About

Genetic Engineering and Society Interdisciplinary Minor Certificate

The interdisciplinary minor in Genetic Engineering and Society (GES) examines the technological, societal and ecological issues surrounding the development and potential use of genetically engineered organisms. Participants in the minor will learn the basic concepts and principles underlying genetic engineering and the methods used for evaluating the technology’s social, cultural and environmental dimensions. The graduate minor is available to students pursuing either an MS or a Ph.D. degree.

Fellowships are open to Masters and PhD students in the Humanities, Natural and Social Sciences, and include one semester of:

• Tuition and Fees, and a
• Generous Stipend ($17K)

Requirements

In order to complete the minor, coursework must be taken in relevant areas of natural sciences and the humanities and social sciences. 9 credit hours from a list of approved courses (see below) are required, 6 of which must be two of the core GES courses. The remaining 3 credit hours must be fulfilled by a course from the list of approved courses that are outside the students’ home discipline. A grade of B or higher must be achieved in each course counted towards the minor. In addition, a student must have a GES faculty member on his or her committee, and this faculty member should be from a discipline other than the student’s major, ensuring that there is representation from both humanities/social science and natural science.

The choice of courses must be consistent with the interdisciplinary outlook of this minor, namely that students will learn the basic concepts and principles underlying genetic engineering and the methods used for evaluating the technology’s social, cultural and environmental dimensions. The minor representative will be responsible for ensuring that the courses taken are appropriate and balance the student’s major. Students in the biological sciences will be encouraged to take hands-on courses, such as those offered by the Biotechnology (BIT) program.

GES Minor Co-Directors and Faculty

Faculty