History of Science, Technology, and Medicine Program

The History of Science, Technology, and Medicine is a dynamic, interdisciplinary field that studies these areas in their broad cultural context. The field's rapid growth stems from the increasing recognition that science, technology, and medicine are themselves among the most important cultural phenomena of the modern age.

Tradition of excellence

For more than 25 years, the graduate programs in History of Medicine and the History of Science and Technology at the University of Minnesota have consistently ranked among the country's best. In 2007 these two programs merged into a new Program in the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine.

World-class academics

The Program in the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine integrates faculty and students from several departments and programs at the University of Minnesota.

Each faculty member has a joint appointment in a department in the College of Science and Engineering, the Medical School, or the College of Biological Sciences, and many have graduate appointments in other departments as well, ensuring close association with other related fields.

We also offer undergraduate courses that meet students' Liberal Education requirements.

Cutting-edge research

The Program in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine at Minnesota offers comprehensive opportunities for advanced research and study in history of the physical sciences, the biological sciences, technology, and medicine. Within these areas, students are encouraged to make use of the perspectives and methods of intellectual, institutional, social, economic, and cultural history. 

The program has special strengths in the history of science, technology, and medicine in North America and Europe, but students have the opportunity to study other geographic areas as well.

Renowned research facilities

The University library system is one of the nation's major depositories, containing more than five million volumes and a number of special collections. The University also houses important manuscripts and papers in the Charles Babbage Institute. The University of Minnesota is one of a small number of Libraries of Deposit in the world—and the only one in the Midwest—for the Archive for the History of Quantum Physics.

Researchers also have access to two large municipal libraries, the large archival and photograph collections of the Minnesota Historical Society, and the James J. Hill Reference Library, which has a special interest in the history of technology, economics, and business.

The Bakken Library and Museum of Electricity in Life, a private research center with excellent collections of historical electrical apparatus and an outstanding book and manuscript collection, maintains strong ties to our program.