Courses of Study 2024-2025
Science & Technology Studies
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In the College of Arts and Sciences .
Course Offerings
In today’s world, issues at the intersection of the technical and the social arise continually in all aspects of life, from the role of computers in society, the history of evolutionary theory, and the challenges of environmental controversies, to the ethical dilemmas of genomics and biomedicine. The field of science and technology studies (STS) addresses such issues through the study of the social aspects of knowledge, especially scientific and technological knowledge. STS explores the practices that shape science and technology, examines their social and cultural context, and analyzes their political and ethical implications. STS provides a strong liberal arts background from which students can go on to careers in law, medicine, environmental policy, business, and a variety of other professions where the social aspects of science and technology loom large.
Website: sts.cornell.edu
Faculty
S. Seth, chair; S. Pritchard, director of undergraduate studies; R. Slayton, director of graduate studies; S. Hilgartner, S. Jackson, C. Leuenberger, B.V. Lewenstein, K. Overby, J. Parreñas, A.G. Power, R. Prentice, J. Ratcliff, P.J. Sengers, N. Tamarkin, Y. Wang, M. Ziewitz. Emeritus: R. Kline, M. Lynch, J.V. Reppy, M.W. Rossiter
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Science & Technology Studies Major:
Admission to the major requires successful completion of one STS course. First-Year Writing Seminars may not count as a prerequisite for the major. There are no other prerequisites, but students should plan to fulfill the science PBS and quantitative MQR requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences early in their college careers in order to be in a position to take additional science or engineering courses as outlined below.
Students intending to major in Science & Technology Studies should submit an application during their sophomore year. Juniors are considered on a case-by-case basis. The application includes (1) a one-page statement explaining the student’s intellectual interests and why the major is consistent with the student’s academic interests and goals; (2) a tentative plan of courses fulfilling STS requirements; and (3) an up-to-date transcript of work completed at Cornell University (and elsewhere, if applicable). Contact the STS undergraduate office (sts-dept@cornell.edu) for further information about the major requirements and application materials.
Note: In addition to the major requirements outlined below, all students must meet the college graduation requirements .
Requirements:
(Note: all courses used to fulfill major requirements must be at least three credits, taken for a letter grade, which must be C– or higher. One course may not be used to fulfill two major requirements.)
Prerequisite: Completion of one STS course.
There are no other prerequisites, but students should plan to fulfill the BIO-AS, PHS-AS, SDS-AS, and SMR-AS distribution requirements for the College of Arts & Sciences early in their college careers in order to be in a position to take additional science or engineering courses as outlined below.
A total of at least 42 credits are required for completion of all STS major requirements (36 major credit hours + 6 science requirement credit hours), divided into the following requirements:
- One core course: STS 2011 - What Is Science? An Introduction to the Social Studies of Science and Technology
- Additional STS courses to total 36 credit hours. Of these courses:
- At least four must be 3000-level or above.
- At least two must be 4000-level or above.
- Two science courses totaling at least 6 credit hours: in addition to the science requirement of the College of Arts and Sciences, Science & Technology Studies majors are required to take an additional two courses in natural science or engineering (including computer science). If a mathematics class is a required pre-requisite for the additional science classes, that class should be completed before the science classes. Choice of these courses should be made in consultation with the student’s major advisor.
Independent Study:
Permission of faculty supervisor required. To apply, please complete the on-line independent study form.
Applications for research projects are accepted by individual STS faculty members. Students may enroll for 1–4 credits in STS 3991 - Undergraduate Independent Study with written permission of the faculty supervisor and may elect either the letter grade or the S–U option. Independent study credits may not be used in completion of the major requirements. Please contact the STS undergraduate office (sts-dept@cornell.edu) for further information.
The Honors Program:
The honors program is designed to provide independent research opportunities for academically talented STS majors. Students who enroll in the honors program are expected to do independent study and research, with faculty guidance, on issues in science and technology studies. Students who participate in the program should find the experience intellectually stimulating and rewarding whether or not they intend to pursue a research career. STS majors are considered for entry into the honors program at the end of the second semester of their junior year. To qualify for the STS honors program, students must have an overall Cornell cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00 and a 3.30 cumulative GPA in courses taken for the major. Additionally, the student must have formulated a research topic, and have found a project supervisor and a second faculty member willing to serve as the advisors; at least one of these must be a member of the STS department. Contact the STS undergraduate office (sts-dept@cornell.edu) for further information about the honors program and application materials.
The Minor in Science & Technology Studies:
The undergraduate minor in Science & Technology Studies (STS) is designed for students who wish to engage in a systematic, interdisciplinary exploration of the role of science and technology in modern societies. The minor is intended for students with varied academic interests and career goals. Majors in the natural sciences and engineering have an opportunity to explore the social, political, and ethical implications of their selected fields of specialization, while students majoring in the humanities and social sciences have a chance to study the processes, products, and impacts of science and technology from an STS perspective.
To satisfy the requirements for the STS minor, students must complete, with a letter grade of C– or above, a minimum of four courses totaling 15 credits, selected from the course offerings listed for the major. First-year writing seminars are excluded. One course should be at the 3000 or 4000 level. No more than one course can be at the 1000 level. At least TWO courses must be chosen from the following list to fulfill the Core Courses requirement: STS 1101 , STS 2011 , STS 2051 , STS 2061 , STS 2071 , STS 2921 , STS 3011 , STS 3111 , STS 3181 . Students must apply by the end of week 3 in their final semester.
Note: Biology and Society majors cannot use more than one course to fulfill requirements for both the BSOC major and the STS minor.
Interested students may obtain further information about courses by contacting the STS undergraduate office, sts-dept@cornell.edu.
Graduate Field of Science & Technology Studies:
Faculty
S. Seth, chair; R. Slayton, director of graduate studies; S. Hilgartner, T. Hinrichs, S. Jackson, S. Langwick, K. Levy, B.V. Lewenstein, P. Nadasdy, J. Parreñas, A. Power, R. Prentice, S. Pritchard, C. Roby, P. Sengers, N. Tamarkin, M. Welker, M. Ziewitz. Minor Member: C. Leuenberger. Emeritus: R. Kline, M. Lynch, J. Reppy, M. Rossiter
Students may obtain further information about the field and course offerings by contacting the STS graduate field office, stsgradfield@cornell.edu, (607) 255-6047.
Biology & Society Major:
The Department of Science & Technology Studies also offers the Biology & Society major, which includes faculty from throughout the university. The Biology & Society major is designed for students who wish to combine the study of biology with exposure to perspectives from the social sciences and humanities. In addition to providing a foundation in biology, Biology and Society students obtain background in the social dimensions of modern biology and in the biological dimensions of contemporary social issues.
The Biology & Society major is offered to students enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. The major is coordinated for students in all colleges through the Biology & Society office. A full description of the major can be found in the Biology & Society Major section of this catalog. Contact bsoc@cornell.edu for further information.
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