Minor in Science, Culture, and Society

The Science & Society minor (SCSMIN) is for social scientists and humanists interested in how science integrates with their field. For science-focused students, it demonstrates how humanities and the social sciences integrate with the sciences.

The minor requires at least 20 credit hours, including a minimum of three biology classes, and a capstone experience designed with the minor advisor.

Requirements & Checklist

The goal of the minor in Science, Culture & Society is to expand the context of traditional science majors into the humanities and that of traditional humanities and social sciences majors into the natural sciences.

Ideal candidates for this minor include:

Social scientists and humanists interested in how science integrates with their field.
Science-focused students interested in how humanities and the social sciences integrate with theirs.

The minor engages students in intense discussion and research on complex interdisciplinary issues like race, bioterror, addiction, technology, consciousness, and human well-being. Students approach science from non-traditional directions or through interdisciplinary connections such as science and literature, science writing, or science and the arts.

This minor requires 20 credits:

IDS205 (Science and the Nature of Evidence)
Three courses agreed upon with the adviser that integrates the student’s major field and related, but distinct fields
A capstone experience designed with the minor adviser

Declaring a Major

This program is administered through the Graduate Institute of Liberal Arts (ILA) and its Interdisciplinary Studies in Culture and Society (IDS) program and not the Department of Biology.

As a student, you are required to choose a major by the end of your second year. However, you may do so as early as the second semester of your freshman year.

Notes

The Declaration of Major/Minor form is accessible in OPUS under the Course Planning and Enrollment Tile.
The OPUS form will display your current academic plan, and you may request to add or remove a major, minor, or concentration from that page.
Your request is subject to department review. Within 24 hours, you will receive an automated email with guidance on contacting the appropriate undergraduate staff member for next steps.
If you have any questions about the form or the process, please contact OUE.Records@emory.edu.

Program Contacts

Students interested in this minor can make an appointment to meet with Dr. Arri Eisen, Professor of Pedagogy in Biology, ILA, and Center for Ethics to discuss next steps.