MSc Science Communication

The Science Communication Unit is well known and widely respected in the industry, as is our Science Communication Master's. The Unit's staff have extensive experience of science communication practice. Our research seeks to bring science and society closer together, as well as being societally relevant. It's developed in conjunction with those who practice science communication, with the aim of advancing the field.

Bristol is a hub for science communication. It's home to BBC Studios, which produces a range of natural history programmes, including Frozen Planet, and the popular science magazine, BBC Science Focus. Bristol is also home to the award-winning science centre, We The Curious, which the Unit has collaborated with for over 15 years.

As well as drawing on the academic and practical experience of staff within the Science Communication Unit, our MSc course gives you an opportunity to meet a range of visiting lecturers. Many of these work in the industry and you can benefit from their real-world practical experience. This also provides an excellent networking opportunity for students interested in developing contacts among science communication practitioners.

The course is structured in a way that enables those working to study with us. It combines a solid theoretical background with practical skill development and has excellent links with the sectors and industries it informs. Visiting specialists also help you understand what they are looking for in future employees.

Introductory modules provide a broad theoretical foundation in areas such as the rationale for public engagement with science, understanding the audience, the role of the media in society, communication theory and models of informal learning.