Over the last 25 years, science communication has expanded from a field of public intellectuals, celebrity scientists, broadcast media professionals and event producers to a global industry of ground-breaking artists, games developers, disruptive creators, radical curators, social entrepreneurs and citizen scientists. Developed in partnership with industry, this part-time, distance learning course will provide you with the knowledge and skills required to take advantage of excellent job prospects in this growing field.
Studying this MSc will provide you with the opportunity to accelerate your career and become part of a worldwide community which is pushing the boundaries of science communication through new and emerging technologies. You will gain practical and transferable skills informed by theory, a creative portfolio and access to world-class professional networks to progress your career in science communication. You will become mindful of the ethical challenges that new communication systems might pose to achieving sustainable development goals for health and wellbeing, gender equality and communities.
Through a selection of specifically designed modules, you will learn about the importance of involving the public in the co-creation of citizen science projects, explore the increasing trend of locating science within festivals, examine how art and science come together to innovate, and explore digital storytelling strategies for communicating science. Additionally, you will investigate how science writing and journalism has changed in a digital era, and focus on contemporary matters of global concern in science communication. All modules aim for you to develop and enhance your public portfolio through a range of creative projects.
Science communication is an expanding field and, as such, there are many exciting career prospects working in science journalism, public engagement, events production, science publishing and within the media, to name a few. Our academics have strong networks in the field and, as the course is delivered in collaboration with industry experts and professional science communicators, you can be sure that the skills and knowledge you gain are those you need to forge a successful career in the field and stay ahead of the curve. This course aims to bridge the #scicomm digital skills gap in an era where digital fluency, critical thinking, and creative innovation make professionals stand out from the crowd.
This science communication masters focuses on the areas of communication, media management, public engagement, emerging technologies, global challenges, digital literacy and creative practice.
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Benefits
We offer awards to help you study through our:
There are also other sources of funding available to you.
For more information please see our funding section.
This science communication MSc is designed to equip the modern science communicator with the practical skills and theoretical grounding to carry out science communication, public engagement and policy roles in a wide range of institutions, from Universities to science festivals, museums and galleries to research funders, science and health charities, NGOs and science businesses spanning education, entertainment, PR/ advocacy and sustainable development.
Science communication professionals contribute to a wide range of industries including:
Graduates could undertake roles (within these sectors and others) such as:
Our MSc Science Communication course is ideal if you are interested in science, technology, medicine, mathematics or engineering and want to work in the field of science communication.
You will develop the skills required to work in a range of sectors, including media, science policy, filmmaking, science outreach, public relations, museums and science centres, science festivals, and other public engagement fields.
Developed by the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine and Manchester Institute of Innovation Research , the course features masterclasses and project support from leading professionals in a wide range of sectors, together with experienced science communicators from across the University.
You will spend time building up practical communication skills, and thinking about the broad range of challenges that science communicators face. Does science communication matter for society? Whose interests are furthered by science news? What are the ethical issues in the communication of health research? When we talk about public engagement, what kind of public do we mean?
You will consider these and other questions through insights drawn from history, innovation and policy research, media studies, and the first-hand experience of long-serving communicators, and link these to practical skills.
Real world learning
We bring practitioners into the classroom and enable you to participate in the various forms of science communication that take place in Manchester to complement your academic learning with real life experiences.
You will learn through a mixture of lectures, small-group seminars, discussions and practical exercises. Activities will be included in the taught elements for both individual students and groups.
You will engage with primary and secondary academic literatures, professional literatures, and mass media products about science, technology and medicine.
You will also learn at special sites of science communication, such as museums, media institutions, and public events.
We encourage participation and volunteering to help you further your own interests alongside the taught curriculum. All students will meet regularly with a mentor from the Centre's PhD community, with a designated personal tutor from among the staff and, from Semester 2, a dissertation supervisor.
Applicants may informally request examples of study materials to help you test your ability to engage effectively with the course from the Course Director.
All units are assessed by academic and practical tasks set in parallel. You should expect both written and spoken assessments that use a format appropriate to the relevant professional group or medium.
You may choose your own topic or medium for many of the assessments. Assessed work also includes a piece of original science communication research.
The final assessment is a project created under the supervision of a science communication professional (the mentored project).
The full-time version of the course runs for 12 months from September. There is also a part-time alternative, covering half the same classes each semester over two years. Part-time study involves a limited number of days' attendance per week and can be combined with part-time employment.
All students take three course units consisting of weekly lectures and discussion seminars:
All students also attend a series of intensive one-day schools on science communication practice and science policy, with sessions led by invited contributors including journalists, documentary filmmakers, museum professionals, policy analysts, outreach officers and other relevant experts. From these day schools, you will choose two of the following four areas to specialise in for assessed work (although you can sit in on all these units):
The course is completed by two more open-ended elements allowing you to specialise towards your preferred interests.
Our course teaches the current trends in science communication, so details of our units may vary from year to year to stay up to date. This type of change is covered within the University's disclaimer , but if you are in doubt about a unit of interest, please contact us before accepting your offer of a place.
Read about graduate Amie Peltzer's experience of the course on the Biology, Medicine and Health Student Blog .
You will have use of a shared office in the Centre for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine, including networked computer terminals and storage space, and use of a dedicated subject library housed in the PhD office.
You will also be able to access a range of facilities throughout the University.
Practical support and advice for current students and applicants is available from the Disability Advisory and Support Service. Email: [email protected]
The Department of Education will not be recruiting to the MA in Science Education for the academic year 2018/19, as we are undertaking a review of our provision. The text below is for information only.
The Department of Education offers a one-year (12 month) taught full time MA in Science Education. This programme will be attractive to all those who have an interest in science education, whether as teachers, researchers or policy makers. Applications are welcomed from both home and international students.
Applicants are strongly advised to ensure that they submit applications no later than 1st September if they wish to begin a course of study beginning in the same year. No guarantee can be offered that applications received after this date will be processed for a September start date.
The Department also welcomes applications from people interested in studying for a PhD in science education in its areas of expertise (see below).
The University of York Science Education Group (UYSEG) has an outstanding international reputation for the excellence of its work in research and curriculum development in science education. Our school science programmes such as Science: the Salters Approach, Salters Advanced Chemistry, Salters Horners Advanced Physics and, most recently, Salters Nuffield Advanced Biology and 21st Century Science are widely used in this country, and have received international acclaim. Science: the Salters Approach and Salters Advanced Chemistry have been adapted for use in many other countries, including Belgium, Hong Kong, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Swaziland and the USA. If you come to York, you will have the opportunity to work with one of the leading groups in science education.
As members of the University of York Science Education Group, the science education staff in the Department of Education have made a significant contribution to the high profile of science education at York. Science specialist staff currently in the Department include Professor Robin Millar, Professor Judith Bennett, Martin Braund and Fred Lubben. All hold major grants for research and development in science education.
Areas of expertise include assessment, attitudes to science, the use of context-based approaches to the teaching of science, curriculum development (including international collaboration on projects), evaluation of curriculum interventions, gender issues in science education, practical work in science, scientific literacy, systematic reviews of research literature, and the transition from primary to secondary school. Current international work includes involvement in the PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) project and a number of initiatives in Southern Africa.
The reputation of the University of York Science Education Group was a major contributory factor in York being chosen as the home of the new National Science Learning Centre, which opened in September 2005 and offers a programme of professional development courses for science teachers.
The programme offers specialist tuition within an established framework for MA provision in the Department. The aims of the programme are:
-To enhance knowledge and understanding in science education
-To develop educational research capabilities and skills in the fields of education and science education
-To contribute, where appropriate, to professional development by enhancing capacity to investigate aspects of one or more of educational theory, policy and practice
Term 1
-Science, Education and Society (20 credits)
-Research methods in education (20 credits)
One option module from a list of about 10 (20 credits). Options are likely to include:
-Bilingualism
-Citizenship education
-Cross-linguistic influences in second language acquisition
-Discourse Analysis
-Education and social justice
-Evaluating ESOL classroom practice
-Intercultural communication in education
-Learning and teaching second/foreign language reading
-Motivation in education
-Teaching and assessing speaking skills
-Teaching and assessing writing skills
-Teaching and learning in schools
-Teaching World English
-Topics in second language acquisition
Term 2
-Recent research and innovation in science education (20 credits)
One option module from a list of about 10 (20 credits). Options are likely to include:
-Approaches to English teaching
-Contemporary issues in teaching
-Cross-cultural perspectives on language and discourse
-Developmental Psycholinguistics
-Learning and teaching grammar in a second language
-Pragmatics: language, meaning and communication
-Psychology of language and language learning
-Qualitative and quantitative data analysis
-Teaching and learning citizenship and global education
-Teaching English for academic purposes
-The practice of English language teaching
-Testing and assessment in English language teaching
Term 3
Planning and Communicating Research (20 credits). Classes are spread over Terms 2 and 3.
The third term and the summer is also devoted to writing a dissertation (60 credits) based on a small-scale research study to be submitted by early September.
Students will also be able to attend the department series of research seminars for Masters students which includes talks by visiting speakers.
Students will complete:
-Four assessed coursework essay assignments (each 4,000 to 5,000 words in length)
-An exam in Research Methods in Education
-An assessed presentation + dissertation outline + ethics audit
-A dissertation of 12,000 words in length
Our graduates find employment in a wide range of sectors within education, but also in journalism, information management, human resources and other careers.
Our postgraduate courses can be used to complement teacher training/development programmes and voluntary or paid roles which focus on the more practical elements of teaching. However, other than our PGCE, our courses are not teacher training programmes in themselves.
Science and technology clearly have a profound influence on society, but the reverse is also true: society significantly shapes the ways in which science and technology evolve. Economic interests, public opinion and policy shifts are decisive for the shaping of science and technology. However, experience has shown that scientists on the one hand and the general public, government and businesses on the other aren’t always able to clearly understand one another. That is why experts with a background in science and an understanding of social processes are indispensable.
The Master's specialisation in Science in Society offers you different perspectives on science and slightly shift your career opportunities by teaching you a different set of skills on top of the research skills learned in the first year of our Master’s programmes.
This specialisation is available in the Master's in Biology, Chemistry, Computing Sciences, Mathematics, Medical Biology, Molecular Life Sciences, Physics and Astronomy, and Science. Students gain advanced knowledge in their preferred science, and also choose a theme to structure their programme to gain specialised skills in one aspect of science management and innovation.
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/science/scienceinsociety
The intermediary role between science and society is highly sought after. You will be prepared for a dynamic career in various fields and work environments such as policy, advisory bodies, interest groups and governments, as well as interdisciplinary research that connects science and society. Although not part of the compulsory part of the programme, this specialisation can also prepare you for the field of science journalism or communication, for you can make that the focus of your graduation project.
Top research and facilities
This specialisation is closely connected to the Institute for Science, Innovation & Society (ISIS); this institute brings together a group of experts from various disciplines and backgrounds in order to jointly tackle societal issues.
You also have the unique opportunity of working on a variety of large-scale European research projects that are connected to researchers on the Radboud University campus.
The first thing you will notice as you enter our Faculty of Science is the open atmosphere. This is reflected by the light and transparent building and the open minded spirit of the working, exploring and studying people that you will meet there. No wonder students from all over the world have been attracted to Nijmegen. You study in small groups, in direct and open contact with members of the staff. In addition, Nijmegen has excellent student facilities, such as high-tech laboratories, libraries and study ‘landscapes'.
Studying by the ‘Nijmegen approach' is a way of living. We will equip you with tools which are valuable for the rest of your life. You will be challenged to become aware of your intrinsic motivation. In other words, what is your passion in life? With this question in mind we will guide you to translate your passion into a personal Master's programme.
Radboud University was rated Best General University in the Netherlands in the Keuzegids Masters 2017 (Guide to Master's programmes)
See the website http://www.ru.nl/masters/science/scienceinsociety
With a deep and rigorous programme of coursework and research in the Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method, the MSc Philosophy of Science explores both general questions about the nature of science and specific foundational issues related to the individual sciences.
This programme is primarily designed to be accessible and stimulating for two main audiences: those who have studied science as undergraduates and would now like to study the philosophical foundations and methodology of science in depth, and those who have studied philosophy and would now like to delve deeper into the philosophy of science.
Founded in 1946 by the eminent philosopher of science Sir Karl Popper, LSE’s Department of Philosophy, Logic and Scientific Method is the ideal place to explore conceptual, methodological and foundational issues in the sciences. Along with the closely related Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, it enjoys an international reputation for its cutting-edge research, bustling seminar series and distinguished faculty and visitors.
This master's programme prepares you for many different possible destinations, including PhD work in philosophy or related disciplines, and employment in many non-academic fields such as science journalism, science administration and science management.
Further information on graduate destinations for this programme
Visit our website for more information on fees, scholarships, postgraduate loans and other funding options to study International Journalism at Swansea University - 'Welsh University of the Year 2017' (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2017).
The MA in International Journalism offers an interdisciplinary and cross-cultural approach to contemporary journalism studies under the impact of globalisation and digitalisation, drawing upon expertise in Media and Communication Studies.
The MA in International Journalism provides an international and cross-cultural approach to journalism in the 21st century and aims to develop the knowledge and understanding of the role of journalism in society. The International Journalism course combines the teaching of practical skills and techniques of journalistic production with the exploration of practice from a range of theoretical and analytical perspectives. Graduates have careers in journalism, media, communication and PR, broadcasting, publishing, marketing and sales.
The College of Arts and Humanities has a Graduate Centre. The Graduate Centre fosters and supports individual and collaborative research activity of international excellence and offers a vibrant and supportive environment for students pursuing postgraduate research and taught masters study. The Centre provides postgraduate training to enhance academic and professional development and facilitates participation in seminar programmes, workshops and international conferences.
The International Journalism course structure is split across the year allowing three modules in each academic semester (a total of six modules) and then a dissertation over the summer. The dissertation component allows students to either write a 20,000 word dissertation or a journalism/media project of their own (with 10,000 word report) which draws upon issues and themes developed throughout the year.
Modules on the MA in International Journalism typically include:
• Global Media
• Conceptual Issues in the Theory and Practice of Social Sciences
• Development and Communications
• Risk Reporting
• The Digital Edge
• The Business and Politics of Digital Media
• Digital Skills and Defence
• Online Journalism
• War Reporting
• Promotional and Professional Writing
Students interested in journalism and media studies, from a media studies, literature, history, sociology, politics and international relations, social science, or other related background. Professionals interested in journalism and global media both in terms of their professional practice, but also related to fields in policy research and public administration.
Students interested in preparation for postgraduate research, MPhil or PhD, or who wish to develop skills and knowledge related to global media and international journalism.
Career expectations are excellent for International Journalism graduates. Media organizations, non-profit organizations, government and the public sector and private companies value the fact that our graduates have developed a range of critical abilities and skills in problem solving. Our International Journalism graduates enter careers in journalism (Guardian Online), broadcasting (BBC Wales), advertising, publicity, arts and cultural bodies or are employed as NGOs. Others go on to study a PhD and have a career in academia.
The course helps you develop the skills to communicate science effectively to a general audience. We’ll teach you about the latest topics in science and how to communicate these to the media and beyond. A major part of your studies will be writing for the media. In our newsroom, you’ll learn the principles of clear, compelling and concise storytelling. You’ll also work on a group project to plan, organise and deliver your own science exhibition.
The MSc puts you in an enviable position. Employers in science and technology, the medical and pharmaceutical industries, cultural industries, the science policy sector, education and the media will see your potential.
If you decide on a research career in science, your masters will enable you to communicate your own research effectively.
The course is now five years old. Our graduates have already gone on to careers in the pharmaceutical industry, with medical and educational charities, in a variety of science communication roles.
This course is taught by experts from the faculties of science, social science and medicine, giving you access to world-leading scientists and media practitioners in the field of science communication and journalism. They include fertility expert Professor Allan Pacey who has considerable experience of TV and film, and Dr Louise Robson, a biomedical scientist who works with schools.
Our combined experience covers science communication via newspapers and magazines, radio and television, websites and social networks as well as writing articles and books.
You’ll be based in the Science Communication Lab on the main University campus. Much of the practical work is done there and in the Department of Journalism Studies where you’ll have access to all the latest equipment for print, web and broadcast journalism.
Our print facilities include networked computers with Adobe Indesign, Incopy and Photoshop. For broadcasting we have access to radio and TV studios, digital TV editing suites and DV and HD camcorders. We also have multimedia and web authoring software including Dreamweaver and Adobe Premiere.
Research in science and journalism informs our teaching. There are lectures, tutorials and seminars. You’ll also do project work, attend masterclasses and go on placements. You’re assessed on coursework, essays, a portfolio, practical exercises and a dissertation.
Today’s journalists need to know how to report and produce news across all platforms—whether print, broadcast, or multimedia—and be as comfortable using words as they are using audio, video, and web. Emerson’s accelerated 13-month Master of Arts in Journalism emphasizes a convergent, multimedia approach to storytelling and news reporting, giving you the professional edge you need. Here you will learn how to tell stories that increase public understanding of complex news events while gaining the skills necessary to adapt to—and shape—this evolving field.
You will have the chance to:
This program’s hybrid format allows you to begin and end your courses online, getting you out of the classroom and into the field that much sooner. Courses start online mid-summer, followed by two semesters on campus, culminating with a final 12-week summer capstone course online and an internship.
There's no more challenging and exciting a time in journalism than now. At Emerson, you will learn the core values of a profession that’s crucial to democracy even as you learn to meet the demands of professional multimedia storytelling. And there’s no better way to learn than to do. From the very beginning of the program, you will hit the streets and report, producing stories in text, audio and video.
Jump start your career with our 13-month, skills-oriented curriculum. With four of the ten courses (40 credits total) required for the degree online, you will have more flexibility in your busy schedule to complete your course work when and where it is convenient for you.
Courses start online in mid-summer, followed by two semesters on campus. The program culminates with a final 12-week summer capstone course online, and with an internship.
Throughout your program, you will collaborate with your peers on digital storytelling. Working in a state-of-the-art newsroom and production facility, you will gain hands-on experience with industry-standard tools.
During your two semesters on campus in Boston, you will never be at a loss for ideas. Boston is where it all started! A plaque at City Hall commemorates Boston as the birthplace of American journalism. Emerson is located in the city center, within blocks of the Massachusetts State House, City Hall, and the international financial district.
Our alumni are covering the news—from local and national television and radio stations to print and online journalism organizations. Through intensive coursework, internships in the country’s largest media markets, and Boston’s ideal location for news, you will be prepared for a professional career in journalism.
Learn more about our industry connections »
Drawing on a wealth of professional experiences and ongoing research, our distinguished faculty members offer you the encouragement and professional insight to point you to a successful career in a demanding field.
Full-time faculty members have worked for local Boston television affiliates and area newspapers, as well as CNN, CBS, NBC, CNBC, NPR, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, and The Christian Science Monitor.
This culminating experience in your final semester consists of projects that demonstrate your ability to do professional work in reporting, writing, editing, and producing. It is designed to allow you to complete your professional portfolio of cross-media journalistic work. And it's online, giving you freedom to do your own time management.
In your last semester, you will take an internship at a professional news organization anywhere in the country. Emerson students are known for their high-quality work, and are sought after by news organizations, from the Boston Globe to network news affiliates. Alumni, faculty and the Office of Career Services will help you find an internship to suit your professional goals.
This programme will give you an insight into the complex history of technology, medicine, scientific knowledge and methodology, as well as how they have shaped the world we live in.
You’ll explore the themes, concepts and debates in the study of the history of science through core modules. These will also allow you to develop your historical research skills, using our excellent library resources to work with primary and secondary sources. But you’ll also choose from a range of optional modules that allow you to specialise in topics areas that suit your interests, from birth, death and illness in the Middle Ages to modern science communication.
Guided by leading researchers and supported by our Centre of History and Philosophy of Science, you’ll learn in a stimulating environment with access to a wide range of activities. You could even gain research experience by getting involved in the development of our Museum of the History of Science, Technology and Medicine.
We have world-class research resources to support your studies. The Brotherton Library houses extensive manuscript, archive and printed material in its Special Collections, including Newton’s Principia, a first edition of his Opticks and thousands of books and journals on topics from the 16th century onwards on topics such as astronomy, botany, medicine, physiology, chemistry, inventions and alchemy. You’ll also have access to the collections of artefacts across campus that we have brought together through the Museum of the History of Science, Technology and Medicine.
The Centre also hosts a number of research seminars given by visiting speakers, staff members and doctoral students and which all postgraduate students are encouraged to attend. There are also regular reading groups on a wide range of topics and the seminar series of other centres within the School are also available.
In your first semester you’ll take a core module introducing you to different approaches and debates in history of science, technology and medicine, as well as how they have been used over time to help us understand scientific developments. You’ll build on this in the following semester with a second core module that will give you a foundation in historical skills and research methods, equipping you to work critically and sensitively with primary and secondary sources.
You’ll have the chance to demonstrate the skills and knowledge you’ve gained in your dissertation, which you’ll submit by the end of the year. This is an independently researched piece of work on a topic of your choice within the history of science, technology and medicine – and you can choose to take an extended dissertation if you want to go into even greater depth.
Throughout the year you’ll be able to choose from a range of optional modules, allowing you to develop your knowledge by specialising in a topic of your choice such as science and religion historically considered, or science in the museum. You’ll take one optional module if you take the extended dissertation, or two if you do the standard dissertation.
If you choose to study part-time, you’ll study over a longer period and take fewer modules in each year.
These are typical modules/components studied and may change from time to time. Read more in our Terms and conditions.
Compulsory modules
You’ll take three compulsory modules, though you can choose whether to take a standard (60 credits) or extended (90 credits) dissertation. You’ll then choose one or two optional modules.
Optional modules
Most of our taught modules combine seminars and tutorials, where you will discuss issues and concepts stemming from your reading with a small group of students and your tutor. You’ll also benefit from one-to-one supervision while you complete your dissertation. Independent study is also an important element of the programme, allowing you to develop your skills and pursue your own interests more closely.
We assess your progress using a combination of exams and coursework, giving you the freedom to research and write on topic areas that suit your interests within each module you study.
You’ll gain a range of in-depth subject knowledge throughout this programme, as well as a set of high-level transferable skills in research, analysis, interpretation and oral and written communication that are very attractive to employers.
As a result, you’ll be equipped for a wide range of careers. Some of these will make direct use of your subject knowledge, such as museum work or public engagement with science, while your skills will enable you to succeed in fields such as business and finance, publishing, IT and teaching.
Graduates of our School also regularly go onto careers in journalism, the media, social work, human resources, PR, recruitment and the charity sector. Many also continue with their studies at PhD level and pursue careers in academia.
We encourage you to prepare for your career from day one. That’s one of the reasons Leeds graduates are so sought after by employers.
The Careers Centre and staff in your faculty provide a range of help and advice to help you plan your career and make well-informed decisions along the way, even after you graduate. Find out more at the Careers website.
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