Maastricht University, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences

MSc in Cultures of Arts, Science and Technology

Why this program?

Technology, science, and art are part of the pressing challenges of today’s societies – of how problems are defined and how solutions are brought about. Here, the arts, science, and technology mix and mingle in important ways. The arts provide scientists and technologists with metaphors to envision their work. The sciences are objects of cultural critique in the arts. The arts continuously incorporate new technologies. And all of them “imagine” our culture’s future.

That is why it is so important to study how the arts, science, and technology contribute to modern societies. This program has roots in the internationally known field of Science and Technology Studies (STS) and is at the same time uniquely embedded in empirical cultural research.

Perfect preparation for a research position

The Research Master in Cultures of Arts, Science, and Technology is an intense and highly reputed program. The program is designed to give you the best possible preparation for a professional research position. During your master’s, you will therefore not only study theories from history, sociology, philosophy, the arts, and the qualitative social sciences, but you will also follow a number of courses that specifically focus on research methods such as qualitative interviewing, conceptual analysis, archival research, ethnographic observations and rhetorical, narrative and discourse analysis. Most importantly, you will actually learn to work with these methods by writing review papers, research papers, and proposals. You will work closely with faculty research staff on their projects and gain a ‘behind-the-scenes’ look at how academic research is actually done.

What will you learn?

In this program, you will:

• Practice interdisciplinary research at the crossroads of science, technology, and the arts;
• Develop general research skills such as defining a research topic, writing, presenting, and managing a project;
• Acquire hands-on experience with methods such as interviewing, conceptual analysis, archival research, ethnographic observation, and rhetorical, narrative, and discourse analysis.

This program is a good fit if you...

• Are interested in how technologies change society and bring novel questions and issues.
• Have the ability to take charge of your own learning.
• Have an inquisitive, curious, creative, adventurous, and open mind.
• Have high scholarly abilities and a passion for critical inquiry, debate, and writing.
• Enjoy working in a small and closely-knit community of students and researchers.
• Like to do your studies in an international context; we had students and teachers from different countries in the 2018-2019 program.

A dedicated program

This program is dedicated to urgent questions of technology, science, and arts in society. It brings plenty of opportunities to specialize in a topic that you find important. Based on a thorough general understanding you may focus on various developments in technology, art, and science. The technologies studied can be complex and simple; the practices of art are as diverse as those of music, contemporary visual arts, and literature; the sciences you may write about include the natural sciences, psychology, or neurosciences.

Teaching methods

CAST offers a curriculum that is oriented to the practice of research. It employs a combination of educational methods within the framework of Problem-Based Learning, such as tutorial groups, lectures, master classes, project work, and research seminars. The program relies on the master-apprentice model to familiarise you with the latest methods in doing research, and you learn by doing. You will also participate in the regular research seminars of the faculty, giving you a ‘behind the scenes' look at the practice of a large research institute.

With Problem-Based Learning (PBL), you will work individually or in small tutorial groups to seek solutions to ‘problems’ taken from real-world situations. You will also work on various research projects, experimenting with different research skills. Research methods are not taught in separate courses but are integrated into actual research projects on substantive questions. Instructors act as facilitators, giving help as it is needed. This allows you to build independence and develop problem-solving skills that you will need in your career in Maastricht and abroad.

Learn from the experts

You will attend expert lectures on methodological issues to support the work you do in the tutorial groups and workshops. During your thesis semester, the program director will lead a series of seminars and masterclasses in which you will be able to discuss general aspects of your work, exchange experiences with your fellow students, present preliminary results, and prepare for a ‘life after CAST’.

International classroom

From the first day of the program, you will be challenged with differing viewpoints and experiences as you interact with staff and students from all over the world. Your preconceptions and worldview will be enhanced by this interaction, bringing you closer to the program’s goal of teaching students not only facts and concepts but also international accessibility and understanding. In the academic year 2019/2020, 60% of the 15 students in this master’s program came from outside the Netherlands. Such diversity creates an international atmosphere that is strengthened by the international orientation of the program.

Research internships

At CAST, we consider research internships an indispensable experience. You will gain practical and professional experience, and working on assignments in small groups will help you rapidly develop into an independent researcher. And research internships not only enhance your studies by giving you practical experience, but they also give you the experience and the connections you need to find a research position after you graduate. In the second year, you will work as a junior researcher at a research institute or partner university in the Netherlands or abroad.

Students have interned at:

• Oxford University
• Cornell University
• McGill University
• Health Council of the Netherlands
• Tate Gallery London
• Centre for World Solidarity in India

Master's thesis

You will write your master's thesis on a topic of your choice. While working on your thesis, you will also attend monthly seminars to discuss the research process with your peers and get expert support. In previous years, thesis topics have included:

• The role of imaginative expectations in NASA expeditions.
• The use of new media in creating engaged museum visitors.
• The rise of expertise on hearing damage in classical music orchestras.

Premium honors program

Want to gain that extra edge by getting real-world experience during your studies? The Premium honors program will help you gain the experience and develop the skills employers are looking for. As part of a team of students and under the guidance of our academic staff, you’ll spend about three months working on a real-world assignment for a company, NGO, or educational institution. You'll also work on a personal development plan, receive intensive individual coaching, and attend masterclasses and workshops. All of this will take about 250 hours, but it will give you a lifetime of benefits.

Excellent instructors

At CAST, we recognize that our students are talented in different ways, and our teaching staff will work hard to bring out the best in you. Our staff consists of a carefully selected group of highly qualified researchers who have international track records. They contribute their knowledge and know-how to the program as tutors, experts, curriculum designers, course coordinators, and mentors. Are you curious about the staff and their specializations? You can read more about them by clicking on their profiles below.

• Prof. Dr. K. Bijsterveld
• Prof. Dr.ir. W.E. Bijker
• Dr. R. de Bont
• Prof. Dr. F.M. Doorman
• Dr. R.P.J. Hendriks
• Prof. Dr. E. Homburg
• Dr. A. Hommels, Programme Director
• Dr. A. Harris
• Dr. F. Huisman
• Dr. soc.wiss. J.D. Lachmund
• Prof. Dr. ir. H. van Lente
• Prof. Dr. C. Mody
• Dr. B. Pasveer
• Dr. P. Peters
• Dr. G. Somsen
• Prof. Dr. T. Swierstra
• Prof. dr. R. van de Vall
• Dr. J. Wachelder
• Dr. K. Wenz
• Dr. E. Wesseling
• Prof. Dr. S. Wyatt

Courses & curriculum

Year 1

In the first year, you will be familiarised with the most relevant theories. These will help you to understand the changing societal position of the arts, sciences, and technology. You will also be trained in the application of relevant methods from the humanities and social sciences. The first year is concluded with a joint research project in which you write an edited book, special journal issue, or online catalog entry with your fellow students.

Year 2

In the second year, you will first work as a junior researcher at a research institute or partner university in the Netherlands or abroad. You will complete your master’s by writing your thesis on a topic of your choice.

Research Master CAST year 1

• Entering the field. The state of the art in studying the cultures of arts, science, and technology
• Research colloquia STS and AMC
• The Rules of the Game. CAST Research Methods
• Intervening in Innovation
• Preparation Research Internship
• Researching the Cultures of Arts, Science, and Technology
• Joint Research Project

Research Master CAST year 2

• Thesis
• Thesis seminar and research colloquia, master classes
• Research Internship

The CAST research master holds the number one position in the Elsevier 2019 best studies

Here are some of the highlights from the research master CAST programme:

• 89% of the students are satisfied or very satisfied with the instructors
• 84% of the students are satisfied or very satisfied with the education
• 83% of the students are satisfied or very satisfied with the examination

For more information, visit the Elsevier website.

Your future

Upon graduation, you will have acquired outstanding skills and you will be able to contribute as an interdisciplinary researcher in a university or knowledge institute. Through rigorous training in theory and methodology, combined with a focus on topics of your own choice, you develop both flexibility and specialization to address the urgent questions of today. This has enabled many graduates to find interesting jobs. Eighty percent of the CAST students find a job within a year of their graduation, and many go on to Ph.D. programs. Others find work with government agencies, advisory boards, commercial companies, and NGOs.

Career prospects

In June 2015, the CAST staff conducted a survey amongst the program’s graduates. Out of the 68 graduates, 66 had found paid employment. Nearly 70 percent of them work in research positions at universities or knowledge institutes. The others work in advisory boards, companies that require expertise in research and development, and organizations focusing on health, education, media, art, and culture. Given the CAST graduates’ excellent prospects for jobs and the academic reputation of the program, it offers value for money, especially for students used to high fees in their home countries.

Alumni@work

As a CAST graduate, you can look for a position in:

• Academia (e.g. Ph.D. Candidate, Research Assistant, Scientific Assistant)
• Education (e.g. Teacher, Lecturer)
• Museums and galleries (e.g. Collection curator, Research fellow)
• Business (e.g. Relations manager, Programme manager)
• Politics (Political advisor)
• European Parliament (e.g. Expert trainee)

Some of the companies and institutes where CAST graduates work:

• Boerhaave Museum
• Oxford University
• Shell
• Maastricht University
• Max Planck Institute
• European Parliament

What will you learn?

In this programme, you will:

• Practice interdisciplinary research at the crossroads of science, technology and the arts
• Develop general research skills such as defining a research topic, writing, presenting and managing a project
• Acquire hands-on experience with methods such as interviewing, conceptual analysis, archival research, ethnographic observation, and rhetorical, narrative and discourse analysis

Perfect preparation for a research position

The Research Master in Cultures of Arts, Science and Technology is an intense and highly reputed programme. The programme is designed to give you the best possible preparation for a professional research position. During your master’s, you will therefore not only study theories from history, sociology, philosophy, the arts and the qualitative social sciences, but you will also follow a number of courses that specifically focus on research methods such as qualitative interviewing, conceptual analysis, archival research, ethnographic observations and rhetorical, narrative and discourse analysis. Most importantly, you will actually learn to work with these methods by writing review papers, research papers and proposals. You will work closely with faculty research staff on their projects and gain a ‘behind-the-scenes’ look at how academic research is actually done.