Science, Technology and Society minor

General information

If the practical impact of scientific discovery may be felt in the latest technology we hold in our hands, the full meaning and consequences of such developments can only be appreciated on a societal level. Advances in science and innovations in technology are changing how we live, work, play, do business, and govern.

There is a need for ethically-minded professionals who understand the social shaping, uses and impacts of science and technology in relation to the dynamics of economic, political, environmental and cultural change. Based in the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities, Science, Technology and Society is an interdisciplinary minor that empowers students to explore how science and technology shape and are shaped by society, past and present.

Minor requirements

The minor in Science Technology and Society (STS) consists of seven courses (or 21 credit hours), which includes four mandatory courses (12 credit hours) and three optional courses (9 credit hours) chosen from the list below. The Science, Technology and Society minor is available to all students in any major program in any faculty at Ontario Tech University. It will be of interest to students majoring in STEM programs, who want to learn about how social science and humanities research and teaching about STEM-related topics and issues.

Required core courses:

• LBAT 2000U – Introduction to Liberal Studies
• LBAT 2414U – Science Fiction and Society
• SSCI 1210U – History of Science and Technology
• SSCI 1470U – Impact of Science and Technology on Society

Additional STS-relevant courses from the below list offered by the Faculty of Social Science and Humanities

Three of:

• COMM 2410U – Social History of Communication and Media Technologies
• COMM 2411U – Governing Communication and Digital Creativity: Policy for an era of Digital Disruption
• COMM 3350U – Environmental Communication: Media and Tech for Sustainability
• COMM 3510U – Work in the Creative and Tech Industries
• COMM 4120U – AI, Ethics and Communication
• COMM 4140U – Ways of Seeing: Visual Communication Arts and New Media
• CRMN 4021U – Cybercrime
• INDG 2200U – Indigenous Digital and Visual Media
• INDG 2500U – Two-Eyed Seeing in the Natural Sciences
• INDG 4570U – Indigenous Design and Technology
• LBAT 2413U – Science Communication: Media for creative, fun, and effective STEM communication
• LBAT 4000U – Liberal Studies Capstone
• LGLS 2500U – Information and Privacy Law
• LGLS 3510U – Censorship and Freedom of Expression
• LGLS 3520U – Law and Technology
• LGLS 4200U – Law and Social Change
• POSC 3700U – Technology, Politics and Social Theory
• POSC 3751U – Media, War and Conflict