Program Overview

Course Overview

The Climate Change Communication course, SCIS 417, is offered by the School of Science in Society, Faculty of Science and Engineering. This course examines how scientists, writers, Indigenous advocates, artists, and activists engage public audiences with the realities of climate change and the need for mitigation and adaptation.

Course Details

• Dates: 23 February 2026 to 21 June 2026
• Starts: Trimester 1
• Fees:
  • NZ$1,384.80 for domestic students
  • NZ$5,679.00 for international students
• Lecture Start Times:
  • Thursday 10.00am
  • Friday 10.00am
• Campus: Kelburn
• Estimated Workload: Approximately 150 hours or 8.8 hours per week for 17 weeks
• Points: 15

Entry Restrictions

• Prerequisites: Permission of programme director
• Corequisites: None
• Restrictions: Students who have already passed SCIS 317 cannot take this course

Course Objectives

Students who pass this course should be able to:

1. Critique and compare the ways scientists, writers, Indigenous advocates, artists, and environmental activists seek to engage public audiences with the realities of climate change.
2. Describe and discuss the barriers to effective climate change communication, and the personal, institutional and cultural contexts in which climate change communication takes place.
3. Evaluate and apply connections between climate change communication research and practice.
4. Create their own climate change communication by applying knowledge from the course.

How the Course is Taught

This course is optimized for face-to-face delivery, with readings and assignments delivered and submitted through the learning management platform. Teaching includes a mixture of lectures, seminars, and workshops.

Assessment

• Six short, weekly tasks: 40%
• Essay (3,000 words): 30%
• A research-informed communication output (up to 1,500 words or equivalent in any medium): 30%

What You'll Need to Get

You do not need to get any texts or equipment for this course.

Disclaimer

This course outline may be subject to change.