Term dates & deadlines
Winter semester 2019/20
General admission period:
9 July to 5 September
Extended admission period:
6 September to 30 November
Master Science, Technology & Society Studies
Contents of degree programme
Understand relationships between science, technology and society, shape the future in a sustainable manner
Be it digitalisation, energy transition, medicine or bioeconomics, scientific and technological innovations are closely linked to societal developments. In this Master’s course, you will learn to see the interactions between science, technology and other areas of societal activity, such as economics, politics and media, from new perspectives. You will acquire the skill of identifying and assessing, in a differentiated manner, the social conditions and effects of scientific and technological innovations. You will be able to recognise ‘hype’ about new technologies or scientific breakthroughs and mediate public debate on the risks, ethical controversy or social desirability of innovations.
The Master’s course, which runs for four semesters, is interdisciplinary in its approach and draws above all on theories and methods from social and cultural science in order to impart sound knowledge of the fundamental importance of science and technology to modern societies. The course prepares you for challenging jobs, e.g. in research and technology funding, political and corporate consultancy, EU and international organisations, media, public relations and cultural work, technological impact assessment and university and non-university research.
Fact Box
Duration:
ECTS:
Level of qualification:
Degree:
Prerequisites:
Entrance examination:
Language of instruction:
4
SemesterECTS:
120
Level of qualification:
Master's degree programme
Degree:
Master of Arts (MA)
Prerequisites:
Yes
Entrance examination:
No
Language of instruction:
German (C1), English
Particularities
Want to study all over Europe? No problem!
The Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt is a member of the Europe-wide association ‘European Inter-University Association on Society, Science and Technology’ (ESST). As a student of the Master’s programme ‘Science, Technology & Society Studies’, you will benefit from this network. You will be able to complement your Master’s study with a specialist module or write your Master’s thesis at an ESST linked university. This will give you the opportunity to acquire the ESST Certificate or the ESST Diploma Master of Arts ‘Society, Science and Technology in Europe’ in addition to the Master’s degree from Klagenfurt.
During the course, you can focus on the following subject areas:
- Governance, innovation, sustainability – you will examine the links between scientific/technological and social innovations, governance and sustainable development based on current societal challenges such as climate change, food security, health and social and ecological justice.
- Communication and cultures of science and technology – you will engage with contents and formats of communication between the fields of science/technology and various public spheres (e.g. mass media, civil forums, expert committees). You will learn to distinguish between cultures of knowledge with regard to their practices, evaluation systems and organisational structures.
- Environmentally friendly and socially acceptable technology development – you will learn about central approaches and concepts in technological impact assessment and in environmentally friendly and socially acceptable technology development and to apply these to real-life scenarios.
- Gender and diversity in science and technology – you will reflect on the context-dependency of knowledge and technology and acquire a greater understanding of how individual and collective identities, in particular gender representations, are constructed and perpetuated or challenged by science and technology.
Small work groups and optimal staff-student ratios enable productive exchange between students and lecturers
Contact details
Student Advisory Service
E-mail: studieninfo [at] aau.at
Programme Director
Website of the degree programme director
E-mail: sts-master [at] aau.at
Study objectives
Upon completion, graduates of the Master's degree programme "Science, Technology & Society Studies“ are able to
- perform autonomous analyses of current problem areas and fields of conflict with regard to science, technology and innovation;
- comprehend interactions between scientific-technological developments and societal change;
- process insights from social-scientific science and technology research for the benefit of societal processes of decision and design;
- apply the acquired skills in the strategic planning and project management of businesses and in public participative processes;
- contribute actively to scientific research projects.
Admission to the degree programme
The admission to the degree programme must take place before the end of the extension period (winter semester: 9 July to 30 November | summer semester: 8 January to 30 April).
Prerequisites
Relevant Bachelor's degree programme from the spheres of the Humanities, Cultural Studies, or Social Sciences and Business Studies; a relevant Bachelor's degree programme completed at a University of Applied Sciences; or a degree programme of equivalent academic value completed at a recognised post-secondary educational institution.
Students who have successfully completed a Bachelor's degree programme assigned to the groups of Engineering Sciences, Natural Sciences, Medical Sciences, or the Arts, must demonstrate that they have acquired an adequate level of knowledge in the following areas:
- Interdisciplinary Perspectives of Science and Technology in Society worth 8 ECTS credits, e.g. History of Technology, Philosophy of Technology, Sociology of Technology, Technology Assessment, Participatory Processes and Civic Participation, Technology and Science Communication, Environmental System Sciences, and the like, and
- Fundamental Methodological Principles worth 8 ECTS credits, particularly from the Theory of Science, Philosophy, or subject-specific methodologies, and
- Fundamental Principles of the Social Sciences worth 8 ECTS credits, particularly from Sociology, Political Science, Law, Business Studies, Anthropology, Geography, History or Cultural Studies
Programme structure
Overview
| Fach | Fachbezeichnung | ECTS |
| Pflichtfächer | Grundlagen der Science, Technology and Society Studies | 22 |
| Sozialwissenschaftliche Methoden | 12 | |
| Begleitung von Masterarbeiten | 4 | |
| Kompetenzerweiterung | 12 | |
| Gebundenes Wahlfach | Wahl von drei Fächern:
|
36 |
| Masterarbeit | 22 | |
| Freie Wahlfächer | 12 | |
| Summe | 120 |
Practical training
Within the scope of one of the Electives, students can complete a placement, selecting one of the following three options:
- Placement worth 10 ECTS credits in a domestic or foreign business, a body of public administration, a non-profit organisation, or a non-university research institution
- Placement worth 10 ECTS credits in one of the STS research groups at the Alpen-Adria-Universität
- If it is not feasible or possible to complete a placement, students can earn 12 ECTS credits by completing an Elective from the Master's degree programme
Following the completion of the placement, students report on the project semester in the course "Reflection of the Placement" 2 ECTS credits and record their experiences in a written project report.
Relevant professional activities conducted prior to or during the Master's degree programme may be accredited as practical experience worth a total of 10 ECTS credits in certain justified cases.
Periods of study abroad
In general, students are encouraged to spend at least one semester studying abroad. This applies particularly to periods of study spent abroad at the locations of members of the European Programme "European Studies of Society, Science and Technology“ (ESST), in which the AAU Klagenfurt is an active member. It is recommended to schedule the ESST study visit abroad from the fourth semester onwards. Examinations successfully completed within the context of a study visit abroad shall be recognised, provided that the student obtains the programme director's specific permission in advance.
Careers and occupational profiles
Graduates are qualified to perform professional activities, e.g. working for the following types of institutions:
university and non-university research
public administration
- research funding organisations
- professional associations
- private-sector companies
- media, museums, publishers
- civic organisations
Continuing your studies
Upon successful completion of the Master’s degree programme Science, Technology and Society Studies, students can continue their studies in the Doctoral degree programme for Science and Technology Studies.
Specialist courses
Within the scope of the free electives and in accordance with the respective curriculum, students can receive credits for individual courses or for entire modules from other subject areas.
Term dates & deadlines
Summer semester 2019
General admission period:
8 January to 5 February 2019
Extended admission period:
6 February to 30 April 2019
FAQs
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