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The University of Edinburgh: Science and Technology in Society
| Institution | The University of Edinburgh View institution profile |
|---|---|
| Department | School of Social and Political Science |
| Web | https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying |
| Study type | Taught |
Summary
Science and technology have built the modern world, shaping how we live, work, and govern. Engaging with today’s complex issues – from novel therapeutics and artificial intelligence to energy transitions and environmental protection – requires close attention to how science and technology shape, and are shaped by, the societies in which they operate.
The MSc Science and Technology in Society will equip you with the critical tools and perspectives needed to explore these relationships. You’ll examine how scientific knowledge and technologies emerge and develop, how they interact with social, political, and economic contexts, and why understanding these dynamics is essential for navigating many of our most pressing challenges.
Drawing on ideas and methods from science, technology, and innovation studies (STIS), social science, and history, you’ll analyse real-world case studies of how scientific knowledge and technologies are produced, used, governed, commercialised, and contested.
You’ll ask the difficult and important questions: - How does scientific evidence come to be accepted as authoritative?
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Why do some ideas and technologies spread widely, while others are fiercely contested or ignored?
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Who benefits from innovation, and who bears the risks?
Our aim is to develop your capacity to engage carefully and critically with technical developments and their societal implications. These are skills increasingly important for careers in science and technology policy, innovation strategy, science communication, public engagement, and analyst roles across the public, private, and third sectors – as well as for those pursuing academic research.
MSc
| Level | SCQF Level 11 |
|---|---|
| Entry requirements | Entry requirements for individual programmes vary, so please check the details for the specific programme you wish to apply for on our website. You will also need to meet the University’s language requirements. |
| Location | Central area campus George Square Edinburgh EH8 9JZ |
Edinburgh. Extraordinary futures await.
The University of Edinburgh is one of the world's top universities, consistently ranked in the world top 50, and placed 34th in the QS World University Rankings 2026.
Our position as one of Britain’s leading research universities was reaffirmed by the results of the 2021 Research Excellence Framework (REF). The University of Edinburgh is one of the world’s top research-intensive universities, ranked 4th in the UK for research power (Times Higher Education, Overall Ranking of Institutions), with 90% of our research activity classified as world leading or internationally excellent in the 2021 Research …
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