About Us
The Program in Science, Technology, and Society (STS) provides common ground where ideas that transcend the divisions between fields are not merely envisioned, but practiced: the STS program is a dynamic interdisciplinary major that provides students with a liberal arts education for the twenty-first century.
The Program's affiliated faculty represent over a dozen departments, including Anthropology, Communication, Computer Science, Education, Electrical Engineering, History, Law, Management Science and Engineering, Political Science and Sociology.
One of the only majors at Stanford to offer both a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degree, STS majors develop depth within two or three fields of study while fostering a broad understanding of the technical and social dimensions of science and technology. The current curriculum includes a focused core as well as five thematic concentration areas. Students also have the opportunity to pursue research in affiliated labs and through the honors program, to network with alumni and to take innovative project-based courses.
The Program in Science, Technology, and Society (STS) aims to provide students with an interdisciplinary framework through which to understand the complex interactions of science, technology and the social world. To major in STS, students work through a common core of courses drawn from the social sciences, the humanities, the natural and physical sciences and engineering. Students pursue coursework in one of seven specialized areas:
Catastrophic Risks and Solutions
Communication and Media
Innovation and Organization
Life Sciences and Health
Politics and Policy
Social Dynamics of Data and Information
Self-Designed Concentration
Students may also undertake research in affiliated laboratories and through the honors program for course units. All students complete a capstone project, either by taking one of the senior capstone courses (STS 200) or by applying for and completing an STS honors thesis. Students are encouraged to pursue mastery in at least one field from within the humanities or social sciences and at least one field from within the sciences or engineering. Majors may declare either a B.A. or a B.S. degree (see the specific requirements for each degree).
The Program's affiliated faculty represent over a dozen departments, including Anthropology, Communication, Computer Science, Education, Electrical Engineering, History, Law, Management Science and Engineering, Political Science and Sociology. By learning to bring such a rich collection of disciplinary approaches to bear on questions of science and technology, students graduate uniquely equipped to succeed in professions that demand fluency with both technical and social frameworks. Recent graduates of STS have entered top-ranked Ph.D. and MBA programs and forged successful careers in a variety of fields, including business, engineering, law, public service, medicine and academia.
STS offers a Graduate Certificate in Science, Technology, and Society for doctoral students. Similar to those offered by universities including Michigan, Brown, and Georgia Tech, this certificate encourages intellectual engagement with STS and allows students to signal competence in the field.
People
Browse the people that work for Stanford's Program in Science, Technology, and Society (STS).
Connect with Us
Use these channels to learn more about our department and reach out to us.
Visit our website: https://sts.stanford.edu/
Email us: sts-advisors@stanford.edu
Call our main office: (650) 723-2565
Fax our main office: (650) 725-5389
Find Us on Campus or Send Us Mail
Program in Science, Technology and Society
Building 200, Room 19
450 Jane Stanford Way
Mail Code: 2120
Stanford, CA 94305