Curriculum for the Master's programme in Techno-Anthropology, 2019, Copenhagen

1: Preface

Pursuant to consolidation Act 172 of February 27, 2018 on Universities (the University Act) with subsequent changes, the following curriculum is established. The programme also follows the Joint Programme Regulations and the Examination Policies and Procedures for The Faculty.

2: Basis in Ministerial orders

The Master’s programme is organised in accordance with the Ministry of Higher Education and Science’s Order no. 1328 of November 15, 2016 on Bachelor’s and Master’s Programmes at Universities (the Ministerial Order of the Study Programmes) with subsequent changes and Ministerial Order no. 1062 of June 30, 2016 on University Examinations (the Examination Order) with subsequent changes. Further reference is made to Ministerial Order no. 106 of February 12, 2018 (the Admission Order) and Ministerial Order no. 114 of February 3, 2015 (the Grading Scale Order).

3: Campus

The programme is offered in Copenhagen.

4: Faculty affiliation

The Master’s programme falls under The Technical Faculty of IT and Design, Aalborg University.

5: Study board affiliation

The Master’s programme falls under Study Board of Techno-Anthropology and Sustainable Design

6: Affiliation to corps of external examiners

The Master’s programme is associated with the external examiners corps on Nationwide engineering examiners/Mathematics, Physics and Social Studies (Basic Courses) and secondarily the Danish National Anthropological Examiner Corps.

7: Admission requirements

Applicants with a legal right of admission (retskrav)

• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Techno-Anthropology (CPH), Aalborg University

Applicants without legal right of admission

• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Teknoantropologi (AAL), AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Arkitektur og Design, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Art and Technology, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Bioteknologi, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in By-, Energi- og Miljøplanlægning, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Bygge- og Anlægskonstruktion, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Byggeri og Anlæg med specialisering i Bygge- og Anlægskonstruktion, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Byggeri og Anlæg med specialisering i Indeklima og Energi, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Byggeri og Anlæg med specialisering i Vand og Miljø, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Byggeri og Anlæg med specialisering i Veje og Trafik, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Bæredygtigt design, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Datalogi, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Elektronik og IT, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Energi, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in IT, Communication and New Media, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Internetteknologier og Computersystemer, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Kemiteknologi, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Kommunikation og Digitale Medier, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Maskin og Produktion, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Maskinkonstruktion, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Medialogy, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Miljøvidenskab, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Nanoteknologi, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Psykologi, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Robotics, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Sociologi, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Software, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Sundhedsteknologi, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Sustainable Biotechnology, AAU
• Bachelor of Engineering (B Eng) in Byggeri og Anlæg, AAU
• Bachelor of Engineering (B Eng) in Byggeri og Industri, AAU
• Bachelor of Engineering (B Eng) in Bæredygtig Energiteknik. AAU
• Bachelor of Engineering (B Eng) in Eksportteknologi, AAU
• Bachelor of Engineering (B Eng) in Kemi og Bioteknologi, AAU
• Bachelor of Engineering (B Eng) in Maskinteknik, AAU
• Bachelor of Engineering (B Eng) in Nanoteknologi, AAU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Antropologi, AU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Antropologi, KU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Market and Management Anthropology, SDU
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Humanistisk Teknologi, RUC
• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Naturvidenskab, RUC
• Bachelor in Bioanalytisk diagnostik, Metropolitan UC
• Bachelor in Bioanalytisk diagnostik, Absalon
• Bachelor in Bioanalytisk diagnostik, VIA UC
• Bachelor in Bioanalytisk diagnostik, UC Syddanmark
• Bachelor in Bioanalytisk diagnostik, Lillebælt UC
• Bachelor in Radiografi, Metropolitan UC
• Bachelor in Radiografi, UCN
• Bachelor in Radiografi, Lillebælt UC
• Bachelor in Sygepleje, Metropolitan UC
• Bachelor in Sygepleje, Metropolitan UCC
• Bachelor in Sygepleje, Absalon
• Bachelor in Sygepleje, Lillebælt UC
• Bachelor in Sygepleje, UC Syddanmark
• Bachelor in Sygepleje, VIA UC
• Bachelor in Sygepleje, UCN
• Bachelor in Ergoterapi, Metropolitan UC
• Bachelor in Ergoterapi, Absalon
• Bachelor in Ergoterapi, Lillebælt UC
• Bachelor in Ergoterapi, UC Syddanmark
• Bachelor in Ergoterapi, VIA UC
• Bachelor in Ergoterapi, UCN
• Bachelor in Fysioterapi, Metropolitan UC
• Bachelor in Fysioterapi, UCC
• Bachelor in Fysioterapi, Absalon
• Bachelor in Fysioterapi, Lillebælt UC
• Bachelor in Fysioterapi, UC Syddanmark
• Bachelor in Fysioterapi, VIA UC
• Bachelor in Fysioterapi, UCN
• Bachelor in Jordemoderkundskab, Metropolitan UC
• Bachelor in Jordemoderkundskab, UC Syddanmark
• Bachelor in Jordemoderkundskab, UCN

8: The programme title in Danish and English

The Master’s programme entitles the graduate to the Danish designation Cand.scient. i teknoantropologi. The English designation is: Master of Science (MSc) in Techno-Anthropology.

9: Programme specifications in ECTS credits

The Master’s programme is a 2-year, research-based, full-time study programme. The programme is set to 120 ECTS credits.

10: Rules concerning credit transfer (merit), including the possibility for choice of modules that are part of another programme at a university in Denmark or abroad

The Study Board can approve successfully completed (passed) programme elements from other Master’s programmes in lieu of programme elements in this programme (credit transfer). The Study Board can also approve successfully completed (passed) programme elements from another Danish programme or a programme outside of Denmark at the same level in lieu of programme elements within this curriculum. Decisions on credit transfer are made by the Study Board based on an academic assessment. See the Joint Programme Regulations for the rules on credit transfer.

11: Exemptions

In exceptional circumstances, the Study Board study can grant exemption from those parts of the curriculum that are not stipulated by law or ministerial order.  Exemption regarding an examination applies to the immediate examination.

12: Rules for examinations

The rules for examinations are stated in the Examination Policies and Procedures - published at this website: https://www.studieservice.aau.dk/Studielegalitet/

13: Rules concerning written work, including the Master’s Thesis

In the assessment of all written work, regardless of the language it is written in, weight is also given to the student's formulation and spelling ability, in addition to the academic content. Orthographic and grammatical correctness as well as stylistic proficiency are taken as a basis for the evaluation of language performance. Language performance must always be included as an independent dimension of the total evaluation. However, no examination can be assessed as ‘Pass’ on the basis of good language performance alone; similarly, an examination normally cannot be assessed as ‘Fail’ on the basis of poor language performance alone.

The Study Board can grant exemption from this in special cases (e.g., dyslexia or a native language other than Danish).

The Master’s Thesis must include an English summary (or another foreign language: French, Spanish or German upon approval by the Study Board). If the project is written in English, the summary must be in Danish (The Study Board can grant exemption from this). The summary must be at least 1 page and not more than 2 pages (this is not included in any fixed minimum and maximum number of pages per student). The summary is included in the evaluation of the project as a whole.

14: Requirements regarding the reading of texts in a foreign language

It is assumed that the student can read academic texts in his or her native language as well as in English and use reference works etc. in other European languages.

15: Competence profile on the diploma

The following competence profile will appear on the diploma:

A Candidatus graduate has the following competency profile:

A Candidatus graduate has competencies that have been acquired via a course of study that has taken place in a research environment.

A Candidatus graduate is qualified for employment on the labour market based on his or her academic discipline as well as for further research (PhD programmes). A Candidatus graduate has, compared to a Bachelor, developed his or her academic knowledge and independence so as to be able to apply scientific theory and method on an independent basis within both an academic and a professional context.

16: Competence profile of the programme

The graduate of the Master’s programme can:

Knowledge

• Explain and compare a broad selection of socio-technical theories, that, in selected areas, is based on the highest international research
• Explain and critically reflect on a broad selection of qualitative, interactional, interventional and ethnographic methods of relevance to science, technology and innovation that in selected areas is based on the highest international qualitative research
• Identify and critically evaluate key processes of scientific and technological development, including research strategies, development principles, institutional conditions, industrial dynamics, political regulation and knowledge controversies.
• Identify, explain and compare different perspectives on exemplary technology cases from different technological domains.
• Paraphrase and critically evaluate professional literature used in different technological domains.

Skills

• Develop new analyses and assessments of social, societal and ethical conditions, challenges and implications of complex technologies.
• Contribute through research-based advice on the management of social, societal and ethical conditions, challenges and implications of complex technologies.
• Engage in dialogue on professional, disciplinary and interdisciplinary topics with stakeholders, and representatives of different professions and disciplines within selected technological domains.
• Apply a broad selection of interactive, interventional, experimental and ethnographic methods

Competencies

• Participate in initiation, mediation and facilitation of interdisciplinary team-based innovational processes.
• Participate in the management of complex work and processes related to the development of robust technological solutions that are professional and socially responsible
• Support the transformation of technological opportunities into socially responsible products and systems that require new solutions
• Take responsibility for own professional development and specialization.

17: Structure and Contents of the programme

The programme is structured in modules and organised as a problem-based study. A module is a programme element or a group of programme elements, which aims to give students a set of professional skills within a fixed time frame specified in ECTS credits, and concluding with one or more examinations within specific exam periods. Examinations are defined in the curriculum.

The programme is based on a combination of academic, problem-oriented and interdisciplinary approaches and organized based on the following work and evaluation methods that combine skills and reflection:

• lectures
• classroom instruction
• exercises (individually and in groups)
• case analysis
• project work
• teacher and supervisor feedback
• seminars and workshops
• reflection

The Study Board reserves the right only to offer the elective course Ecological Economy, if 20 students enrol in the elective course.

18: Overview of the programme

All modules are assessed through individual grading according to the 7-point scale or Pass/Fail. All modules are assessed by external examination (external grading) or internal examination (internal grading or by assessment by the supervisor only).

On the 1^st semester students who have used ethnographic methods in at least two semesters on their Bachelor’s degree are required to follow and pass Ecological Economics or Emerging and Cutting Edge Science and Technology*. All other students must enroll and pass Ethnographic Methods.

*Emerging and Cutting Edge Science and Technology is possibly offered as a module that links students and lecturers from the Copenhagen and Aalborg campuses via video-conference

If the student wishes to study a semester abroad the Study Board recommends this to take place on the 3^rd semester. In that case the student must apply the Study Board of Techno-Anthropology and Sustainable Design for a preapproval of credit transfer.

19: Additional information

PBL introductory course

All students who have not participated in Aalborg University’s PBL introductory course during their Bachelor’s degree must attend the introductory course “Problem-based Learning and Project Management”. The introductory course must be approved before the student can participate in the project exam. For further information, please see the Department of Planning’s website. 

20: Commencement and transitional rules

The curriculum is approved by the Dean and enters into force as of September 1, 2019.

The Study Board does not offer teaching after the previous curriculum from 2018 after the summer examination period 2020.

21: Amendments to the curriculum and regulations