PHIL 215Professional and Business Ethics
- Units
- 0.50
- Faculty
- Arts
- Subject
- Philosophy
- Cross-listed
- ARBUS 202
When it runs
- F24
- W25
- S25
- F25
- W26
- S26
- F26
- W27
- S27
Ran in 7 of the last 7 terms. Winter 2027: scheduled, 5 lecture sections. Spring 2027: schedule not out yet.
This course is an introduction to professional and business ethics. Ethics, broadly speaking, is the branch of philosophy that seeks to analyze principles of conduct that govern human activity. We are (in part) economic agents who trade with each other in the hopes of making ourselves better off, and insofar as our actions affect the well-being of others, what we do falls under the purview of ethics. Students will explore ethical issues and principles of conduct that are relevant to professionals and business people. Students will learn about professional responsibility, and will develop skills in ethical decision-making by applying ethical theories, concepts, and arguments to business contexts.
Prerequisites
None listed.
Antirequisites
- Not open to students enrolled in H-Accounting & Financial Management
Leads to
No course lists it as a requisite.
Fall 2026 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 3762 | 47 / 50 | TTh 14:30–15:50 |
| LEC 081 | 3612 | 78 / 80 | Online or by arrangement |
Winter 2027 sections
| Section | Class | Enrolled | Meets |
|---|---|---|---|
| LEC 001 | 3139 | 0 / 10 | MW 10:00–11:20 |
| LEC 002 | 3227 | 0 / 10 | TTh 11:30–12:50 |
| LEC 003 | 3275 | 0 / 10 | TTh 14:30–15:50 |
| LEC 701 | 1170 | 31 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
| LEC 702 | 1234 | 5 / 9999 | Online or by arrangement |
Resources
Around the web
Found by uwloo’s link finder, which checks that each page names PHIL 215.
- PHIL215-Notes: UWaterloo PHIL215 Notes Course notes · github.com · by RapsIn4 on GitHub Remove
Reviewed on UW Flow
72% liked it69% easy56% useful
From 82 ratings and 22 comments on UW Flow. The most helpful comments, quoted as written, without names. Read them all on UW Flow.
This course is online as of fall 2022, it is actually useless and the grading is so subjective. DO NOT TAKE!!! Instructors don't give feedback so it's impossible to know where you went wrong..the online content is also copy paste from the mandatory textbook and there are no videos just long passages of text that you are supposed to teach yourself :/ I've taken a lot of phil courses for a minor and this has definitely been the worst one
Nov 2022 · didn’t like it · 3 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Took this course online with run by two grad students. Could not recommend it less!
I have a decent background in philosophy but none in business so maybe this is where my perspective differs with the average rating here. The textbook was borderline incomprehensible, the supplementary lecture content was barely relevant to the assignments, of which there were 4 which made up the entirety of your grade. I got absolutely no useful feedback on any of them which made improving feel impossible, and I can safely say I learned absolutely nothing of value in this class. I can only hope the in-person version is better.Aug 2024 · didn’t like it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Ended the course with a low 90. MY FAVOURITE CLASS so far in all of university. Absolutely loved the prof. SO helpful and always willing to talk about the course if needed. You can tell he really enjoys the course and wants to see students succeed. A VERY useful course that is helpful in the real world. Honestly, everybody should take this course at some point. The quizzes are easy 100s and the skills development quizzes are pretty reasonable. The exam was no surprise. Do the work and you'll get an easy 90.
Dec 2021 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
I am taking this course online. The online lectures are clear and easy to follow. The content is useful and gives you a more dynamic look on business. However the textbook is garbage. Its filled with jargon. You can literally summarize a whole page with one or two sentences and still get the same effect. However the textbook makes a good coaster for your coffee though. I recommend taking this course though.
Oct 2016 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
This is very prof-based. If you have a good prof, then it is easy to listen and pay attention in lectures. The assignments, which were long essays, are subjective. If a TA doesn't like your writing or your ideas then you won't do too well in this course. Overall, the concepts were interesting and the course isn't too demanding.
Aug 2016 · liked it · 1 found this helpfulOn UW FlowRemove this
Discussed on r/uwaterloo
58 posts and comments in 52 threads mention PHIL 215, October 2011 to December 2024. Quoted word for word, newest first; each reply sits under the post and the comment that started its branch. Search r/uwaterloo for newer posts.
Spring 2024
textbook for ARBUS/PHIL 215. 1 point, 0 comments
Fall 2023
Anyone else currently taking ARBUS202/PHIL215 Online 1 point, 0 comments
u/ShamefullyEmmy: “Im just looking for other people taking the course to share and compare notes with This class is such a struggle to get through and I could use a good study group”
Studying for ARBUS202/PHIL215 Online 1 point, 1 comment
u/ShamefullyEmmy: “Is it really necessary to try and commit definitions and concepts to memory? Midterm and Exam are take home and you have several days to complete it... And I am not so sure how the Case Study Assignments are going to be. …”
Anyone know a way for a free copy of “With a Clear Conscience” by Gregory Andres 1 point, 3 comments
u/makisbiggestfan25: “i need it for phil 215 - thank you in advance!! any advice on getting it cheaper somewhere is also welcome!”
Fall 2022
PHIL 215/ARBUS 202 1 point, 0 comments
Spring 2022
A GUIDE ON HOW TO PLAN AN OPTION 29 points, 15 comments
u/1000Ditto: “… List A online without prereqs: soc 101, phil 145, phil 201, phil 202, phil 215, phil 221, phil 324, pacs 201, pacs 202, pacs 203, gsj 222, geog 207 \[ GEOG 207 is the online one only one offered online on list A eng\] List C online without prereqs: The list is huge but includes …”
Online courses with no in-person final? 14 points, 7 comments
“I’m on a co-op term for the spring term and I was looking for online courses with no in-person final to boost my average. …”
u/NuttingInYourMother: “Rec280 and Phil215 both seem to be fully online.”
Winter 2022
Pls recommend bird online course - spring 2022 coop term 14 points, 10 comments
u/Able_Ad8492: “… I looked up LS271, PHIL215 and they are all full for online😭,also thinking about taking PSYCH101,would this course involves lots of writing? …”
enbus 310 1 point, 3 comments
u/TheGreatShort: “I am taking it this semester”
u/TheGreatShort: “… Take phil 215 or REC 280 or take afm 321 much easier than this course. But do not take this as an elective or a core course, there is an easier course to take e.g 407, the prof is like God tier. …”
Phil 215 Winter2022 ?? 3 points, 1 comment
u/eat_all_the_time: “Anyone take this online during the pandemic (during the last 2 years)? If you did, how easy was it, and what was your course breakdown? This is a potential elective course for me so I want to avoid anything that requires too much work as I have a heavy term.”
If anyone is taking econ 101 or Phil 215 or arbus 102 or 202 this winter term? If so, could you comment or PM me? 0 points, 3 comments
u/chanaeru: “Taking Phil 215”
Hey! Need help deciding/guidance on whether it would be reasonable to add another course for the winter term and which course I should add if so? 0 points, 1 comment
[deleted]: “Currently taking -Econ 101 -Phil 215/arbus202 -arbus 102/afm 123 -Psych 101 I know lots of u prolly will be like that’s light bird courses and but I also wanna work next sem so if I’m not sure if I add a course it’ll get too heavy, and I’m not even sure which course I’d add?”
Check it elsewhere for Fall 2026
- Undergraduate Calendar, 2026–27The official entry
- Requirements for Fall 2026Waterloo’s requisite checker
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