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A growing body of psychology-based scholarship identifies emerging adulthood as a distinct, transitional stage of life and work characterized by several features, wherein relatively little is known regarding moral development. This study is part of a 3-year, longitudinal project involving recent graduates across six U.S. universities who studied journalism and media-related fields. Guided by emerging adulthood, moral psychology, and media exemplar research, this study analyzes results for 110 graduates who completed an online survey regarding their personality traits, virtuous character, moral reasoning, and ethical ideology. It constitutes the first detailed portrait of moral identity of emerging adults in media-related fields.

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of ethics and service learning client work in public relations education. Interviews were conducted with students at three universities who had completed public relations client work. Findings suggest that ethics in client work involves honesty, respect, following personal convictions, bracketing personal values, and balancing ethical values. Students perceived that client work prepared them to be accountable, perform quality work, rely on mentoring, and learn that being ethical takes practice. Ultimately, client work appears to help students explore ethical beliefs and competencies in a realistic environment with assistance.