History of Science M.A.

The goal of this program is to convey the contents and methods of the History of Science on an advanced level. This is done in order to prepare the student for various occupations, but also for the possibility of further qualifications in research and academia. The master’s program is based on the specific profile of the Professorship in the History of Science at the University of Regensburg, but is also aligned with the international state of research. The interdisciplinary program is supposed to enable the student to historically analyze scientific knowledge, in the widest sense, as a social system and a cultural phenomenon. While keeping an eye on the current state of research, students will also learn to deal with the material and visual cultures of the sciences, and even learn to handle objects and instruments. The core subjects, specific to the program are organized according to the perspectives “concepts of nature and the ordering of knowledge” and “science and society”. These two areas are related to each other in a complementary way. One of the unique opportunities for students of the master’s program in Regensburg is an engagement with a student body that derives from both the humanities and the natural and exact sciences. Our students are thus introduced to the other academic cultures and backgrounds which furthers the deeply interdisciplinary aspect of this degree.

The study of the History of Science critically engages knowledge about science that is increasingly important in society and politics today. Therefore, historians of science would be qualified to work in the fields of scientific communication and public relations, in scientific administration or as scientific journalists for publishers, research libraries, scientific and business archives, or in science and technology museums. The master’s program especially prepares students for subsequent research activities, such as pursuing a doctorate.