MSE Master of Science in Engineering

The Swiss engineering master's degree

Each module contains 3 ECTS. You choose a total of 10 modules/30 ECTS in the following module categories: 

  • 12-15 ECTS in technical scientific modules (TSM)
    TSM modules teach profile-specific specialist skills and supplement the decentralised specialisation modules.
  • 9-12 ECTS in fundamental theoretical principles modules (FTP)
    FTP modules deal with theoretical fundamentals such as higher mathematics, physics, information theory, chemistry, etc. They will teach more detailed, abstract scientific knowledge and help you to bridge the gap between abstraction and application that is so important for innovation.
  • 6-9 ECTS in context modules (CM)
    CM modules will impart additional skills in areas such as technology management, business administration, communication, project management, patent law, contract law, etc.

In the module description (download pdf) you find the entire language information per module divided into the following categories:

  • instruction
  • documentation
  • examination 
Ethics and Corporate Responsibility (CM_Ethics)

In an environment that is changing increasingly quickly, students will be taught the ability to assume social responsibility either as engineers or in management functions in companies. They will develop a profound awareness of the ethical aspects of their actions and for the ecological and social impacts of companies. In their subsequent professional careers, they will thus be better able to judge the consequences of their work for society, to deal with conflicts in these areas, and to contribute to the corporate responsibility strategies of their organisations in a manner appropriate to their positions.

Learning Objectives

  • The students know the theoretical foundations of various ethical theories
  • The students are familiar with various levels of ethics (individual ethics and corporate ethics)
  • The students can apply a wide range of ethical approaches to a specific situation
  • The students are familiar with the concept of the broader corporate responsibility of organisations
  • The students are familiar with the main elements of the implementation of corporate responsibility in companies
  • The students are able to analyse and critically judge the corporate responsibility strategy of a given company on the basis of publicly available information

Contents of Module

Ethics

  • fundamental ethical concepts
  • ethics of duties and ethics of consequences; human rights; the common good
  • discourse ethics; justice; forming ethical judgements
  • ethics of the environment and the future; sustainable development
  • ethics of technology; estimating the consequences of technology, technology assessment
  • ethics codices, guidelines, professional norms
  • specific case studies from various disciplines

 

Corporate Responsibility:

  • the role of organisations/companies in society
  • the expectations of stakeholder groups and dealing with these expectations (stakeholder management)
  • various classic concepts of corporate responsibility
  • corporate responsibility in ecological, social, economic and technological areas, business case for CSR/sustainability
  • elements of the implementation of corporate responsibility (issue identification, governance, guiding philosophy/policy, issue strategies, measurement and monitoring, non-financial reporting, auditing and certification

Teaching and Learning Methods

Lecture, case studies, individual and group projects.

The final exam consists of a written work assignment and written questions.

Literature

References for literature will be provided during the lectures on a language-specific basis.

Download full module description

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