The certificate in engineering, ethics and society (EES) leads students to courses that will engage them with contemporary issues regarding the promotion, use and possible risks of engineering and applied science. For example, what are the likely benefits and risks of genetic engineering? How can engineering help offset worldwide environmental degradation? What role should engineers play in formulating policies that will govern the relationship between science and contemporary American society?

The EES certificate includes a cornerstone course that explores these philosophical questions (and others related to them). The certificate also steers students toward other courses that address these difficult questions and will help them find a path toward workable answers. The list of possible courses includes:

  • 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; and
  • courses that explore the environmental consequences of STEM innovation.

Requirements

Eligibility

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

To complete the certificate, students must submit a certificate completion form to the director.

Program Requirements

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

Required Courses
Great Books Seminar
Choose one:3
Engineering, Ethics and Society
Seminar in Engineering, Ethics & Society
Critical Encounters
STEM & H&SS Intersection
Choose one:3
Engineering in History: The Social Impact of Technology
The Meaning of Information Technology
History of Modern Science from Newton to Einstein
History of Modern Technology from 1750 to the Atomic Bomb
Modern Science and Technological Society
Gaining a Global State of Mind for Effective Engineering Practice
Gaining a Global State of Mind for Effective Engineering Practice
Ethics of Genetic Engineering: A Multidisciplinary Approach
Leadership, Fame and Failure
The Empire of Modern Science
History of Computing and Information
Additional coursework
Additional Herbst or EHON (Engineering Honors) course 13
Course in Humanities or Social Science from the College of Arts & Sciences linked to EES (Engineering, Ethics & Society) themes 23
Total Credit Hours12