TEKPOL: MSc Program

M.Sc. Program in Science and Technology Policy Studies

The first postgraduate program in Science and Technology Policy Studies was launched in the 1997-1998 academic year at the Middle East Technical University. The research center TEKPOL was established following the launch of this educational program.

The design of the program speaks to the need to understand the knowledge-based society so as to deal with "economic, social, cultural and philosophical challenges of today’s knowledge-based economy and society." In this regard, the program endeavors to equip students with the necessary know-how in economic and social policy-making as well as theoretical approaches so as to understand technological change. Given the complexity of policy issues, the program adopts a multi-disciplinary approach.

Students can enroll in the non-thesis or thesis M.Sc.program, and there is an option for non-thesis students to write a thesis depending on their success in the first-year coursework. The non-thesis program consists of 3 core courses and 7 elective courses. In total the students have to complete 10 courses and write a term project within two-year time period. Students who proceed to write a thesis have to complete 7 courses in total (3 core and 4 elective courses). The core courses are:

• History of Science and Technology
• Economics of Science, Technology and Innovation
• Knowledge, Science and Technology in the Information Age

For further information about the courses offered in the program, you can visit the program’s web-page of courses.

On the website, the educational objectives and outcomes are also outlined as follows:

Educational objectives

The graduates of Science and Technology Policy Studies Master’s Program; 

• Are preferred as potential Ph.D. students by reputable universities in Turkey and abroad.
• Can work as specialists in the technology and innovation policy units of related public and autonomous institutions.
• Can work as specialists in the technology strategy departments of private companies.
• Can give lectures on topics related to the economics of technology and science, technology and innovation policy.
• Can provide consultancy services in technology and innovation policy to public institutions and private companies.

Educational outcomes

Upon completion of the MSc program our students,

• will gain an interdisciplinary perspective to analyze the economic and social consequences of technological development.
• will gain the competence to develop harmonious strategies and policies to meet the social and economic transformations that technology has introduced.
• have knowledge of related conceptual, methodological and applied knowledge to design science, technology and innovation policies.
• are equipped with conceptual, methodological and applied knowledge to provide technology and innovation strategy to private companies. 

The list of completed M.Sc. theses in the program in between 1999 and 2015 is available here. This list includes different research topics, such innovation management in Turkish industry; the ways technological changes affect Turkish trade unions; technology foresight in different countries; interdisciplinary practices in Turkish universities; triple helix model; social-political discourse of the surveillance society; deregulation in telecommunications sectors of Mexico and Turkey; free and open source software in Turkey; expert discourse on Turkish climate policy; determinants of innovation behavior; the role of technology in daily life; controversial issues related to reproductive biotechnology; use of technology in Non-Profit Organizations; science diplomacy, and so on.