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Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology Studies

1.  Rationale

A graduate certificate program in STS targets three audiences: graduate students in other programs at Virginia Tech who would like to demonstrate additional competence in some aspect of STS, graduate students in contributing departments who would like to demonstrate special competence in STS in their home discipline, and non-degree-seeking students who desire special competence in some aspect of STS for career advancement. For example, a graduate student in Public Administration/Public Affairs might desire certification in Science and Technology Policy as a way of furthering a career in administering an NGO concerned with science policy. A graduate student in Philosophy might wish to specialize in philosophy of science (with a straight philosophy degree) and therefore would like to be able to show university-sanctioned competence in the Philosophy of Science and Technology to potential employers. Finally, several of our students, especially in Northern Virginia, come to us for additional education in some aspect of STS. They are mid-career professionals not particularly interested in another degree; however, they (and their employers) would like to be able to point to the completion of some shorter course of study, such as a certificate program.

2.  Admission Requirements

Graduate students accepted in any other graduate program at Virginia Tech would be admitted to the STS graduate certificate program on the basis of their acceptance to their home department. Recommendations for admission to the certificate program for non-degree-seeking students would be made by the STS Graduate Admissions Committee, based on transcripts, a writing sample, a statement of purpose, and the minimal requirements specified in the Graduate Catalogue. (These admissions criteria differ from our regular degree admissions in that they require3neither the GRE nor letters of recommendation.)

3.  Course Requirements

We offer five different versions of graduate certificates, paralleling the five different PhD tracks in STS. All certificates require successful completion of twelve hours from the courses listed below, with grades of B+ or better. Only in extraordinary circumstances would substitutions for core courses be allowed. Any elective course substitution would require the approval of both the Director of the Graduate Program in STS and the Head of the department tied to the certificate track. All of the courses listed below are currently offered at this university. No new courses will be created; no additional resources are required for this program. All courses are for 3 credit hours.

STS Graduate Certificate in the History of Science and Technology:
Core Courses:

• STS/HIST 5205: History of Science
• STS/HIST 5206: History of Technology

Elective Courses (select two from the following list):

• STS/HIST 5405: Development of Modern American Science
• STS/HIST 6224: Science, Technology, and the Enlightenment
• STS/HIST 6234: Advanced Topics in the History of Modern Science, Technology, and Medicine
• STS/PHIL 6314: History of Philosophy of Science
• HIST 5694: American Environmental History
• HIST 5944: Intellectual Foundations of the Scientific Revolution

STS Graduate Certificate in the Philosophy of Science and Technology Core Courses:

• STS/PHIL 5305: Philosophy of Science and Technology I
• STS/PHIL 5306: Philosophy of Science and Technology II

Elective Courses (select two from the following list):

• STS/PHIL 6314: History of the Philosophy of Science
• STS/PHIL 6334: Advanced Topics in Philosophy of Science
• STS/PHIL 6514: Cognitive Studies in Science and Technology
• STS/PHIL6634: Advanced Topics in Natural Philosophy

STS Graduate Certificate in the Social and Cultural Studies of Science and Technology Core Courses:

• STS/SOC 5105: Social Studies of Science and Technology I
• STS/SOC 5106: Social Studies of Science and Technology II

Elective Courses (select two from the following list):

• STS 6524: Critical Approaches to Science and Technology
• STS 6534: Cultural Studies of Science and Technology
• STS/SOC 6824: Normative Structuring of Science and Technology
• STS/SOC 6834: Advanced Topics in Social Studies of Science and Technology

STS Graduate Certificate in the Politics and Policy Studies of Science and Technology Core Courses:

• STS/SOC 5105: Social Studies of Science and Technology I
• STS/PAPA 5614 Introduction to Science and Technology Policy

Elective Courses (select two from the following list):

• STS 5424: Topics in Science and Technology Studies
• STS 5444: Issues in Bioethics
• STS/PAPA 6664: Advanced Topics in Science and Technology Policy
• PSCI/GIA 5354: Public Policy Analysis
• PSCI/GIA 5214: Contemporary Political Theory
• SPIA/GIA 5454: Advanced Topics in Information Technology and Public Policy
• SPIA/GIA 5555: Culture, Politics, and Society in a Networked Environment
• UAP 5564: Information Technology, Society, and Public Policy

Graduate Certificate in Science and Technology Studies (General) Core Courses (select three from the following list):

• STS/SOC 5105: Social Studies of Science and Technology I
• STS/SOC 5106: Social Studies of Science and Technology II
• STS/HIST 5205: History of Science
• STS/HIST 5206: History of Technology
• STS/PHIL 5305: Philosophy of Science and Technology I
• STS/PHIL 5306: Philosophy of Science and Technology II
• STS/PAPA 5614 Introduction to Science and Technology Policy

Elective Courses (select one from the following list):

• STS 5424: Topics in Science and Technology Studies
• STS 5444: Issues in Bioethics
• STS/HIST 5405: Development of Modern American Science
• STS/HIST 6224: Science, Technology, and the Enlightenment
• STS/HIST 6234: Advanced Topics in the History of Modern Science, Technology, and Medicine
• STS/PHIL 6314: History of Philosophy of Science
• STS/PHIL 6334: Advanced Topics in Philosophy of Science
• STS 6524: Critical Approaches to Science and Technology
• STS 6534: Cultural Studies of Science and Technology
• STS/PHIL 6514: Cognitive Studies in Science and Technology
• STS 6614: Advanced Topics in Technology Studies
• STS 6624: Advanced Topics in the Life Sciences and Medicine
• STS/PHIL 6634: Advanced Topics in Natural Philosophy
• STS/PAPA 6664: Advanced Topics in Science and Technology Policy
• STS/SOC 6824: Normative Structuring of Science and Technology
• STS/SOC 6834: Advanced Topics in Social Studies of Science and Technology
• PSCI/GIA 5354: Public Policy Analysis
• PSCI/GIA 5214: Contemporary Political Theory
• SPIA/GIA 5454: Advanced Topics in Information Technology and Public Policy
• SPIA/GIA 5555: Culture, Politics, and Society in a Networked Environment
• UAP 5564: Information Technology, Society, and Public Policy

4.  Teaching Faculty

Faculty supporting the STS graduate certificate program are identical to the teaching faculty in the STS Graduate Program. Currently, these faculty include:

• Janet Abbate (STS)
• Barbara Allen (STS)
• Linda Arnold (HIST)
• Mark Barrow (HIST)
• James Bohland (UAP)
• Daniel Breslau (STS)
• John Browder (UAP)
• Shannon Brown (STS)
• Richard Burian (PHIL, STS)
• James Collier (ENG)
• Eileen Crist (STS)
• Gary Downey (STS)
• Ellsworth (Skip) Fuhrman (SOC, STS)
• James Garrison (TL)
• Bruce Goldstein (UAP)
• Matthew Goodrum (STS)
• Saul Halfon (STS)
• Valerie Hardcastle (PHIL, STS)
• Bernice Hausman (ENG, WS)
• Richard Hirsh (HIST)
• Karen Hult (PSCI)
• Kathleen Jones (HIST)
• Ann LaBerge (STS)
• Timothy Luke (GIA, PSCI)
• Deborah Mayo (ECON, PHIL)
• Laura Perini (PHIL)
• Joseph Pitt (PHIL)
• Duncan Porter (BIO)
• Anita Puckett (IDST)
• Frank Quinn (MATH>
• Barbara Reeves (IDST, HIST, and STS)
• Richard Rich (GIA)
• John Ryan (SOC)
• Liching Sung (COMM)
• Doris Zallen (STS)
• Lee Zwanziger (STS)

Last updated 11/13/2006