M.S. in History and Sociology of Technology and Science

For years, Georgia Tech has offered strong undergraduate teaching in history and sociology, concentrated mostly in the history and sociology of technology and science, contemporary social analysis, and industrialization and modern history. Our graduate programs spring from the formation of the School of History, Technology, and Society in 1990, at which time we formally established an undergraduate degree. Two years later, we created M.S. and Ph.D. programs and enrolled our first students. From the beginning, we conceived our programs as offering a genuinely integrative education that would meld specialized study of technology and science with more general inquiry into history and sociology.

At Georgia Tech, "Schools" perform the functions that departments do in other universities. Our School of History, Technology, and Society is actually a multi-disciplinary unit made up of historians and sociologists whose work has a highly interrelated character. Our paired programs of advanced graduate study -- Sociology of Science and Technology and Technology, Science, and Modern History -- share a basic core curriculum and emphasize a common set of themes in science and technology studies:

Our students develop competence in the traditional disciplines of history and sociology while gaining distinctive cross-disciplinary perspectives on issues of major importance to those seeking to comprehend the place of science and technology in modern human affairs.

The M.S. and Ph.D. programs are closely integrated, and both emphasize scholarship and research in the History and Sociology of Technology and Science. Students without undergraduate or graduate training in these areas will normally apply for entrance into the Master's program. This typically involves a three-semester course of studies, though highly motivated students or those with advanced standing may complete the degree in a calendar year. Students pursuing the doctorate go on to complete a set of comprehensive exams in three fields and write a dissertation based on original scholarship. They must also demonstrate reading competence in a foreign language.

The M.S. program is suitable for a broad range of people. For those with technical backgrounds, it provides a means to broaden their perspectives on science and technology and acquire skills in social analysis and oral and written communication. Many participants have found the program a useful jumping off point for professional training in law, business, or public policy. Those with backgrounds in the social sciences and the humanities develop comfort and felicity in dealing with scientific and technical matters, enhancing their opportunities for employment in a wide variety of occupations. The Master's program is highly suitable for persons interested in high school or community college teaching, or for those currently teaching who seek to upgrade their training and incorporate new material into their classrooms. It is also a useful program for persons seeking a career in museums, historical agencies, or in other forms of public history and public service. And for those planning to extend their studies to the Ph.D. degree, the M.S. is the appropriate foundation.