Program Overview

Program Overview

The University of Copenhagen offers a course in Science and Technology Communication, which is part of the MSc Programme in Biology with a minor subject and the MSc Programme in Climate Change.

Course Description

The course addresses the global problems of climate change, biodiversity crisis, and habitat loss by preparing students to communicate advanced science and technology content to diverse audiences. It qualifies students to work with the communication and dissemination of complex and interdisciplinary scientific and technological content in a research-based way.

Learning Outcomes

The course has the following learning outcomes:

• Knowledge: Students acquire knowledge about making science and technology communication engaging and relevant, characteristics and challenges of communicating scientific and technological processes, and relevant communication formats.
• Skills: Students acquire skills to communicate science and technology in writing, orally, and visually, reflect on how communication can be used strategically, and identify and relate to epistemological orientations and other characteristics of specific target audiences.
• Competencies: Students acquire competencies to reflect on challenges and opportunities for the communication of advanced content matter, identify essential science and technology content for various target audiences, select and transform science and technology content, design accurate and engaging communication products, and critically evaluate science and technology communication.

Course Structure

The course is structured in a series of themes that reflect different dissemination media and target audiences. Students work in-depth with the themes through short weekly assignments, using and reflecting on concrete communication tools.

Literature

The teaching materials consist of selected texts and audio/visual material made available online.

Recommended Academic Qualifications

Academic qualifications equivalent to a BSc degree are recommended.

Teaching and Learning Methods

The teaching is structured as an interaction between workshops, professional presentations, group work, and individual work with examples and problems drawn from the course's themes.

Workload

The workload is distributed as follows:

• Lectures: 14 hours
• Preparation: 146 hours
• Practical exercises: 45 hours
• Exam: 1 hour
• Total: 206 hours

Assessment

The course is assessed through an oral exam on the basis of previous submissions, with a 30-minute preparation time. Participants must have handed in five of seven written assignments to take part in the oral exam.

Course Information

• Language: English
• Course code: NNDK24000U
• Credit: 7.5 ECTS
• Level: Full Degree Master
• Duration: 1 block
• Placement: Block 2
• Schedule: B
• Course capacity: 60

Study Board and Contracting Departments

The course is offered by the Study Board for the Biological Area, with contracting departments including the Department of Science Education and The Natural History Museum of Denmark, under the Faculty of Science. The course coordinator is Marianne Achiam.