About the Major
The Science, Technology, & Society (STS) major is a customizable interdisciplinary
major that prepares students to engage with complex issues and address emerging challenges
which have arisen as a consequence of the interconnectedness of systems in the current
era. Students in the STS program learn to apply methods of scientific thinking and
creative problem solving to confront unstructured, real-world problems faced by individuals,
organizations, industries, and societies in ways which cut across traditional boundaries
of disciplinary thought. Due to its broad applicability and high degree of customizability,
STS is one of the most popular majors on campus with roughly 1200 students enrolled
in the program each year.
Learning Outcomes
Contemporary challenges faced by employers today don’t necessarily fall neatly into
individual academic disciplines. Many issues lie at the intersection of multiple academic
fields (e.g. sociology, politics, economics, the sciences, etc.) and require a sophisticated
multi-perspective approach integrating across these fields to be adequately addressed.
A Spring 2021 report by the Association of American Colleges and Universities highlights
this, where nearly 500 employers polled cite critical thinking, an ability to analyze
and interpret data, application of knowledge to real-world settings, an ability to
work in teams, and an ability to demonstrate complex problem solving skills among
the most sought after skills of potential employees.
These exact skills are developed by students in the STS program through upper-division coursework in scientific thinking, technical communication, data science, geographical information science, and organizational leadership. This skill-set is then applied in courses covering topics best addressed through a multi-perspective, interdisciplinary approach. Topics include the societal impact of technological change, environmental science and energy sustainability, global affairs, and gender, race, and culture. The degree culminates in an applied learning capstone experience where students can choose to enroll in a senior seminar or an internship relevant to their studies
STS Careers
Graduates of the STS degree go on to careers in the fields of health, human services,
business, politics, law, energy sustainability, and more. This diverse array of potential
careers is possible because the STS program is designed to allow students to shape
their curriculum, in consultation with academic advisors, to meet their academic interests
and professional goals.
Learn more about our programs.
science, technology, & society
Memorial Hall, Room 117
934-420-2220
sts@farmingdale.edu
Fall 2024 Hours:
Monday-Friday 8:30am-4:30pm
Edmund Douglass
Chair of STS/Associate Professor of Physics
Kathleen McCormick
Administrative Assistant 1