Introduction to Social, Ethical and Political Issues Associated with Biotechnology

TPSS 416

Faculty:

Michael Muszynski, Michael Kantar

Goals:

Biotechnology, like many technical advances, impacts many parts of society. In order to make informed decisions about the applications of this technology, we must understand how the technology works, what are its advantages and limitations, how it is perceived by the public and how it affects society and the environment. By the end of this course students will be able to (1) identify specific claims regarding biotechnology, (2) define the components of the claim, (3) find validated evidence supporting or refuting the claim and (4) make evidence based conclusions regarding the claim related to the technology, the environment, and/or society. 

Description:

This course is designed for upper division undergraduates or first year Master of Science students who have limited biotech background but are interested in understanding the both the technical, social and ethical aspects of biotechnology. Students are expected to have a basic understanding of genetics.

Pre-requisites:

TPSS 200 or BIOL 171 or NREM 210, or consent

Grading: