Technology in Society Courses 2024-25
The Technology in Society Requirement
Engineering is a deeply social activity. It is shaped by social values, interests, and priorities; is increasingly practiced in complex social groups; and its fruits have important social effects in the political, economic, and cultural realms. Hence, the School of Engineering believes it is important that practicing engineers understand their ethical and social responsibilities. To this end, all undergraduate engineering majors must take one course devoted to exploring ethical and social issues and responsibilities arising from the interplay of engineering, technology, and society.
Note: CE majors must take CEE 102A; MS&E AND ME majors must choose from among the courses marked “X” in the major columns. Students in other majors may choose from any of the following courses, although only CS and EPHYS majors may use CS 182W.
WIM Note: Check individual major requirements to determine which courses will fulfill the University Writing in the Major (WIM) requirement .
| Course | Title | Qtr | WAYS** | Units | CE | MS&E | ME |
| AA 252 | Techniques of Failure Analysis (for senior engineering students only) | S | - | 3 | X | X | |
| ANTHRO 132C (CSRE 132C) | Technology and Inequality (last offered 2021) | EDP | 5 | ||||
| ARCHLGY 151 (CLASSICS 151) | Ten Things: An Archaeology of Design | A | A-II or SI | 3 | |||
| BIOE 131 | Ethics in Bioengineering | S | ER | 3 | X | X | |
| BIOE 177/DESIGN 259 | Inventing the Future (limited enrollment; admission is by application) | W | 3 | ||||
| CEE 102A | Legal & Ethical Principles in Design, Construction, and Project Delivery (this is the only option for CE majors) | W | 3 | X | X | ||
| CEE 145E | Equitable Infrastructure Solutions | W | 3 | ||||
| CLASSICS 168 (ARCHLGY 168) | Engineering the Roman Empire (Take for 5 units to fulfill TiS) | S | A-II | 5 | |||
| COMM 120W | Digital Media in Society (last offered 2023) | SI | 5 | X | X | ||
| COMM 166 | Virtual People | A | SI | 5 | |||
| CS 125 | Data: Algorithms, Tools, Policy, and Society | not 24-25 | 3 | ||||
| CS 152 | Trust and Safety Engineering | S | 3 | X | |||
CS 181 or CS 181W | Computers, Ethics and Public Policy (WIM version; available only to CS or Engineering Physics majors | ER | 4 | X | X | ||
| CS 182 | Ethics, Public Policy, & Technological Change (Prerequisite: CS 106A/AX) | W | ER | 5 | X | ||
| CS 182W | Ethics, Public Policy, & Technological Change (WIM for CS & EPHYS majors only) Enrollment limited to 100 (Prerequisite: CS 106A or AX) | W | ER | 5 | |||
| CS 256 | Algorithmic Fairness | 3 | |||||
| CS 278 | Social Computing (SOC 174/274) | S | 4 | X | |||
| DATASCI 154 | Solving Social Problems with Data | A | 5 | ||||
| EARTHSYS 125 | Shades of Green: Redesigning and Rethinking the Environmental Justice Movements | S | ED | 4 | X | ||
| ENGR 117 will not count if taken 2019-20 due to reduced units ) | Expanding Engineering Limits: Culture, Diversity, and Gender (last offered 2022) | ED | 3 (must take for 3 units) | X | |||
| ENGR 145 | Technology Entrepreneurship | A,W | 4 | ||||
| ENGR 148/248 | Principled Entrepreneurial Decisions | W | ER | 3 | X | ||
| ENERGY 177A+B (take both, for 3 units each) | Engineering & Sustainable Development: Toolkit + Implementation | W+S | ER | 3+3 | X | ||
| EPS 194/204 | Technology, National Security, & Sustainability | A | 4 | ||||
| HUMBIO 174 | Foundations of Bioethics (NEW: all SoE majors except as restricted within specific programs are now allowed to use this course) | W | ER | 3 | -- | -- | X |
| MS&E 193 | Technology in National Security (last offered 2023) | X | X | ||||
| NBIO 101 | Social & Ethical Issues in the Neurosciences (by application only; must take for 3 units and a letter grade) | S | ER | 3 | |||
| POLISCI 114S | Int’l Security in a Changing World | W | SI | 5 | X | ||
| PUBLPOL 114 | Spies, Lies, and Algorithms (last offered 2023) | SI | 5 | ||||
| PUBLPOL 134 | Ethics on the Edge: Business, NPOs, Gov't, & Individuals (must take for a letter grade) | S | ER | 3 | |||
| STS 1 | The Public Life of Science and Technology | W | A-II OR SI | 4 | X | ||
| STS 200J | Technometabolism: Technology, Society, and the Anthropocene | A | 4 |
**WAYS: A-II = Aesthetic/Interpretive Inquiry; CE=Creative Expression; ED=Engaging Diversity; ER=Ethical Reasoning; SI= Social Inquiry