Science Communication major

If you are creative, enjoy science, and want to work with people, Science Communication is for you. Science communicators use their knowledge of both science and communication in a range of media to increase engagement with important issues that have science at their core. This major will teach you how to communicate effectively with diverse audiences ranging from school children to scientists, using a range of media and genres from digital media to exhibitions. Science Communication provides you with excellent written, oral and visual communication skills, and you will meet and work with industry experts, enhancing your networking and employment opportunities. This major must be taken in conjunction with another science major, giving you both sound scientific knowledge and highly marketable communication skills.

Outcomes

Students are able to (1) understand how scientific knowledge is made and be able to interpret scientific information; (2) create effective and engaging materials in a range of media to communicate scientific information to diverse audiences using appropriate conventions; (3) create effective strategies that identify and align purpose, key messages, and media with specific audiences; (4) appraise the social context in which both science and science communication occur; and (5) demonstrate a capacity for self-reflection and an understanding of ethical issues in both science and science communication.

Second major

Science Communication can only be taken as a second major in conjunction with a degree-specific Science major in the following degree courses:

Overview of unit sequence

The Science Communication second major is a single major comprising:

  • two Level 1 units
  • three Level 2 units
  • three Level 3 units
Key to availability of units:
S1 = Semester 1; S2 = Semester 2; NS = non-standard teaching period

Level 1

Second major units
Take all units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 PSYC1102 Psychology: Behaviour in Context
S1 SCOM1101 Communicating Science
Prerequisites:
ATAR Mathematics Applications
or
WACE Mathematics 2C/2D
or
TEE Discrete Mathematics
or
equivalent
or
higher
Co-requisites:
MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals (only required if students haven't completed Maths Applications
or
WACE Mathematics 2C/2D
or
TEE Discrete Mathematics
or
equivalent
or
higher). Please note that there will be a delay in validating your enrollment in SCOM1101 after you have enrolled in MATH 1720.

Level 2

Second major units
Take all units (12 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, NS COMM2002 Digital Media
Prerequisites:
(COMM1002 Cultures, New Media and Communications
or
COMM1001 Power, Participation and Meaning)
or
(COMM1101 Human Technology
and
ENGL1112 Screen Cultures/Print Cultures
or
LING1101 Language and Communication)
Incompatibility:
COMM2203 Digital Media
S1 SCOM2208 Science Writing
Prerequisites:
completion of 36 credit points
or
enrolment in the Master of Science Communication (51580)
Incompatibility:
COMM3324 Science Communication—Writing
Second major units
Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S1, S2 SCIE2205 Science Work Placement
Prerequisites:
enrolment in the Bachelor of Science (BP004)
or
the Bachelor of Biomedical Science (BP006)
or
the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) (BH005) and completion of 60 points of study at UWA and approval of the unit coordinator.
S1, S2 SCIE2206 Science Consultancy Project
Prerequisites:
enrolment in the Bachelor of Science (BP004)
or
the Bachelor of Biomedical Science (BP006)
or
the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) (BH005), completion of 48 points of study at UWA, WAM of 65%
or
higher and approval of unit coordinator.

Level 3

Second major units
Take all units (18 points):
Availability Unit code Unit name unit requirements
S2 SCOM3205 Science Presentations
Prerequisites:
SCOM2208 Science Writing
Incompatibility:
SCOM2205 Science Presentations
S1 SCOM3319 Exhibitions and Interpretation
Prerequisites:
any Level 2 COMM unit
or
any Level 2 SCOM unit
or
enrolment in Master of Science Communication (51580)
S2 SCOM3325 Science Communication as an Academic Discipline
Prerequisites:
any Level 2 COMM unit
or
any Level 2 SCOM unit
or
enrolment in Master of Science Communication (51580)

Choosing a second major

The flexible structure of an undergraduate course allows you the option of including a second major. You have the choice to either nominate your second major when you first enrol in the course or delay it until your second year. For a major to be recorded on your academic record it must be nominated before the requirements of the course are completed.

To fully understand the structure of an undergraduate course read the course structure information and the Undergraduate Degree Course Rules.

The following example illustrates how Science Communication can be included as second major in an undergraduate degree course.

Example: Course Study Plan: CSPGeneric-DSMGeneric-SCCOM

For more examples of combinations of majors, search the study plans .