Catalog of Courses for Engineering & Society
Students set off on a two-course journey to develop (1) effective and intentional human-centered engineering design mindsets and behaviors, (2) their abilities to work in and find ways to exhibit leadership on design teams composed of people with different skills and roles, and (3) their abilities to communicate both within a design team and with external stakeholders. Prerequisite: first-year Rodman scholar status.
Synthesis Design II extends students' journey started in ENGR 1410 Synthesis Design I, a journey focused on developing effective and intentional human-centered engineering design mindsets and behaviors. The distinguishing feature is a client-based project which directly engages students with how engineers can impact people and how people can impact engineers while advancing their design, teamwork, and communication skills. Prerequisite: first-year Rodman scholar status.
Student led special topic courses which vary by semester.
ENGR 1620 is a prerequisite for this course. If you have not taken ENGR 1620, take ENGR 1624 instead of this course. If you have already completed ENGR 1620, take this course. Introductory course in the use of quantitative engineering tools to model, characterize and predict system behavior. Excel and Matlab are applied to engineering problems posed in each of the engineering majors offered and several cross-curricular engineering endeavors.
Cornerstone course for first-year SEAS undergraduates, introducing them to engineering practice and design philosophy, via exposure to open-ended, realistic , hands-on challenges. Students engage in both individual and team work, and consider the contexts in which engineering challenges arise. SEAS majors and potential career paths are also introduced. Students who have taken ENGR 1620 or 1621 or both, can't enroll in ENGR 1624.
This course investigates a major source of human impact upon the Earth - energy consumption to fuel human activity. The course a) provides a cross-disciplinary perspective on the challenge of human-centered energy use, b) explains the historical origins of today's energy systems, c) describes current energy systems, d) examines the components of sustainable energy systems, and e) considers keys to their deployment.
A hands-on introduction to nanoscience for students of all majors: Microfabrication, nanoscale chemical and biological self-assembly, applications, technological and ethical challenges; Labs ranging from use of scanning tunneling and atomic force microscopes to DNA fingerprinting. Lecture/discussion meeting + one lab. For first two weeks of registration, enrollment will be limited to 1st and 2nd years (then opened to all).
Special Topics in Engineering.
Special tutorial with a topic declared in advance. The topic, work plan, and conditions are arranged by contract between instructor and student and approved by the department Chair, with a copy to be filed in the department office. Instructor's Consent Required.
Special topics in engineering will vary based upon student and faculty interests.
Special topics in engineering will vary based upon student and faculty interests.
Special Topics Restricted to Rodman Scholars. Prerequisites: Rodman Scholar Status.
A two-semester, multidisciplinary, capstone engineering design sequence; the primary objective of ENGR 4010/4020 is to provide students with a realistic and rigorous, culminating engineering design experience, which is reflective of contemporary professional practice. A disciplined design/development process is followed. Prerequisite: 4th year Engineering
A two-semester, multidisciplinary, capstone engineering design sequence; the primary objective of ENGR 4010/4020 is to provide students with a realistic and rigorous, culminating engineering design experience, which is reflective of contemporary professional practice. A disciplined design/development process is followed. Prerequisite: ENGR 4010
Advance projects course to be taken in parallel with STS 4010, 4020, or can be used for an advanced undergraduate course on a topic not covered in the course offerings. Prerequisite: instructor permission.
Prerequisite: instructor permission.
This course on Business and Technological Leadership is normally taught by a senior level corporate executive with broad experience who serves as the Brenton S. Halsey Distinguished Visiting Professor of Chemical Engineering and Related Disciplines. The instructor provides experienced insight on business and professional issues likely to be faced by engineers early in their careers. The course normally covers major business skills and competencies in career management, leadership, working in teams, problem solving, and change management as well as international issues facing global companies. Guest speakers will provide additional insights on theses topics.
This course introduces students to core concepts and principles in the engineering of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS). It bridges the exploration of critical engineering concepts in CPS with an examination of ethics, policy and user design issues. Writing and other communication skills are emphasized, and students are required to show cumulative progress across the semester.
Students register for this course to complement an industry work experience. Topics focus on the application of engineering principles, analysis, methods and best practices in an industrial setting. A final report is required. Registration is only offered on a Credit/No Credit basis. Courses taken for Credit/No Credit may not be used for any major or degree requirements.
Graduate Teaching Instruction for doctoral students.
Instruction in communication for students whose first language is not English. Specialized instruction in academic/content area communication as well as personal expression in a variety of settings will enable students to complete academic programs in a more efficient and timely manner. After completion of STS 1000, students must complete STS 1500 by the end of their first year of residency in the SEAS.
Instruction in communication for students whose first language is not English. Specialized instruction in academic/content area communication as well as personal expression in a variety of settings will enable students to complete academic programs in a more efficient and timely manner. After completion of this course, students must complete STS 1500 by the end of their first year of residency in SEAS. May be counted as an unrestricted elective.
This course introduces students to contemporary issues involving science, technology, and engineering as well as the core ideas of STS. Emphasis is on three ideas: a) engineering is a social endeavor; b) technology shapes and is shaped by society; and c) technologies are sociotechnical systems. The course also teaches writing and public speaking, skills needed in engineering.
Student led special topic courses which vary by semester.
This course introduces students to key business topics relevant to high technology companies. Students will learn how to understand and interpret financial statements and frame financial decisions, including building a business case. The course will explore typical organizational structures and the roles of business functions. Students will be introduced to business models and other concepts in marketing and business strategy.
This course investigates a major source of human impact upon the Earth - energy consumption to fuel human activity. The course a) provides a cross-disciplinary perspective on the challenge of human-centered energy use, b) explains the historical origins of today's energy systems, c) describes current energy systems, d) examines the components of sustainable energy systems, and e) considers keys to their deployment.
From Wheelchairs, to Prozac, to Closed Captions, to depictions in Media, disabled people interface with technology in many ways. These ways are not always beneficial to disabled people, and they are often left out of the conversations about how to design, build and implement these technologies. In this course, students will investigate these relationships, learning from disabled people themselves about their experiences with technology.
America today is a high-energy society. For over a century, the United States has also wielded vast economic, political, and military power. How do energy sources relate to social, corporate, or political power? This course examines that question across the history of the United States. It draws from political, business, technological, and environmental history to chart the growth, effects, and limits of power in its varied forms. Prerequisites: STS 1500 or equivalent.
STS 2101 examines the relationships of engineering, technology, and society, with a specific focus on the multiple forms of expertise required for socially responsible engineering practice and career advancement, including (1) sociotechnical systems thinking, (2) ethical awareness, and (3) the ability to communicate and collaborate with a wide range of stakeholders in both formal and informal settings.
Introduces students to earth systems technology and management, and related concepts such as industrial ecology (the objective, multidisciplinary study of industrial and economic systems and their linkages with fundamental natural systems). The requirements of this course include regular and prepared participation in class and discussions, two semester projects, homework as assigned, and substantial reading and analysis of case studies and articles. Additionally, students will become familiar with design methodologies, and apply those methodologies to case studies as part of a class project. Prerequisite: STS 1500 or equivalent.
Introduces the fundamentals U.S. patent, copyright, patent law and trade secrets. Students will learn the basics of creating and filing patents. This course examines the impact of intellectual property on technological innovation and the role it plays in business strategy. The course will also touch on the growing importance of proprietary data and information.
This course invites students to explore the implications of STS core concepts within a specific topical or disciplinary area. The course explores the social and global context of engineering, science and technology. Although writing and speaking skills are emphasized, more attention is given to course content and the students' analytical abilities.
The mission of UVA - SEAS is "to make the world a better place by creating and disseminating knowledge and by preparing engineering leaders to solve global challenges." In alignment with that mission, this course seeks to equip undergraduates with knowledge, understanding, and practice to prepare them for ethical leadership now, as students, and for their future as engineering leaders. Prerequisite 2nd, 3rd, or 4th year Engineering student
Examines the development of public policies aimed at promoting and regulating science and technology. Topics include historical evolution of the federal government's involvement in science policy; the players, organizations, and agencies who make science policy; the reasons the government funds the research it does; how science and technology is regulated by the government.
The course will not only teach the components of doing a transaction but also the skills necessary to negotiate effectively and work with legal partners. Agreement types important to the technology sector will be explored. Students will learn from readings, case studies, projects, and in-class discussions.
Introduces students to earth systems technology and management, and related concepts such as industrial ecology (the objective, multidisciplinary study of industrial and economic systems and their linkages with fundamental natural systems). The requirements of this course include regular and prepared participation in class and discussions, two semester projects, homework as assigned, and substantial reading and analysis of case studies and articles. Additionally, students will become familiar with design methodologies, and apply those methodologies to case studies as part of a class project. Prerequisite: STS 1500 or equivalent.
In this course, we will explore four case studies illustrative of the potential disharmony between intent and process. In each case, the action is a public policy initiative with scientific or technological dimensions, where good intentions either led to unwelcome collateral consequences, or the process of implementation failed to fulfill the intent of the policy.
This course introduces students to technology-based ventures and entrepreneurship. Topics include problem identification, ideation, customer discovery, product development, market sizing, business models, team building, and venture financing. The course introduces students to well-known business and product frameworks and the lifecycle dynamics of startups. Students will also learn how these concepts apply to intrapreneurship. Prerequisite: EBUS 1800
An introduction to concepts innovators use to solve problems and create value by addressing unmet needs. Learn how to identify and evaluate opportunities and use proven entrepreneurial frameworks to create new products and businesses for companies of all sizes. Through class activities, projects, and presentations you will learn how storytelling, teamwork, and leadership skills are essential for starting, funding, and building your business. Prerequisite: EBUS 1800
Entrepreneurial Finance will introduce finance concepts for those interested in small biz startups. Through readings, cases and guest speakers, we will review several industries, from low tech to small business manufacturing to high tech. We will explore different ways small businesses are financed and the theory and practice behind those decisions. Class participation and a entrepreneurial project will be an important part of the class. Pre-requisite: EBUS 1800
The course explores government contracting, how the government procures products and services, and opportunities created through government regulation. Pre-requisite: STS 1500 or ENGR 1020 or ENGR 2595-Engineering Foundations II.
Introduces the fundamentals U.S. patent, copyright, patent law and trade secrets. Students will learn the basics of creating and filing patents. This course examines the impact of intellectual property on technological innovation and the role it plays in business strategy. The course will also touch on the growing importance of proprietary data and information.
Special tutorial with a topic declared in advance. Limited to undergraduate SEAS students with third- or fourth-year standing. Not to substitute for STS 4500, 4600. The topic, work plan, and conditions are arranged by contract between instructor and student and approved by the department chair, with a copy to be filed in the department office. Admittance at the discretion of the professor.
This Socratic course prepares undergrads for internships in science, engineering and technology (SET) in Washington, DC. A core objective is to increase knowledge, oral and written skills for assessing SET and their impacts on public policy. Engineering students accepted into the SEAS Policy Internship Program in Science and Technology must take the course. Students from Batten School, the College and other schools are also welcome to enroll.
What is a globally sustainable standard of living? How should governments balance the desire to create national income and provide for the human needs of their citizens, against the desire to conserve natural resources and the environment for future generations? This course takes a systematic approach to answering these questions by evaluating sustainability in the context of human needs.
Students will explore the societal dimensions of a new technology through a combination of readings and discussions and a simulation of nanotechnology policy. Students should have an interest in the management of nanotechnology and other emerging technologies, including how these technologies might transform our ways of living and even ourselves.
Clean energy (CE) systems require far more minerals than their fossil fuel-based counterparts, minerals sourced, refined, and disposed of globally. The course examines which minerals are needed for the CE transition and why. It considers social, economic, and environmental sustainability challenges from use of these materials and highlights the sociotechnical reality of sustainability, i.e., Success depends upon social and technical advance. 3rd year standing or instructor permission
Development of knowledge and skills needed to conduct qualitative research. Grounded in science and technology studies (STS), feminism, anthropology, and ethnic studies, students will engage questions of authority, representation, critical consciousness, and power. Lays the intellectual groundwork for students to use research methods as tools for catalyzing reflexivity in scientific and technological disciplines. Prerequisite: STS 2101 or receive permission from the instructor.
Specific topics vary. Advanced level examination of the relationships among science, technology and society.
This course will cover various topics in engineering business.
This course will cover various topics in engineering entrepreneurship.
Students will learn the fundamentals of product management. Topics include identifying unmet needs, understanding markets, implementing product development frameworks and processes, building businesses, and working with multi-functional teams. The application of these concepts to different phases of the product lifecycle will be explored. Students will build technical, professional, and soft skills necessary for success in product management. Prerequisite: EBUS 1800 and enrolled in the Engineering Business Minor or Entrepreneurship Minor - Tech Concentration and 3rd or 4th year standing
This course engages students with the idea that success in posing and solving engineering problems requires attention to the social dimensions of professional endeavors and practice. STS theories and methods are applied to student thesis projects. Students produce a prospectus for the undregraduate thesis project. Students must be in residence to take this course. Students are not permitted to take STS 4500 and STS 4600 simultaneously. Prereq: STS 2600 and STS 2000 or STS 3000 level (or writing requirement equivalent) course. 4th Year Engineering or by instructor permission for early graduation.
This course will cover various topics in engineering entrepreneurship.
This course focuses on ethical issues in engineering. The key theme is that ethics is central to engineering practice. The professional responsibilities of engineers are examined. Students produce an STS Research paper linked to their technical thesis project and complete all of the requirements for the undergraduate thesis. Students must be in residence to take this course. Students are not permitted to take STS 4500 and STS 4600 simultaneously. Prerequisites: STS 4500.
Students will learn the fundamentals of product management. Topics include identifying unmet needs, understanding markets, implementing product development frameworks and processes, building businesses, and working with multi-functional teams. The application of these concepts to different phases of the product lifecycle will be explored. Students will build technical, professional, and soft skills necessary for success in product management. Prerequisite: EBUS 1800 and enrolled in the Engineering Business Minor or Entrepreneurship Minor - Tech Concentration and 3rd or 4th year standing
Students in this independent study work with the Center for Open Science learning how to develop tools that scaffold sharing in science, and considering the broader implications of the Center and its work. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor
This course teaches ESL graduate students in engineering to communicate effectively with a wide variety of specialized and non-specialized audiences and will provide ESL-specific help with grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation in these different contexts. In addition, this course introduces engineering graduate students to the expectations of writing in the workplace and academic writing conventions in their discipline.
A first-level graduate/advanced undergraduate course relates technology or engineering to the broader culture. The specific subject will differ from time to time.
Responsible conduct of research is defined as "the practice of scientific investigation with integrity. It involves the awareness and application of established professional norms and ethical principles in the performance of all activities related to scientific research." (NIH) This course will follow the NIS recommended format of substantial face-to-face discussions, with case studies being used as the primary focus of these conversations.
This course introduces new graduate students to engineering research providing them with an intellectual framework which will help them to succeed as innovators and leaders. Students will understand the process and skills needed to successfully launch their research, develop their communication skills and map out their education and long-term career goals.
he course will cover the terminology, basic regulations and ethics, and the people, processes and procedures of government contracting. We will discuss how the government determines, develops and communicates their requirements, and how they evaluate potential solutions and contractors. The students will learn the basics of how to read and interpret the goals and objectives of government solicitations and making responsive bids.
Detailed study of graduate course material on an independent basis under the guidance of a faculty member.
This course is designed to teach reading/writing/ speaking/ listening skills required for success in technical communication for graduate students whose first language is not English, and scored less than 50 on the SPEAK Test. Specialized instruction in academic/content area writing as well as personal expression in a variety of settings will enable students to complete academic programs in a more efficient and timely manner.
The purpose of these courses is to address and discuss the sociotechnical systems of engineering, and how engineering impacts diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Designed for graduate students. Explore how to take a high value opportunity and use the fundamentals entrepreneurship to develop a commercialization plan. Learn the unique aspects of "supply-push" innovation -- the process of converting new discoveries and knowledge into products. This involves both an awareness of how scientists and engineers create new knowledge as well as a willingness to listen and learn from customers/stakeholders.
This independent study is designed to accommodate graduate students from SEAS, Architecture and potentially other schools whose work would benefit STS and/or Earth Systems Engineering Management principles and applying them to their thesis, or to a related project.