Techno-Anthropology is a two-year Master’s programme of 120 ECTS (1 ECTS equals 27.5 hours of work) that focuses on educating students at intervening on the relationship between digital transformations and society. During the first year, each semester consists of both courses and project work and you will follow courses approximately half of the time; in the remaining time, you will work on your group semester project.  

The techno-anthropological approach is based on the Aalborg Model of Problem-Based Learning; a method where specific problems are analysed within a specific context, and potential solutions are proposed, discussed and often implemented. 

During the first two semesters, you get an overview of different theoretical, methodological, and computational approaches to the techno-anthropological understanding of the relationship between digital transformations and society. 

On the second year of the programme, you will conduct a major study in an external setting, e.g. in a company, a political or civic organisation, a consultancy firm, a governmental office, or a university abroad that works within your area of expertise. In particular, during your third semester, you are expected to choose your more specific domain of expertise. We will specialise in a professional environment, where our individual interests, competences and skills meet emerging digital technologies in fields such as health, welfare,  energy, and the environment. 

The last semester is devoted to the Master’s thesis. During this semester, we can continue analysing the empirical material gathered during our third semester project, or create new project. You work in groups of up to 3 people. 

Technological transformations in private, public  and community organisations

TAN7 semester takes as an outset that we are living in an age of the Techno-Anthropocene where we shape technology as technology shape us, and together we shape the world. One of the main drivers in this constant process of transformation are digital technologies, which are often hidden in black-boxes or invisible and intangible to the human eye and perception. Project-work and courses in this semester will focus on how to make these processes of transformation visible and tangible, hence opening black-boxes to make embodiment possible.

A key academic focus on this master is the sociotechnical interplay between technologies, people, and organizations. In the master’s programme, major emphasis is put on understanding this interplay specifically in relation to digital transformations. The first semester (TAN7) provides insight into the understanding of the complex technological transformations of digitalization processes.  

PROJECT

Technological Transformations in Private, Public and Community Organizations

COURSES 

Framing Techno-Anthropological Transformation

Digital Anthropology

Introduction to Scripting, Data Mining, and Machine Learning

Facilitating technological transformations in private, public and community organisations

TAN8 semester focuses on “Facilitating Technological Transformations” with a particular attention to controversial technological developments and emerging technological products and practices. The semester provides concepts and methods of understanding technological controversies, practice-based descriptions of technical aspects, and methodological approaches to facilitate techno-anthropological transformations.

PROJECT

Facilitating Technological Transformations in Private, Public and Community Organizations

COURSES 

Facilitating Techno-Anthropological Transformations

Digital Controversy Mapping

Emerging Science and Technology

TAN9 semester provides the possibility for students to spend time collaborating directly with an external organization, perform action research or delve into digital anthropological analysis. Since a key focus on this semester is to strengthen the students’ employability, it is highly recommended to cooperate with companies or institutions in all three types of projects. In all three cases, the goal is that the student gains experience from a company or institution – and that the student can communicate the result of their analysis to the company or institution in a useful way. This will allow the students to try out and reflect about how competences from the courses and projects can be used in a future job. 

During the third semester, 25 ECTS is devoted to major project work. 

I have three different options: 

• a project while you are physically based in an external organisation/company.

• an action research project.

• a digital ethnographic fieldwork-based project. 

The project work and its fieldwork will give you the chance to go in depth researching a techno-anthropological problem and provide you with practical experience in solving complex techno-anthropological challenges. 

I will have to document the work in a project report, which will be the foundation for the oral examination. 

Besides this major project, you will attend a course in Reflexive Project Design and Competence Development (5 ECTS), where we are taught different methods and theories related to project work, and learn how to critically reflect upon our own role as a practicing Techno-Anthropologist working in professional settings. 

Moreover, you learn to formulate your techno-anthropological competences. 

Traineeship - Study abroad

The entire programme is organised in close collaboration with external public, and private, and community organisations, in the form of project work, cases, fieldwork, guest lecturers from abroad, and visits at and from companies and institutions. 

During your 3rd semester, you can choose between:  

• An internship in a company in Denmark or abroad

• A semester abroad with one of our partner universities

• Internship / Project oriented study in an external organisation

Choosing an internship will allow for testing of competences in practice. Gaining hands-on experience during the studies, and getting a head start of building a resume. 

AAU recommends a 30 hour work week in the internship company allowing you time to write your semester report as well. 

Semester abroad

During the 3rd semester of the programme, you can enroll in complementary courses with our partner universities abroad. 

These partnerships are created with a focus on professional development and are meant to enrich your academic and professional knowledge, skills and competences. 

For your semester project, you will be able for instance, to travel abroad and join a transdisciplinary team focused on a topic of your interest. 

Ones contribution will be mainly in applying your knowledge acquired in the first year. 

The Master's programme is finished with the completion of the Master's thesis (30 ECTS). You can choose to analyse the empirical data you have collected from the field work you did on the 3rd semester, but you can also choose to work in another research area.

TAN10 semester is dedicated for writing the Master's Thesis, where the entire curriculum of the master’s programme is consolidated into a self-dependent problem-oriented project work.

Preparatory e-course

Prior to study start students are advertised to follow and complete the digital course on Techno-Anthropology. Especially students that do not have a bachelor in Techno-Anthropology are encouraged to update their knowledge about Problem-Based Learning, STS and anthropology, since this knowledge is advised in order to be able to follow the courses and projects at the Master's programme of Techno-Anthropology. TAN bachelors can also benefit from a refreshment of these insights and theories.

PBL introductory course at 1st semester

All students who have not participated in Aalborg University’s PBL introductory course during a Bachelor’s degree at Aalborg University must attend the introductory course “Problem-based Learning and Project Management” at 1st semester. 

The student must pass the introductory course in order to participate in the 1st semester project examination. 

Competence profile workshop at 2nd semester

All students must participate in the competence profile workshop at 2nd semester and pass the assignment in order to participate in the 2nd semester project examination. For further information, please see the Department of Planning’s website.