University Master's Degree in History of Science: Science, History and Society

An invitation to explore the social and historical dimensions of science, technology and medicine and prepare yourself for historical research and scientific communication

General information

  • Inter-University
  • Credits: 60 ECTS
  • Beginning of the pre-enrolment period 12/01/2024
    See the calendar
  • Pre-registration period: Open
  • Places: 25 places
  • Price: €27.67 per credit (EU citizens and non-EU holding an EU residence permit). 2023/24 Academic year.
    €66 per credit (non-EU citizens who do not hold an EU residence permit). 2023/24 Academic year.

  • Language: Teaching may be in Catalan, Spanish or English.
  • Mode: Classroom-based
  • Teaching centre: Faculty of Science

The master's degree in History of Science: Science, History and Society (UAB, UB and UPC) is a pioneering programme in the history of science, with over a decade of solid experience. The master's degree explores the social and historical dimension of science, technology and medicine. You will have the opportunity to analyse examples from a variety of disciplines and periods, which will allow to discover important questions about the evolution of science. How is scientific knowledge produced and managedWhat is the relationship between science and other social, political, economic and cultural issues? How is scientific and technological heritage defined and managed? How is it communicated

The master's degree offers two specialisations: research-oriented, which emphasises those competences needed for an academic career, and professionally oriented, which prepares students for working in areas such as science communication and popularisation, museology, and management of scientific heritage. With lecturers specialising in both history of science, medicine and technology, and in heritage management and scientific communication, this master's degree prepares you for a professional career in historical research and scientific communication.

Career options

The master's degree offers a singular perspective on science in society and promotes effective dialogue between the cultures of science and the humanities. This knowledge could be usefully applied in the following fields, among others.

  • Teaching History of Science; 
  • Research into History of Science; 
  • Teaching Science, at different stages of education; 
  • Teaching History, Philosophy and the Humanities, at stages of education; 
  • Museology and management of the scientific heritage; 
  • Archiving and librarianship in scientific contexts; 
  • Cultural management and the cultural industry; 
  • Science journalism and communication; 
  • Publishing and management of policies on science.

These professional prospects are testified to by the experiences of students of the Doctorate and the Master's Degree in History of Science with the following employers: museums like Cosmocaixa, the National Science and Technology Museum and the Museum of the History of Medicine of Catalonia; publishers like Prensa Científica or Obrador Edèndum; the Media, such as Catalunya Radio and TV3; the Area of Communication and Promotion of the UAB; and production companies like Smart Planet, among others.

Work placements

Specific grants for this master's degree

Catalan Society of History of Science and Technology (SCHCT) Prize for professionally-oriented dissertations in the master's degree in History of Science

Objectives:

  1. The SCHCT wishes to lend its support to graduate students of history of science, technology and medicine: those who will go on, as professionals, to shape the future of this discipline.
  2. The SCHCT wishes to promote learning of history of science through the two master's degrees currently being taught in the Catalan-speaking territories: “Science, History, Society” and “History of Science and Scientific Communication”.
  3. The SCHCT is interested in encouraging students to combine high-quality historical research with scientific communication projects in the fields of journalism, communication, museology or tourism.
  4. The SCHCT determines that the amount of €3,200 shall be set aside annually, from which four prizes of €800 shall be shared by a maximum of four students of the master's degrees in Barcelona and Valencia-Alicante.
  5. The SCHCT will make the corresponding call for entries on its website, social networks and the online mailing lists used in its professional and geographic area.
Rules
  1. The SCHCT awards the Catalan Society of History of Science and Technology (SCHCT) Prizes for final dissertations in the master's degree in History of Science dealing with history of science, medicine and technology and closely related to science journalism, museums, scientific heritage and other forms of communication.
  2. The SCHCT board of directors will appoint the jury for these prizes and announce this on its website. The SCHCT, where necessary throughout the award process, will procure maximum collaboration and participation on the part of the master's degree coordinators.
  3. 4 prizes of €800 will be awarded. The jury may declare the prizes void. The prizes may be subject to income tax deductions.
  4. Candidates for the prizes must have successfully completed one of the following master's degrees in the last three years: “Science, History, Society” and “History of Science and Scientific Communication”.
  5. Candidates must submit the following documents: personal academic certificate, brief academic CV, master's dissertation, and a short text explaining the reasons for choosing the topic of the dissertation. These should be sent by email to: schct@iec.cat with the header: “PremiSCHCT2015_participantname”. The deadline for submitting the documents is 8 p.m. on Friday 30 October, 2016.
  6. The SCHCT will determine the calendar for choosing the winners and awarding the prizes, and will announce these on its website. Payment of the prize lapses on 19 July 2017.
  7. The submission of entries under this call signifies the acceptance of these rules.

Coordinator university:

UAB

Participating universities

University of Barcelona

Additional information

https://www.uab.cat/web/studies/master-s-degree-1345831798492.html

Quality

AQU Catalunya quality seal of the Official Master's Degree in History of Science: Science, History and Society Go to the Master in figures

More information