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Technology & Contemporary Life (HPSC20009)

Undergraduate level 2Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability
Semester 1
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This subject introduces students to the utopian, dystopian, and ambivalent implications of technoscience in contemporary life. Grounded in the interdisciplinary field of science and technology studies, students will study how bodies, subjectivity, life, households, work, and the environment are being transformed by technoscience. It will investigate how technoscience blurs the boundaries between humans and machines to equip students with the knowledge and skills to critically analyse historical, social, ethical, economic, and philosophical implications of past, present, and emerging technologies. Topics may include cyborgs, biotechnologies, pharmaceuticals, cyberspace, surveillance, artificial intelligence and automation, and technosolutionism.

Intended learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete this subject should be able to:

  • Demonstrate a critical understanding of and draw upon science and technology studies in evaluating the relations between technoscience and humans
  • Critically analyse historical, social, ethical, economic and philosophical implications of technoscience in contemporary life
  • Identify, use, and appraise research material relevant to the operation of past, present, and emerging technoscience in a social context.

Last updated: 22 November 2023

Eligibility and requirements

Prerequisites

None

Corequisites

None

Non-allowed subjects

None

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.

Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home

Last updated: 22 November 2023

Assessment

DescriptionTimingPercentage

Reflective essay on a contemporary issue in science and technology

  • 800 words
Week 520%

Essay - Critical discussion of a key theory in science and technology studies

  • 1000 words
Week 930%

Essay - Critical discussion of a social issue in science and technology based on a choice of subject topics

  • 2200 words
During the examination period50%
Hurdle requirement: 1. Attendance hurdle requirement: This subject has a minimum requirement of 80% attendance at tutorials, seminars, or workshops. There is an expectation that students attend lectures. Throughout the teaching periodN/A
Hurdle requirement: 2. Late Penalty and Assessment hurdle requirement: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at five per cent (5%) of the possible marks available for the assessment task per day or part thereof. All pieces of assessment must be submitted to pass the subject. Each submitted assessment must be complete, constitute a genuine attempt to address the requirements of the task and will not be accepted after 20 University business days from the original assessment due date without written approval. Throughout the semesterN/A

Last updated: 22 November 2023

Dates & times

  • Semester 1
    Principal coordinatorJacinthe Flore
    Mode of deliveryOn Campus (Parkville)
    Contact hours34 hours - A 1 hour lecture every week for 12 weeks and a 2 hour tutorial every week for 11 weeks (week 2 - week 12)
    Total time commitment170 hours
    Teaching period26 February 2024 to 26 May 2024
    Last self-enrol date 8 March 2024
    Census date 3 April 2024
    Last date to withdraw without fail 3 May 2024
    Assessment period ends21 June 2024

    Semester 1 contact information

    Email: jacinthe.flore@unimelb.edu.au

Time commitment details

170 hours

What do these dates mean

Visit this webpage to find out about these key dates, including how they impact on:

  • Your tuition fees, academic transcript and statements.
  • And for Commonwealth Supported students, your:
    - Student Learning Entitlement. This applies to all students enrolled in a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP).
    - Completion rate. Students who started their course from 2022 and are in a CSP or receiving a HELP Loan (eg FEE-HELP) must meet the completion rate to continue to receive Commonwealth Support for that course.

Subjects withdrawn after the census date (including up to the ‘last day to withdraw without fail’) count toward the Student Learning Entitlement, and as a fail toward the completion rate, unless there are approved ‘special circumstances’.

Last updated: 22 November 2023

Further information

Last updated: 22 November 2023