MSc Science and Health Communication

Year of entry: 2024

Course unit details:
Science Communication Mentored Project

Course unit fact file
Unit code HSTM60622
Credit rating 30
Unit level FHEQ level 7 – master's degree or fourth year of an integrated master's degree
Teaching period(s) Semester 2
Available as a free choice unit? No

Overview

Students taking this unit undertake an independent project in science and health communication, broadly construed, with professional mentorship and academic supervision. Doing this project allows students to get hands-on experience creating materials to a professional standard. Students can choose to do either an organisation-based project, where they produce content, materials, or events for a science & health communication-adjacent organisation, or a creative project, where they design their own product. Organisation-based projects have involved producing materials like social media campaigns, material for patients and publics, museum engagement events, and specialised materials for science policy and medical writing contexts. Creative projects have involved producing short documentary films, short animations on science or health topics for varied audiences, portfolios of popular writing on a chosen topic, children's books, and so on. Projects are supervised by an academic associated with the MSc SHC programme, and mentoring through arrangement with a professional partner of the programme.

Pre/co-requisites

FT students will be expected to have completed HSTM60561, HSTM60571, and HSTM60011 in Semester 1 before taking this unit in Semester 2.

PT students will undertake this unit over the summer after Y1, and will be expected to have completed HSTM60561 in Semester 1 and at least one options unit in Semester 2.

Aims

The unit aims to:
  • Allow students to develop a piece of work in science communication that is relevant to a professional context of their choosing.
  • Appreciation of skills, values and standards in a chosen professional specialism
  • Appreciation of the opportunities, constraints and processes of the relevant workplace
  • Independent research in academic and professional environments
  • Effective time-management and use of resources
  • Professional standard finish and delivery
  • Knowledge and understanding of potential outlets and audiences 

Teaching and learning methods

 
 

Assessment methods

Science Communication Product (Variable as form of project dependent on medium topic) 50%

Project porposal 2000 words 20%

Academic justification 6000 words 30%

Feedback methods

Formative feedback/supervision from the academic tutor and advice from the professional mentor; a mark from the academic tutor (and second marker) with commentary.

Study hours

Independent study hours
Independent study 300

Teaching staff

Staff member Role
Elizabeth Toon Unit coordinator
Harriet Palfreyman Unit coordinator

Return to course details