Chapter 16: Graduate Minor in Science, Technology and Society (STS)

Program Description

The graduate minor in science, technology, and society (STS) is designed to help students gain a deeper understanding of the influence that engineering has on society (and vice versa). Knowledge of this kind has become essential in an increasingly complex and interconnected world, in which purely technical expertise often needs to be supplemented by additional skills. In order to successfully operate in such an environment, engineers must (at the very least) have the ability to communicate clearly, function on interdisciplinary and diverse teams, and make ethically and socially responsible decisions.

The need to develop such skills has been widely recognized in universities around the country, as witnessed by the growing emphasis on interdisciplinary studies in undergraduate engineering curricula. It is unusual, however, to encounter programs of this kind at the graduate level. Most traditional master’s programs still focus on specialized technical topics and offer little insight into how practicing engineers might engage global challenges such as climate change, sustainability, or economic disparity (to name just a few).

The primary purpose of the STS minor is to offer graduate students an opportunity to examine some of these key social issues on an advanced level. The scope of the minor is broad and includes topics that range from the social impact of new technologies to applied ethics, sustainability, and religion. As such, it reflects an educational philosophy that goes well beyond narrow specialization and promotes a global and societal orientation. All the courses in this program have a distinctly interdisciplinary flavor and are designed to develop creativity, innovation, and leadership.

The minor consists of a Core and a set of electives and entails a minimum of 12 units of coursework. It is open to all students who are pursuing a master’s degree in engineering, regardless of the specific program in which they are enrolled.

Program Requirements

The STS minor consists of a Core and a set of electives and entails a minimum of 12 units of coursework. The Core courses cover three distinct thematic areas:

  • Social and Philosophical Issues in Science and Engineering
  • Engineering, Ethics and Spirituality
  • Sustainability and Engineering

Students will be required to take at least one course in each of the three Core areas outlined above (for a minimum of 6 units). The remaining units (up to a total of 12, or more if desired) can be accumulated by taking a combination of electives and additional STS Core courses.

A list of approved STS Core courses and the different thematic areas to which they belong is provided below. Note that courses that appear in multiple areas can be used to satisfy only one Core requirement (in other words, no “double dipping” is allowed).

Social and Philosophical Issues in Science and Engineering

  • ENGR/GREN 261 Nanotechnology and Society
  • ENGR/GREN 272 Energy Public Policy
  • ENGR/GREN 302 Managing in the Multicultural Environment
  • ENGR/GREN 303 Gender and Engineering
  • ENGR/GREN 304 Building Global Teams
  • ENGR/GREN 336 Engineering for the Developing World
  • ENGR/GREN 337 Social Entrepreneurship
  • ENGR/GREN 342 3D Print Technology and Society

Engineering, Ethics and Spirituality

  • CSEN 288 Software Ethics
  • ECEN 217 Chaos Theory, Metamathematics and the Limits of Knowledge: A Scientific Perspective on Religion
  • ENGR/GREN 344 Artificial Intelligence and Ethics

Sustainability and Engineering

  • ECEN 280/MECH 287 Introduction to Alternative Energy Systems
  • ECEN 288/CSEN 282 Energy Management Systems
  • ENGR/GREN 272 Energy Public Policy

Admission Procedures

The STS minor option is open to all master’s students in the School of Engineering. Those who wish to pursue this minor must submit an application form to the Graduate Studies Office by the end of their third quarter at SCU (at the latest), and must have their program of studies approved by the academic advisor for this program.

Students who complete all the technical requirements set by their department, as well as an approved set of STS classes, will receive a master’s degree with a minor in Science, Technology, and Society. The degree will be conferred by the department to which the student was originally accepted. Please note that the grades obtained in STS courses will be included in the overall GPA and will carry the same weight as grades obtained in technical classes.

There are no financial or academic penalties for not completing the minor. Such students will receive the standard master’s degree, with no reference to the STS minor.

Financial Aid for the STS Minor

Students who have declared a graduate minor in Science, Technology, and Society (STS) are eligible for a special form of financial aid. The amount of aid is limited to 75% of tuition for up to 12 units (excluding fees). These funds can be applied only to courses taken beyond the 46 units that are required for a master’s degree.

In order to become eligible for this benefit, students must check the appropriate box that pertains to financial aid on the application form. In addition, their program of studies must be approved by the academic advisor for the program. Financial aid comes into effect once a student completes 46 units of coursework, at which point he or she should follow the procedure outlined below:

  1. The quarterly tuition must be paid in full, and in the timeframe specified by the Bursar’s Office.
  2. In the second week of each quarter, students must provide the program academic advisor with a list of courses in which they are currently enrolled (this will require official proof of registration).
  3. Once the academic advisor establishes that the courses conform to the approved programs of studies (both in the technical and in the STS area), students will receive financial aid in the amount of 75% of their tuition expenses for that quarter (excluding fees).