Curriculum

Our courses are designed to keep up with the changing world of technology, teaching, and content. They combine technical skills with an understanding of society, policy, and ethics, helping students manage the connections between technology and policy in different fields.

Flexible Options

The program champions hybrid synchronous learning, where a student chooses to participate in person or remote synchronously. Faculty and staff ensure cohesive, student-centered learning by leveraging the strengths of both in-person and remote components—all in real time and through use of education technologies and innovative engagement techniques.

Required Courses (6)

Technology in Context

This course examines the development and impact of technology within historical, social, and cultural contexts, drawing on theories from Science and Technology Studies (STS). Students will explore how technology shapes and is shaped by society through frameworks like Actor-Network Theory, Technological Determinism, and the Social Construction of Technology. Using case studies and critical analysis, the course explores the relationship between technology, politics, culture, power, and identity, while also considering the ethical, societal, and political implications of technological advances. By the end, students will gain a deeper understanding of how technologies evolve within broader socio-cultural forces.

Current Trends in Technology: Innovation Across Research and Industry

In this seminar-style graduate course, you'll dive into the latest technological innovations and their impact on research, industry, and policy. Weekly presentations by experts from academia, industry, and government will cover cutting-edge fields like AI, nanotechnology, cryptocurrency, educational technology, cybersecurity, quantum computing, and blockchain. You'll explore the challenges, opportunities, and societal implications of these technologies, while engaging in discussions on their intersection with policy, ethics, and regulation. By critically assessing emerging technologies, you'll develop a comprehensive understanding of how they are reshaping industries and influencing global public policy.

Technology, Psychology, and Education Across Cultures

This graduate-level course explores the relationship between technology, psychology, and education across different cultural contexts. Students will examine how technology influences learning, cognitive development, and educational systems, considering cultural values, practices, and societal structures. Topics include the impact of digital technologies on education, cultural variations in educational tools, and the psychological effects of technology-mediated learning. The course includes comparative studies from both Western and non-Western perspectives, highlighting how culture shapes the integration of technology in education. Through case studies and research discussions, students will learn how to use technology in culturally responsive ways to enhance education and psychological well-being.

Technology, Emotions, and Social Relationships

How is technology shaping our social and emotional lives? How do our emotions and social interactions shape technology? And can AI ever truly understand what we are feeling? These are some of the mysteries that we will seek to unravel in this interdisciplinary course. We will discuss foundational scientific theories and the latest empirical studies, combine lectures with small-group discussions, and experiment, write, collaborate, and imagine together.

Foundations of Technology Policy: Global Perspectives

You'll explore key concepts and challenges in global technology policy, focusing on how technology impacts societies, economies, and political systems worldwide. Students examine issues like data privacy, cybersecurity, AI ethics, digital sovereignty, and the digital divide, with attention to both developed and developing nations. The course also covers the roles of international organizations, governments, and multinational corporations in shaping tech policy. Through case studies and comparative analysis, you'll learn how different countries approach tech regulation and the barriers to equitable policy development. By the end, you'll be well-prepared to engage with the global challenges and opportunities posed by technological advancements.

Navigating AI and Data Governance: Tools and Techniques for Tech Policy Professionals

This practical course provides you with the tools and strategies to navigate the complexities of data governance. Through case studies, hands-on activities, and expert discussions, you'll explore key frameworks, ethical issues, and regulatory requirements in data management across industries. You'll learn best practices for ensuring data privacy, integrity, and compliance, as well as how to develop policies for responsible data use. By the end, graduates will be prepared to tackle data governance challenges and help create effective and fair tech policies.

Elective Courses (3 Required)

Adulthood and Aging

Taught from the life span perspective, this course assumes that development is not completed with adolescence but continues throughout all of life. We also believe that race, ethnicity, class and gender affect development. The topics covered will help you understand the major developmental issues of adulthood, from the present through middle and old age and to the end of life.

Child and Adolescent Development

This course will offer a critical perspective on child and adolescent development as it is shaped and experienced in various social contexts with special application to the world of the school. Psychological, interpersonal, social, cognitive, moral, and physical development will be studied within the contexts of family, peer group, and school. Theoretical perspectives will be explored in relation to empirical research, field studies, first person accounts, and imaginative works. Special emphasis will be given to the individual's subjective experience and to the remembered accounts of our own childhood and adolescence.

Culture and Development

This course explores how culture shapes human development, including behavior, thinking, and biology. You’ll learn about cultural similarities and differences, why they exist, and how they influence areas like emotions, family, and learning. Topics include self-identity, motivation, and cultural change, drawing on research from psychology, anthropology, and neuroscience.

Emotional Mysteries

Classrooms, work settings, and family relations are hotbeds of emotion. But what is an emotion? What happens in our bodies when an emotion is triggered? How can emotions help us live productive, healthy, and connected lives? And can we ever truly understand what somebody else is feeling? These are some of the mysteries that we will seek to unravel in this course. We will read literature from Darwin to the latest scientific studies, combine lectures and small-group discussions, conduct research experiments, and engage in peer review and online collaboration.

Policies in Practice

This elective focuses on how policies affect people’s daily lives. Students will study real-life examples and do hands-on research to see how policies work in practice and how they impact communities. The course helps students understand the human side of policy decisions, offering valuable skills for research careers.

Capstone Project (1 unit, 3 courses)

In this course students will explore a range of pressing tech policy domains and professional pathways with a focus on Artificial Intelligence systems. They will engage with approximately 3–4 guest speakers from industry, non-profit, government, and academia—selected for their subject matter expertise and their engagement with emerging technologies. Discussions will explore the nuances of technology ecosystems and the implications for society. Students will conduct exploratory conversations with stakeholder groups and submit a formal policy brief by the end of the quarter.

Technology, People, & Policy Capstone & Mentoring I (0 units)

This seminar marks the formal launch of the capstone experience for students in the Technology, People, and Policy (MTePP) program. The course will support students as they apply concepts from the program to real-world issues. Through structured exploration, expert guidance, and relationship-building with partners, students will move from topic exploration to project execution. In the Fall quarter, students will explore a range of pressing tech policy domains and professional pathways. They will engage with approximately 3–4 guest speakers from industry, non-profit, government, and academia—selected not only for their subject matter expertise but also for their potential to serve as placement partners. Discussions will explore the nuances of emerging technology ecosystems and the implications for society. Students will conduct exploratory conversations with potential host sites and submit a formal capstone proposal by the end of the quarter.

Technology, People, & Policy Capstone & Mentoring II (0 units)

In the Winter quarter, students will start working on their projects in close collaboration with their placement sites. The seminar will continue to meet weekly to provide structured guidance, peer consultation, and professional support. Students will again hear from 3–4 additional guest speakers who bring real-time insight into the evolving tech policy landscape and who may serve as valuable professional contacts. To support their development, students will maintain a Capstone Journal through both Fall and Winter quarters, in which they will document pre- and post-speaker reflections, field observations, and key project milestones.

Technology, People, & Policy Capstone & Mentoring III (1 unit)

The culminating course will support students as they apply concepts from the program to real-world issues. Through structured exploration, expert guidance, and relationship-building with partners, students will move from topic exploration to project execution. To support their development, students will maintain a Capstone Journal through both quarters, in which they will document pre- and post-speaker reflections, field observations, and key project milestones. The final capstone deliverable will be presented publicly during a symposium in Spring or early Summer.