MSc Science and Health Communication

This unit introduces students on the MSc Science and Health Communication to science and health communication as professional practice, an object of scholarly study, and as a cultural and social phenomenon. It gives students from diverse backgrounds a common vocabulary and theoretical toolkit for approaching a variety of topics, including:

• science and health journalism
• health communication
• risk communication
• climate communication
• museums, science centres, and public events
• science, health, and the arts
• documentary media
• fictional media
• social and digital media

The unit aims to:

• Introduce students to key ideas and findings in science communication studies
• Introduce students to the range of disciplinary approaches available for studying science communication
• Establish an understanding of the relationship between theory and practice in science communication studies
• Enable students to understand and analyse critically the key literature in the field
• Acquaint students with the range, scope and functions of science communication, now and in the past
• Develop a sense of the political and economic context for science communication

Assessment 1: News story and framing piece

• A news story for a print or online outlet, 750 words (25%)
• A framing piece justifying the outlet chosen and approach taken, 1500-1750 words (25%)

Assessment 2: Academic research essay 2500 words (50%)

All by specific and general comments on Blackboard; standard turn-around time applies