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Victoria College
Academic Programs / Upper-Year Programs / Science, Technology, and Society

Co-sponsored by Victoria College and the Institute for the History and Philosophy of Science and Technology (IHPST), the Minor in Science, Technology, and Society is an interdisciplinary program that focuses on the different ways science and technology shapes society and, in turn, how society shapes science and technology. From the food we eat to the way we conceive family relations or our obligations to future generations, our daily practices and our beliefs are increasingly influenced by scientific research and its applications. In turn, politics, public opinion, moral beliefs and cultural practices affect scientific and technological development. Courses in this program address such topics as science and values, science-related policy and politics, ethical uses of technology, scientific revolutions and controversies, modeling and communication of scientific research, and knowledge transfer from research to commercial and societal applications.

Program Contacts

Professor Hakob Barseghyan
Program Coordinator
hakob.barseghyan@utoronto.ca

Wanda Thorne
Upper-Year Programs Liaison Officer
vic.academics@utoronto.ca

Program Requirements

To acquire a Minor in the Science, Technology, and Society Program, you'll need to complete a total of 4.0 credits, including at least 1.0 credit at the 300+ level. 

Please note:

  • A maximum of 1.0 credit will be counted towards your total
  • A maximum of 1.0 credit may be chosen from approved courses offered by other departments (see "Additional & Cognate Courses" below)
Mandatory Courses

You must complete 0.5 credit from HPS200H1, HPS202H1, or HPS205H1

 

Victoria College Courses

You will need to complete 1.0 credit from the following courses:

  • VIC206H1 - Psychology and Society
  • VIC207H1 - Genetic Technologies: Scientific Promises and Ethical Dilemmas
  • VIC245H1 - Science Wars: Society and the Limits of Scientific Knowledge
  • VIC246H1 - Animal, Vegetable, Mineral, Monster
  • VIC274H1 - Wisdom of the Social Sciences
  • VIC301H1 - Public Communication in Science
  • VIC377H1 - Special Topics in Science and Society
  • VIC452H1 - Science, Technology, & Society Internship
  • VIC493H1 - Vic Capstone Research Colloquium (Science)
  • CRE210H1 - Holography for 3D Visualization 
  • CRE235H1 - Innovation in Society
  • CRE247H1 - Creativity in the Sciences
  • CRE335H1 - Creativity and Collaboration in Social Enterprise
  • CRE371H1 - Documenting Reality
  • REN242H1 - Scientific Worldviews of the Renaissance
  • REN343H1 - Sex and Gender

The following first year courses may also be used towards the 1.0 credit:

  • VIC106H1 - Psychology and Society
  • VIC107H1 - Evolution, Genetics, and Behaviour
  • VIC109H1 - Innovators and Their Ideas
  • VIC121H1 - Evaluating Healthcare: Problems and Solutions
  • VIC122H1 - Scientific Evidence in Public Policy
  • VIC137H1 - Science and Science Fiction
  • VIC170Y1 - The Impact of Science on Our Society
  • VIC172Y1 - Physical Sciences Today
History and Philosophy of Science and Technology Courses

You must complete 1.0 credit from IHPST's course offerings:

  • HPS110H1 - The Science of Human Nature
  • HPS202H1 - Technology in the Modern World
  • HPS210H1 - Scientific Revolutions I
  • HPS211H1 - Scientific Revolutions II
  • HPS222H1 - Science, Paradoxes, and Knowledge
  • HPS245H1 - Visions of Society and Progress
  • HPS260H1 - Biology and the Future: Science and Science Fiction
  • HPS270H1 - Science and Literature
  • HPS272H1 - Science against Religion? A Complex History
  • HPS307H1 - History of Energy
  • HPS318H1 - History of Medicine I
  • HPS319H1 - History of Medicine II
  • HPS324H1 - Natural Science and Social Issues
  • HPS345H1 - Quantifying the World: the Debates on the Ethical
    and Epistemic Implications of AI and Automation
  • HPS346H1 - Modifying and Optimizing Life: on the Peculiar Alliance
    between AI, Biology, and Engineering
  • HPS351H1 - Life Sciences and Society
  • HPS401H1 - Scientific Artifacts
  • HPS402H1 - Animals in the Histories of Science and Technology
  • HPS430H1 - History of Technology I
  • HPS431H1 - History of Technology II
  • HPS440H1 - Topics in History of Medicine
  • HPS450H1 - Revolutions in Science
  • JPH441H1 - Physical Science in Contemporary Society
Additional & Cognate Courses

You must complete an additional 0.5 credit from either the Victoria College or HPS courses listed above.

You must complete the remaining 1.0 credit from the Victoria College or HPS courses listed above OR from the list of approved cognate courses below:

EDI Resources

Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Resources for Science, Technology, and Society

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