Logo: to the web site of the Swedish Defence University

With the continuation of Swedish Armed Forces personnel deployed in international service and the increase of national defence focus with new units being created, the average age of cadets enrolling in officers school is decreasing. Studies have previously shown that ethics and morals are linked to cognitive development, and cognitive development linked to age and education.

The Neo-Kohlbergian Schema theory defines three general schemas of ethical and moral decision making. Where Postconventional schema is considered most beneficial for military officers, but the military culture seems to promote the Maintaining norms schema.

This study is examining the regulating documents from the statute from the government, the program directions from the university, to individual courses programs and descriptions. In order to examine how the ethics and moral education in the Swedish officers school relates to the Neo-Kohlbergian schema theory.

The study concludes that the education promotes both the Maintaining norms and Postconventional schemas rather equally with some aspects tending more to the maintaining norms schema while other tends more to the postconventional schema. Meaning that the cadets are given multiple tools to combat ethical and moral dilemmas, but by not focusing on one schema the speed in decision making is halted.