Undergraduate Program
The Major
The history of science major offers an unusual opportunity to examine the changing historical content of the sciences, technology, and medicine, as well as their interaction with the surrounding culture, using the methods of the humanities and--to a lesser extent--the social sciences. The goal is to introduce students to the sciences both as ways of knowing and as multifaceted and changing cultural phenomena. In addition to developing a broad historical understanding of science, technology, and medicine, and their place in Western culture, students who complete the major will also develop their skills of critical reading and writing, learning to assess and use historical data to present their own interpretive arguments.
The major offers excellent training to students who seek an intellectually stimulating education across both humanities and sciences. It provides special opportunities for students seeking careers in medicine and allied health professions and other fields (such as law, journalism, education, library science, or government service) for which a critical understanding of science and its role in society would open up specialized career tracks. It is also admirably suited to the very small number of students who intend to pursue a graduate education in the history of science.
Joint Major in History and History of Science
This program is administered jointly by the history department and the history of science department, and is more fully described in the section Joint Major in History and History of Science within the History listing of this catalog.
Undergraduate Major Requirements
To be accepted as a major in history of science, the student must register with the department undergraduate adviser. The current undergraduate adviser is Professor Michael H. Shank; to make an appointment email mhshank@wisc.edu or call 262-3972.
History of science courses above the elementary level count toward the 15 credits of upper-level work in the major.
The Department of History of Science certifies the expository English proficiency of any of its students who have completed a major in the department. This certification will be noted automatically on the student's record by the Office of Degree Summaries upon completion of the requirement.
Credits
The major requires a minimum of 30 credits, to include at least 24 credits in history of science and 6 credits in science or mathematics above the elementary level (not to include mathematics courses numbered 223 and below).
One 3-credit course toward the 24-credit minimum may be chosen from approved courses in related disciplines; these courses include Philosophy 519, 520, 521, 523, 558; Sociology 531, 637. Other substitutions may be allowed at the discretion of the undergraduate adviser.
Integrated Liberal Studies 201 or 202 may be used in place of History of Science 201 or 202 to count toward the major requirements; Integrated Liberal Studies 271 may be used as a regular History of Science course.
All majors are required to take History of Science 555, the department's capstone seminar, in the junior or senior year.
Honors in the Major
Students considering pursuing Honors in the Major should consult with the honors adviser as early as possible, preferably by late in the sophomore year. Honors majors are subject to the same requirements as other history of science majors, with the following modifications:
- At least 15 of the minimum 24 history of science credits must be drawn from the following list of history of science courses: 322, 323, 324, 325, 326, 327, 331, 333, 337, 343, 353, 394, 401, 411, 444, 504, 507, 508, 509, 510, 512, 513, 517, 523, 524, 531, 532, 536, 538, 543, 553, and 575. Substitutions may be accepted at the discretion of the honors advisor.
- Honors majors are to take one of the following: History of Science 180, 280, 284 (in conjunction with 212), or one seminar (minimum of 3 credits) offered by the department at the upper-division or graduate level.
- History of Science 555 should be taken before embarking on the Senior Honors Thesis; in exceptional cases, it may be taken concurrently with 681.
- A two-semester Senior Honors Thesis (681-682) is required.
- A grade-point average of 3.5 must be maintained in upper-level history of science courses.