Majors

Home
Undergraduate
Majors
Science, Technology & Society

Science, Technology & Society

BACHELOR OF ARTS

Deepen your interests in technology to address contemporary global and societal challenges.

Do courses like Digital Cultures, Bioethics, or Race, Gender, Science, and Medicine sound interesting to you? Do you want to explore a career in Data Governance, Science Communications, or Policy?

Student in a dark room looking at a computer screen

The Science, Technology & Society major (STS) at the University of Washington Bothell offers students the opportunity to bridge their passions across topics like politics, science, law, artificial intelligence, democracy, data, philosophy, and more. Academic and other learning experiences enhance students’ ability to think critically about the production of scientific and technological knowledge, and increase their skills in strategic communication, cultural analysis, and research methods.

PURPOSE

Students in the Science, Technology & Society major are passionate about science discovery and technological advancement and want to understand how this knowledge impacts society.

PRACTICE

Courses in the Science, Technology & Society major allow students to investigate the ways in which scientists and engineers influence the world, and interpret the effects of technology on societies and individuals.

PROFESSION

Graduates of the Science, Technology & Society major communicate about scientific discoveries and advancements. Career options include work in policy and project management roles, and graduate study in law or medicine.

Major requirements

Recommended preparation

Interested in exploring this major but not ready to commit? Consider taking one of the below courses! Any of these selections will help familiarize you with the academic program and prepare you for advanced coursework in the major.

BIS 115 Digital Cultures
BIS 232 Introduction to Data Visualization
BIS 242 Environmental Geography
BIS 245 Environment and Humanities
BIS 252 Politics of Science

Prerequisites

While there are no official prerequisites for this major in the School of IAS. UW Bothell students in good standing can declare a major in Science, Technology, & Society (STS) at any time. Once ready to submit a declaration form follow this link to the IAS Major Declaration Form

Degree requirements

The following degree requirements are required as of Autumn 2024 quarter. Student who enter the Science, Technology, & Society (STS) major prior to Autumn 2024 have different requirements. Please see your Academic Advisor for questions and academic planning.

10 credits of Composition Coursework
- B WRIT 133 or B WRIT 134 or ENGL 131 or equivalent (5 credits)
- B WRIT 135 or ENGL 141 or equivalent (5 credits)
BISSTS 307 Science, Technology and Society (5 credits)
BISSTS 355 History of Science and Technology (5 credits)
BES 301 Science Methods and Practice (5 credits)
BIS 312 Approaches to Social Research OR BIS 340 Approaches to Cultural Research (5 credits)
Science, Technology, & Society Coursework (25 credits)
Mathematical Thinking and Data Visualization coursework (5 credits)
Additional IAS Coursework (20 credits)

TOTAL= 70 Credits

School of IAS Requirements & Policies

Residency Requirement: 30 credits must be completed in residency at UW Bothell
Cumulative GPA Requirement: Major GPA must be at a cumulative of 2.00 or higher
Interdisciplinary Practices & Reflection (IPR): The IPR requirement can overlap with 70 credit major coursework or it can be completed through elective credits. Please see the IPR page for course options.
Upper Division Credit Policy: Of the credits applying to STS major requirements, a minimum of 35 credits must be completed at the Upper Division (300-400) level.

Learning objectives

The Science, Technology, and Society curriculum advances the five core IAS learning objectives. Students taking courses and/or majoring in Science, Technology, and Society:

Think critically and creatively about social and cultural representation and practice in science and technology.
Develop and communicate sophisticated arguments about how people experience power and difference in relation to scientific and technological development.
Critically examine how scientific knowledge is produced and analyze scientific and technological practices in applied, interdisciplinary contexts.
Recognize the social and political conditions in which science and technology have value.
Conduct collaborative research that integrates quantitative and qualitative knowledge using interdisciplinary methods of inquiry.

People

Faculty

Research Librarian

Nia Lam

Courses

A. Core Courses (STS:CORE)

BISSTS 307 Science, Technology and Society
BISSTS 355 History of Science and Technology

B. Research Methods Courses (STS:METHODS)

BES 301 Science Methods and Practice (min 2.0 grade)

Choose one from below (min 2.0 grade)

BIS 312 Approaches to Social Research
BIS 340 Approaches to Cultural Research

C. Mathematical Thinking & Data Visualization Courses (STS:DATA)

B DATA 200 Introduction to Data Studies
BIS 111/CSS 101 Digital Thinking
BIS 215 Understanding Statistics
BIS 218 Power of Maps
BIS 232 Introduction to Data Visualization
BIS 342 Geographic Information Systems
BIS 343 Geographic Visualization
B BUS 215 Business Statistics
B MATH 215 Statistics for Health Sciences

D. Science, Technology, & Society Courses (STS)

B DATA 200 Introduction to Data Studies
BEARTH 153 Introduction to Geology
BEARTH 154 Introduction to Oceanography
BEARTH 155 Introduction to Climate Science
BEARTH 341 Natural Hazards & Human Disasters
BIS 115 Digital Cultures
BIS 140 Numbers in News Media
BIS 141 Natural History & Environmental Sciences
BIS 180 Introduction to Human Geography
BIS 218 The Power of Maps
BIS 232 Introduction to Data Visualization
BIS 236 Introduction to Interactive Media
BIS 241 Nature in the Northwest
BIS 242 Environmental Geography
BIS 243 Introduction to Environmental Issues
BIS 244 Wetlands Discovery
BIS 245 Environment and Humanities
BIS 252 Politics of Science
BIS 285 Seminar in Biology
BIS 302 Issues in Mathematics Across Cultures
BIS 304 Introduction to Political Economy and the Environment
BIS 306 Marine Diversity and Conservation
BIS 307 Environmental Justice
BIS 314 Topics in Geography
BIS 319 Public Arts and Ecological Restoration
BIS 329 Topics in Mathematics Across the Curriculum
BIS 332 Global Digital Industries
BIS 342 Geographic Information Systems
BIS 343 Geographic Visualization
BIS 344 Intermediate Geographic Analysis & Applications
BIS 346 Topics in Environmental Policy
BIS 352 Mapping Communities
BIS 356 Ethics and the Environment
BIS 358 Issues in Environmental Science
BIS 359 Principles and Controversies of Sustainability
BIS 360 Pollinator Diversity and Conservation
BIS 369 Indigenous Psychology and Health
BIS 372 Representation, Colonialism, and the Tropical World
BIS 380 Bioethics
BIS 384 Health, Medicine, and Society
BIS 3868 Climate Change Adaptation Policy
BIS 391 Environmental History of the Pacific Northwest Bioregion
BIS 392 Water and Sustainability
BIS 395 Environmental Change in Washington State
BIS 397 Topics in Environmental Studies
BIS 405 Environmental Education
BIS 406 Urban Planning and Geography
BIS 408 Critical Physical Geography
BIS 411 Network Analysis and Visualization
BIS 412 Advanced Data Visualization
BIS 421 Technology Policy
BIS 422 Clinical Psychology
BIS 442 Advanced GIS Analysis and Applications
BIS 447 Topics in Quantitative Inquiry
BIS 456 Climate Anxiety, Grief and Resilience
BIS 458 Energy, the Environment and Society
BIS 459 Conservation and Sustainable Development
BES 303 Environmental Monitoring Practicum
BES 312 Ecology
BES 316 Ecological Methods
BES 330 Limnology
BES 362 Introduction to Restoration Ecology
BES 385 Biodiversity Conservation
BES 397 Special Topics in Environmental Science
BES 440 Remote Sensing of the Environment
BES 460 Water Quality
BES 486 Watershed Ecology and Management
BES 488 Wetland Ecology
BES 489 Pacific Northwest Ecosystems
BES 497 Special Topics in Environmental Science
BISSTS 397 Topics in Science, Technology, and Society
BISSTS 420 Race, Gender, Science, and Medicine
BISSTS 497 Advanced Topics in Science, Technology, and Society
BISMCS 473 Visual Communication
BHS 201 Introduction to Public Health
BHS 302 Social Dimensions of Health
BHLTH 233 Feminist Approaches to Women’s Health
BHLTH 224 Disease, Human History, Society, & Civilization
B BIO 231/BISSTS 231 Genes, Genomes & Heredity
B BIO 232/BISSTS 232 Embryos, Genes and Reproductive Technology
B BIO 233 Cancer: Biology, Risk, and Treatment
B BIO 235 Salmon and Society
B BIO 305 The Science and Ethics of Stem Cells
B BIO 310 Brain and Behavior
B BIO 330 Marine Biology
BST 445 Political Economy of Energy
BST 446 Sustainable Energy
B PHYS 484 Physics, Society and Industry

Pre-Autumn 2024 STS Course List

Social and Cultural Studies of Science and Technology (STS:SCST)

Courses approved for this requirement apply the theories and/or methods of one or more disciplines in the social sciences and humanities to the study of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, or medicine. Approved courses may also explore how artistic practice can be informed by scientific concepts of technological forms.

BHS 201 Introduction to Public Health
BHS 300 Principles of Health Research
BHS 302 Social Dimensions of Health
BIS 205 Technologies of Expression
BIS 218 The Power of Maps
BIS 233 Social Media in Context
BIS 235 Critical Media Literacy
BIS 236 Introduction to Interactive Media
BIS 245 Environmental Humanities
BIS 252 Politics of Science
BIS 304 Political Economy & the Environment
BIS 307 Environmental Justice
BIS 308 Industrial Animal
BIS 332 Global Digital Industries
BIS 352 Mapping Communities
BIS 380 Bioethics
BIS 384 Health, Medicine and Society
BIS 386 Climate Change Adaptation Policy
BIS 421 Technology Policy
BIS 458 Energy, the Environment, and Society
BISMCS 333 Media and Communication Studies
BISMCS 473 Visual Communication
BISSTS 420 Race, Gender, Science, and Medicine

Science and Technology in Practice (STS:STP)

Courses approved for this requirement provide students an opportunity to experience the processes through which scientific knowledge and technology innovations are made. Courses may involve students in science, engineering, mathematics, or medical research, or may require students to apply scientific theory or methods to understanding and solving real-world problems.

B BIO 231 Genes, Genomes & Heredity
B BIO 233 Cancer: Biology, Risk, and Treatment
B BIO 235 Salmon and Society
B BIO 305 The Science and Ethics of Stem Cells
B BIO 310 Brain and Behavior
B BIO 330 Marine Biology
BEARTH 155 Introduction to Climate Sciences
BEARTH 317 Soils in the Environment
BEARTH 318 Hydrogeology
BEARTH 320 Impacts of Climate Change
BEARTH 321 Geomorphology
BEARTH 341 Natural Hazards and Human Disasters
BES 303 Environmental Monitoring Practicum
BES 311 Environmental Chemistry
BES 312 Ecology
BES 316 Ecological Methods
BES 362 Introduction to Restoration Ecology
BES 439 Computer Modeling and the Environment
BES 462 Restoration Ecology Capstone: Introduction
BES 463 Restoration Ecology Capstone: Proposal and Plan
BES 464 Restoration Ecology Capstone: Field Site Restoration
BES 485 Conservation Biology
BES 489 Pacific Northwest Ecosystems
BHS 403 Introduction to Epidemiology
BIS 241 Nature in the Northwest
BIS 242 Environmental Geography
BIS 243 Introduction to Environmental Issues
BIS 244 Wetlands Discovery
BIS 246 Introduction to Sustainability
BIS 285 Seminar in Biology
BIS 306 Marine Diversity and Conservation
BIS 360 Pollinator Diversity & Conservation
BIS 392 Water and Sustainability
BIS 408 Critical Physical Geography
BIS 412 Advanced Data Visualization
BIS 422 Clinical Psychology
BIS 459 Conservation and Sustainable Development
BISMCS 402 Community Media Practice
BISMCS 473 Visual Communication
BST 446 Sustainable Energy

Special Topics

The following course options may apply to the STS major depending on the topic of study and course title. Review the Time Schedule to determine which special courses are available this quarter. The abbreviated Time Schedule Indicator will be listed in the course notes to designate which STS requirement the course will fulfill.

BIS 293 Special Topics
BIS 313 Issues in Media Studies (Digital Game Studies; Life Online; Politics of Hacking)
BIS 316 Topics in Psychology (Psychology & Sustainability)
BIS 393 Special Topics
BIS 396 Topics in Sustainability
BIS 397 Topics in Environmental Studies
BIS 480 International Study Abroad
BIS 491 Topics in Policy Studies
BIS 493 Special Topics
BIS 496 Community Service Project
BISMCS 471 Advanced Topics in Media and Communication

Frequently Asked Questions

What is STS?

Here at UW Bothell, we think of STS as being the study of how science and technology are made, and how they form part of social and political life. For us, STS stands for “Science, Technology and Society,” but it can also mean “Science and Technology Studies,” or even “Social Studies of Science and Technology.”

Who should choose STS?

The students who will most enjoy majoring in STS are those who are curious about the history of science and technology, who are concerned about ethical and policy issues related to new developments in science and technology, who want to understand the technical controversies they hear about in the news, or who are committed to making complicated technical subjects comprehensible to others.

What will I study as an STS major?

STS majors take courses that examine science and technology from a broad range of perspectives. In Understanding Statistics (BIS 315) and Science Methods and Practice (BES 301), students learn to think like a scientist – to formulate research hypotheses, collect data, and reason with numbers. In Science, Technology, and Society (BISSTS 307), the core class in the STS major, students learn to think like a social scientist, and to approach science as a social, cultural, and political practice. For their remaining STS courses, students choose classes that examine how social, scientific, and technological factors intertwine in areas ranging from environmental restoration to global health.

How is STS different from S&T?

STS is a major field of study within the Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences (IAS) Program. STS majors primarily take courses offered through the IAS program, including Interdisciplinary Inquiry (BIS 300) and the Portfolio Capstone (BIS 499). S&T refers to the Science and Technology Program, which has its own majors (like Biology and Electrical Engineering) and an independent set of degree requirements. Students in the STS program may take S&T classes to fulfill General Elective and Natural World requirements – just as S&T students may take STS courses to fulfill some of the requirements for their majors.

Will I learn to be a scientist in the STS major?

No. While students graduate with an excellent understanding of scientific reasoning and practices, the STS major is not designed for students wanting to work in a laboratory or go to graduate school in the natural sciences. Rather than mastering the principles and findings of a technical discipline, students learn the skills of social scientific analysis and how they can be applied to science, technology, medicine, and mathematics.

What kind of job can I get with a degree in STS?

STS majors are ideally suited for jobs that require the ability to both understand technical reasoning and analyze human behavior and social interactions. Depending on their interests, course choices, and other experiences such as internships, an STS major might pursue a career in sales and marketing for a high-tech company, become a policy analyst of a non-profit activist around issues of health, transportation, or the environment, or go into science education or journalism.

Can I go to graduate school with an STS degree?

Yes! Many U.S. universities (not to mention a larger number of European ones) offer master’s degrees and doctorates in Science and Technology Studies or closely related fields like History and Philosophy of Science. But STS majors are also well equipped for graduate programs in the social sciences and humanities, including anthropology, sociology, history, and policy studies, as well as for law school and M.B.A. programs.