Science & Technology Studies, Bachelor of Arts College of Letters & Science

Office & Contact Information

The Science & Technology Studies (STS) major brings the perspectives of the humanities and social sciences together with science, technology, and medicine. It considers science, technology, and medicine in relation to their social, political, and economic contexts. The major combines history, philosophy, anthropology, sociology, cultural studies, environmental studies, law, business, literature, and media studies to address the impacts and implications of science, technology, and medicine. The major allows students to pursue a broader understanding of science than is available within a traditional science major, and it provides important skills for interpreting science, technology, and medicine with regard to society and culture.

The Major

Graduation with a degree in Science & Technology Studies requires completion of courses in the social sciences and the humanities, as well as courses in the natural sciences. Upper division work includes 16 units in STS theories and methods, 20 units in a particular STS emphasis area, and 8 units (plus prerequisites) providing depth, concentration, and field work in the sciences. The STS emphasis areas are:

  • Law & Innovation
  • Health & Environment
  • Data & Media Technologies
  • History & Philosophy of Science

Students may alternatively choose not to specialize and instead pursue a more general STS emphasis. Prerequisites for courses in the sciences can be extensive and may require substantial advance planning. Students are encouraged to take advantage of faculty and staff advising to develop their plans of study.

Career Alternatives

The STS major enables students to analyze science and allied practices from historical, philosophical, sociological, political, anthropological, and cultural perspectives. STS prepares students for careers that address the broader ramifications of science, technology, and medicine. STS majors often pursue careers in health care & medicine, law, journalism, public policy, economics, government, media & technology industries, science education, non-profit health organizations, libraries & museums, public health administration, management consulting, and teaching. STS majors are also well prepared for advanced research careers in the sciences, the humanities, and the social sciences.

Major Advisor

Staff advisors are located in Young Hall. To contact a major advisor, email stsadvising@ucdavis.edu, schedule an academic advising appointment, or join Drop-In Advising (no appointment needed).

Faculty Advisor

The current chair of STS, Professor Colin Milburn, is also available for advising by appointment.

The major requirements below are in addition to meeting University Degree Requirements & College Degree Requirements; unless otherwise noted. The minimum number of units required for the Science & Technology Studies Bachelor of Arts is 60.

Preparatory Subject Matter
STS 001Introduction to Science, Technology & Medicine Studies4
Choose three additional courses:12
PHI 030
Introduction to Philosophy of Science
PHI 031
Appraising Scientific Reasoning
PHI 032
Understanding Scientific Change
STS/HIS 002
Introduction to the History of Science & Technology
or STS/HIS 002Y
 Introduction to the History of Science & Technology
STS 011
Science on Trial: Law, Science, & Technology in the United States
STS/HIS 016
Sex, Science, & Society
STS/ANT 032
Drugs, Science & Culture
STS/CTS 040A
Media History 1, Gutenberg to Oppenheimer
STS/CTS 040B
Media History 2 1945-Present
STS/CLA 050
Ancient Science
STS/CLA 051
Ancient Medicine
Preparatory Subject Matter Subtotal16
Depth Subject Matter
Methods & Theories
STS 100Methods in Science, Technology, & Medicine Studies4
Choose three:12
STS 101
Data & Society
STS 108
Intellectual Property in Science
STS/ANT 121
Special Topics in Medical Anthropology
STS 122
Health & Medical Technologies
STS 150
Gender & Science
STS 151/CTS 150  (DISCONTINUED)
Media Theory
STS/ENL 164
Writing Science
STS 175
Laboratory Studies Lab
STS/SOC 176
Sociology of Knowledge, Science, & Scientific Knowledge
Note: Courses taken to fulfill the requirement above cannot also be used to fulfill the emphasis requirement.
Science Coursework
All STS majors are required to complete TWO upper division science courses in the same department. Science coursework should be planned in consultation with the faculty advisor or staff advisors. 18
Emphasis
Choose one of the following four options:20-24
1. Complete five courses from one emphasis list.
2. Complete four courses from one emphasis list and one additional STS course.
3. Complete four courses from one emphasis list and a research thesis in STS2. **The thesis option is open to all students. Students whose GPA meets the honors threshold may also qualify for High or Highest Honors in the College of Letters & Science.
4. STS General Emphasis: Complete any five upper division STS courses (STS: 100-199). Note: Includes courses that are cross-listed with STS. 3
Emphasis Lists:
(1) Law & Innovation
(2) Health & Environment
(3) Data & Media Technologies
(4) History & Philosophy of Science
Depth Subject Matter Subtotal44-48
Total Units60-64
1

For a list of approved science fields, please see the STS Major Worksheet.

2

(STS 194A & STS 194B)

3

Including: STS 180, STS 190, STS 192, STS 194A, STS 194B, STS 195.

Law & Innovation Emphasis

STS 108Intellectual Property in Science4
STS/ANT 109Visualization in Science: A Critical Introduction4
STS 110Computing, Data, & Law in the United States4
STS 112Visualizing Society with Data4
STS 113Business & Technology in the United States: From Electricity to E-Commerce4
STS 114The Global Information Age4
STS/CTS 162Surveillance Technologies & Social Media4
STS/SOC 176Sociology of Knowledge, Science, & Scientific Knowledge4
CRD 118Technology & Society4
CRD 140Dynamics of Regional Development4

Health & Environment Emphasis

STS/ANT 109Visualization in Science: A Critical Introduction4
STS/ANT 121Special Topics in Medical Anthropology4
STS 122Health & Medical Technologies4
STS/ANT 129Health & Medicine in a Global Context4
STS 130AFrom Natural History to the History of Nature4
STS 130BHistory of Modern Biology4
STS 131Darwin4
STS 150Gender & Science4
STS 165Built Environments4
ANT 104NCultural Politics of the Environment4
ANT 131Ecology & Politics4
PHI 120Environmental Ethics 4

Data & Media Technologies Emphasis

STS 101Data & Society4
STS/ANT 109Visualization in Science: A Critical Introduction4
STS 110Computing, Data, & Law in the United States4
STS 112Visualizing Society with Data4
STS 113Business & Technology in the United States: From Electricity to E-Commerce4
STS 114The Global Information Age4
STS 115Data Sense & Exploration: Critical Storytelling with Analysis4
STS 151/CTS 150  (DISCONTINUED)Media Theory5
STS 152Sounding Data: Critical Approaches to Sonification4
STS/TCS 160Ghosts of the Machine: How Technology Rewires our Senses4
STS 161Time: Mechanism & Measurement4
STS/CTS 162Surveillance Technologies & Social Media4
STS 163History of Communication Technologies4
STS/ENL 164Writing Science4
STS/CDM/ENL 172Video Games & Culture4
STS/ENL 173Science Fiction4

History & Philosophy of Science Emphasis

STS 110Computing, Data, & Law in the United States4
STS 112Visualizing Society with Data4
STS 113Business & Technology in the United States: From Electricity to E-Commerce4
STS 114The Global Information Age4
STS 122Health & Medical Technologies4
STS/ANT 129Health & Medicine in a Global Context4
STS 130AFrom Natural History to the History of Nature4
STS 130BHistory of Modern Biology4
STS 131Darwin4
STS 150Gender & Science4
STS 161Time: Mechanism & Measurement4
STS/ENL 164Writing Science4
CLA 101ETopics in Ancient Science4
PHI 107Philosophy of the Physical Sciences4
PHI 108Philosophy of the Biological Sciences4
PHI 109Philosophy of the Social Sciences4
PHI 111Philosophy of Space & Time4
PHI 120Environmental Ethics 4
PHI 121Bioethics4
PHI 131Philosophy of Logic & Mathematics4
PHI 189ISpecial Topics in Philosophy: Philosophy of Science4