More MBA programs integrating ethics-based teachings

More MBA programs integrating ethics-based teachings

In an attempt to curb critics' attacks, many campus-based and online business schools are beginning to focus more on values-based curricula.

According to U.S. News and World Report, many financial analysts are blaming the traditional model of business education for some of the events associated with the economic downturn. Because many of these programs teach students to focus more on short-term profit rather than long-term consequences, the critics say that MBA programs may be encouraging graduates to forego their ethics.

As a result, many institutions of higher learning are beginning to integrate ethical teaching into their courses. While some schools have created classes that focus purely on values and ethics, others have begun teaching ethical solutions to common problems in the workplace.

Tim Fort, a business ethics professor at a Washington-based university, told the news source that in years past, "you could be laughed at for raising ethical issues in a finance class."

Individuals who complete ethics-based MBA programs may be able to earn higher salaries as more companies seek employees that can help them improve their image. Average salaries for holders of MBA degrees ranged from $73,510 to $171,583 in 2008, according to research company Payscale.com.