Science and Technology Policy Studies (PhD Program)
The Ph.D. Program in Science and Technology Policy Studies at METU-TEKPOL offers advanced research training for students interested in understanding technological change and its implications for innovation, economic development, and public policy. The program adopts an interdisciplinary perspective, combining insights from economics, policy studies, engineering, and the social sciences to analyze emerging technologies, innovation systems, and policy design.
Doctoral students develop strong analytical and methodological skills while conducting original research on topics such as innovation policy, digital and green transformations, technology assessment, and entrepreneurship ecosystems. Graduates pursue academic careers and research positions in universities, international organizations, think tanks, and public institutions working on science, technology, and innovation policy.
Educational objectives
The graduates of Science and Technology Policy Studies PhD program;
- can work as an academician or researcher at higher education institutions in Turkey and abroad.
- can work as a chief expert, coordinator and director at the science, technology and innovation policy units in the related public and autonomous institutions.
- can work as a coordinator or director in the technology management and strategy departments of private companies.
Educational outcomes
Upon completion of the PhD program our students,
- will gain an interdisciplinary perspective to analyze and conduct research on the economic and social consequences of technological progress.
- will gain competence to develop and implement harmonious science, technology and innovation strategies and policies.
- will acquire conceptual and methodological knowledge to design long term science, technology and innovation policy.
- will have the knowledge to carry out academic research and teach on topics related with science, technology and innovation.
- will gain the necessary conceptual, methodological and applied knowledge to carry out impact assessment of science, technology and innovation policies.
According to the Higher Education Regulation (YÖK), students who graduate from a non-thesis graduate program cannot apply for a Ph.D. program.
Eğitim Amaçları
Bilim ve Teknoloji Politikası Çalışmaları Doktora Programı mezunlarımız;
- İlgili kamu ve özerk kurumların bilim, teknoloji ve yenilik politikası birimlerinde başuzman, koordinatör ve yönetici olarak çalışabilirler.
- Yurtiçinde ve yurtdışında yükseköğretim kurumlarında araştırmacı veya akademisyen olarak çalışabilirler.
- Özel şirketlerin teknoloji stratejisini belirleyen birimlerinde koordinatör ve yönetici olarak çalışabilirler.
Eğitim Çıktıları
Bilim ve Teknoloji Politikası Çalışmaları Doktora Programı öğrencileri;
- Teknolojik ilerlemenin ekonomik ve sosyal sonuçlarını incelemek için disiplinlerarası bakış açısı ve araştırma yürütebilme kabiliyeti kazanırlar.
- Teknolojinin getirdiği sosyal ve ekonomik dönüşümlere uyum sağlayabilecek strateji ve politika geliştirme ve uygulama yetisi kazanırlar.
- Uzun dönemli bilim, teknoloji ve yenilik politikası tasarlayabilecek düzeyde kavramsal, yöntemsel ve uygulamalı bilgi edinirler.
- Bilim, teknoloji ve yenilik konularında akademik araştırma yürütebilecek ve ders verebilecek düzeyde kavramsal, yöntemsel ve uygulamalı bilgi edinirler.
- Bilim, teknoloji ve yenilik politikalarının etki analizini yapabilecek düzeyde kavramsal, yöntemsel ve uygulamalı bilgi edinirler.
YÖK Yönetmeliğine göre tezsiz yüksek lisans programından mezun olan öğreciler Doktora programına başvuru yapamamaktadır.
Program Structure
The program consists of 3 required must courses and 4 elective courses. After completing the coursework the students have to take the qualifer exam in the 5th semester of the program. Upon succesfully passing the qualifer exam the student advances to write a PhD thesis. The program offers courses on a wide range of areas by focusing on both the theoretical and policy foundations of technology such as economics of innovation, political economy of technological change, general purpose technologies such as nano-technology, bio-technology and information and communication technologies, clustering of innovative activity, technology policy and impact assestment, technology and work organisation. A sketch of the Ph.D. program is presented below. You can get more information regarding the courses here.
PhD. program (3 must, 4 electives, qualifier exam and PhD thesis)
Must Courses
- STPS 601 Innovation, Technology and Economic Development
- STPS 602 Technology and Industrial Strategy
- STPS 605 Research Methods, Analytical Techniques and Ethics
From the third semester onwards students have to enroll in non-credit PhD courses
- STPS 900-999 Special Topics
- STPS 699 Ph.D. Thesis
Students have to complete all coursework (3 must, 4 elective and one seminar course STPS 604) in the first four semesters. The students have to take the qualifier exam in the fifth semester. If successful the student proceeds to writing a PhD thesis upon successfull PhD proposal defense within six months of the qualifier exam. The maximum PhD education is 12 semesters.