AK221X Degree Project in History of Technology, Second Cycle

A major part of all courses should be completed before the master thesis is started. Normally, a master thesis is done during the fall of the 5th year. In addition, basic knowledge in the history of technology, or general history, is required. Such knowledge may be acquired through the course AK1202 – History of Technology and Science 4K1401 – History of Technology – general survey, or by other means.

The major part of the course is an individual project, which leads to a written report, scientifically based, and which produces new knowledge in the history of technology. History of technology is a discipline, which connects scientific/technological knowledge with knowledge within the social sciences and the humanities. Within the history of technology, studies can focus, for instance, on technological change (the development of new technologies and innovation processes) and the underlying factors, and/or on the social, cultural and economic consequences of technological change.

A master thesis in the history of technology gives a historical perspective on today’s technologies. The aim is to learn how to produce a coherent analysis of a historical process based on research issues in the history of technology, where the interplay between society and technology, construed in its broadest sense, is the focus.