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Society, Technology & Policy

The society, technology and policy major at WPI is designed for those who wish to prepare for a career in which they will deal with our society's critical problems. Great challenges face our society and many of the major ones stem from the interplay of technology and society. Environment, energy, space, communications, education, defense, and global competition are all recognized as policy areas in which technological change is playing an important role. To address such problems in these fields, policy makers and analysts must be technically literate and familiar with the tools of analysis in the social sciences. This is precisely the background and knowledge that the society, technology and policy program seeks to provide.

In the society, technology and policy program, students major in social science and complete the equivalent of a minor in a science or engineering discipline of their choice. Over a dozen technological alternatives are available including: biotechnology, computer science, civil and environmental engineering, and management. Students take courses in at least two social science disciplines: economics, political science, psychological science and sociology. The social science coursework will emphasize policy issues and the study of the ways in which science and technology shape society and, conversely, the ways in which social forces affect the development of technology.

Through this interdisciplinary program the students acquire the social science background needed to understand contemporary public policy, to interpret technical materials produced by physical scientists, engineers and social scientists and to be able to synthesize these materials for policy considerations on the part of government and industry.

Graduates of this program are valuable additions to the administrative or research staffs of a variety of businesses, regulatory agencies, government departments or contract research organizations. Besides work in government and industry, our graduates have continued their education by completing graduate degrees in public policy, law, public health and planning.

For more information, see the Undergraduate Catalog for degree requirements and/or contact Prof. Rissmiller or Prof. Wilkes.

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Last modified: March 17, 2008 10:41:13