Futures Studies in Commerce

Master of Technology in Futures Studies in Commerce

Interested in a Certificate in Strategic Foresight? Click here to learn more.

Overview

Welcome to the Futures Studies in Commerce (FSC) Graduate Program. As an FSC graduate, you will enter an emerging professional field helping clients and employers anticipate significant changes that lie ahead and to influence those changes to achieve their long-term goals.

As early as 2000 the Corporate Strategy Board (CSB) surveyed strategists in major corporations to identify critical professional challenges. The top five responses included:

1. Challenging strategic assumptions
2. Translating strategy into action
3. Communicating strategy
4. Identifying discontinuous change
5. Adapting strategy to rapid change

The Futures Program at UH addresses these concerns by focusing on forecasting and planning discontinuous and transformational change by analyzing rapid alterations in external environments and by using systems thinking to increase the chances of achieving preferred futures.

What is Futures Studies?

Professional futurists emphasize systemic and transformational change as opposed to traditional forecasters and planners who focus on incremental change based on existing conditions and trends. Since long-term predictive forecasts are rarely correct, futurists describe alternative plausible and preferable futures, in addition to the expected future. Instead of limiting themselves to traditional forecasters' quantitative methods, futurists also use a balance of qualitative and quantitative tools. The program provides collaboration and innovation with multiple perspectives on foresight, business and marketing, consumer science and retailing. Our experience suggests that the demand for strategic foresight graduates in commercial and public sectors will continue to rise.

Students complete 36 graduate hours, including a project or thesis. Please refer to the Course Requirements section for a description of the program. The program is offered both on campus and online in a unique simultaneous classroom arrangement. This program can be completed entirely online in as little as 18-24 month for full time (3-4 courses per semester) or 3-5 years taking courses part-time (1-2 courses per semester).

For more information and guidance about the program, contact Dr. Peter Bishop, Associate Professor and Coordinator of the program or a program assistant who will help you decide if this is the program for you. Or visit the Student Alumni Webpage.