Science Communication MSc
Postgraduate Certificate / Master's Degree
The total service fee for this program:
€ 499
Pre payment for this program:
€ 99
Due to the impossibility of foreign currency payments for users residing in Iran, if you are applying for study admission in this program, before pressing the ‘Apply NOW‘ button, contact the support through the Call button below and after To get your suitable solution, proceed to upload the required documents.
ABOUT
School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science
Course description
Taught in collaboration with the Department of Journalism, this course will help you to develop the skills to communicate science effectively to a wide range of audiences.
Through practical training, you’ll learn how to inform, educate and entertain people without the same specialist knowledge, covering the latest topics in science that interest you. Training sessions can cover writing skills, how to record and edit packages for film and television, social media, and event management. Regular small group workshops give you the time to debate and discuss topics, and practice key communication skills.
Throughout your course you’ll produce a portfolio of high quality science communication work, spanning science journalism, public engagement activities, and event organisation. This can give you a range of project and practical experience to include on your CV, as you consider the relationship between science, the media, and the wider public, and the role that science communication plays in society.
Your final project dissertation can be based around a print, broadcast or digital portfolio, an event you’ve organised or a work placement you’ve completed. This can be customisable to your interests and cover any STEM subject you’re passionate about. Previous students have based their dissertation around work they’ve completed at organisations ranging from National Geographic to the CERN research institute in Switzerland.
Example research projects include:
- Let them lead the way: engaging children in climate policy
- Science Communication in a pandemic: How effective are virtual conferences?
- The role of social media in the dissemination of public health messaging
- Writing women into the history of science; challenging the gender gap in STEM
- Which paper is best? A study of comprehensiveness of news articles on gravitational waves
- Investigating the quality and validity of Covid-19 reporting in the UK press
- Animation as a form of science education; what determines successful education animations?
Teaching is led by expert scientists who have lots of experience of sharing their work with the public, and professional journalists with backgrounds in print, broadcast and online journalism, from Fleet Street to the BBC.
You’ll be able to gain first-hand insights from industry professionals through our course seminar series – past speakers have included staff from national newspapers, film production companies, and the BBC. You’ll also meet regularly with your designated personal tutor and your project dissertation supervisor.
At Sheffield we have a long track record of delivering excellent science communication and outreach work to a huge variety of audiences. Projects have included local and national festivals, schools activities and media work, giving you plenty of opportunities to get involved and put your skills into practice alongside your studies.
Modules
A selection of modules are available each year – some examples are below. There may be changes before you start your course.
Core modules:
- Engaging with the Public
- Science Communication Skills
- Research Methods
- Communicating with the Media
- Topical Science
- Ethics and Regulation
- Dealing with data for journalists
- Project Dissertation
The content of our courses is reviewed annually to make sure it’s up-to-date and relevant. Individual modules are occasionally updated or withdrawn. This is in response to discoveries through our world-leading research; funding changes; professional accreditation requirements; student or employer feedback; outcomes of reviews; and variations in staff or student numbers. In the event of any change we’ll consult and inform students in good time and take reasonable steps to minimise disruption. We are no longer offering unrestricted module choice. If your course included unrestricted modules, your department will provide a list of modules from their own and other subject areas that you can choose from.
Duration
- 1 year full-time
- 2 years part-time
Teaching
Cutting edge research in science and journalism informs our teaching. You’ll attend a mix of lectures, tutorials and seminars, as well as group projects, workshops and masterclasses. Many of our students take the opportunity to go on placement during their dissertation project.
Assessment
Assessment is 100% coursework based and includes, but is not limited to, a written and creative portfolio of print materials and digital content, reflective pieces, spoken presentations, practical exercises and a dissertation.
Your career
Through practical training and opportunities to get involved in science journalism, film and audio production, public engagement and event organisation throughout your degree, our graduates are in a great position to pursue exciting careers across science, technology and the media.
Previous graduates are now working in press offices, newsrooms, research institutes and charities, in roles ranging from marketing and communications, to planning, outreach and education. Employers include the Wellcome Trust, the NHS and the National Institute for Genomic Medicine.
If you choose to continue your research training to PhD level, this masters course will give you the skills to effectively communicate your own research to a wide audience.
Entry requirements
You’ll need a 2:1 or equivalent in biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, mathematics, engineering or other science-related subject.
We also accept medical students who wish to intercalate their studies.
Overall IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in each component, or equivalent.
Fees and funding
- Home (2022 annual fee) : £11,500
- Overseas (2022 annual fee) : £23,250
The fee listed is for the advertised mode of study. If you’re studying for an alternative qualification or via a different mode of study (eg full-time, part-time) then the fee could be different. Due to inflation, the fee for Home students could also increase after your first year of study.
key dates
September start
Monday 29 August 2022 |
Last date to request a deferral to September 2023 entry. You can request a deferral via your online application. We’re not able to consider deferral requests for applications to courses using our staged admissions process. |
Friday 9 September 2022 (17:00 British Summer Time) |
Applications close for September 2022 entry |
Monday 17 October 2022 |
Last date to register for most courses |
FREE VISA SERVICE
One of our very suitable solutions for applicants is to provide free visa services to study in this field from a pleasant country. If you need to receive free visa services, let us know your request
Expenses (GBP)
23250
Application Fee
0
Program expenses
University & General Expenses
REQUIREMENTS
80
accommodation
The international undergraduate and postgraduate students at this university can use different types of accommodation options and live in a safe and vibrant environment to focus entirely on their studies and get the best result, also the students can use the cafes and bars gyms, and other living facilities, on the other hand, they can have an accommodation tour and Sheffield city tour to become familiar with their living environment and make the most suitable decision, as we said, this university offers various accommodation options with different fees like £6,782.58 to £10,210.62 for a rental place in the city for undergraduate and postgraduate students, and they can choose to have a private or shared room.
After Graduation
The international students can work up to 20 hours in part-time jobs in the UK, however, they must refer to their visa to see whether they have study and work permits or not, we recommend you to focus only on your education to get the best results and be able to find the most suitable jobs in the UK or the global market right after graduation, on the other hand, if the international applicants need extra financial help to pay for their tuition fee, living, and study expenses, they can find part-time jobs under some conditions, also if the students find related jobs to their educational fields (with the help of the university), they will obtain more real experience and skills aside from the theoretical knowledge that they acquire during their study period.