Science and Technology Studies (STS)
Social Science and Humanities for the 21st Century, STS Makes the Connections To See the Big Picture
The field of Science and Technology Studies (STS) asks fundamental questions about the role of science and technology in social and environmental change. It integrates insights from the humanities and social sciences into a coherent body of knowledge that provides a basis for action.
Founded in 1982, the Department of Science and Technology Studies at Rensselaer is one of the oldest and most highly recognized programs of its sort. Our internationally recognized faculty members have backgrounds in anthropology, history, philosophy, political science, social psychology, and sociology. They bring to their courses a unique interdisciplinary perspective on science, technology, and society.
This department is one of the few in the world that offers STS degrees from baccalaureate to doctoral levels. Degree programs offered through the STS Department emphasize the cultural, historical, economic, political, and social dimensions of scientific and technological society, with a focus on ethical and values issues. Students in these degree programs can expect broad, rigorous training, with commensurate intellectual rewards.