Science and Technology in Society MSc

Level: Postgraduate taught

Subject: Science, Technology and Innovation

Year of entry: 2026

Study options

Mode of study

On campus

Full-time
  • MSc | 1 year | Start date: September 2026

Key facts

School

School of Social and Political Science

College

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Study location

Central Area

Accreditation

Not available

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About the degree programme

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?
  • Why do some ideas and technologies spread widely, while others are fiercely contested or ignored?
  • 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.

Find out more about STIS at the School of Social and Political Science

Who this programme is for

We welcome students from all disciplinary backgrounds. While many of our students have graduated with degrees in the social sciences or humanities, we greatly value the diverse perspectives offered by students from the natural sciences, engineering, and other professional fields. For them, exploring the social, economic, political, and cultural dimensions provides a new way of understanding their own fields, leading them into a broader range of career choices. 

This MSc will teach you the fundamentals of scholarship in this interdisciplinary field. 

You will develop skills in how to systematically find and evaluate information, critical analysis, authoritative presentation, and clear and concise communication, as well as the opportunity to strength your qualitative, quantitative, or computational research skills. 

You will engage critically with complex texts on a weekly basis, contribute thoughtfully to seminar discussions, and produce written work that demonstrates analytical depth, clarity, and critical reflection.

Programme benefits

  • Our Science, Technology and Innovation Studies (STIS) department hosts one of the leading international centres of interdisciplinary research and teaching in science, technology and innovation studies.
  • Our department traces its origins to the University of Edinburgh’s Science Studies Unit, founded in the 1960s as one of the world’s first centres dedicated to studying the social dimensions of science and technology.
  • You will join an international cohort of students from diverse disciplinary backgrounds.
  • You’ll learn from internationally recognised academic staff whose expertise spans the sociology and history of science and technology, as well as the politics, economics, and management of innovation.

Tuition fees

Tuition fees by award and duration

Tuition fees for full-time and part-time options are listed for one academic year.

Full-time

Graduate discount

If you are a University of Edinburgh graduate, you will be eligible for a 10% discount on your tuition fees for this programme. You may also be eligible if you were a visiting undergraduate student.

Find out how to receive your graduate discount

Deposit

You do not have to pay a deposit to secure your place on this programme.

Costs

Accommodation and living costs

You need to cover your accommodation and living costs for the duration of your programme.

We estimate that you might spend £1,167 to £2,330 per month if you are a single student.

Living costs include:

  • food
  • utility bills
  • travel, clothes, books and stationery
  • recreational costs (for example, TV subscriptions and social events)

Living costs

Accommodation costs depend on where you live while studying and the type of accommodation you choose.

University postgraduate accommodation options and costs

Funding opportunities

Funding for postgraduate study is different to undergraduate study, and many students need to combine funding sources to pay for their studies.

Most students use a combination of the following funding to pay their tuition fees and living costs:

  • borrowing money
    • taking out a loan
    • family support
  • personal savings
  • income from work
  • employer sponsorship
  • scholarships

Explore sources of funding for postgraduate study

Search for other funding opportunities

You can find scholarships, bursaries and other funding you might be eligible for on our Scholarships and Student Funding site.

Postgraduate funding opportunities

These entry requirements are for the 2026-27 academic year and requirements for future academic years may differ. Entry requirements for the 2027-28 academic year will be published on 1 Oct 2026.

Qualifications

A UK 2:1 honours degree or its international equivalent.

International qualifications

To find international equivalent qualifications, select where you studied from the country or region list.

English language requirements

You must prove that your English language abilities are at a high enough level to study this degree programme.

This is the case for all applicants, including UK nationals.

You can meet our English language requirements with one of the following:

  • an English language test
  • a degree that was taught and assessed in English
  • certain professional qualifications

English language tests we accept

We accept any of the following English language tests, at the specified grade or higher:

  • IELTS Academic: total 7.0 with at least 6.0 in each component We do not accept IELTS One Skill Retake to meet our English language requirements.
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition): total 100 with at least 20 in each component We do not accept TOEFL MyBest Score to meet our English language requirements.
  • C1 Advanced (CAE) / C2 Proficiency (CPE): total 185 with at least 169 in each component.
  • Trinity ISE: ISE III with passes in all four components.
  • Oxford ELLT: total 8 with at least 6 in each component.
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced: total 155 with at least 135 in each component.
How old your English language tests can be
Tests no more than two years old

The following English language tests must be no more than two years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality:

  • IELTS Academic
  • TOEFL-iBT (including Home Edition)
  • Trinity ISE
  • Oxford ELLT
  • Oxford Test of English Advanced
Tests no more than three and a half years old

All other English language tests must be no more than three and a half years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts, regardless of your nationality.   

Degrees taught and assessed in English

We accept an undergraduate or postgraduate degree that has been taught and assessed in English in a majority English-speaking country, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration.

UKVI list of majority English speaking countries

We also accept a degree that has been taught and assessed in English from a university on our list of approved universities in non-majority English-speaking countries (non-MESC).

Approved universities in non-MESC

How old your degree can be

If you are not a national of a majority English-speaking country, then your degree must be no more than five years old on the 1st of the month in which your programme starts.

This time limit does not apply to your degree if you are a national of a majority English-speaking country.

Find out more about our English language requirements

Find out about other English language qualifications we accept, including professional qualifications.

English language requirements

What you will study

Aims

The MSc in Science and Technology in Society offers a comprehensive introduction to the interdisciplinary field of science, technology, and innovation studies (STIS). 

You will develop a nuanced understanding of the complex interplay between science, technology, and society, alongside analytical tools to:

  • Trace the development of scientific knowledge and technologies in social and historical context.
  • Analyse how power, politics, and culture shape the production and use of knowledge and technology, including whose voices influence or are excluded from shaping futures.
  • Engage with contemporary global issues, from climate change and pandemics to genetic engineering and artificial intelligence, through the distinctive lens of science, technology, and innovation studies.
  • Interrogate the challenges confronting research today, from ideological attacks on higher education to the defunding of science, from the replication crisis to the promises and tensions of open science and responsible research and innovation. 

You will work with historical and contemporary case studies and draw from cutting-edge research, developing analytical skills to explore how knowledge and technologies are produced, used, and contested. 

You will gain experience in qualitative, quantitative, or computational methods and build core competencies in critical analysis, research design, and communication.

Structure

You will complete:

  • three compulsory courses in Semester 1 
  • three or four option courses in Semester 2 
  • an independently researched dissertation 

Topics

In Semester 1 of the programme, you will be introduced to key theories and contemporary academic debates in the field, including:

  • the sociology and social history of science and technology
  • innovation policy and management
  • the role of scientific expertise in policy making
  • science and technology for international development

In Semester 2, and during your dissertation research, you will be able to call on the expertise of our highly regarded academic staff. They will guide you in the application of your knowledge to address key societal issues and challenges. Depending on your interests, this work might relate to:

  • energy and environment
  • life sciences and bioeconomy
  • data and society

Dissertation

You will complete a 15,000-word dissertation. There are two possible pathways for this: a standard dissertation or a placement-based dissertation. Both offer the opportunity to pursue an independent research project, but with different formats and contexts.

Standard dissertation

The standard dissertation involves researching and writing an extended piece of original academic work on a topic of your choosing, developed in consultation with your supervisor. This pathway allows you to deepen your expertise in a specific area of interest while developing your investigative, critical, and analytical skills through sustained independent research.

Placement-based dissertation

The aim of the placement-based dissertation is to provide you with the opportunity to work on your dissertation within the context of a workplace of your choosing, subject to Programme Director and Placement Adviser approval.

The placements generally consist of eight weeks of research with a host organisation in the UK or overseas, from our network of contacts which includes:

  • NGOs
  • charities
  • social enterprises
  • think-tanks
  • government bodies

Placements can either be in person, hybrid or undertaken remotely. You are also able to source your own placements subject to university approval.

Please note that a placement-based dissertation is not guaranteed as part of this programme and are by competitive application.

Find out more about the placement-based dissertation option on our website:

Compulsory courses

Our programme is organised into 20-credit courses. You will take 60 credits of core courses, plus 60 credits of option courses. 

In Semester 1, you will take three foundational core courses. These offer a shared understanding of the theoretical foundations and empirical scope of the interdisciplinary field of science, technology, and innovation studies.

Science, Knowledge, and Expertise (20 credits)

This course explores how scientific knowledge and expertise are shaped by social, political, and historical contexts. It examines the relationships between scientists, policymakers, and the public, and investigates how scientific authority is built, challenged, and used in areas such as climate change, energy, and health.

Understanding Technology (20 credits)

Focusing on how technologies are designed, used, and governed, this course introduces key social science approaches to studying technology. It explores topics like the politics of design, user innovation, sociotechnical systems, and technology’s role in everyday life, with attention to inclusion, exclusion, and policy relevance.

Innovation Systems and Risk Management (20 credits)

This course introduces key approaches to studying innovation, including national, sectoral, and technological systems. It explores how innovation emerges through networks of firms, governments, and institutions, and how it creates new risks. You will examine how risks are framed, distributed, and managed through regulation, policy, and planning under conditions of uncertainty.

Option courses

In Semester 2, you will choose from a number of option courses that allow you to tailor your studies to suit your own aims and interests. 

Option courses will allow you to build an in-depth understanding of specific empirical areas and methodologies. These courses can be chosen from postgraduate offerings within the Science, Technology and Innovation Studies (STIS) subject group or more broadly from the School of Social and Political Sciences. 

Find courses for this programme

Find out what courses you can study on this programme and how each of them are taught and assessed.

The courses on offer may change from year to year, but the course information will give you an idea of what to expect on this programme.

Full-time

We link to the latest information available. This may be for a previous academic year and should be considered indicative.

Teaching and assessment

Teaching

Teaching takes place primarily through a combination of lectures and discussion-based seminar sessions.

This programme is delivered through:

  • lectures
  • seminars
  • group work
  • guided independent study

Assessment

You should be aware that this is a social science programme and that good writing skills displaying reflection, insight and analytical ability will be required. 

You will be asked to read a significant quantity of complex texts on a weekly basis in order to engage in class debates and coursework. You will also need to write lengthy essays and a dissertation.

Learning outcomes

On graduating from the programme, you will:

  • Possess a theoretical grounding in the interdisciplinary field of science, technology and innovation studies.
  • Display the ability to critically employ theories and concepts from science, technology and innovation studies for the analysis of a range of empirical examples.
  • Appreciate the methodological and epistemological underpinnings of a range of social science approaches for understanding science, technology and innovation.
  • Have a critical awareness of current issues in the area of science, technology and innovation studies along with an understanding of how this area intersects with other disciplinary domains.
  • Be able to communicate their acquired methodological and analytical insights to academic and non-academic audiences alike.
  • Be capable of translating academic findings from science, technology and innovation studies into practical suggestions for public and policy contexts.

Support for your studies

You will have access to a range of support services if you need them throughout your degree.

We will assign you to a student adviser, and this should be the first person to contact if you need help. They can guide you to other University service teams depending on what support you need.  

How we support you

Career opportunities

In a world where scientific and technological developments are transforming every sector, this programme prepares you to work at the nexus of science, technology, and society.

Our graduates pursue impactful roles across: 

  • academia
  • the private sector
  • government
  • NGOs

Your expertise will be particularly valued in research, analysis, policy, evaluation, and consultancy – areas that increasingly demand a sophisticated understanding of science, technology, and innovation in a social context. Prior STIS graduates have taken up a wide range of roles in these sectors, reflecting the breadth of opportunities available.

You will develop highly transferable research, project management, and communication skills, ensuring you remain adaptable and competitive in diverse professional environments. Our interdisciplinary training opens the door to a broad range of career options, preparing you to navigate and shape the evolving relationship between science, technology, and society.

Further study

After completing this programme, you may wish to consider applying for a PhD or other research programme.

Applying for research degrees

Moving on to a PhD (advice from the University's Careers Service)

Graduate profiles

The programme has helped me develop interdisciplinary perspectives on the work I do. I now work as an analyst for the Civil Service, where it is important to consider how data will be interpreted and used once it leaves my desk.

SaTiS has equipped me with the tools to contextualise the quantitative analysis I do in a policy landscape of competing frameworks and values. I thoroughly enjoyed the programme - due to the wide variety of courses to choose from, I was able to tailor it to my specific interests.

Val, UK Government Operations Research Analyst MSc Science and Technology in Society (SaTiS), graduated 2023

Careers Service

Our Careers Service can help you to fully develop your potential and achieve your future goals. 

The Careers Service supports you not only while you are studying at the University, but also for up to two years after you finish your studies. 

With the Careers Service, you can: 

  • access digital resources to help you understand your skills and strengths
  • try different types of experiences and reflect on how and what you develop
  • get help finding work, including part-time jobs, vacation work, internships and graduate jobs
  • attend careers events and practice interviews
  • get information and advice to help you make informed decisions 

Visit the Careers Service website 

How to apply

You apply online for this programme. After you read the application guidance, select your preferred programme, then choose 'Start your application' to begin.

If you are considering applying to more than one programme, you should be aware that we cannot consider more than 5 applications from the same applicant.

When to apply

Programme start date Application deadline
14 September 2026 29 June 2026

We encourage you to apply as soon as possible so that we have enough time to process your application. This is particularly important if you are also applying for funding or will require a visa. Applications may close earlier than published deadlines if there is exceptionally high demand.

For an application to be reviewed, it must be a complete application by the application deadline with all supporting documentation uploaded, including your transcripts.

If you already have evidence that you meet the English language entry requirements, such as via an approved English language test, please upload this evidence at the time of your application. If you have not already met your English language requirements, we will still review your application and issue a decision providing it is otherwise complete.

Application fee

There is no fee to apply to this programme.

What you need to apply

As part of your online application, you will need to provide: 

You will also need to submit some or all of the following supporting documents:

When you start your application, you will be able to see the full list of documents you need to provide.

References

You do not need to provide a reference when you submit your application for this programme.

There may be certain circumstances when a reference will be required, for example if we need to verify work experience. If that is the case, we will contact you after we have reviewed your application to request a reference.

Apply

Select the award, duration and delivery mode you want to study. Then select the start date you want to apply for.

After you apply

Once you have applied for this programme, you will be able to track the progress of your application and accept or decline any offers.

Checking the status of your application

We will notify you by email once we have made a decision. Due to the large number of applications we receive, it might take a while until you hear from us.

Receiving our decision

What to do if you receive an offer:

Accommodation

We guarantee an offer of University accommodation for all new, single postgraduate taught students from outside the UK and new, single postgraduate research (typically PhD) students who:

  • apply for accommodation by 31 July in the year when you start your programme
  • accept an unconditional firm offer to study at the University by 31 July
  • study at the University for the whole of the academic year starting in September

University accommodation website

Accommodation guarantee criteria

We also offer accommodation options for couples and families.

Accommodation for couples and families

If you prefer to live elsewhere, we can offer you advice on finding accommodation in Edinburgh.

Accommodation information from the Edinburgh University Students' Association Advice Place

Societies and clubs

Our societies and sports clubs will help you develop your interests, meet like-minded people, find a new hobby or simply socialise.

Societies

Sport Clubs

The city of Edinburgh

Scotland's inspiring capital will form the background to your studies — a city with an irresistible blend of history, natural beauty and modern city life. 

Find out more about living in Edinburgh

Health and wellbeing support

You will have access to free health and wellbeing services throughout your time at university if you need them.

The support services we offer include: 

  • a student counselling service
  • a health centre (doctor's surgery)
  • support if you're living in University accommodation
  • dedicated help and support if you have a disability or need adjustments

Health and wellbeing support services 

Disability and Learning Support

General enquiries

Postgraduate Admissions Team

Graduate School of Social & Political Science
Chrystal Macmillan Building
15A George Square
Central Campus
Edinburgh
EH8 9LD

futurestudents@ed.ac.uk
Phone:+44 (0)131 650 4086

Academic contact

Dr Rhodri Leng

Programme Director

  • School of Social and Political Science
  • College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
  • University of Edinburgh

Contact details

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