Why HCST?
This program is suitable for and accessible to students of all abilities, particularly those with serious interests in both the humanities and the sciences. Sometimes the choice may be a matter of emphasis. Does a student want to be a physicist with an interest in archaeology, or an archaeologist with training in physics? Sometimes the choice is more dramatic. If a student is interested in biology, would he or she be better served by pursuing an M.D., or a degree in the new field of medical humanities? Sometimes the choice may be more market-driven. With the current high demand for teachers of mathematics and science in elementary and secondary schools, students who excel in the skills of communication so essential to the humanities might be drawn to complete more years of training in science and technology-related fields than they otherwise might have. It is also true that in the Baltimore-Washington area, with its emphasis on public affairs, students with both technical and humanistic knowledge are often preferred by employers over those students whose education is more limited.
In short, HCST is important to any individual who wishes to understand the human dimensions of science and technology, or the technical and scientific dimensions of his or her humanity.
