Abstract
Apart from the importance of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) in and of themselves, the potential contribution that they can make to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is huge. Even though some STEM fields have already incorporated SSH elements in their research and education, there are still other disciplines that have not yet approach the intersection between them and SSH. Among these is civil engineering (CE), which has traditionally been set as purely technological and has lacked the inclusion of SSH elements in it. Nonetheless, it is indispensable that engineers have knowledge in SSH to allow them to make decisions more perceptively, realistically and critically. Ultimately, this social understanding can lead them to design and plan solutions that are more socially sustainable. However, there are still no clear guidelines on how to include aspects from social sciences and humanities at the higher education level. This article analyses perceptions, the real status and possible barriers for the incorporation of SSH in the studies of CE. Besides, it analyses and discusses the different methodologies in which engineering students can be introduced to these topics. A triangulation method that combined the use of qualitative and quantitative data was used. Surveys to students, researchers, professors and practitioners were carried out (n=583). Besides, accreditation criteria and CE syllabuses of 100 faculties were reviewed. The analyses showed a dissent between individual perceptions, collective reality and legislative frameworks. Even though the survey responses showed a common agreement concerning the inclusion of SSH, only a minority of CE schools have introduced SSH in their curricula. Besides, accrediting bodies have not yet introduced this as a specific requirement in their criteria. The barriers detected in the incorporation of SSH in CE curricula were: (1) resistance to change, (2) external influences on the curricula, (3) lack of guidelines, (4) misconceptions on what SSH in relation to CE involves. It is necessary to gradually incorporate both hard social skills and soft skills from the beginning of the degree courses and to do so in a transversal way in most of the subjects if professionals and researchers that are capable of designing socially sustainable activities are needed.
Highlights
Social sciences and humanities (SSH) comprise a heterogeneous set of academic disciplines that help provide answers and reflect on various dimensions of society and human behaviour
This is supported by the targets set out by professional institutions of civil engineers, which emphasise the importance of social issues in professional practice
There is no common agreement among civil en gineering (CE) curricula regarding the characteristics that this kind of subjects should have in terms of the proportion of credits, obli gatoriness, the academic year in which these subjects are taught, and eligibility of the subject
Summary
Social sciences and humanities (SSH) comprise a heterogeneous set of academic disciplines that help provide answers and reflect on various dimensions of society and human behaviour. A fundamental factor to consider in terms of introducing SSH in the education of civil engineers is whether such contents should be intro duced in the curricula as transversal areas of expertise or as specific subjects in the syllabus. In the latter case, the question arises of whether these topics should be general SSH subjects, such as psychology or sociology, or should concern topics that are more specific to CE, such as inequalities in transport or environmental justice. It may be adequate to introduce such subjects with contents that are oriented towards civil engineering, because in this way, students will encounter fewer difficulties in understanding how such contents can be applied in practice, which could, in turn, make the courses more appealing for them
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