Science and Society Program

Science, Technology, and Society (STS) is an interdisciplinary General Education course, which is the critical exploration of the past, present, and future of science and technology in society (including their nature, scope, role and function) and the social, cultural, political, economic and environmental factors affecting their development, with special focus on the Philippines. The course is best taken at the junior or senior level.

Further, STS is a discipline which in the last thirty years have developed into two directions. The first one focuses on scientific research, practice and technological innovation in history while the second deals with the impact of science and technology on policy, governance, democracy, environment, religion and human values. The two directions stem from a strong and integrated emphasis on the history and philosophy of science which has a direct bearing on the subject of science and technology in Philippine national development and the crafting and application of science and technology policy. As society is constructed by science and technology, so does it construct science and technology. As an interdisciplinary field it brings the students to a full circle of exploring, appreciating and seeing diverse perspectives. The students are able to make connections, develop critical thinking and ethical acting on the multidimensional ways science and technology shape values, culture and institutions, and vice versa. 

STS will make good use of Philippine and practical examples to dissect and illustrate the two-way influence of science and technology, and society especially in the integrative aspects of science, development and policy, and contemporary issues and future developments in Science, Technology and Society.