Science Education and Communication

Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

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Deze opleiding

How does the world of science connect with the worlds of education and society? How do teachers bridge science and education? How is science and its processes communicated in the media? What is the role of informal institutions in shaping the public's understanding of science?

open_in_newstudy website

locatieGroningen
diplomaMSc
typeregulier, 120 EC
start1 februari, 1 september
taalvolledig English
volledig Dutch
opleidingsduur2 jaar voltijd, deeltijd
accreditatiesNVAO
croho-code60708
numerus fixusnee
honoursnee

If you are interested in these questions, this programme is for you! We aim to bridge the gap between those who know science, those who teach science, and those who communicate science.
The programme will provide a solid foundation in the science, theory, and practice of innovative teaching and effective communication in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The Master's degree programme in Science Education and Communication is a flexible, two-year programme, with six tracks you can choose from (five Education tracks and a Communication track).


Education tracks
There are five Education tracks. Students who complete the Education track are awarded a first-grade teaching qualification in physics, mathematics, chemistry, biology or computing science. In this track, coursework is combined with internships at high schools. In the courses pedagogy, didactics and class management are discussed.

Communication track
The programme aims to train students in the Communication track to become professionals whose knowledge of the history and philosophy of science and the awareness of the relations between science and society enables them to form an informed and critical opinion about current developments in science, technology and science communication.
You will gain an understanding of science and the scientific process and develop research, teaching, and communication skills needed to assume a range of roles and succeed in diverse formal and informal workplaces such as science museums and centres, media, community organisations, research and academia.
The Communication track is partly bilingual: the course units are taught in English, but you can choose to do your assignments in Dutch or English for some courses.

All tracks are based on a highly interactive and interdisciplinary curriculum integrating theory, research, and practice through contemporary courses and internships.

Listen to our podcast with our student Maihly about her experiences in the Education track.

Please look at our student website Bridging Science, where students publish their work and share their experiences.

Waarom aan de University of Groningen?

- A highly interactive and interdisciplinary curriculum.
- Tracks in education and communication.
- Largely practice-based and focused on your professional career.
- Students have a background in different science, mathematics or engineering disciplines.
There have been two Nobel Prize winners in our faculty: Ben Feringa (Chemistry, 2016) and Frits Zernike (Physics, 1953)


Studieprogramma

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tracks

track Education

The Education track is only available in Dutch. Students participate in both courses of the Master Science Education and Communication and courses of the Teacher Training Programme.

Year 1 consists of courses in both the Teacher Training Programme and three courses of the Science Education and Communication programme, which are shared with the Communication track. The first year starts with a course of the Teacher Trainer Programme, where coursework is combined with an internship. In addition to this course, students take the course 'Research Methods in Science Education and Communication' to prepare themselves for a research project in science education, which they will conduct after this course. Students can also choose to do a research project in their own STEM discipline.
In semester 2 students combine their research project with the course 'Skills in Science Communication' where the fundamentals of science education and communication are addressed. Students also design science education products in the course 'Design for Science Education and Communication'. Both these courses are shared with the Communication track.
Year 2 consists of courses from the Teacher Training Programme, in which you deepen your teaching practice, with courses on didactics, pedagogy, learning theory and class management. You will also conduct a practical research project in science education. In these courses, lectures, assignments and internships in schools are combined.
All tracks have a joint programme, which consists of courses that address fundamental knowledge and skills regarding science education and communication. In these courses the design of science education and communication products, such as news articles, communication strategies, educational material or exhibits is addressed, as well as research skills to be able to conduct academic and practical research in the field of science education and communication. In addition to the joint programme, there is a track-specific programme.

track Communication

In the Communication track, you will learn to act as a mediator between science and technology on the one hand and a non-specialist audience on the other.

In the courses 'Skills in Science Communication' the fundamentals of science education and communication are addressed. Students design science education products in 'Design in Science Education and Communication'. In the course 'Research Methods in Science Education and Communication' students learn to conduct research in science communication. These courses are shared with the Education Track. In the communication track, you will learn about the position of science in society within a historical context and the current status of scientific research in the courses 'History and Philosophy of Science' and 'Nature of Scientific Disciplines'. You will discuss risk communication and the role of public debate and dialogue in the course 'Science, Communication and Society'. In the course 'Citizen Science' you will familiarise yourself with the foundations of citizen science. In the courses 'Science Communication and Journalism' and 'Science and the Public', you will discover the main channels through which scientific information reaches the public. These include media (such as news media, social media, video, television, radio and podcasts) and museums.
In the second year of the programme, you will do a research project in either your own STEM discipline or science communication. In the 'External Science Communication Project' you bring your knowledge into practice with an in-company internship. You are given a large degree of freedom to decide for which client you want to work. Many students opt to work for popular scientific magazines, museums, websites, or for radio or television programmes.

Onderwijs

taal van onderwijs100% en
100% nl
avondonderwijsn.v.t.
afstandsonderwijsn.v.t.
objectives
Both tracks share a selection of courses. In the course 'Skills in Science Communication' written and verbal communication skills are further developed. 'Design for Science Education and Communication ' covers the design process of education and communication materials. 'Research Methods in Science Education and Communication ' discusses methods of scientific research in science education and communication.
In addition, in both tracks, students will do a research project in either their STEM discipline, science education (Education track) or science communication (Communication track).


Toelating en kosten

startmomenten

1 februari 2025

aanmelding deadline : 15 oktober 2024
collegegeld nog niet bekend

1 september 2024

aanmelding deadline : 1 mei 2024
wettelijk tarief : € 1863 (€932 in het eerste jaar)
instellingstarief : € 10600
niet-EU/EER studenten : € 24200

1 september 2025

aanmelding deadline : 1 mei 2025
collegegeld nog niet bekend

Submit an admission application via the 'Apply now' link.
The Admission Office will inform the admission committee of your application, after which the committee will decide whether you meet the admission requirements regarding previous general education and specific background knowledge.

If you opt for the Education track, you must also have a sufficiently broad previous education in the subject where you want to become a teacher. This is decided in consultation with the faculty programmes. The admissions committee may require you to pass additional bachelor's subjects first so that your previous education is sufficiently broad and you are admissible.

Would you like a quick decision on your admission application? Don't wait until 1 May, take advantage of the earlier deadlines for this master's programme. If the University of Groningen submits your complete application before the dates below, you will be notified of the decision a month later.

Application - Decision:

1 December– 15 January

1 February – 1 March

15 March – 15 April

1 May - 15 June





toelatingseisen

vooropleiding
University bachelor's degree in mathematics, computer science, artificial intelligence, physics, astronomy, chemistry, biology, pharmacy, biomedical engineering, engineering, or related disciplines.

The Master's programme in Science Education and Communication is open to anyone who has obtained a bachelor's degree in a STEM programme from a university in the Netherlands. As there is a great diversity of such programmes, the Admissions Board will always decide on admission

In some cases, you may have to take additional courses for the Education track in order to have sufficient (broad) knowledge. Therefore, an admission request is always required for the Education track; the Admissions Board will decide which additional courses are required.

Information about possible admission after HBO can be found at: https://www.rug.nl/fse/msc-admission.

basiskennis
Additional requirements, to be determined by the Admissions Board, may apply for the Education tracks.

aan het woord: studenten en docenten

Caya Muijs
During the programme, we learn a lot of different skills that are useful for future careers.

Caya Muijs - Student of the MSc Science Education and Communication (Communication track)

After finishing a Bachelor’s in Chemistry, I realized that I wasn't really into the research side of the programme but wanted to do something more related to people...
Some examples that I liked the most: I have made a video as if it was for the Dutch TV programme Het Klokhuis, I have written an article that has been published in the university paper, and I am currently doing an internship at Science Linx, where I am developing course material for primary schools.During the programme, we learn a lot of different skills that are useful for future careers. Because of the diversity of courses, I feel that I have a good base from which to start the next step: a career in science communication!


lees verder ...
Delân Çağlar,
Cees Draaijer
Hugo Bronkhorst
Het mooiste is wanneer leerlingen de stof begrijpen en meer plezier krijgen

studenten
Mattijs Hooghwinkel

Keuzehulp

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Studievergelijker

1/2 Utrecht University
Science Education and Communication
€ 336 gemiddelde kamerhuur
5 eerstejaars
60% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
2/2 Utrecht University
Leraar VHO informatica
€ 336 gemiddelde kamerhuur
5 eerstejaars
60% vrouw
? uur contacttijd/week
100% Nederlandstalig
disclaimer: bovenstaande cijfers en beoordelingen zijn aangeleverd door de opleidingen zelf. Wij kunnen de juistheid niet garanderen.

Na de studie

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The Communication track prepares students for a career in the field of science communication and education. It offers students a large variety of career perspectives. Our alumni have obtained careers as spokespersons or consultants at scientific institutes. Others have become editors or journalists for popular science magazines, newspapers, television programmes, radio shows or institutes. Alumni work at science museums or science centres, become freelance science communicators or pursue academic or scientific careers. The broad scope of the degree programme makes our students also suitable candidates for positions in policy making or knowledge transfer.

The Education track (in Dutch) prepares students for a career as a teacher of mathematics, physics, chemistry, biology or computer science, qualified to teach in upper-level secondary education. A position in educational development or educational research is also a possibility.



Beroepsperspectief / arbeidsmarkt

Possible companies and organisations include: schools, science Museums and centres, media, community organisations, NGO's, educational publishers, research and academia.

Potentiële beroepen

docent
onderzoeker binnen de wetenschapscommunicatie of -educatie
wetenschapsjournalist bij een krant of omroep
woordvoerder bij een museum of instituut
bron: StudieData

Contact

Academic Advisors FSE
studyscience@rug.nl Study Science

For students who are interested in a Campus Tour or who have other general questions

Meer informatie?
Bezoek de website van deze opleiding.

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