Stevens Institute of Technology - Program in Technology, Policy, and Ethics - Overview
Graduate Studies in Technology Policy and Ethics at Stevens Institute
Stevens Institute of Technology, located in Hoboken, NJ across the Hudson River from midtown Manhattan, is a premier private coeducational institution focused on research and entrepreneurship of engineering, science, and management.
Founded in 1870, Stevens Institute of Technology is committed to exploring the frontiers of engineering, science, and management -- emphasizing the ways in which the history and development of science, engineering, and technology converge to influence and inform the world.
This highly regarded approach, expressed through the concept and practice of "technogenesis," allows students, faculty members, and colleagues in industry to successfully combine their expertise to develop, design, and market new technologies.
"Forbes" magazine has ranked Stevens Institute of Technology 3rd among the nation's top patent-generating universities. The 2012 edition of "US News and World Report Best Colleges" ranks Stevens Institute of Technology among the top 100 national universities.
Overview -- Graduate Program in Technology Policy and Ethics
The graduate program in Technology Policy and Ethics was developed for individuals seeking careers as corporate social responsibility officers, project leaders in technological organizations, policymakers in public sector organizations, and managers of non-profit entities.
Master of Arts and Certificate Tracks With Flexible Study Options
Stevens Institute of Technology awards the Master of Arts (MA) degree in Technology Policy and Ethics, which consists of 10 courses, or 8 courses and a thesis. After taking 4 core courses, students may tailor their remaining credits to suit their interests and goals. A graduate certificate in Technology Policy and Ethics comprising 4 courses is also offered.
Students may enroll full- or part-time to earn either master's degrees or graduate certificates. Courses are offered on campus and online through the school's WebCampus. Students studying through WebCampus benefit from the same faculty members, course design, and requirements as those studying on campus, but can pursue their coursework at a flexible pace.
MA in Technology Policy and Ethics
The MA in Technology Policy and Ethics degree program is an interdisciplinary track that draws on the humanities, social sciences, and management. The curriculum prepares graduates with the knowledge, insight, and ethical leadership skills needed to address some of the world's most complex technological issues.
Through coursework and research, students analyze the ethical and policy challenges that arise from new and emerging technologies, and evaluate the broader impact from a variety of viewpoints and perspectives. For example, by analyzing the combined impact of the BP oil spill, the current economic crisis, and the events at Fukishima, students can cultivate the intellectual tools necessary to make ethically informed decisions that can help prevent future disasters. Or, they may dissect the implications of social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to determine the ethical, political, economic, and social impact on global and local cultures.
The 4 core courses required for the master's degree are: "Foundations of Ethics"; "Foundations of Technology and Policy"; "History of Modern Science and Technology"; and "Ethics of Business and Technology". Following completion of these, they may tailor their remaining credits to suit their interests and goals.
Graduate Certificate in Technology Policy and Ethics
The graduate certificate consists of the 4 core courses (3 core and 1 elective in Applied Ethics) and is designed to supplement students' current course of study. Students may choose 1 from the following electives: "Environmental Ethics", "Engineering and Computer Ethics", and "Ethics of Business and Technology". Graduate certificate credits earned may be applied to the full master's program.
Diverse Faculty of Research Experts
Stevens Institute of Technology employs about 440 full- and part-time faculty members. Graduate student population is about 3,700, with a student-to-faculty member ratio of 12:1.
Faculty members in the College of Arts and Letters are experts in their fields of research and in their associated industries. To give some examples, Prof Jonathan Wharton examines policy issues of contemporary urban planning, Prof Ali Mostashari researches socio-technical systems such as Facebook and Prof Morgan examines issues at the boundary between philosophy of biology and environmental policy. Prof Dawn Digrius has an active research group on water conservation policy in South America and Prof Michael Steinmann analyses the ethical dilemmas in modern biomedicine. Prof Peter Dominick explores how to navigate policy and ethics in business management and Prof Yu Tao has worked on the role of gender and race in engineering and society. Prof Andrew Russell researches the development of policy standards in the telecommunications industry.
Core faculty members in the Technology Policy and Ethics graduate program are actively engaged in research in fields as diverse as biodiversity; philosophy of quantum theory; Judaism and ethics of care; hermeneutics; and gender and race in science and engineering.
Scholarships and Graduate Assistantships Offered
Stevens offers a wide range of convenient financing options from a variety of sources to assist graduate students. Many Stevens graduate students are sponsored by their employers. Full-time graduate students may also qualify for scholarships and graduate assistantships. Assistantships provide students opportunities to teach or conduct research with Stevens' faculty members while offering tuition support and living expense stipends. Funding for many assistantships is made available by research grants secured by Stevens' faculty members.
Campus and Surroundings
Stevens Institute of Technology is situated on 55 urban acres on the banks of the Hudson River, just 15 minutes by car from midtown Manhattan. An additional campus in Washington, DC, offers research and academic programs to independent and corporate-sponsored students, enabling them to participate in short-duration classroom intensives coupled with the school's online WebCampus learning environment.