Designated Emphasis in STS
Doctoral students in the STS Designated Emphasis (DE) engage in a sustained analysis of the relationships among science, technology, and society. Students explore the social dimensions of science and technology, focusing on the ways that science and technology impact our lives and shape societies around the world.
The curriculum of the STS DE is flexible, affording coursework across the humanities and social sciences. Students can choose classes that will widen their academic knowledge and improve their research skills, giving them the tools to be successful interdisciplinary scholars. DE students also benefit from the thriving community of STS scholars on campus, a regular STS speaker series, and a range of STS events including the annual Summer Retreat, which draws faculty and grad participants from across the ten UC campuses.
Any PhD student in good standing from an affiliated program is eligible to apply to the Designated Emphasis and enroll in its courses. Those students whose topic of research includes a focus on the complex interactions among science, technology, and society will greatly benefit from the program. Students who complete the DE requirements will receive a transcript notation, and upon graduation their diploma will indicate a PhD with Emphasis in Science and Technology Studies.
Affiliated Programs and Faculty
Affiliated PhD Programs
Anthropology, Cultural Studies, English, Geography, History, Performance Studies, Philosophy, Sociology
Core and Affiliated Faculty
- Tom Beamish (Sociology)
- Emilio Bejel (Spanish and Portuguese)
- Mario Biagioli (STS, Law, History)
- Patrick Carroll (Sociology)
- Tim Choy (STS, Anthropology)
- Gerardo Con Diaz (STS)
- Joseph Dumit (STS, Anthropology)
- Marisol de la Cadena (STS, Anthropology)
- Kathleen Frederickson (English)
- Christiana Giordano (Anthropology)
- Jim Griesemer (STS, Philosophy)
- Caren Kaplan (American Studies)
- Tim Lenoir (STS, Cinema and Digital Media)
- Emily Merchant (STS)
- Colin Milburn (STS, English, Cinema and Digital Media)
- Roberta Millstein (Philosophy)
- Kriss Ravetto (Cinema and Digital Media)
- Daniel Stolzenberg (History)
- John Slater (Spanish and Portuguese)
- Madhavi Sunder (Law)
Admissions and Requirements
Admissions Criteria
PhD candidates in any affiliated department or program are eligible for admission. The candidate should apply to the Chair of the DE in STS, Prof. Colin Milburn (cnmilburn@ucdavis.edu), by filling out the online "Intent to Declare" form for the DE in STS. Applications will be reviewed and selections made by the DE executive committee.
Curriculum
Students are required to complete four courses relevant to the Designated Emphasis. These include 1) STS 200 “Science and Technology Studies,” 2) three other courses in STS (e.g. STS 205, STS 210, STS 250, etc.) or courses in affiliated departments that include a substantive STS approach (with only one of these from the student’s PhD program).
Required Course:
- Science and Technology Studies 200: “Theories and Methods in Science and Technology Studies” (4)
Elective Courses:
- Science and Technology Studies 205: "Contemporary Issues in Science and Technology Studies" (4)
- Science and Technology Studies 210: "Digital Technologies: History and Theory" (4)
- Science and Technology Studies 250: “History and Philosophy of Science” (4)
- History 201S: "Sources and General Literature of History: History of Science and Medicine" (4)
- Philosophy 208: “Philosophy of Biology” (4)
- Philosophy 210: “Philosophy of Science” (4)
- Philosophy 220: “Environmental Ethics” (4)
Some graduate courses offered in affiliated departments have topics that change each year, and these courses may also count for the DE elective if they include a substantive STS approach. These courses will be individually approved by the DE Committee.
Qualifying Examination Requirements:
It is expected that the qualifying exam will include subject matter related to the DE. The Dissertation committee will include at least one DE faculty member who will participate in the examination. Satisfactory performance on the Qualifying Examination for the Ph.D will be judged independently from the performance on the DE.
Dissertation Requirements:
It is expected that the student’s dissertation should contain original research on material connected with Science and Technology Studies. The Dissertation committee will include at least one DE faculty member.
Current Graduate Courses
The list below is currently being updated. For more information about current courses, please contact Prof. Colin Milburn (cnmilburn@ucdavis.edu).
Fall 2018
T 9:00am-11:50am, SSH 1246, CRN: 43060
We engage some of the theoretically sophisticated literature addressing the rise of the neoliberal or corporate university. After a brief discussion of the rise of the model of the research university in the 19th century in Europe and the US, we analyze the current crisis of that model and the developments it has spawned. A few foci will guide the discussion of this broad terrain: the concern with university branding, the rise of the discourse of excellence, the adoption of metrics and quantitative indicators, and the globalization/franchising of elite western universities, and the growing concern with intellectual property. Readings include William Clark, John Marx, Robert Meister, Sally Merry, Chris Newfield, Michael Power, Bill Readings, Shelia Slaughter, Marilyn Strathern, Sam Weber.
Winter 2019
Instructor: Kriss Ravetto-Biagioli
Spring 2019
