Certificate in Engineering, Ethics and Society
Dr. Sarah Stanford-McIntyre and Dr. Catherine Ambler
EES Certificate Co-Directors
Catherine.Ambler@colorado.edu
Sarah.StanfordMcintyre@colorado.edu
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.
- 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?
- View engineering in social, economic and legal contexts
- Study science and technology in the past, thereby illuminating their influence in the present
- Explore the environmental impact of STEM innovation
- 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 one of the co-directors, Dr. Sarah Stanford-McIntyre or Dr. Catherine Ambler of the Herbst Program for Engineering, Ethics & Society.
Upon completing the certificate, students must submit a certificate completion form to Dr. Stanford-McIntyre or Dr. Ambler.
Required Courses and Credits
Students must complete 12 credits of coursework (four courses), with a minimum grade of C+ in each course.
ENES certificate coursework is composed of two types of courses: inquiry and context.
- Inquiry courses ask students to engage confidently with questions that lack absolute and unequivocal answers, and appreciate that the process of asking and answering such questions should be thorough and rigorous.
- Context courses help students to recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal contexts.
To complete the certificate, students should select their four courses using these categories. The exact combination may vary. (E.g., a student might take four context courses, or three context courses and one inquiry course, or another combination.)
| Code | Title | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Inquiry | ||
| Students may select inquiry courses from the list below, or petition the certificate directors of the certificate for other courses, including transfer credits, to count as inquiry courses. | ||
| ENES 1010 | Humanity in a Technological Age | 3 |
| ENES 2000 | AI, Writing and Inquiry | 3 |
| ENES 3100 | Ethical Awareness for Engineers | 3 |
| Context | ||
| Students may select context courses from the list below, or may petition the certificate directors for other courses, including transfer credits, to count as context courses. | ||
| ENES 1850 | Engineering in History: The Social Impact of Technology | 3 |
| ENES 2160 | Energy, Society, and the Climate Question | 3 |
| ENES 2360 | Gaining a Global State of Mind for Effective Engineering Practice | 3 |
| ENES 3160 | Energy, Society, and the Climate Question | 3 |
| ENES 3360 | Gaining a Global State of Mind for Effective Engineering Practice | 3 |
| ENES 3843 | Special Topics | 3 |
| ENLP 2000 | Leadership, Fame and Failure | 3 |
| ENLP 4000 | The Empire of Modern Science | 3 |
| Additional Course Options | ||
| Students are also encouraged to pursue courses outside of ENES to fulfill either the context or inquiry requirement with approval from the certificate directors. The list below is not exhaustive, but is intended to give students a place to start: | ||
| ASEN 3046 | Introduction to Humans in Aviation | 3 |
| ENVS 3140 | Environmental Ethics | 3 |
| INFO 3101 | History of Computing and Information | 3 |
| PHIL 2160 | Ethics and Information Technology | 3 |
Learning Outcomes
By the completion of the program, students will be able to:
- Recognize ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments by considering the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, environmental and societal contexts.
- Identify the complex moral and ethical questions implicit in the design, production and use of new technologies.
- Engage confidently with questions that lack absolute and unequivocal answers, and appreciate that the process of asking and answering such questions should be thorough and rigorous.
- Integrate personal values into the framework of a technologically-driven world and career.