If you’ve ever wanted to explore the intersection of science, technology, and society but without getting buried under formulas and lab reports Virginia Tech’s Science, Technology, and Law (STL) minor might just be your new academic crush! (It’s the love of my life)
As a Political Science (Legal Studies) and Journalism major, I stumbled into this minor thinking it would just be an “extra” on my transcript. Spoiler: it’s so much more than that. The STL minor takes on some of the most fascinating issues shaping our world today, like who owns your favorite TikTok sound, how you have an unregistered copyright, how patents affect medical breakthroughs, and why intellectual property (IP) battles can decide the future of entire industries.
Here’s the best part: the minor isn’t just for poli sci students like me. If you’re an engineering major, the STL minor gives you real-world insight into the legal side of your work, like how to protect your inventions or navigate patent law. For pre-law students, it’s a gold mine of experience with topics you’ll definitely encounter down the road. And if you’re simply curious about how law interacts with science and technology, you’ll find a community of like-minded students and professors who make these big issues approachable (and honestly, really fun).
The professors are passionate, the classes are discussion-based, and the assignments connect to real-life social issues rather than busy work. Plus, the variety of courses means you can shape the minor to your interests, whether that’s environmental policy, data privacy, or intellectual property.
So if you’re looking for a minor that’s versatile, engaging, and gives you stories to bring up at literally any networking event, consider Science, Technology, and Law. It’s like the best of both worlds: exploring cutting-edge ideas while still getting that human, social perspective.
Who knows? You might just find yourself thinking about patents the next time you scroll through your For You page.