Concentration Details

Culture and Technology

The Culture and Technology (C&T) concentration examines how society, culture, and understanding of the human condition influence, and are influenced by, technological development. It provides students with the resources needed to understand, integrate, assess, and deploy multi-methodological arguments, in order to develop powerful, balanced, and integrated positions.

Graduates are specialists who can identify, interpret, explain and shape the socio-cultural impact of technologies including genetically modified crops, in-vitro fertilization, cyborg implants and genetic adjustments to the human body at the micro and macro levels.  C&T professionals observe, discover, define, analyze, and assess issues created from the interplay between culture and technology.

C&T Concentration Coordinator: Gustavo Ferreira

C&T Concentration Features

  • Develops technical, philosophical and critical skills for the examination of the reciprocal influences of culture and technology
  • Provides an understanding of the multiple ways in which technologies reflect, influence, encourage, support, and enforce social, political, cultural, and economic forces and values
  • Develops critical skills in the design, use, assessment, and evaluation of complex information systems
  • Develops the requisite conceptual, critical, and philosophical skills necessary to take a leading role in guiding social and cultural discussions of the radical and transformative possibilities that are, and increasingly will be, afforded by technological intervention in the physical bases of human life
  • Provides exposure to, and training in, intensive processes of cross-disciplinary peer review

Academic Concentration Requirements

MI students enrolled in 2024 and later

Year 1 required courses

In Year 1, students are recommended to complete the following mandatory C&T courses, as well as 1.0 FCE in elective courses.

INF1501H Introduction to Culture & Technology 0.5 Credits

INF1511H Culture & Technology Studio I 0.5 Credits

Co-/pre-requisite: INF1501

INF2243H Histories of Information Technologies 0.5 Credits

INF2321H Digital Culture 0.5 Credits

INF1512H Culture & Technology Studio II 0.5 Credits

Successful completion of inF1511 is a pre-requisite; and it is recommended that INF1512 be taken in the same academic year as INF1511

INF2228H The Future of Things: Digitization and Remediation 0.5 Credits

INF2320H Remix Culture 0.5 Credits

INF2331H The Future of the Book 0.5 Credits

Year 2 required courses

In Year 2, students are recommended to complete 4.0 FCEs in elective courses.

MI students enrolled in 2023 and earlier

Year 1 required courses

While it is not obligatory to complete all Year 1 required courses in Year 1, it is recommended because these courses provide foundational knowledge. For students considering the Co-op option, all Year 1 required courses should be completed in Year 1.

INF1005H Information Workshops I 0.25 Credits

INF1006H Information Workshops II 0.25 Credits

INF1501H Introduction to Culture & Technology 0.5 Credits

INF2241H Critical Making: Information Studies, Social Values, and Physical Computing 0.5 Credits

INF2331H The Future of the Book 0.5 Credits

INF2320H Remix Culture 0.5 Credits

INF2243H Histories of Information Technologies 0.5 Credits

Year 2 required courses

INF1502H Culture & Technology II 0.5 Credits

Elective courses

Co-op option

Thesis option

Collaborative Specialization

Work Integrated Learning for C&T Students

The Faculty of Information offers a variety of work-integrated learning including the MI Co-op option and practicum courses. The Careers Services team helps students find suitable placements.

MI Co-op option

MI practicum

Careers in Culture and Technology

  • Communications Specialist
  • Culture & Media Specialist
  • Digital Media Coordinator
  • Interactive Content Manager
  • Research & Communications Coordinator
  • Research Consultant
  • Social Media Strategist
  • Strategic Advisor
  • Technology Analyst

Who hires C&T graduates?

Our alumni work in a wide range of organizations and industries including financial services, technology, health care, law, government, marketing and communications, non-profits and more.

Combined Degree Program

The Combined Degree Program offers students the option of earning both Master of Information and Master of Museum Studies degrees over an accelerated three-year period.

Visit the combined degree program