Skip to main content
Home

Utility Menu

  • Stories & News
  • Events
  • Library
  • Athletics

Utility CTA Menu

  • Visit
  • Apply
  • Give

Search

Search
  • About
    About Puget Sound

    Founded in 1888, University of Puget Sound is an independent, residential, and predominantly undergraduate liberal arts college.

    • Mission & Values
    • Facts & Rankings
    • Location & Community
    • Leadership
    • History & Traditions
    • Media Coverage
  • Academics
    SOMETHING YOU DO

    Part of a Puget Sound education is the opportunity for a wide variety of experiential learning options, including internships, studying abroad, and more.

    Read about student experiences
    • Undergraduate Programs
    • Graduate Programs
    • Experiential Learning
    • Curriculum & Graduation Requirements
    • After Puget Sound
    • Academic Resources & Support
  • Admission
    OPENING DOORS

    Create your own path and pursue a life of purpose and impact.

    Request Admission Information
    • Apply
    • Visit & Events
    • Group Visits
    • Experience Puget Sound
    • Cost & Aid
    • Graduate Admission
    • Connect With Us
  • Student Life
    We look forward to seeing you!

    Learn about our weeklong orientation program that immerses you in campus and the community while preparing you to tackle your academic studies.

    Read about student experiences
    • Housing
    • Dining
    • Activities
    • Orientation
    • Diversity & Belonging
    • Health & Safety
    • Student Life Resources
  • Alumni
    Once a Logger...

    Always a Logger! Just because you're not still living on campus and visiting the Cellar for pizza doesn't mean you have to be disconnected from what's happening on campus! 

    Sign up for the weekly Hatchet newsletter!
    • Events
    • Volunteer
    • Stay Connected
  • Resources For...
    • Undergraduate Students
    • Graduate Students
    • Parents & Families
    • Faculty
    • Staff
    • Community
    • Top Resources
      • Webmail
      • my.PugetSound.edu
      • login.pugetsound.edu

Push Navigation Toggle

  • Mobile Search Form Toggle
  • Push Menu Toggle

Push Navigation Toggle

  • Mobile Search Form Toggle
  • Push Menu Toggle

Main navigation

  • About
    • Mission & Values
    • Facts & Rankings
    • Location & Community
    • Leadership
    • History & Traditions
    • Media Coverage
  • Academics
    • Undergraduate Programs
    • Graduate Programs
    • Experiential Learning
    • Curriculum & Graduation Requirements
    • After Puget Sound
    • Academic Resources & Support
  • Admission
    • Apply
    • Visit & Events
    • Group Visits
    • Experience Puget Sound
    • Cost & Aid
    • Graduate Admission
    • Connect With Us
  • Student Life
    • Housing
    • Dining
    • Activities
    • Orientation
    • Diversity & Belonging
    • Health & Safety
    • Student Life Resources
  • Alumni
    • Events
    • Volunteer
    • Stay Connected

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Academics
  3. Science, Technology, & Society
  4. Degree Requirements for Science, Technology, & Society

Degree Requirements for Science, Technology, & Society

In this section

  • Student Research Awards
    • UEC Student Research Awards
    • Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences
    • Science & Mathematics
  • Degree Requirements
  • Courses
  • Curriculum Guide
  • Institutional Review Board
    • Members & Minutes
    • Information for IRB Members
    • Policy for International Research
    • Policy for Outside Researchers
    • Protocol Review During Summer
    • Resources
  • Summer Term
    • Registration
    • Schedule
    • Important Dates
    • Campus Services
  • Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee
    • Protocol Review Criteria
    • CITI Training Instructions
    • Medical History & Risk Assessment
    • Inspection of Animal Care Facilities
    • Occupational Health & Safety Plan
    • Report an Animal Concern
  • African American Studies
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
  • Art & Art History
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Experiential Learning
      • Prepare as a Professional
      • Experience the World
      • Engage Your Community
      • Conduct Research
        • Ayse Hunt '19
        • Carly Brock '16
        • Louisa Raitt '15
        • Maia Raeder '16
        • Mary Thompson '19
    • After Puget Sound
  • Asian Languages & Cultures
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Experiential Learning
  • Asian Studies
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
  • Interdisciplinary Bioethics Emphasis
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
  • Biology
    • Degree Requirements
      • Bachelor of Science in Biology
      • Bachelor of Science in Molecular & Cellular Biology
      • Minor in Biology
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Recent Faculty Publications
  • Chemistry
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Research
  • Classics & Ancient Mediterranean Studies
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • After Puget Sound
    • Why Classics & Ancient Mediterranean Studies
  • Communication Studies
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • After Puget Sound
      • Alumni & Law School
  • Computer Science
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
  • Honors Program
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • After Puget Sound
  • Engineering
    • Degree Requirements
    • Affiliate Programs
    • After Puget Sound
  • Economics
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Experiential Learning
  • Education Studies
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Outstanding Minor
    • School of Education Blog
  • English
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
  • Environmental Policy & Decision Making
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Experiential Learning
      • Programs & Courses
      • Student Research
  • Exercise Science
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
  • French & Francophone Studies
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Experiential Learning
  • Gender & Queer Studies
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Experiential Learning
    • After Puget Sound
  • Geology
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
  • German Studies
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
  • Global Development Studies
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Why Study Global Development
    • Meet Our Recent Grads
    • Senior Thesis Projects
      • 2018-19 Theses
      • 2017-18 Theses
      • 2016-17 Theses
  • Hispanic Studies
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
  • History
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Experiential Learning
    • After Puget Sound
  • Interdisciplinary Humanities Emphasis
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Experiential Learning
      • Conduct Research
      • Experience a Wider World
      • Explore Career Paths
  • International Political Economy
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Experiential Learning
      • Profiles in Experiential Learning
      • Summer International Internship Grant
      • Summer Research Fellowship
    • After Puget Sound
  • Latin American Studies
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
  • Latina/o Studies
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
  • Mathematics
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
  • Neuroscience
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
  • Philosophy
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Experiential Learning
      • Study Abroad
      • Undergraduate Conference
      • Ethics Bowl
    • After Puget Sound
      • Alumni Interviews
    • What can I do with a degree in Philosophy?
  • Physics
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Student Research
    • After Puget Sound
  • Politics & Government
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Why Study Politics & Government
    • P&G Blog
  • Psychology
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Research
      • Student Research
    • After Puget Sound
  • Religion, Spirituality, & Society
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Why Study Religion
  • School of Business & Leadership
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Experiential Learning
  • School of Music
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty & Staff
    • For Prospective Students
      • Apply & Audition
        • Entrance Audition Requirements
        • FAQ
      • Scholarships
        • Terms & Conditions
      • Early Decision Students
      • Transfer Students
      • Sample Schedule
      • Student Profiles
      • FAQ
      • Interest Questionnaire
    • Ensembles
      • Instrumental Groups
        • Chamber Music
        • Jazz
        • Symphony Orchestra
      • Vocal Groups
        • Adelphian Concert Choir
          • History
          • Recordings
          • Videos
      • Repertory
      • Placement Auditions
    • After Puget Sound
      • Alumni Profiles
      • Distinguished Alumni Awards
      • Graduate School Acceptances
    • Community Music
    • Schneebeck LIVE
  • Science, Technology, & Society
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • What is STS?
    • After Puget Sound
    • Experiential Learning
      • Jobs & Internships
  • Sociology & Anthropology
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • Experiential Learning
      • Conduct Research
      • Prepare as a Professional
      • Experience the World
      • Engage Your Community
  • Special Interdisciplinary Major
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
  • Theatre Arts
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses
    • Faculty
    • After Puget Sound
    • For Prospective Students
    • Upcoming Productions
    • Theatre Arts Season
    • Production Archive
  • School of Occupational Therapy
    • Admission & Aid
    • Courses & Sequence
    • Course Descriptions
    • Faculty
    • Programs
      • Entry-Level Master's Program
        • Academic Preparation
      • Entry-Level Doctorate Program
        • FAQ
      • Post-Professional Doctorate Program
        • Course Sequence
        • Program Design
    • Why Puget Sound OT
      • Mission
      • Strengths of the Program
      • What Makes Us Distinctive?
      • Excellent OT
      • Essential Functions of an OT Student
    • On-Site Teaching Clinic
      • Adult Clinic
      • Pediatric Clinic
    • For Alumni
    • News & Events
  • Master of Arts in Teaching
    • Apply
    • Tuition & Fees
    • Financial Aid
    • Drop-in Sessions
    • 4+1 Pathway
    • Courses
    • Testing Overview
    • Professional Licensure
    • School of Education Blog
  • Master of Education in Counseling
    • Apply
    • Tuition & Fees
    • Financial Aid
    • Faculty
    • Mission & Objectives
    • Program Calendar
    • Degree Requirements
    • Accelerated Program Pathway
    • Professional Licensure
    • Outcome Data
    • Events & Announcements
    • School of Education Blog
    • Annual Report
  • School of Physical Therapy
    • Degree Requirements
    • Curriculum
      • Courses
      • Mission
    • Clinical Education
      • On-Site Clinic
      • Clinical Experiences
      • Clinical Education Manual (PDF)
    • Faculty
    • For Prospective Students
      • Student Outcomes
      • Applying
      • Tuition & Fees
      • Prospective Student Advising Sessions
      • FAQ
    • Continuing Education
      • APTA Credentialed Clinical Instructor Program
    • Experiential Learning
    • Jobs
      • Job Fair
      • Fellowships & Residencies
    • Patient Referral Forms
  • Natural Science
    • Degree Requirements
    • Faculty
  • Master of Public Health
    • Curriculum Structure & Costs
      • Course Descriptions
    • Development Group
    • FAQ
    • Apply
    • Request Information
    • Meet Current Students
  • Crime, Law, & Justice Studies
    • Degree Requirements
    • Courses

General Requirements for the Major or Minor

General university degree requirements stipulate that 1) at least four units of the major or three units of the minor be taken in residence at Puget Sound; 2) students earn a GPA of 2.0 in courses taken for the major or the minor; and 3) all courses taken for a major or minor must be taken for graded credit. Any exceptions to these stipulations are indicated in the major and minor degree requirements listed below.

Requirements for the Major

The Bachelor of Arts degree in Science, Technology, and Society is awarded on the basis of a course of study agreed upon by the student and a committee of faculty members. During the sophomore year or by the first semester of the junior year, a student who intends to major in Science, Technology, and Society should meet with the director of the Program to select a faculty member as an advisor. The student and advisor form a committee that includes the advisor and others members from the Advisory Committee for the Program in Science, Technology, and Society. The committee may include faculty outside the program if the student’s interests overlap with that faculty member’s discipline. The student works with the committee to select a coherent set of courses that advance the student’s educational goals. The committee usually seeks a balance between breadth of coverage and focus in the student’s particular area of interest. The committee will also ensure that there is a sufficient concentration in STS courses (in distinction from courses in cognate disciplines that are accepted as electives). The contract goes into effect after it is signed by the student, the committee members, and the director of the Program and is filed in the Office of the Registrar. The contract is reviewed periodically and justified modifications are permitted.

Requirements for the Contract in Science, Technology, and Society

Every contract should consist of a minimum of 12 units distributed as follows:

  1. Introductory Surveys: 2 units.
    • STS 201 Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society I: Antiquity to 1700; and STS 202 Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society II: Since 1800. Preferably taken in the first or second year.
  2. Methods course: 1 unit.
    • STS 350 The Interdisciplinary Study of Science and Technology. Preferably taken in the fall semester of junior year.
  3. Philosophy and Science: 1 unit.
    • One course chosen from PHIL 332 Philosophy of Science; or PHIL 220 Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Philosophy. (A different course in philosophy can be approved by the STS director.) Preferably taken in the spring semester of junior year.
  4. Electives: 5 units.
    • See the list of electives below. Students must take at least one course each from categories one, two, and three. The remaining two courses can be taken from any of the three categories.
  5. Ancillary Courses: 2 units.
    • Two courses in the natural sciences. Preferably in the same natural science. Preferably taken in the first or second year.
  6. Capstone course: 1 unit.
    • Taken in fall or spring semester of the senior year. STS 480 Senior Research Seminar in STS.

Notes

  1. Students must maintain a grade point average of at least 2.00 in all contract courses and a grade point average of at least 2.00 in the upper-division (300-400 level) courses in the contract.
  2. Students must complete at least four units of the required upper-division (300-400 level) contract courses at Puget Sound. One of these 4 units may be a course taken as part of a study-abroad program, subject to approval in advance by the student’s contract committee.
  3. Students must gain approval for the contract before completing upper-division coursework. Courses completed before the contract is approved are subject to review by the committee prior to inclusion in the contract.

Each year, the STS program will name one graduating major a Mott Greene Research Scholar for a distinguished senior research project. All graduating majors are eligible to be considered for Honors in the Major.

Requirements for the Minor

A minor consists of 5 units distributed as follows.

  1. Introductory Survey: 1 unit.
    • One course chosen from:
      • STS 201 Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society I: Antiquity to 1700; or
      • STS 202 Introduction to Science, Technology, and Society II: Since 1800
  2. Electives: 3 units.
    • See the list of electives below. Students must take at least one class from each of the three categories.
  3. Methods course: 1 unit.
    • STS 350 The Interdisciplinary Study of Science and Technology

Electives

  • Studies of Particular Scientific Disciplines
    • ECON 221 History of Economic Thought
    • PHYS 299 History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy
    • PSYC 325 History and Systems of Psychology
    • STS 100 Apes, Angels & Darwin
    • STS 301 Technology and Culture
    • STS 314 Cosmological Thought
    • STS 330 Evolution and Society Since Darwin
    • STS 344 Ecological Knowledge in Historical Perspective
    • STS 345 Science and War in the Modern World
    • STS 347 Better Living Through Chemistry
    • STS 348 Strange Realities: Physics in the Twentieth Century
  • Special Topics in Science, Technology, and Society
    • CONN 354 Hormones, Sex, Society and Self
    • CONN 357 Exploring Animal Minds
    • CONN 410 Science and Economics of Climate Change
    • CLSC 339 Sci-Fi, Fantasy, & the Classics
    • ECON 365 Economics and Philosophy
    • ENGL 348 Illness and Narrative
    • HIST 317 European Intellectual History, 19th and 20th Centuries
    • PHIL 220 Seventeenth- and Eighteenth-Century Philosophy
    • PHIL 330 Epistemology: The Theory of Knowledge
    • PHIL 332 Philosophy of Science
    • PHIL 340 Philosophy of Cognitive Science
    • SOAN 360 Sociology of Health and Medicine
    • SOAN 365 Global Health
    • STS 310 I, Robot - Humans and Machines in the 20th and 21st Centuries
    • STS 318 Science and Gender
    • STS 325 Highway to History: A Study of the Automobile Industry
    • STS 340 Finding Order in Nature
    • STS 352 Memory in a Social Context
    • STS 354 Murder and Mayhem under the Microscope
    • STS 361 Mars Exploration
    • STS 366 History of Medicine
  • Policy and Values in Science and Technology
    • BUS 478 Environmental Law
    • CONN 320 Health and Medicine
    • CONN 393 Cognitive Foundations of Morality and Religion
    • ENVR 335 Thinking about Biodiversity
    • HIST 364 American Environmental History
    • PHIL 105 Neuroethics and Human Enhancement
    • PHIL 285 Environmental Ethics
    • PHIL 292/BIOE 292 Basics of Bioethics
    • REL 292/BIOE 292 Basics of Bioethics
    • SOAN 352 Work, Culture, and Globalization
    • STS 302 Cancer and Society
    • STS 324 Science and Race: A History
    • STS 333 Evolution and Ethics
    • STS 370 Science and Religion: Historical Perspectives
    • STS 375 Science and Politics
    • STS 378 Weapons of Mass Destruction

Footer Top Quick Links

  • Back to the top
  • Visit
  • Apply
  • Give
Home
University of Puget Sound

1500 N. Warner St., Tacoma, WA 98416

Contact Us
facebook Instagram linkedin twitter Youtube flickr

Footer Menu

  • Campus Map & Directions
  • Security Services
  • Emergency
  • Title IX & Equal Opportunity
  • Employment
  • For the Media
  • Consumer Information & Disclosures
  • Offices & Services

© 2022 University of Puget Sound

Copyright Buttons Menu

  • Slater Museum of Natural History
  • Race and Pedagogy Institute