Public Interest Technology, MS
Are you driven to ensure that technology and innovation benefit society? Join this distinct program and become a leader in examining and using technology for social good, whether in the public or private sector or in nonprofit organizations.
Quick facts
Locations
Credits
Additional facts
STEM-OPT extension eligible: No
International students (F1), this program is not eligible for the STEM-OPT extension.
Accreditation
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Degree description
The Master of Science program in public interest technology asks this fundamental question: How can technology be used for good? When studying the public interest, it is vital to understand how new technologies pose new challenges and opportunities for society.
You acquire the ability to work in cross-disciplinary teams and gain a fluency that permeates technology and society issues and solutions. You learn to think analytically and to design new systems and processes, and you gain exposure to emerging technologies that can make a difference in how government agencies, nongovernmental organizations, nonprofits and private companies emphasize social impact. Professionals who work in this space ask communities what their needs are and apply a co-design approach to innovation, centering cultural awareness and community values.
Public interest technology expertise is relevant when you seek to embed the goals of technology assessment, fairness, sustainability and environmental justice in your products and processes.
Curriculum
This graduate degree includes courses focused on a specialized topic, so you can advance your skills for further professional opportunities. Explore all courses below.
30 credit hours including the required applied project course (PIT 593)
Required Core (12 credit hours) Electives (15 credit hours) Culminating Experience (3 credit hours) Additional Curriculum Information
PIT 501 Principles of Public Interest Technology (3)
PIT 502 Co-designing the Future (3)
PIT 503 Technology Impact Assessments (3)
PIT 504 Public Engagement Strategies (3)
PIT 593 Applied Project (3)
Students should see the academic unit for the current elective course list. The elective list may change over time as new courses become available. To register for a course, students must meet any prerequisites or receive permission from the MS in public interest technology degree program chair and the course instructor.
What you'll learn
The following learning outcomes highlight some of the knowledge and skills you'll develop to support your future success.
- Think critically and evaluate the success or failure of existing sociotechnical systems and make recommendations on how to overcome systemic problems related to justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and fairness, among other human rights dimensions.
- Create and disseminate the results of their public engagements using different forms of communication such as professional report writing and oral communications, employing creative strategies through traditional and emerging online platforms.
- Apply a transdisciplinary approach in the creation of a public interest technology design or development process, and analyze existing public interest technology solutions by applying fundamental principles, theoretical and conceptual frameworks (e.g., codesign) to practical cases.
Think critically and evaluate the success or failure of existing sociotechnical systems and make recommendations on how to overcome systemic problems related to justice, equity, diversity, inclusion and fairness, among other human rights dimensions.Admission requirements
Here are the admission and application details
All students are required to meet general university admission requirements.
U.S. applicants (opens in new window) | International applicants (opens in new window) | English proficiency (opens in new window)
Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the Rob Walton College of Global Futures. Applicants are eligible to apply to the program if they have earned a bachelor's or master's degree in computer science, public administration, engineering, business, marketing, science, social science, humanities or a related field from a regionally accredited institution. Applicants must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in the last 60 hours of their first bachelor's degree program or a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 (scale is 4.00 = "A") in an applicable master's degree program. All applicants must submit: Additional Application Information
An applicant whose native language is not English must provide proof of English proficiency regardless of their current residency.
Application deadlines
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | Online | Rolling* |
| Session | Modality | Deadline | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session A/C | Online | Rolling* |
*A rolling deadline means that applications will continue to be reviewed on a regular basis until the semester begins. International students should be mindful of visa deadlines to ensure there is time to produce necessary visa documents. Applicants are encouraged to complete and submit application materials as soon as possible for consideration.
Explore expanded study opportunities
This program allows you to obtain both a bachelor's and a master's degree in as little as five years. As a high-achieving student, accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree programs are designed for you to share undergraduate coursework with graduate coursework to accelerate completion of your master's degree. These programs feature the same high-quality curriculum taught by ASU's world-renowned faculty.
This program is offered as an accelerated bachelor's plus master's degree with:
Approval to pursue the accelerated master's is typically granted during the junior year of your bachelor's degree program. If you are interested, you can learn more about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Studying abroad is encouraged for graduate students. Nearly all of the Rob Walton College of Global Futures faculty-directed programs offer graduate credit. In addition, the Global Education Office offers more than 50 program opportunities, with programs on every continent.
Faculty-directed programs tend to be the best fit for graduate students; taking courses with ASU professors over the summer or during academic breaks offers students close mentorship and professional network growth in many fields of study while they earn ASU credit. Exchange program participation is also possible with careful planning.
Students can find programs specific to their interests on the Rob Walton College of Global Futures study abroad webpage, and additional opportunities and information on the ASU Global Education Office website. These sites also include additional information about applying for funding to support global travel.
Graduate students are also encouraged to apply for funding for international research, study and professional development through ASU's Lorraine W. Frank Office of National Scholarships Advisement.
Paying for college
Use our calculator to estimate your full-time or part-time tuition fees for this program prior to any financial aid. Keep in mind that most of our students recieve financial aid, which can reduce out-of-pocket costs.
Get an estimateCareer opportunities
Graduates have the ability to enact change within their workplace and to develop ideas for nonprofit and for-profit startups that are user-centric, collective and community driven. They are public interest technologists, an emerging domain of expertise.
Generally, graduates become:
- advisors (solutions, technology impact)
- analysts (policy, data privacy, systems)
- assessors (public interest technology, public health)
- consultants (content strategy, business, safety, user experience)
- coordinators (advocacy, standards)
- managers (data governance, cybersecurity, data privacy, environmental affairs, executive)
- policymakers (human rights, emerging technology)
Other career fields include telecommunications, information technology, biotechnology, government, education, energy, transport, health care and medicine, standard-setting, accountability, oversight and ombudsperson service.
Contact information
Use the contact information below to get in touch if you're a current student or have general questions.
Prospective students should fill out the Request for Information form.
School of Innovation Futures
|
ISTBX 366
sfisgrad@asu.edu
480-727-8787
Frequently asked questions about degree programs
Accelerated programs allow students the opportunity to expedite the completion of their degree.
Accelerated master's
These programs allow students to accelerate their studies to earn a bachelor's plus a master's degree in as few as five years (for some programs).
Each program has requirements students must meet to be eligible for consideration. Students typically receive approval to pursue the accelerated master's during the junior year of their bachelor's degree program. Interested students can learn about eligibility requirements and how to apply.
Concurrent degrees allow students to pursue their own personal or professional interests, earn two distinct degrees and receive two diplomas. To add a concurrent degree to your existing degree, work with your academic advisor.
Joint programs, or jointly conferred degrees, are offered by more than one college and provide opportunities for students to take advantage of the academic strengths of two academic units. Upon graduation, students are awarded one degree and one diploma conferred by two colleges.
ASU adds new programs to Degree Search frequently. Come back often and look for the "New Programs" option.
ASU Online offers programs in an entirely online format with multiple enrollment sessions throughout the year. See https://asuonline.asu.edu/ for more information.
The Western Regional Graduate Program (WRGP) provides a reduced tuition rate to non-resident graduate students who qualify. Visit the WRGP/WICHE webpage for more information: https://graduate.asu.edu/wiche.
