STSC Major Requirements
To graduate with a B.A. in STSC you must take 14 courses. At least 7 of those courses must be STSC and HSOC courses from the Department of History and Sociology of Science (the parent department).
Click here for information on the STSC MINOR.
2 Core Courses (required of all majors)
STSC 001 Emergence of Modern Science
STSC 003 Technology and Society
5 department electives
These are courses offered under HSOC or STSC (this includes courses cross-listed from other departments as HSOC or STSC).
6 In-Major Concentrations
Each major takes six courses in ONE of these fields (click on title for a list of pre-approved courses.) These concentrations are intended to be interdisciplinary. Courses not on this list may be petitioned for inclusion in a student's concentration.
Animal Science and Medicine
Biology and Biomedical Science
Business and Information Technology
Energy, Environment and Technology
History and Sociology of Science
Policy Studies
Science and Society
1 Capstone Research Course (any 400-level course in STSC or HSOC taken during spring of junior year or fall of senior year).
GUIDELINES
1. Department electives consist of all courses designated as STSC or HSOC (this includes any course cross-listed from another department as STSC or HSOC).
2. In-Major Concentration
Students MUST submit a Petition and a course syllabus to have courses not pre-approved count toward their in-major concentration. This should be submitted during or after the semester. The petition must explain why the student wants to take the course and how it fits into their in-major concentration.
NOTE: No more than two introductory courses from outside the department may be included in the 6-course field of concentration.
NOTE: If there is a course that used to be on the pre-approved list, but is no longer, and that a student has already taken, it still counts toward the concentration.
3. Course permits
Follow this link for information about course permits.
4. Study abroad
Up to two courses a semester may be counted toward the in-major concentration from study-abroad programs. Courses must be submitted via the XCat system.
5 Transfer credits
Credits from other institutions may be counted toward the STSC major at the discretion of the Undergraduate Chair and Undergraduate Coordinator. Transfer courses must be submitted via the XCat system.
No AP credits will be counted toward the STSC major
This requirement is fulfilled by successful completion of any 400-level HSOC or STSC course during spring of junior year or fall of senior year. Students may take as many 400-level courses as they wish, but only a 400-level course taken during one of those two semesters fulfills the Capstone Research REquirement.
7. Honors in the STSC Major
Consists of taking STSC 420 in spring of junior year (which fulfills the capstone requirement) and completing the thesis by the end of fall term senior year (this credit is designated as STSC 498, Honors Thesis, on the transcript.) Click on the link for more information on writing a senior thesis for honors in the STSC major.
