In-depth exposure to interdisciplinary approaches: students learn how to address various social, historical and policy aspects of contemporary developments in science and technology using methods from social sciences, philosophy or the humanities. The STS program addresses technoscientific problems in a critical and diagnostic way with a focus on problem-solving, and conveys reflexive, collaborative and communicative skills.

Research orientation and specialization: Students of the STS Master’s program can specialize in STS research topics early in their studies and lay foundations for further research in the field. Alternatively, students can specialize in the Philosophy of Science and Technology or the History of Science and Technology.

Empirical research methods and analytical skills: A rigorous training in social science research methods provides STS students with an empirical basis to address the conditions and consequences of contemporary science and technology.

The program is intended to prepare graduates for further careers in academia and STS research, and to make them internationally competitive applicants for PhD programs in STS and related fields. Students are actively encouraged to gain professional experience in internships beyond the requirements of their curriculum during their studies. Outside of academia, STS graduates are qualified for careers in numerous areas such as science and technology management, consulting and policy advice, science communication and journalism, science funding and policy, exhibition curation, scientific management.

In both master’s programs, students deal with the interdependencies of science, technology (development), politics and social dynamics. The „Science and Technology Studies“ (M.A. STS) program has a greater focus on the foundations of science and technology studies as a field of research, the philosophy and history of science and technology, methods of qualitative research and in-depth exposure to specific research topics. The program „Responsibility in Science, Engineering and Technology“ (M.A. RESET) also deals with the above-mentioned topics but approaches them from a more practice-oriented perspective, always putting emphasis on the question: What does responsibility mean in this context?

In the first semester, students of both programs learn the basics of qualitative social research. They are familiarized with specific methods as well as their underlying philosophical assumptions. The RESET M.A. program is dedicated to practice-oriented learning. In a semester-long immersion project, students learn to apply theories to a current controversial debate in small project groups. Closely related to this, the module „Technology and Society“ examines the interactions between science, technology and society in five blocks (politics, economics, law, ethics and media). The STS M.A. program, on the other hand, takes a closer look at the foundations and history of the field of Science and Technology Studies. How has STS developed as a field from sociology, philosophy, history and anthropology? Students are familiarized with the development and approaches of major STS currents by learning about the most important theories, researchers and case studies. In the modules STS2 (“Philosophy of Science and Technology”) and STS3 (“History of Science and Technology”), they learn about the philosophical foundations and historical developments of science and technology (development).

In the second semester, both M.A. programs are devoted to an in-depth examination of core STS topics. Students can select three core topics in accordance with their interests, e.g. biomedicine or industries and innovation. Furthermore, they attend STEM courses and analyze the respective disciplinary knowledge cultures (RESET students also focus on issues of responsibility in the respective discipline). Furthermore, STS M.A. students deepen their knowledge in social science methods whereas RESET M.A. students acquire practical skills e.g. in moderation, intercultural communication or international project management.

In the third semester, STS M.A. students devote themselves to a selection of four advanced STS topics whereas RESET M.A. students apply their acquired knowledge in an internship and present and discuss their internship experiences and analyses in a self-organized mini symposium (the “Science School”). Furthermore, they acquire science communication skills in the “Master’s Blog” course. Both M.A. programs also include a “Practicing Research” module, in which students work on research questions or a full research project to help prepare them for their master’s thesis. The fourth semester is then dedicated to the master’s thesis.