The science of stories. The stories of science.
Being a scientist today means not just navigating the world of research, but also integrating with the community, sharing knowledge and informing policy.
With a qualification in Science Communication, you’ll have the creative flair and practical tools to inspire wonder, nurture greater understanding of the natural world and empower meaningful action to address society’s greatest challenges.
Science communication is rapidly expanding as an academic field, with endless opportunities for meaningful careers connecting society with advances in the understanding and application of science and technology, as well as nurturing creativity and enjoyment of science.
Graduates of our programme are employed in a huge range of empowering careers, including regional and city councils, non-profit organisations, Crown Research Institutes, science and natural history magazines, video game development, commercial television, government ministries and museums.
Our department offers exciting opportunities for study at Otago. Taught entirely by distance, our asynchronous course is tailored to suit busy, working professionals.
The PGCertSciComm (3 papers) / PGDipSciComm (6 papers) can be done part-time or full-time as an “at-your-own-pace” programme.
We teach creative thinkers how to use stories to communicate the science they are most passionate about.
To enable students to develop their skills and interests further through real-world experience in a workplace environment, we offer a popular internship paper with a range of professional partners.
In addition to an academic thesis, our students produce creative works that go into the public domain – be it a film, podcast, book, website, exhibition or any other creative endeavour involving the communication of scientific information.
Our graduates are well-connected with industry professionals and leave equipped with an advanced job-ready skillset as well as a deep theoretical understanding of our field.
There are no subject prerequisites for course entry.
Available as a minor subject for a Bachelor of Arts (BA), Bachelor of Music (MusB), Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA), Bachelor of Theology (BTheol), Bachelor of Science (BSc), Bachelor of Commerce (BCom), Bachelor of Entrepreneurship (BEntr), Bachelor of Health Science (BHealSc), Bachelor of Arts and Commerce (BACom), Bachelor of Arts and Science (BASc) or Bachelor of Commerce and Science (BComSc) degree
No new enrolments will be accepted for the minor in Science Communication. Please contact the Department of Science Communication for further information.
| Level | Papers | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 100-level | MFCO 103 Introduction to Communication Studies SCOM 109 Communicating Science: an Introduction | 18 18 |
| Above 100-level | MFCO 222 Science, Technology, and Society SCOM 301 Science and the Public One of MFCO 220, MFCO 223, MFCO 321, ECOL 212, ENGL 228, ENGL 327, HIST 229, HIST 306, PHIL 225, PHIL 235, POLS 207, PUBH 202, PUBH 203, RELS 217, RELS 317, SOCI 208, TOUR 306 | 18 18 18 |
| Total | 90 |
| Paper Code | Year | Title | Points | Teaching period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SCOM109 | 2024 | Communicating Science: an Introduction | 18 points | Not offered in 2024 |
| SCOM301 | 2024 | Engaging the Public with Science | 18 points | Semester 2 |
| SCOM402 | 2024 | The Craft of Storytelling | 20 points | Not offered in 2024 |
| SCOM403 | 2024 | Science and Creative Non-Fiction Writing | 20 points | Not offered in 2024 |
| SCOM404 | 2024 | Science Communication Internship | 20 points | Not offered in 2024 |
| SCOM406 | 2024 | Science Communication Strategies and Resources | 20 points | Not offered in 2024 |
| SCOM409 | 2024 | Introduction to Science Communication | 20 points | Not offered in 2024 |
| SCOM412 | 2024 | The Techniques of Natural History and Science Filmmaking | 20 points | Not offered in 2024 |
| SCOM419 | 2024, 2025 | Special Topic | 20 points | Semester 1 |
| SCOM432 | 2024, 2025 | The Craft of Storytelling | 20 points | Semester 1 |
| SCOM433 | 2024, 2025 | Science and Creative Non-Fiction Writing | 20 points | Semester 2 |
| SCOM434 | 2024, 2025 | Science Communication Internship | 20 points | Semester 1, Semester 2, Full Year |
| SCOM439 | 2024, 2025 | Introduction to Science Communication | 20 points | Semester 1 |
| SCOM495 | 2024 | Thesis Preparation and Proposal | 20 points | Not offered in 2024 |
Sorry, no papers matching this subject were found.
Explore your study options further. Refer to enrolment information found on the following qualification pages.
Email sciencecommunication@otago.ac.nz
Website otago.ac.nz/science-communication
This information must be read subject to the statement on our Copyright & Disclaimer page.
Regulations on this page are taken from the 2024 Calendar and supplementary material.
