History & Philosophy of Science Certificate
The History and Philosophy of Science Certificate provides undergraduate students an opportunity to gain a coherent, cross-disciplinary command of the methods and findings that the liberal arts contribute to our understanding of the sciences. Students analyze the dynamic development, concepts, and roles in society of various sciences, as well as the personal, dramatic struggles of famous scientists.
All undergraduate students, regardless of major or college, are eligible for the certificate program. The certificate is an excellent compliment to any degree, and may be of particular interest to students of science or engineering who want to learn more about the wider cultural context of the disciplines they study. The certificate is also an asset to students considering graduate study in the history or philosophy of science.
Students must complete two required courses in history of science, two specific courses in philosophy of science, as well as two electives from a list of pre-approved courses in several departments. Thus, our program requires 18 semester hours of coursework, of which at least 12 semester hours must be upper-division and at least 9 semester hours must be completed in residence at UT Austin. You can download the full certificate plan here.
Students should apply for the certificate through the Registrar's online minor and certificate application system as soon as they are sure they are pursuing the certificate. The certificate is automatically approved for all applicants. Once you have been approved, you will need to contact your assigned academic advisor in your major to have the certificate added to your official degree profile. You can start the coursework for the certificate at any time by registering for the required courses.
The majority of the courses for the certificate have no restrictions and are open to any student. Some upper-division courses may have the prerequisite of upper-division standing. If you encounter difficulty in registering for any of the courses, please contact us at history.advising@austin.utexas.edu and we will try to help.
The History and Philosophy of Science certificate is a joint program of the Department of History and Department of Philosophy. The program director is Dr. Alberto A. MartÃnez of the Department of History. Advising questions may be emailed to history.advising@austin.utexas.edu.
In most cases certificates will be attached to the student's degree profile and visible on their online degree audit. If your certificate is attached to your degree profile, all you need to do to graduate with your certificate is apply to graduate with your college. No further action is needed. Rarely, a student's certificate may be "standalone" and not attached to their degree profile. If you are pursuing a standalone certificate, then you will need to apply for your certificate using the Liberal Arts Credential Application. Students should apply for certification when they complete their undergraduate degree or the certificate program, whichever comes later. (The certificate may be earned up to a year after earning Bachelor’s degree.)
