Core Course
Science, Technology, Medicine, and Society (Residential College SocSci 275/History 285)
Offered each academic year. Introduces students to major STS theories, methods, concepts, and approaches and to the kinds of issues covered by the minor. STS minors should take the core course no later than their junior year.
Declaration and Advising
Students must meet with the STS Program advisor to plan their program of study. Students may not declare the STS minor later than the third week of the first semester of their senior year. For more information, contact the STS Program advisor by email: sts.minor.advisor@umich.edu.
Electives
Students must take a minimum of 3 courses for at least 11 credits, chosen from the STS Course List:
- Only one elective at the 100 level is permitted (up to 4 credits)
- Two electives must be at the 300 level or above
- Two electives must be drawn from one of the focus tracks
Students may count any research seminar as an elective
Research Seminar
Students must take a research seminar for at least 3 credits, chosen from specifically designated courses on the STS Course List.
The research seminar is normally expected in the student's junior or senior year. The research seminar must correspond with the student's chosen focus track (see below). It must be specifically approved as a research seminar.
Cognate
A cognate is any natural science, computer science, or engineering course that has a laboratory section. This course may also be used to fulfill the student's LSA natural science distribution requirement, but only if the course is approved for the natural science distribution. To search for these courses, click here and select "natural science" in the Distribution Requirements box.
Focus Track
Students must choose from one of three focus tracks:
- Science and Society (S)
- Technology and Society (T)
- Medicine and Society (M)
At least two of the student's three electives must be drawn from a single focus track. The course list shows which classes count for each track. In addition, students are strongly encouraged to take at least one upper-level course in a science, engineering, or medical discipline.
Overlap with Concentrations and Other Minors
Students may not use more than one course to meet the requirements of both a concentration plan and an academic minor. However, one course may overlap and count for both. No course may be counted simultaneously toward both STS and any other minor. See the important information about minors on the LSA academic minors page.
