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2023-2024 Academic Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Science, Medicine & Society Concentration
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Science, Medicine and Society (SMS)
Humans are innovators. From the birth of astronomy and calendars to the printing press to in vitro fertilization, science, technology and medicine have always conditioned the way we live, think and interact with the world.
The Science, Medicine & Society (SMS) concentration allows students to explore this complex history while grappling with important questions about the future evolution and impact of these fields. Drawing on a range of interdisciplinary coursework, SMS concentrators will examine science, medicine and technology in their social and cultural context, learning to investigate the ways people create, use, and contest these forms of knowledge in different times and places. Students will also consider the broader impact of innovations in these fields, ranging from cultural and ethical concerns to questions of policy, economics, and power. This broad, interdisciplinary, training will prepare students for a diverse array of careers in journalism, education, non- profit/NGO work, business, medicine, public health, and policy-oriented professions.
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Concentration Requirements: 24 credits as follows:
Two tracks are offered. The 4 credit foundational course (SMS 150 – not offered until Fall 2020) is a requirement for both tracks. Both tracks entail 24 credits (including SMS 150) of cross-disciplinary coursework, culminating in a public presentation that serves as the capstone experience of the concentration. Of the 24 credits required for the concentration, a minimum of 4 must be from the Science Division. Students may not count more than 8 credits from the same department towards satisfaction of the concentration requirements, nor may they count more than 12 credits of 100-level coursework towards the concentration requirements.
Science & Technology Studies Track
1. Foundational Course: 4 credits
2. Core Requirements: 4 credits
3. Elective Requirements: 16 credits
- 4 credits of lab science from biology, chemistry, computer science, physics, psychology, or environmental studies.
- 12 credits from either the core courses listed above or the approved course list below.
- Other relevant courses, such as special topics courses, may count towards this track’s elective or core requirements upon approval by the SMS faculty. Students should consult with their adviser about specific courses; and reach out to the concentration chair, who will create an updated list of courses (each year) that count towards the concentration.
- Students may apply up to 4 credits of core courses from the Health, Medicine, and Society track towards this track’s elective requirements.
- Also, keep in mind the overall distribution requirements of the concentration stated above.
Approved Courses
The following is a partial list of approved courses.
4. Public Presentation Requirement: non-credit bearing
- As a capstone experience, students are required to make a satisfactory public presentation on a meaningful project, paper, community-based learning experience, creative performance or installation connected to their coursework for the concentration. This presentation is meant to provide an opportunity for students to reflect upon, and integrate, key insights they learned from their work in the concentration. In consultation with their adviser, students will develop a topic and submit a plan for their presentation to the concentration chair by the end of pre-registration the semester before their graduation.
Health, Medicine & Society Track
1. Foundational Course: 4 credits
2. Core Requirements: 4 credits
3. Elective Requirements: 16 credits
- 16 credits from either the core courses for this track listed above, or the approved courses listed below.
- Other relevant courses, such as special topics courses, may count towards this track’s elective or core requirements upon approval by the SMS faculty. Students should consult with their adviser about specific courses; and reach out to the concentration chair, who will create an updated list of courses (each year) that count towards the concentration.
- Students may apply up to 4 credits of core courses from the Science & Technology Studies track towards this track’s elective requirements.
- Also, keep in mind the overall distribution requirements of the concentration stated above.
Approved Courses
The following is a partial list of approved courses:
4. Public Presentation Requirement: non-credit bearing
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As a capstone experience, students are required to make a satisfactory public presentation on a meaningful project, paper, community-based learning experience, creative performance or installation connected to their coursework for the concentration. This presentation is meant to provide an opportunity for students to reflect upon, and integrate, key insights they learned from their work in the concentration. In consultation with their adviser, students will develop a topic and submit a plan for their presentation to the concentration chair by the end of pre-registration the semester before their graduation.
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