Science and Technology Studies Certificate

About the Certificate

STS examines central problems of our time using interdisciplinary approaches to inquire into the critical contexts and multifaceted relationships humans have with science and technology. Existing STS courses offered through the University Core have proven to be magnets for students across majors and colleges: STEM-focused students receive broad training in the social, economic, and ethical implications of their fields, while liberal arts students gain understanding of the central role science and technology play in all facets of contemporary lives and imagining possible futures.

This Certificate in STS will enable CLA and STEM students to pair their major with STS courses, providing a highly marketable, integrated training program in STEM-liberal education. An associated STS-focused learning community (currently under development) will foster an interdisciplinary cohort of students and faculty with shared interest in the social implications of technology. In structuring the roll-out of the STS Certificate this way, we will leverage the significant existing institutional, curricular, and faculty research strengths at Purdue while establishing Purdue as a thought-leader and job-placement leader in this field.

1. All students will begin the POS with the required ANTH 21000 - Technology And Culture , which will serve as a foundational course and a common baseline experience. This course is offered every semester, and is listed on the UCC (STS category) and the Cornerstone Certificate plan of study (Science and Technology Theme). 
2. Students will then complete 9 credit hours of coursework from a pool of STS related courses. In order to encourage a maximize breadth of topics, students may only use 1 course from a single department to count toward the certificate.
3. For the final 3 units, students enroll in a hands-on practicum, internship, or research experience on an STS topic in their home department that will result in a research product that will be submitted to the year-end Undergraduate Research Symposium. Projects will be developed within their home major, but in consultation with the STS Certificate Advisory Committee (listed below).