Applied to through a school
Penn says you apply to one of four undergraduate schools or a coordinated dual-degree programme. Science, Technology and Society sits in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Undergraduate · Penn College of Arts and Sciences
Penn Science, Technology and Society: social analysis of science, not engineering
Penn does not admit applicants to Science, Technology and Society. They apply to the College of Arts and Sciences and choose a major within it. The catalogue frames the major as social analysis of science and technology, including their organisations and consequences, and it differs from an engineering degree. This guide reads the catalogue's Global Science and Technology plan of study as its worked example; further concentrations are listed in the catalogue and were not read.
Official information · read 31 October 2026, no entry-year label
What Penn says about Penn Science, Technology and Society
Taken from Penn's University Catalog entry for Science, Technology and Society, BA: Global Science and Technology and Penn Admissions' Four Schools, Specialized Degree Programs, International Applicants and Testing pages, read on 31 October 2026. The pages carry no entry-year label, so for a 2028-entry application every statement below is evidence for the previous cycle and may change; check Penn's pages for the 2028-entry details.
Social contexts of science
The major examines the social contexts in which science and technology occur.
34 course units
The plan of study gives 34 as the minimum total for graduation.
A capstone seminar
STSC 4000 is the Capstone Research Seminar in the plan of study.
The SAT or ACT is required
Penn says applicants must submit scores for the SAT or ACT, with a waiver for hardship.
Official sources
- Penn Admissions: The Four Schoolsadmissions.upenn.edu
- Penn University Catalog: Science, Technology and Society, BA: Global Science and Technologycatalog.upenn.edu
- Penn Admissions: Testingadmissions.upenn.edu
Read on 2 November 2026 on Penn's University Catalog entry for Science, Technology and Society, BA: Global Science and Technology and Penn Admissions' Four Schools, Specialized Degree Programs, International Applicants and Testing pages, which describes 2027 entry. The pages carry no entry-year label. The department's own pages, the course descriptions, deadlines and financial aid were not read and are not stated.
The programme
What the catalogue says the Science, Technology and Society major is
The catalogue says the major examines the social contexts in which science and technology occur, the organisations of people and things that make up science and technology systems, and the social and cultural consequences of change over time. Graduates are said to go into business, law, government, journalism, research and education. The Global Science and Technology plan of study read has core courses, six course units of STSC electives, five in the concentration and a capstone research seminar. The requirements are a guide for students entering in fall 2026 and later.
Is it the right route?
Science, Technology and Society beside Cognitive Science and Urban Studies
Penn describes these as separate schools and programmes, so the choice is made at application. Avandy's comparison is general.
Science, Technology and Society fits if
you want to analyse how science and technology interact with society, using humanities and social-science methods.
Cognitive Science fits if
you want mind and computation across fields. Avandy's Penn Cognitive Science guide covers it.
Urban Studies fits if
you want cities and policy as the frame. Avandy's Penn Urban Studies guide covers it.
Admission and testing
The College of Arts and Sciences, an SAT or ACT and predicted grades
Penn requires applicants to submit SAT or ACT scores, with a waiver for hardship. It has no explicit course requirements or minimum test score requirements, and it asks schools to provide predicted scores if final exams are not yet available. Science, Technology and Society is not a separate application: the application is to the College of Arts and Sciences. This guide states no score.
A decision framework
Three questions before you commit
This is Avandy's own framework, not Penn's.
Do you want to study science, or to make it?
The catalogue frames the major as social analysis of science and technology.
Which concentration would you pursue?
This guide read only the Global Science and Technology plan of study.
Can you plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB?
Penn says applicants must submit scores for either test, with a hardship waiver.
Planning for 2028 entry
Planning for 2028 entry: what carries over and what is awaiting publication
Penn's pages carry no entry-year label, so nothing on them is confirmed for 2028 entry. Use them to understand the structure of the application, then check Penn's own pages for the 2028-entry details.
The curriculum on the Penn catalogue page read on 1 November 2026, which describes itself as a guide for students entering in Fall 2026 and later
These are the best guide to what to prepare. Penn has not confirmed them for 2028 entry.
Deadlines, fees, financial aid and any updated curriculum for the 2028 cohort: not stated
This guide has not read them. Check Penn for the values that apply to your application year.
What to do now
Read the catalogue entry and plan the SAT or ACT alongside your A levels or IB.
Support
Independent support with planning your own application
Avandy provides independent academic and admissions support. It is not affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania or any of its colleges or departments. Preparation sits within the Avandy Trinity Advisory Model: a Strategic Admissions Consultant, a PhD-level Academic Mentor and a Subject-specific Tutor, working to the actual requirements of each course. Support here is limited to understanding the requirements and planning the applicant's own work; Avandy does not write or edit essays, does not submit any materials and has no partnership with the University of Pennsylvania. No outcome is promised.
Questions
Questions applicants ask
Can I apply directly to Penn Science, Technology and Society?
You apply to the College of Arts and Sciences, one of four undergraduate schools. Penn says you do not technically apply to Penn itself.
Is Science, Technology and Society an engineering degree?
No. The catalogue describes a major examining the social contexts, organisations and consequences of science and technology, in the College of Arts and Sciences.
Is there a capstone?
Yes. The plan of study read includes STSC 4000, a Capstone Research Seminar.
Do I need the SAT or ACT?
Yes. Penn says applicants must submit scores for the SAT or ACT, with a waiver for hardship.
Does Penn name specific A levels or IB subjects?
Penn says it has no explicit course requirements for admittance.
Are these the rules for 2028 entry?
No. They are Penn's wording with no entry-year label. Check Penn's pages again when Penn publishes its 2028-entry requirements.
Students and families
Talk to us about Penn Science, Technology and Society
Tell us about the student's curriculum, whether they want a social-science view of science, which concentration appeals and their SAT or ACT plan, the universities on the list, and the intended year of entry. A senior adviser will review the academic profile before recommending how to prepare.