COURSE OUTLINE
Title: Science, Medicine and Technology in
Western Civilization
Institution:
Type of Program:
Outline Developed by:
Course Number: SSC 237
Credits: 4
Date: September 18, 2007
Clackamas Community College
Lower Division Transfer
Patricia McFarland
Course Description: Traces the major developments in western civilization in the fields
of science, medicine and technology from ancient Greece to the present. Includes an
examination of the biographies of prominent scientists, doctors and engineers.
Course Objectives: This course is intended to:
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Introduce students to how science, medicine and technology developed in
western civilization from ancient times to the present.
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Explore the backgrounds of prominent scientists, doctors and engineers in
western civilization from ancient times to the present.
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Cultivate an appreciation for and understanding of scientific, medical and
technological developments in western civilization from ancient times to
the present.
Student Learning Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course, the student
should be able to:
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Discuss the milestones in the history of science, medicine and technology
in western civilization from ancient times to the present.
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Analyze the behavior of prominent scientists, doctors and engineers in
western civilization from ancient times to the present.
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Demonstrate the relevance of scientific, medical and technological
developments in western civilization from ancient times to the present.
Length of Course: 44 lecture hours
Grading Method: Letter grade
Prerequisites: none
Required Texts: Roy Porter, The Greatest Benefit to Mankind. A Medical History of
Humanity, Norton, 1997 and James E.E. McClellan and Harold Dorn, Science and
Technology in World History, Johns Hopkins University Press, 2nd edition, 2006.
Major Topic Outline: Intellectual life in ancient Greece and Rome; the Dark Ages, the
Church and learning; universities emerge in the Middle Ages; Renaissance learning;
Protestant reformers and the world of learning; the Scientific Revolution of the 17 th
century; 19th and 20th century developments