Educating Undergraduates in Civil Engineering on Macroethics by Developing a Technical Elective Course on Energy and Sustainability

In engineering education, there is a prioritization of microethics and an omission of macroethics. Although macroethics is particularly significant for civil engineering, in which decision making directly influences the quality of civil infrastructure, current educational practices in civil engineering do not reflect this importance. This case study assessed the effectiveness of developing a three-credit course, entitled CIVE 491 Materials for Energy and Sustainability, to educate civil engineering majors on macroethics. A series of lectures was purposefully designed and implemented in the classes offered in Fall 2020 and Spring 2022 at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Instructor's observation, attendance rate, course performance, submitted assignments, and survey results were analyzed. The results suggested that several design principles should be applied when designing the course, which could significantly improve students' understanding of many macroethical issues that they may encounter in their professional careers as civil engineers.