It is very common to assume that the topic of Ethics in engineering and science curricula is undertaken only to satisfy formal requirements and largely seen as a distraction from the rigorous mathematical approach of the traditional courses. This paper describes eight continuous years of teaching an undergraduate course in the School of Engineering & Technology at the University of Washington Tacoma, which combines these disparate academic disciplines in a way that engages the students in a dynamic discussion of the classical concepts of Philosophical Ethics and their application to current ethical issues that affect the fields of engineering and science. This approach is not restricted to assigned article reading and class discussion, very common in many courses today, but also includes live instructor presentations with direct student interaction, student presentations, in-class written essays, peer reviews, and a step-by-step formal term paper on a topic chosen by each student. The course blends in-class discussion of seminal examples of ethical questions and thought experiments from the textbook, contemporary ethical issues reported in the media, and examples from the instructor’s personal experience. As a case study within this paper, we present an ethical dilemma test administered to the students, which shines light on the kinds of values held by undergraduate engineering and computer science undergraduates; that these students are uninterested in these topics is another misconception among academics and the public. Evaluation of student performance takes into account all of these aspects, including student participation during class discussions. The paper presents a summary of numerical student evaluations of the classes, as well as comments that validate the purpose of this approach, to serve as a foundation that graduates will be able to use in their professional careers.

Keywords: Computer Science, Engineering, Philosophical Ethics, Course Design, Student Engagement.