GTD Program of Study

A minimum of 33 semester hours is required for the Master of Science in Technology with a concentration of Global Technology and Development, with at least 24 of those semester hours at the 500 level. Graduate students may count no more than 9 credits at the 400 level towards their program of study.

Click on each program requirement for a comprehensive explanation.

At the beginning of the program, each student completes a Program of Study form, which outlines the tentative schedule of courses to be taken, including technology core and elective choices. This form must be signed by the student’s faculty committee.

Students are strongly urged to specialize in a specific area and choose electives accordingly. These courses would follow the theme of a chosen core class, and, depending upon a student’s prior background, provide an area of specialization in a technological or social scientific field, designed with the assistance and approval of a faculty advisor. To obtain an area of specialization, students also would construct their thesis or applied project within the set of issues that pertain to their area of specialization, while utilizing the interdisciplinary foundations of the program.

The program requirements have been designed to enable students to:

• comprehend the history of technological development, especially in the latter half of the 20th century;
• become familiar with theories of economic, social and political development, and how they help us to understand the impact of technology;
• review the political, social, economic and environmental impact of recent current technological advances;
• gain a broad understanding of systems and scope of human activity globalized and revolutionized by technology;
• critically analyze current global events and situations with an understanding of their historical contexts, in order to make appropriate policy decisions regarding technology and development;
• understand implications of technological development in environments other than their own society and culture;
• gain an understanding of other cultural, political and social contexts;
• identify problems, formulate research agendas and conduct research; and
• predict future trends in global technology and evaluate its impact.

(back to top)

Core Global Technology and Development Courses

All GTD students must take the following two courses in the first two semesters of their program.

• GTD 501 Global Technology and Development (3 credits)
• GTD 503 Technology and the International Political System (3 credits)

(back to top)

Core Technology Courses

Students must choose one course from each of the four technical content areas: Information Technology/Telecommunications, Transportation, Commerce and Sustainable Development. The course choice depends upon each student’s academic background and area of interest, as well as which courses are offered by each department during the time of study. Usually there are at least three courses to choose from in each area. It is also possible to fulfill these content area requirements with other related courses offered at ASU’s Polytechnic campus, or possibly ASU’s Tempe campus, with the approval of the student’s advisor. Note: Students are limited to nine 400-level semester hours for their entire program inclusive of core and elective courses.

The courses listed are examples of courses that would fulfill each area. The number of semester hours is in parentheses.

Commerce

• GTD 598 Special Topics (regional area studies, varies by semester; for example Technology and Development in the Middle East) (3)
• ITM 520 Strategic Management of Technology (3)
• ITM 540 International Management (3)
• ITM 504 Law and Ethics/Technology (3)
• AGB 552 International Agricultural Policy (3)

Transportation

• AMT 523 Aviation Systems Management (3)
• AMT 521 Air Transportation Regulation (3)
• AMT 528 International Aviation (3)
• PUP 591 Transportation Systems (3) (Tempe)

Information Technology/Telecommunications

• ITM 598 Forecasting and Evolution of Technology (3)
• ITM 570 Advanced Project Management (3)
• GPH 598 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems (3) (Tempe)
• Courses with GIT, CET and EET prefixes are also possible to fulfill this area, depending upon your academic background

Sustainable Development

• ETM 526 Current Environmental Technology Issues (3)
• ETM 428 International Environmental Management (3)
• EET 598 Introduction to Green Technology (3)
• EET 494 Fuel Cell Technology (3)
• GPH 405 Energy and Environment (3)

Education

• (Under construction)

Biotechnology

• (Under construction)

(back to top)

Research Sequence

The research methodology and statistical applications sequence prepares students for the final thesis or applied project, which should be founded on the interdisciplinary coursework, have an international perspective, and focus on a current issue or problem. Determination of whether to choose the thesis or applied project option will be made by the student and her/his faculty thesis/applied project advisor and committee.

(back to top)

Electives/Specialization

Students elect two additional courses from the College of Technology and Innovation, and the Morrison School of Agribusiness on ASU’s Polytechnic campus, and/or from the colleges on ASU’s Tempe campus to support the core components. Courses in most departments of the College of Technology are available to students in the GTD program, depending upon pre-requisites and each student’s academic background. Electives must be approved by the faculty advisor/committee, and should relate to the topic of the thesis or applied project. Reminder: Students are limited to nine 400-level semester hours for their entire program, inclusive of core and elective courses.

(back to top)

International/Intercultural Experience

Students are strongly urged to have an international or intercultural experience during their course of study, particularly if admitted with a deficiency in this area. There is substantial latitude in how this might be accomplished. One option is to study abroad, and a GTD program abroad would offer GTD credits. ASU’s Tempe campus currently offers many study abroad programs, some of which might offer courses that would fulfill GTD requirements (must be approved, in advance, by the College of Technology and Innovation). Another option would have students interacting with an ethnic community in Arizona or elsewhere in the U.S., or perhaps work as an intern while doing research with an international organization in the U.S. A third option would be to conduct research abroad for the thesis/applied project.

(back to top)