What is social studies of science and technology?
The social studies of science and technology minor lets you examine the role, effect and influence of science and technology in our lives and our society. You can focus on topics such as medicine and ethics, humans and the environment, or technology and artificial intelligence. You’ll gain the analytical and conceptual skills needed to understand the relationships between science, technology and human well-being. Combine this minor with a major such as the sciences, history, philosophy or business to bring rigorous, ethically informed thinking and clear communication skills to your future career or graduate studies.
Why study social studies of science and technology at UNH?
As an interdisciplinary minor in the Department of History, you’ll benefit from a structured yet flexible undergraduate minor,and your course of study will be tailored to your interests. UNH has one of the top history departments in the country, with an award-winning, internationally recognized faculty. Throughout the academic year, you’ll have opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities that complement your studies. Additionally, you’ll receive excellent advising and mentoring to help you with career or graduate school preparation.
Potential career areas
- Academia
- Business
- Education
- Ethics
- Healthcare
- Law
- Policymaking
- Technology
- Writing
Curriculum & Requirements
How are our lives being changed by technology? Why is science so influential in our society? Is modern science superior to traditional ways of knowing nature? Are science and technology doing more harm than good? The minor in social studies of science and technology enables students to seek answers to such questions through the perspectives of the humanities and social sciences. In this minor, students select courses from a range of disciplines, including anthropology, history, communication, sociology and philosophy, all of which shed light on the role of science and technology in modern society.
The minor presupposes no specialized scientific background and may be combined with any undergraduate major.
Students interested in taking the minor should contact the coordinator, Fredrik Meiton, Department of History, Horton Social Science Center.
To complete a minor in social studies of science and technology, students must complete five courses (20 credits) with a grade of C- or better, choosing no more than three courses from a single department.
Code | Title | Credits |
---|---|---|
Select five courses from the following: | 20 | |
ANTH #440A | Honors/Medicine and Culture: Science, Technology and the Body | |
BIOL #444A | Biotechnology and Society | |
CEE 520 | Environmental Pollution and Protection: A Global Context | |
CHBE 410 | Energy and Environment | |
CMN 696W | Seminar in Media Studies 1 | |
CMN 772 | Seminar in Media Theory (topic: Critical Approaches to New Media) | |
ENGL 415C | Literature and Medicine | |
GEOG 405 | There Is No Planet B | |
GEOG #590 | Field Research 1 | |
GEOG 670 | Climate and Society | |
HIST 425 | Foreign Cultures (topic: Energy and Society: A Global History) | |
HIST #440B | Honors/Medicine, Society, Science, and the Law: Who Makes Your Health Care Decisions? | |
HIST #440G | Honors/Revolutions in Science | |
HIST 498 | Explorations of Historical Perspectives (topic: History of Animals) | |
HIST #521 | Origins of Modern Science | |
HIST 522 | Science in the Modern World | |
HIST 595 | Explorations 1 | |
HIST 600 | Explorations (topic: Oil and Water of the Middle East) | |
HIST 618 | American Environmental History | |
HIST 621 | History of American Thought 1 | |
HIST 654 | Topics in History of Science | |
HIST 690 | Seminar: Historical Expl 1 | |
PHIL 424 | The Future of Humanity: Science, Technology, and Society | |
PHIL 435 | Human Nature and Evolution | |
PHIL 447 | Artificial Intelligence, Robots, and People | |
PHIL 450 | Environmental Ethics | |
PHIL 630 | Neuroscience and Philosophy | |
PHIL 780 | Special Topics 1 | |
POLT 444 | Politics and Policy in a Warming World | |
POLT #751 | Comparative Environmental Politics and Policy | |
PSYC 571 | Pioneers of Psychology | |
PSYC 791W | Special Topics 1 | |
SOC 565 | Environment and Society | |
Total Credits | 20 |
- 1
with approval of topic by the coordinator