Science, technology, engineering, and government are intertwined. Federal, state, local, and foreign governments shape science and technology in a variety of ways, including through grants, contracts, regulations, and foreign policy. Science and engineering reshape governments in turn by supplying tools and expertise and, indirectly, by transforming social and economic structures. Non-government organizations, too, rely on and shape science and technology to promote their goals.

This minor equips students with the basic skills to understand those interactions. Along with core courses in politics and economics, all students take a course in science and technology policy designed for this minor. Three electives--from fields such as history, philosophy, and planning as well as politics and economics—deepen and broaden students’ education.

Students completing this minor will gain a deeper understanding of the interdependence of science, technology, engineering, and policy. They will also prepare themselves to lead organizations inside and outside of government, including those in industry, consulting, law, and medicine.

Requirements: three core courses plus three electives. If a course appears on both core and elective lists, a student must designate which requirement that course will fulfill (no double counting). No more than two electives may be from economics (ECON). No more than one elective may be a 100-level course.

1. Core: introduction to politics. One of these:

• PLAP 101 Introduction to American Politics
• PLCP 101 Introduction to Comparative Politics

2. Core: introduction to economics.

• Econ 202 Principles of Economics: Macroeconomics

3. Core: science and technology policy.

• TMP 352 Science and Technology Public Policy

4. Standard elective in science and technology policy

5. Standard elective in science and technology policy

6. Standard elective in science and technology policy or alternative elective in politics and policy more broadly.


Standard electives in science and technology policy

COMM 388(3) Environmental Choices
COMM 460 Investing in a Sustainable Future
ECON 201 Principles of Economics: Microeconomics
ECON 416(3) Economics of Health
EVSC 465(3) Environmental Policy Making in the United States
HIUS 271 American Environmental History
PHIL 252(3) Bioethics, A Philosophical Perspective
PHIL 365(3) Justice and Health Care
PLAN 103(3) Introduction to Community and Environmental Planning
PLAN 550(3) Natural Systems and Environmental Planning
PLAN 553(3) Environmental Policy and Planning
RELG 578(3) Human Genetics, Ethics, and Technology
STS 201(3) Thomas Jefferson’s Interest in Science and Technology
STS 204 Technology, Aggression, and Peace
STS 206(3) American Environmental History
STS 207(3) Utopias and the Technological Society
STS 210(3) Technology and Social Change in 19th Century America
STS 213(3) American Technology and Industrial History in the Twentieth Century
STS 216 Intellectual Property, Engineering, and Society
STS 300 Science and Technology Policy for Interns
TMP 351 The Technology and Product-Development Life Cycle
TMP 399 Case Studies in Technology Management and Policy (with policy focus)


Alternative electives in politics and policy more broadly

COMM 465(3) Business, Politics, and Culture in the European Union
ECON 420(3) Antitrust Policy
ECON 421(3) International Trade: Theory and Policy
HIEA 315(3) East Asia-American Politics in the 20th Century
HIUS 206(3) American Economic History
PHIL 153(3) Introduction to Moral and Political Philosophy
PLAP 319 Judicial Process and Policy-Making
PLAP 322 President and Congress
PLAP 331(3) American Presidency
PLAP 361(3) Introduction to Public Administration
PLAP 438(3) The Politics of the Policy Process
PLAP 471(3) Values Resources and Public Policy
PLAP 513(3) Sex Differences: Biology, Culture, Politics, and Policy
PLAP 592(3) Judicial Policy Making
PLCP 201(3) The Politics of Advanced Industrialized Countries
PLCP 212(3) The Politics of Developing Areas
PLCP 415(3) Comparative Public Policy
PLCP 511(3) Government and Politics of Western Europe
PLCP 551(3) Politics of China
PLCP 553(3) Politics of Japan
PLCP 563(3) Politics of Vietnam
PLCP 581(3) Politics of Sub-Saharan Africa
PLCP 583(3) Politics of South Africa
PLIR 311(3) International Law: Principles and Politics
PLIR 360(3) Political Economy of Asia
PLIR 438(3) America in a World Economy
PLIR 508(3) American National Security Policy
RELG 265(3) Theology, Ethics and Medicine

Courses Last updated 2008-03-27