Program Description
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.
Minor Requirements
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:
Course List | Code | Title | Hours |
| STS 1101 | Science, Technology, and Politics | 3 |
| STS 2011 | What Is Science? An Introduction to the Social Studies of Science and Technology | 3 |
| STS 2051 | Ethical Issues in Health and Medicine | 4 |
| STS 2061 | Ethics and the Environment | 4 |
| STS 2071 | Introduction to the History of Medicine | 3 |
| STS 2921 | Inventing an Information Society | 3 |
| STS 3011 | Life Sciences and Society | 3 |
| STS 3111 | Social Studies of Medicine | 3 |
| STS 3181 | Living in an Uncertain World: Science, Technology, and Risk | 4 |
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.
