of Management Bangalore)
This course helps managers and leaders develop ethical practices by drawing on philosophy, psychology, and reflective traditions. It focuses on creating ethical spaces and fostering collaboration to solve organizational challenges.
- Who It’s For: Managers and executives
- Topics Covered:
- Reflective practices
- Ethical decision-making
- Business ethics
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 5 weeks
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 2-4 hours per week
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price:
- With Certification: $50
- Without Certification: Free
- Take The Course: edX
7. Ethical Leadership Through Giving Voice to Values (University of Virginia)
This course teaches an action-based approach to ethical leadership, focusing on building confidence to act on personal values. Participants will engage in practice-based learning to develop leadership skills and effectively voice their values, with a focus on practical application through real-world scenarios and peer coaching.
- Who It’s For: Leaders and managers
- Topics Covered:
- Giving Voice to Values
- Ethical action
- Leadership challenges
- Online, In-Person, or Both? No
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 10 hours
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: Free
- Take The Course: Coursera
8. The Ethical Leader (Johns Hopkins University)
This course provides an in-depth exploration of leadership theory and ethical decision-making. It combines classical ethical literature with practical frameworks to help students navigate leadership challenges.
Participants will also explore modern issues, such as the ethical implications of artificial intelligence, through applied decision-making exercises.
- Who It’s For: Current and aspiring leaders
- Topics Covered:
- Ethical principles
- Leadership integrity
- Decision-making
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 55 hours
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 18 hours a week
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: Free
- Take The Course: Coursera
9. Project Management Foundations: Ethics (LinkedIn Learning)
This free course helps project managers navigate ethical challenges in their work by addressing ethical considerations and risk management. It covers core values and standards for ethical decision-making in project management and offers practical guidance on handling conflicts and business pressures.
Participants will learn how to apply ethical practices in modern contexts, including AI and data analytics.
- Who It’s For: Project managers
- Topics Covered:
- Ethical guidelines
- Project management ethics
- Professional conduct
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 1 hour 4 minutes
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: Free for a month
- Take The Course: LinkedIn Learning
10. Business Ethics (UCLA)
This course provides an in-depth understanding of the ethical challenges faced in the business world. It covers key concepts and theories of business ethics, helping participants develop the skills to recognize and address ethical dilemmas.
Through discussions and case studies, students gain practical insights into making ethical decisions in their professional lives.
- Who It’s For: Business professionals
- Topics Covered:
- Business ethics
- Ethical decision-making
- Corporate responsibility
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Both
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 11 weeks
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: 3 hours per week
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: Starts at $275
- Take The Course: UCLA
11. Applied and Professional Ethics Short Course (University of Leeds)
This course introduces participants to key concepts in professional ethics, such as trust, integrity, and ethical duties in various professional contexts. It explores the relationship between personal and professional ethics and the impact of being a professional on ethical decision-making.
- Who It’s For: Professionals in various fields
- Topics Covered:
- Applied ethics
- Professional ethics
- Ethical issues
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 8 weeks
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: £930
- Take The Course: University of Leeds
12. Professional Ethic (Texas State University)
This certificate program develops skills in ethical reasoning and leadership, focusing on ethical decision-making in professional settings. It offers flexibility with both online and in-person options. The program is open to individuals with a bachelor's degree looking to enhance their understanding of ethics in the workplace.
- Who It’s For: Professionals and students
- Topics Covered:
- Professional ethics
- Ethical standards
- Ethical practices
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 12 hours
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements:
- Baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited university (Non-U.S. degrees must be equivalent to a four-year U.S. Bachelor’s degree. In most cases, three-year degrees are not considered.
- A copy of an official transcript from each institution where course credit was granted
- Minimum 2.5 GPA in your last 60 hours of undergraduate course work
- Minimum 3.0 GPA in all completed graduate course work (if applicable)
- Take The Course: Texas State University
13. Practical Ethics for Businesses and Individuals (LinkedIn Learning)
This course helps individuals navigate ethical dilemmas in the workplace, providing tools to align personal values with professional decisions. It offers practical strategies for making consistent ethical choices while working with others. The course builds confidence in applying moral principles to real-world business scenarios.
- Who It’s For: Business professionals and individuals
- Topics Covered:
- Practical ethics
- Ethical decision-making
- Professional behavior
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 53 minutes
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: Free for a month
- Take The Course: LinkedIn Learning
14. Professional Ethics for Helping Professions (Udemy)
This course equips counselors and coaches with the ethical guidelines needed to protect themselves and their clients. It covers key topics like confidentiality, safeguarding, and maintaining professional boundaries.
Through case studies and exercises, participants will learn best practices to confidently handle ethical challenges in their work.
- Who It’s For: Professionals in helping professions
- Topics Covered:
- Ethical standards
- Professional practices
- Counseling ethics
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 3 hours
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $64.99
- Take The Course: Udemy
15. Human Values and Professional Ethics (Udemy)
This course examines the connection between human values and professional ethics, highlighting how moral principles influence both individual actions and organizational behavior. Participants will learn how to apply ethical standards in professional settings and integrate values into decision-making processes.
- Who It’s For: Professionals and students
- Topics Covered:
- Human values
- Professional ethics
- Ethical decision-making
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 8 hours
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $44.99
- Take The Course: Udemy
16. Master Course of Professional Ethics (Udemy)
This course provides an in-depth understanding of professional ethics, focusing on ethical decision-making and fostering integrity in the workplace.
Participants will learn to create a personalized code of ethics and implement ethical practices within their organizations. The course includes case studies and exercises to help professionals navigate complex ethical dilemmas.
- Who It’s For: Professionals seeking advanced knowledge in ethics
- Topics Covered:
- Comprehensive ethics
- Ethical standards
- Professional practices
- Online, In-Person, or Both? Online
- Exam Required? No
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
- How Many Hours Of Instruction: Self-paced
- Eligibility Requirements: None
- Price: $34.99
- Take The Course: Udemy
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