A Liberal Arts Curriculum that Situates Science While Promoting STEM Graduation

We describe an intentionally designed, cross-disciplinary curriculum that promotes a broad humanistic understanding of the process of science, and how this curriculum supported graduation in science and mathematics. Combining the expertise of philosophers, sociologists, and social psychologists with that of scientists, this cross-disciplinary curriculum worked to help students understand the value-laden decisions and cultural influences on the practice of science, and how to navigate the culture of science to find a meaningful role in their chosen discipline. The curriculum described dually promoted a broader understanding of the contexts of science, mathematics, and engineering fields and increased motivation, leading to better trained science students who were more likely to graduate with science, mathematics, and engineering degrees.