HIST 1627 Making the Modern World: Design, Ethics & Engineering
This is a Complex Problem course and is open to FRESHMEN only. You must take ENGR1801 with this course. Together we will consider how engineers and other stakeholders navigate risks related to industrial and environmental disasters, balance financial, technological, and regulatory pressures associated with complex socio-technical problems, and negotiate technical and political liabilities surrounding artificial intelligence, surveillance, and climate adaptation. Engineering systems present pressing technical, ethical, and moral problems that we must grapple with as engaged global citizens. In this course, students will explore the social, cultural, and institutional history of engineering, learn foundational skills in quantitative analysis of real-world engineering designs, and understand the political, environmental, economic, and ethical tradeoffs associated with building the modern world. Students will collaborate on group design projects based on human-centered engineering.
Course overview
- Department
- History
- School
- MCAS
- Credits
- 6
- Level
- Undergraduate
- Offered
- Periodically
Catalog details
- Satisfies core
- History II,Cultural Diversity,Natural Science
Requirements fulfilled
- History: History Core class, History I or II (one course; required for the Class of 2029 and after, or a 4 or 5 on the European or World History AP exam) (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- Human-Centered Engineering B.S.: One course from Introduction to Human-Centered Design (Current University Catalog; students should confirm their catalog year)
- University Core: Cultural Diversity (All undergraduates)
- University Core: History II (All undergraduates)
- University Core: Natural Science (All undergraduates)
Course evaluations
- Course rating
- 4.14 / 5 · Very Good
- Instructor rating
- 4.36 / 5 · Very Good
- Terms evaluated
- 4
| Term | Instructor | Course overall | Instructor overall | Well organized | Clear learning objectives | Intellectually challenging | Helpful assignments | Applicable beyond course | Attendance necessary | Weekly effort | Responses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fall 2025 | Jenna Tonn | 4.2 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.4 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4–6 hrs/week | 69 of 80 |
| Fall 2024 | Jenna Tonn | 4.0 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.3 | 4.4 | 4.3 | 4–6 hrs/week | 85 of 120 |
| Fall 2023 | Jenna Tonn | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 202 of 266 |
| Fall 2023 | Jonathan Krones | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 202 of 266 |
| Fall 2022 | Glenn Gaudette | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.6 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4–6 hrs/week | 54 of 76 |
| Fall 2022 | Jenna Tonn | 4.5 | 4.9 | 4.6 | 4.8 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4–6 hrs/week | 54 of 76 |
| Fall 2022 | Russell Powell | 4.5 | 3.9 | 4.7 | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.5 | 4.7 | 4.5 | 4–6 hrs/week | 54 of 76 |
Data freshness
Instructors
Sections
- Section 01
- Section 02
- Section 03
- Section 04
- Section 05
- Section 06