Engineering, Ethics and Society - Certificate

The Certificate in Engineering, Ethics & Society (EES) leads students to courses that help them understand engineering in different contexts. Students select courses in consultation with the co-directors and engage with contemporary debates, themes, and issues related to engineering and applied science. 

Through participation in the certificate, students will pair broad, complex questions with more specific inquiry. For example: 

• What role should engineers play in policy-making? 
• How can engineers help build workable relationships between scientific advancements and contemporary society? 
• What are the likely benefits and risks of biomedical advancements, especially genetic engineering? 
• How can engineers help offset worldwide environmental degradation? 
• What is the appropriate role of AI in the workplace? In our daily lives?

Students will meet with one of the certificate's co-directors to identify four 3-credit courses (12 hrs total) that will help them explore questions that are relevant to their own particular interests. 

The list of possible courses is open-ended, but might include:

• Courses that view engineering in social, economic and legal contexts.
• Courses that study science and technology in the past, thereby illuminating their influence in the present.
• Courses that explore the environmental impact of STEM innovation.
• Courses that explore the arts and humanities as they relate to engineering design.

Requirements

Eligibility

To begin the certificate, students must be in good academic standing at CU Boulder and must complete a certificate of enrollment with Dr. Sarah Stanford-McIntyre of the Herbst Program for Engineering, Ethics & Society.

To complete the certificate, students must submit a certificate completion form to Dr. Stanford-McIntyre.

Program Requirements

Students must complete 12 credits, including four courses (at least one upper-division) with a minimum grade in each course of C+.