Science and Technology Studies (Graduate Certificate)

About Our Program

The graduate certificate in Science and Technology Studies is intended to serve both current graduate students in other programs at Virginia Tech and non-degree-seeking students interested in career advancement. For example, an STS certificate might help: a graduate student in Public Administration launch a career in administering a science-policy oriented NGO, a biology student who wants training in public engagement, or a graduate student in Philosophy who wants to combine the philosophy of science with the empirical study of scientists at work.

Campuses:

Virginia Tech Blacksburg Campus, National Capital Region Campus

Type of Instruction:

Residential/On Campus, Some Online Courses

Department of Science, Technology, and Society

12 hrs
Total Credit Hours

Curriculum

What You'll Study

You will complete 12 credit hours including core requirements, and 1 elective from Science and technology in Society Courses. Only six credits can be double counted for this certificate and a graduate degree. Transfer credits are not permitted.

Complete course requirements can be found in the graduate catalog.

Graduate students in STS come from a wide range of backgrounds including the natural and physical sciences, engineering, numerous professional disciplines, liberal arts and humanities, history, anthropology, sociology, political science, and philosophy. Graduates emerge with an ability to identify and examine the conceptual, social, cultural, historical, and policy dimensions of science and technology.

Courses leading to a Graduate Certificate in STS are available at two sites, Virginia Tech's main campus in Blacksburg and the National Capital Region (NCR) in the greater D.C. metro area.

Plan of Study

Course List (Blacksburg)

Course List (NCR)

Time Table of Classes

Meet Our Faculty

Meet Our Current Students

Meet Our Alumni

Why choose this program?

We analyze how society affects the development and implementation of scientific, technological, and medical knowledges and practices and how these pursuits affect society.
The research and scholarly interests of our faculty cross a wide range of disciplinary boundaries.
Best fit for students interest in full-time graduate study on the campus of Virginia’s largest research university.
The graduate program in STS at Virginia Tech prepares students to be productive and publicly-engaged scholars, advancing research.
Full range of disciplines in the social sciences and humanities

Our program offers two options to accomodate part-time or full-time enrollment.
All classes are taught in small seminars and offer personal interaction with faculty and peers.
Conduct research that integrates science and technology with societal institutions, norms, and practices.
Part-time program and evening classes cater to working professionals. Convenient to the Washington DC Metro at West Falls Church.
All classes are taught in small seminars and offer personal interaction with faculty and peers. Students from all academic and professional backgrounds are welcome.

Admissions and Tuition

Admissions Requirements

Minimum GPA 3.0 (4 Scale)
TOEFL/ IELTS score required (if applicable)

Learn more about admissions requirements

Application Deadlines

_{Domestic Application}

_{*Fall: August 1}
_{Spring: January 1}
_{Summer I: May 1}
_{Summer II: Jun 1}

_{International Application}

_{*Fall: April 1}
_{Spring: September 1}
_{Summer I: Jan 1}
_{Summer II: Feb 1}

Tuition

Tuition and Fees

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Funding Opportunities

The STS department has a limited number of graduate assistantships and fellowships available for students applying for full time study on the Blacksburg campus. Entering students can apply for such funding as part of their admissions application. No separate application required.

Find out what loans are available as a graduate student and other opportunities.

Other Graduate Programs

Nuclear Science, Technology, and Policy Graduate Certificate

Politics and Policy Studies of Science and Technology Graduate Certificate

Science and Technology Studies (M.S.)

Science and Technology Studies (Ph.D.)

The cloud exists as an assemblage of technologies, infrastructures, and human practices. Seeing how social values are built into technologies can help us build more robust and egalitarian systems. As a Science and Technology Studies (STS) researcher, Trevor's work is interdisciplinary. His dissertation borrows from STS scholars, historians, computer scientists, sociologists, and philosophers. These multiple perspectives provide the tools to understand how the cloud and other technological systems interface with the social world.

— Trevor Croker