Does education influence students' moral orientation? a survey of business students at a Swedish University

University training influences students' moral orientation through selection, including the self-selection by the student's entry and exit, and through education, i.e., they are influenced by what they are taught and by the people they interact with. By applying a cross-sectional design, including first, second and third year students, we surveyed the moral orientation of 296 Swedish university students enrolled in different business programs, one being a program of accounting and auditing. We found a university effect, most strongly in selection, but also a slight education effect, whereby students in the accounting and auditing program increased significantly more in idealism compared to the other business students. We believe this indicates that the university contributes to developing the moral standards of students.