This plan is only available to students commencing 2009 onwards

Students who commenced their program prior to 2009 please click here for details of plan

The major in HPS promotes excellence in research, teaching and interdisciplinary study of science and technology. HPS applies the knowledge and techniques of the humanities and social sciences to investigate the history, philosophy, politics and broader socio-cultural dimensions of science, technology and biomedicine. As the primary intellectual domain bridging the natural sciences and humanities the HPS major aims to provide a rigorous grounding in HPS for both science and arts undergraduates. The HPS major seeks to provide academic content equal to the world’s best and impart a broad skills base in addition to the attributes articulated in UNSW’s Graduate Attribute Policy. The salience of HPS has grown with globalisation, the spread of contemporary socio-technical networks and environmental and risk concerns, all of which are reflected in the curriculum at appropriately developed levels.

Aims of the HPS Major
1. To make the benefits of an education in HPS available to students across the University;
2. Provide a major informed by current HPS/STS research comparable in depth and quality to the best available in the world;
3. To ensure that HPS monitors and develops its work through dialogue with students and related disciplines and fields, and with other stakeholders inside and outside the University.

A student who wishes to gain a major sequence in History and Philosophy of Science must complete 48 uoc including 12 uoc at Level 1, 18 uoc at Level 2 and 18 uoc at Level 3, including the capstone course.

Students majoring in History and Philosophy of Science are encouraged to take the following course as a free elective:

Level 2 involves foundation courses, two of which must be taken for the competion of the major. The courses cover the Scientific Revolution; the Social History of Medicine; the Philosophy and Sociology of Science; Darwin and Technology and Culture. There are also electives covering: the History of Drugs; Computers, Brains and Minds; and Scientific Technological Controversy.

Level 3 courses cover: Advanced Topics in History of Science and in the History and Sociology of Medicine; the Philosophy of Science; Technology and Innovation; Environment and Social Process; Environmental History; a HPS research seminar; and a capstone course examining methods, ethics and professional standards.