Description
Université Bordeaux Montaigne offers this programme in conjunction with the University of Bordeaux. The Master’s in Science and Technology: Information and Mediation (IMST) is the study of science, scientific discourse and concepts. It interrogates the relationship between science and society from the perspectives of history, philosophy, sociology, ethics and communications. Students acquire an acute and sophisticated understanding of scientific knowledge thanks to a dual learning process within the university comprising history, philosophy and sociology of the sciences on the one hand and media and communications techniques on the other. These correspond to the two possible subject pathways within this Master’s programme.
The subject pathway entitled ‘Epistemology – History of Sciences and Techniques (EHST)’, within the Master’s programme in Science and Technology: Information and Mediation (IMST) is geared towards research-oriented professions. It seeks to explore the history, philosophy and sociology of the sciences, as mentioned above.
Information about the vocationally oriented ‘Mediation of the Sciences’
Objectives
The Master’s programme in Epistemology – History of Sciences and Techniques aims to provide students with a high standard of training in epistemology and in the history of sciences and techniques, with a view to their undertaking a doctoral thesis and continuing on to take the competitive examinations for the recruitment of university lecturers and researchers.
In terms of course content, the programme enables students to acquire knowledge of the key moments and fundamental themes in the history and philosophy of the sciences, both classical and contemporary. Students encounter the diverse range of possible approaches to the history of the sciences and gain training in and through research.
In terms of methodology, students learn about the intellectual rigour needed for research. This is in terms of presenting their findings (techniques for writing up a research-based dissertation and articles, with a view to working on a thesis; techniques for oral presentations) and in terms of the landscape of current projects and trends in the research community (evaluating a research question based on appropriate bibliographic research; being capable of evaluating the originality of a thesis or scientific proposal). Students develop their capacity to read and comment on a historical text (in French or a foreign language) or a contemporary (introductory) scientific work in a chosen domain. They learn to make full and proper use of archives and the ancient collections at conservation centres.
Training content
Two years of study: Master 1 (M1) and Master (M2)
The Master’s in Epistemology – History of the Sciences and Techniques is based on the principle of gradual specialisation over time. The programme enables students to put their original undergraduate Licence programme of study to good use, whether they come from a scientific or literary background.
The programme draws on course units on philosophy, history and sociology of the sciences. These are complemented by more vocationally oriented course units, which enable students to work in archives and special collections of libraries as well as to attend research seminars. Students must choose two further units for more in-depth study within the field. These units are found in the programmes of study offered by the set of Bordeaux universities and enable students to maintain a strong intellectual link with their original programme of study. Semester 4 is entirely dedicated to the completion of a research-based dissertation
Master 1: First year of two-year Master’s programme
The first year is made up of ten course units, two of which are also common to the ‘Mediation of the Sciences’ pathway within this programme.
In the second semester of this first year, students follow a course unit on philosophy of the sciences and a course unit on history of the sciences, a Master’s level course unit on their original specialism (chosen in agreement with the head of their subject pathway) and a course unit bringing together a set of cross-disciplinary skills (language(s), archive research, research seminars). Students also write a research-based dissertation on a subject of study decided in agreement with their dissertation supervisor (a member of the teaching staff). This dissertation must be orally defended before a panel of judges and constitutes the foundations of a research project to be undertaken in the second year of this two-year Master’s programme as a second dissertation.
Master 2: Second year of two-year Master’s programme
In this year, students increase the study of their specialism. They also gain an overview of the multiple perspectives on the history and philosophy of sciences and techniques.
In Semester 3, students undertake four course units on specialised fields (history and philosophy of logic and mathematics; history and philosophy of the life sciences; books and sites of knowledge in modern Europe; sociology of the sciences). Students also take a course unit that brings together cross-disciplinary skills and as in Master 1, they follow a specialised unit to be chosen according to their research subject. This course unit can be chosen from the units offered by the set of Bordeaux universities and must be decided in agreement with the head of the student’s subject pathway.
Semester 4 is entirely dedicated to the completion of a research-based dissertation, which must then be defended in an oral examination in front of a panel of judges at the end of the year.
Access condition
Find information regarding enrolment procedures and the supporting documents to be provided, according to your profile and your level of studies :
Career pathways
Any ‘Category A’ employment.
Further studies
The main opportunities following a Master’s in Epistemology – History of Sciences and Techniques include pursuing doctoral studies in either epistemology or the history of the sciences.