Science, Technology and Society Program
What is Science, Technology and Society (STAS)?
What are the ethics of stem cell research? How are communication practices changing due to social media? Why do some technologies succeed while others fail? These are some of the questions you can explore in the Science, Technology and Society program.
Science, Technology and Society is an interdisciplinary program that studies the ways in which science and technology have shaped modern society and politics, economics, law, culture, and society shape science and technology. From the air we breathe and the food we eat to the conversations we share and the journeys we make, science and technology play a critical role in everyday life around the globe.
In Science, Technology and Society you will study the effects of scientific and technological and innovation on everyday life. You will acquire insight into human ideas, values, and cultures, and how these shape our understanding of science and technology. In an age of dizzying change, it’s important to ask: what does it all mean? To answer this, you will examine the exciting and sometimes controversial relationship between people and the search for and development of scientific knowledge and technology. Our goal is to build a clear, informed understanding of the many social issues surrounding science and technology that can serve as the basis for better policy and public engagement.
Degrees Offered
- Bachelor of Arts
- Bachelor of Arts (Honours)
- Bachelor of Science
- Bachelor of Science (Honours)
- Co-operative Education Program
About the Degrees
Program studies include:
- The history, philosophy, traditions and heritage of modern science and technology.
- Science and technology in society, Canadian scientific policy and technology development, and information technology in society.
- Study of one science area up to the 400-level.
Science, Technology and Society builds on the strong foundations of many disciplines from across the University of Calgary. The program includes optional courses in anthropology, geography, environment, innovation, health policy, sociology, economics and science. Science, Technology and Society is also a "stepping stone" to graduate studies in business, education, medicine, law, journalism and architecture.
Why Choose the STAS Degree?
As a Science, Technology, and Society major, you have considerable flexibility to customize your program and take courses that suit your specific interests. The program draws on many disciplines from across the University of Calgary. In addition to their core courses, students can take courses from diverse fields such as anthropology, geography, environmental studies, health and society, economics, political science, and sociology. Students also gain experience with scientific methods and research through their science electives. With this broad set of knowledge and skills, Science, Technology and Society students are well positioned to work in any number of fields such as science communication, policy analysis, or technology management or go on to further studies in areas such as law, medicine, business, education, journalism, or architecture.
What Can You Do as a STAS Grad?
Science, Technology and Society graduates have gone on to a variety of career paths in government, industry, and the non-profit sector. The combination of research, writing, and critical thinking skills, combined with scientific literacy and the ability to translate between the arts and sciences, is a skill set that is attractive to many employers. Graduates of the program are trained to tackle some of the most pressing issues of the twenty-first century with creativity and confidence.
- In the private sector, program graduates are valuable strategic planners in large corporations and in management consulting firms. An MBA is an important supplement to the BA or B.Sc.
- The program is a good "stepping stone" to post bachelor's degree opportunities. Recent graduates have gone on to graduate degrees including the MBA, Health Sciences, Education, Law, Journalism, Communication Studies, Project Management, or Architecture.
- Science Studies graduate programs at U of C and in Canada, the US, and Europe offer opportunities to become a research scholar and/or university instructor in this area.
- Some recent graduates currently work in: communications for a hi-tech firm, web design, medicine, architecture, business analysis, economic development policy, a research granting agency, and teaching.
Student Experience
STAS Students can take advantage of the many experiential learning opportunities available through the University of Calgary, including co-op, internships, field schools, study abroad, peer mentoring, and volunteer programs. Explore the possibilities.
Research Areas
Faculty in the Science, Technology and Society program conduct research on a wide range of issues including innovation, environmental sustainability, ethics of genome research, social impact of new media, and public engagement with science.
Research profile: [courtesy of Jennifer Myers]
We’ve all seen them. Logos, stickers and labels advertising consumer products as green, biodegradable, environmentally friendly, free range, carbon-neutral, recycled and more. Eco-labels have become increasingly popular, growing from a handful in the 1980s to several hundred today. They have been promoted as one way to encourage more environmentally friendly buying decisions, but they have also received criticism for being misleading or exaggerated.
Science, Technology and Society professor and Fulbright Scholar Dr. Patrick Feng, who is studying the impact of eco-labels related to energy, says the true environmental impact of certification programs has seldom been assessed. This is partly because most eco-labeling schemes are unregulated. Complicating things, says Feng, is that “sustainability” has so many facets.
“When people argue over the environmental impact of something, they may be using different measurement standards, and these so-called standards can vary dramatically,” says Feng. “In the area of food, a ‘green’ eco-label on an apple could mean pesticides were not used, or the apple was grown locally, or was produced on a small farm using traditional farming techniques. People may not agree on which sustainability measures are the most important.”
Feng’s research is addressing how sustainability measures in the energy sector are developed and how these measurements impact environmental certification and regulation. The goal is to gain greater insight into how certification programs work, how they might be leveraged to promote sustainability, and how they can be used to better educate consumers.
“With more knowledge, consumers can make choices that push the marketplace towards producing more green products and companies can earn a competitive advantage by demonstrating they are taking sustainability seriously.”
Scholarship Information
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Arts and Sciences Honors Academy (ASHA) program
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Have More Questions?
For comprehensive advise on your program of studies, contact:
Student Success Centre
4th Floor, MacEwan Student Centre
403-220-5881
http://www.ucalgary.ca/ssc
For more details on the Science, Technology and Society program, contact:
Dr. Patrick Feng
Program Co-ordinator
Phone: (403) 220-6819
Email: pfeng@ucalgary.ca
For more course information visit the University Calendar.