About the Program
The Designated Emphasis (DE) in Science and Technology Studies (STS) is a program of training in the social studies of science, technology, and medicine for Berkeley and UCSF PhD students from any home department. Students who are accepted into the program and complete its requirements will be in a strong position to excel within STS-related fields.
Students in this program receive a rigorous grounding in the studies of knowledge production and technological change. The program also facilitates a deeper involvement with the lively interdisciplinary research community at Berkeley dedicated to understanding the dynamic relations among science, technology, and social and political formations.
For current DE students, small grants are available for STS-related conferences and fieldwork.
Admissions
To be admitted to the Designated Emphasis in Science and Technology Studies, an applicant must already be accepted into a PhD program at the University of California, Berkeley. For further information regarding admission to graduate programs at UC Berkeley, please see the Graduate Division's admissions website.
How to apply for the DE:
- One-page letter of intent summarizing research interests, educational or employment background, and any related coursework in areas related to Science and Technology Studies;
- A list of courses the student would use to satisfy the elective requirement (optional but encouraged);
- A writing sample (e.g., a paper you have written for a UC graduate course) that is indicative of your research interests; and
- Letter of recommendation from a member of the Science and Technology Studies Affiliated Faculty group.
Designated Emphasis Requirements
Coursework/Curriculum
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| STS C200 | Topics in Science and Technology Studies | 3 |
| STS C250 | Science and Technology Studies Research Seminar | 3 |
| Select three electives that place a critical engagement with science, technology and/or medicine at their core (see sample electives below) | ||
Electives
Students are also required to take three elective courses that place a critical engagement with science, technology and/or medicine at their core. To foster interdisciplinarity, no more than two of these electives can be taken from the student’s home department. As a package, the three elective courses are expected to enhance the student’s capacity to understand and analyze how science and technology operate through and within ethical, historical, social, or cultural formations. Courses listed on the DE website are acceptable. If the student wishes to have a course not listed count, he or she should send an email to the head graduate adviser, including the syllabus for the course and a justification for why it should be acceptable.
Below is a partial list of approved electives:
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| ANTHRO 210 | Special Topics in Biological Anthropology | 4 |
| ANTHRO 219 | Topics in Medical Anthropology | 4 |
| ANTHRO 250G | Seminars in Social and Cultural Anthropology: Anthropology of Ethics | 4 |
| ANTHRO 250X | Seminars in Social and Cultural Anthropology: Special Topics | 4 |
| ANTHRO 280C | Seminars in Area Studies: South Asia (“Hope and Futurity”) | 4 |
| CY PLAN 254 | Sustainable Communities | 3 |
| ENGLISH 203 | Graduate Readings (On Life) | 4 |
| ESPM 256 | Science, Technology, and the Politics of Nature | 3 |
| ESPM 260 | Governance of Global Production | 3 |
| ESPM 261 | Sustainability and Society | 3 |
| GEOG 203 | Nature and Culture: Social Theory, Social Practice, and the Environment | 4 |
| GWS 232 | Transnational Feminist Approaches to Knowledge Production | 4 |
| GWS 237 | Transnational Science, Technology, and New Media | 4 |
| HISTORY 275S | Core Courses in the Literature of the Several Fields of History: History of Science | 4 |
| HISTORY 280S | Advanced Studies: Sources/General Literature of the Several Fields: History of Science | 4 |
| HISTORY 290 | Historical Colloquium | 1 |
| INFO 203 | Social Issues of Information | 3 |
| INFO 205 | Information Law and Policy | 3 |
| PB HLTH 213A | Family Planning, Population Change, and Health | 3 |
| PB HLTH 222A | Biomedical Innovation Policy | 3 |
| PUB POL 282 | Environment and Technology from the Policy and Business Perspective | 4 |
Qualifying Examination
Your PhD qualifying exam committee must include at least one member of the DE affiliated faculty who will evaluate your knowledge related to the designated emphasis.
Dissertation
Your PhD dissertation topic must be related to Science and Technology Studies, and your PhD dissertation committee must include at least one member of the DE affiliated faculty who can evaluate it from that perspective.
Teaching Opportunities
Students may be asked to be a GSI (graduate student instructor) for STS C100 or other courses that the center might develop.
Professional Development Activities
The Center for Science, Technology, Medicine, & Society provides many opportunities for professional development. The STS Working Group meets regularly to discuss STS texts and provide feedback on presentations, job talks, and other aspects of an academic career. Students are welcome to partake in masterclasses with visiting speakers in our colloquium series. Students are also invited to organize a conference on their general topic, with the assistance of the center.
Contact Information
Graduate Group in Science and Technology Studies
543 Stephens Hall
Phone: 510-642-4581