Online Bachelor of Arts in History of Science, Technology & Medicine
Lead with Insight: Explore the Past, Shape the Future
YOUR FUTURE STARTS HERE
Complete the form below to learn more about our online programs and how to get started.
At a Glance
Advance your career with the University of Oklahoma’s online Bachelor of Arts in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine—a flexible, transfer-friendly degree designed for students with at least 24 college credits. This program combines rigorous historical research with interdisciplinary perspectives, preparing you to analyze how scientific knowledge, technological innovation, and medical practices evolved across cultures and centuries.
You’ll gain skills in research, writing, and communication that open doors to careers in museums, archives, healthcare, education, and science communication—or serve as a strong foundation for graduate study.
100% Online
Time to Complete:
24 to 36 months
Credit Hours:
120
Time Commitment:
10 to 15 hours weekly
start dates
Fall, Spring, Summer
cost
OU’s online BA in History of Science, Technology and Medicine is an investment in your future — and OU Online is committed to making that investment accessible and transparent.
Tuition and fees for the program are $550 per credit hour.
Books and additional materials are not included.
YOUR FUTURE STARTS HERE
Complete the form below to learn more about our online programs and how to get started.
About the Online BA in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
The University of Oklahoma’s online Bachelor of Arts in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine (HSTM) is a fully online, 120-credit-hour degree completion program designed for transfer students and working adults with at least 24 hours of post-high school college credit. Offered through OU’s Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, this program delivers a rigorous liberal arts education with a specialized focus on how science, technology, and medicine have shaped societies across time and cultures.
Unlike traditional history degrees, the HSTM program takes an interdisciplinary approach—combining historical research methods with insights from philosophy, ethics, and science and technology studies. You’ll explore how scientific ideas emerged, how medical practices evolved, and how technological innovations transformed economies and cultures. Coursework emphasizes primary source analysis, scholarly writing, and public communication, preparing graduates to interpret complex historical narratives and apply them to contemporary issues.
Whether you’re advancing in healthcare, museums, education, or technology—or preparing for graduate study in fields like bioethics, public health, museum studies, or law—OU’s HSTM program equips you with the research, writing, and critical thinking skills employers value across industries.
BA in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine: Career Paths in Museums, Healthcare, and Beyond
OU’s 100% online Bachelor of Arts in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine prepares you for careers that combine intellectual depth with real-world impact. This degree equips you with research, writing, and analytical skills valued across cultural institutions, healthcare organizations, education, and science communication. Graduates are prepared for diverse roles in museums, archives, libraries, healthcare, and technology sectors, as well as nonprofit and public-facing organizations. Career opportunities include:
- Museum Educator or Coordinator
- Science Communications Specialist
- Patient Education Coordinator
- Library Assistant or Para-librarian
- Technology Ethics Analyst
- Research Assistant (academic, policy, healthcare)
- Archivist or Collections Manager
- Medical or Science Writer
- Public Health Educator
- Historical Consultant
- Exhibit Developer
Whether you’re advancing in your current role or pivoting to a new career, OU’s HSTM degree gives you the tools to analyze complex ideas, communicate clearly, and make informed decisions that shape public understanding of science, technology, and medicine.
Industry Insights: Workforce Outlook for History, Museums, and Science Communication
Professionals with expertise in history, research, and communication are in demand across cultural institutions, healthcare organizations, and science communication roles. OU’s online Bachelor of Arts in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine prepares graduates to thrive in careers that require critical thinking, analytical writing, and the ability to translate complex ideas for diverse audiences.
Archivists, Curators, and Museum Workers
- Median Pay: $57,100
- Job Outlook: 6% growth through 2034
- Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Historians
- Median Pay: $74,050
- Job Outlook: 2% growth through 2034
- Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
- Median Pay: $78,980
- Job Outlook: About 144,700 openings are projected each year, on average, due to employment growth and the need to replace workers who leave the occupations permanently.
The median pay figures reflect earnings for professionals working in these occupations and may represent mid-career compensation. Entry-level salaries vary based on role, employer, experience, and geographic location.
As organizations face challenges in science communication, cultural preservation, and healthcare ethics, the need for professionals who can provide historical context and communicate effectively continues to grow. From museums and archives to healthcare systems and technology companies, graduates with HSTM expertise bring unique value to roles shaping public understanding of science and medicine.
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Program Outcomes: Historical Insight for Career Growth
OU’s online Bachelor of Arts in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine equips you with the research, writing, and analytical skills needed to thrive in careers across museums, healthcare, education, and science communication. You’ll graduate prepared to interpret complex historical narratives, communicate ideas clearly, and apply critical thinking to contemporary challenges.
Through this program, you’ll learn how to:
- Understand the role of science, technology, and medicine from the ancient world to the present day, exploring the social dynamics of different historical periods
- Demonstrate critical reading skills of primary sources and be able to put those sources into historical perspective
- Learn how to interpret the past in ways that synthesizes source materials and places them in their context
- Practice communicating your understanding of the history of science, technology, and medicine in oral, written, and digital forms
- Embrace professional ethics as it relates to authorship and the use of evidence
Whether you’re advancing in your current role or preparing for a career pivot, this degree gives you the tools to lead with insight and impact.
Course Details
OU’s Bachelor of Arts in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine delivers a rigorous, interdisciplinary curriculum designed to build historical expertise and transferable professional skills. Students begin with foundational courses introducing major themes in the history of science, technology, and medicine, then progress to specialized topics covering diverse time periods and global perspectives.
The program includes a capstone course where you’ll conduct original historical research and produce a professional-quality paper. Throughout the curriculum, you’ll work with primary sources—such as scientific texts, medical records, and technological artifacts—and learn to communicate complex ideas through writing, presentations, and digital media.
The curriculum blends flexibility with academic rigor, ensuring you graduate with the ability to analyze historical developments, communicate effectively, and apply critical thinking to contemporary issues in science, technology, and medicine.
Science & Technology in Asian History
Credit Hours: 3
Examines science and technology in east, south, and southeast Asia from 1000 A.D. to the present. We examine the influence and interaction of knowledge traditions (especially Chinese, south Asian and Islamic), how they circulate around and beyond Asia, and interactions with European knowledge traditions, culminating in examinations of political and ethical dimensions of science and technology in contemporary Asia.
History of Science Since the Seventeenth Century
Credit Hours: 3
A survey of the historical and intellectual development of modern science.
Technology and Society in World History
Credit Hours: 3
A survey of the history of technology since 1500. Emphasizes historical contexts and cultural meanings, not technical details, as it explores the key steps in the construction of our modern technological world. Materials include literature and film as well as non-fiction.
Junior Seminar
Credit Hours: 3
Offers students the chance to work on an extended research topic in the history of science, technology, environment and medicine. The themed seminar format will allow for small group discussion and close supervision of student projects. Students will be introduced to the methods and tools of advanced research. Seminar themes will vary.
History of Modern Medicine
Credit Hours: 3
Examines the history of modern medicine in Europe and America. Aims to connect medical ideas and practices to the broader social and cultural contexts in which they were developed.
Cold War Science
Credit Hours: 3
Science and technology during the Cold War, including strategic weapons and SDI, medical experiments, the space race, science in popular culture, and science and foreign policy.
The Scientific Revolution
Credit Hours: 3
Explores the history of the "scientific revolution" of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Study includes understanding debates not just about what happened in the past but about how we today define science and how we understand the place of science in the modern world.
Social and Ethical Issues in STEM
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to a range of social and ethical issues in the history of science, technology, environment and medicine. Including the social, political and ethical implications of technology and scientific knowledge, and the role they play in shaping our environment and our selves.
Science, Nature and Society
Credit Hours: 3
An introduction to the study of science, technology, and medicine in light of historical, philosophical, and cultural analysis. Focusing on the relationships between science, nature, and society, this class introduces some of the big questions about who we are, who we have been, and who we might become.
Capstone in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
Credit Hours: 3
This course fulfills the capstone requirement for a major in the history of science, technology and medicine. The goal of this seminar-format course is to provide students with the opportunity to further develop their skills in research, writing, and critical analysis with respect to the historical study of science. The course provides the opportunity for in-depth individualized research.
The Darwinian Revolution
Credit Hours: 3
The "Darwinian Revolution" was a revolution in culture as well as biology. We consider the history of the social, political, and theological issues associated with the development of evolutionary thought from the early nineteenth century to the present.
History of Ecology and Environmentalism
Credit Hours: 3
Explores the historical development of ecology as a science and as a political stance, from the eighteenth through the twentieth century. Topics may include: climate change, population control, deforestation, globalization, resource management, and environmental ethics.
Why OU Online: Career-Ready Education in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
OU Online combines the flexibility of a 100% online format with the academic excellence of a flagship research university. Offered through the Dodge Family College of Arts and Sciences, the Bachelor of Arts in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine provides a rigorous liberal arts education designed for working professionals and transfer students.
With a curriculum grounded in historical research, interdisciplinary thinking, and public engagement, this degree equips you to analyze complex ideas, communicate effectively, and apply critical insights to contemporary challenges in science, technology, and medicine.
Faculty Expertise: Leaders in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine
Learn from faculty in one of the few standalone HSTM departments in the United States. OU professors conduct original research in medical history, history of biology, history of technology, science and society, publishing in leading scholarly journals. They bring academic rigor and real-world relevance to every course, mentoring students through research projects and helping connect historical scholarship to today’s debates in healthcare, technology, and ethics.
Robust Student Support
OU Online offers comprehensive student support services tailored to the needs of working professionals. From academic support and online tutoring to mental health counseling and career development resources, students in the BA in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine program receive the guidance they need to succeed. Our student-centered approach ensures you receive personalized guidance from enrollment through graduation, making it possible to complete your degree while balancing work, family, and other commitments.
Global Alumni Network
As a student in the BA in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine program, you’ll join a global network of more than 250,000 University of Oklahoma alumni. OU graduates lead across industries—from business and nonprofit to government and education—creating a powerful community of professionals who share your drive to lead and make an impact. Becoming a Sooner means gaining access to mentorship, career connections, and leadership opportunities that can accelerate your career.
Flexible Format
The Bachelor of Arts in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine is delivered 100% online in a format designed for working professionals and transfer students. Courses are asynchronous and offered in 8-week sessions, allowing you to study on your schedule while balancing work, family, and other commitments.
You can complete your degree in as little as two years with full-time enrollment or take a part-time path that fits your life. The program’s structure makes it possible to finish what you started without putting your career on hold.
Tailored Experience
Elective options and interdisciplinary coursework allow you to customize your learning based on your interests and career goals. Whether you want to focus on the history of medicine, explore technology’s role in society, or dive into global perspectives on science, the curriculum offers flexibility to shape your degree. The Junior Seminar and Capstone courses provide opportunities to pursue original research projects aligned with your passions and professional aspirations.
Cost & Financial Aid
Earning your Bachelor of Arts in History of Science, Technology, and Medicine is an investment in your future—and OU Online is committed to making that investment accessible and transparent.
Tuition and fees for the program are $550 per credit hour.
Books and additional materials are not included.
Financial aid, scholarships, and employer tuition assistance may be available to help offset the cost. For questions about financial aid for your online program, contact the Online Aid office at onlineaid@ou.edu or call 405-325-2929.
*Please be aware that tuition and fees may change, as determined by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
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YOUR FUTURE STARTS HERE
Complete the form below to learn more about our online programs and how to get started.
