Master of Science (MSc) in Science, Media and Public Policy  

This new and ambitious master’s programme analyses the roles of science, media and publics within issues holding public policy relevance. As vital fields within contemporary life, science, media and policy are studied in this MSc for their far-reaching impact on the economy, politics, publics and the natural world.

If you have any queries regarding this MSc programme you may email: Dr Eric Jensen at: E.Jensen@warwick.ac.uk who will be pleased to answer your queries. Queries regarding the application process can be directed to the Postgraduate Admission Team at: PGteam6@warwick.ac.uk or alternatively Christine Wilson, Postgraduate Secretary, Department of Sociology at: Christine.Wilson@warwick.ac.uk OR socpg.admissions@warwick.ac.uk

Scope of the Degree

Science is increasingly visible in society in many different ways: Science influences public policy decisions. It is as an engine of economic growth. It impacts on our daily lives (via food, climate). And last but not least, science is expensive and controversial in its own right. All of these features of science are made ‘public’ in the broadest sense through media, but the nature of this ‘publicity’ is complex and requires dedicated study by those who wish not only to understand but also to intervene effectively.

Sociology at Warwick has top scholars at the cutting edge of both the theoretical and practical dimensions of these issues, who bring world-leading expertise into this new Master of Science programme. This includes the dynamic Science, Politics & Society research group. The new core modules for this degree will be lead by Professor Steve Fuller and Dr Eric Jensen.

Career Directions for MSc Alumni

This course is designed to equip students with the theoretical and practical skills needed for understanding and managing the complexity of science, media and policy relations. This degree will be of interest to those from social and natural science backgrounds, as well as medicine, politics, journalism, conservation and environment. The course is well-suited to those looking to enhance their media and policy knowledge and skills prior to entering science-related professions, as well as professionals already active in media or policy looking for a broader horizon for their work.

This degree will prepare you for professions including:

· Science-related businesses, public engagement and public relations

· Government and science, medicine, technology, animal and food policy

· Science writing, science publishing and science journalism

· Broadcasting: science on television, internet and radio

· Medical research and health businesses and charities

· Environmental charities, NGOs, zoos and other conservation organisations

· Universities, Royal Academies, Colleges and Societies, Research Councils

· Science and medicine-focused museums

DELIVERY MODE:

The degree is currently designed for one year full-time mode but may also have a part-time option available, as well as flexible delivery modes (e.g. weekends) and locations (e.g. working with external partners such as Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust).

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

2 core modules + 3 optional modules + dissertation. There is a wide range of exciting optional modules to choose from. The 15,000-word dissertation may be co-supervised with a member of another department, including in natural science, if appropriate.

CORE MODULES:

Term One: Understanding Science, Media and Public Policy (delivered by Steve Fuller) 

Drawing on resources from history, philosophy and social studies of science, as well as recent social theory, this module will survey and critique various frameworks for conceptualising the relationship between science, media and public policy. Among the topics covered include: science’s public accountability, the role of peer review in authorising scientific knowledge, the comparative demands of scientific and journalistic inquiry, the role of public relations in science, the idea of science as a cultural product, media’s duty to educate, inform and entertain the public about science, scientists as political advisors, actors and advocates, the idea of the citizen-scientist, the role of new media as both information resource and research site for science. Emphasis will be placed on the two-way influence of theory and practice, as well as the challenges posed by the representation of specific types of scientific knowledge in specific media.

Term Two: Researching Science, Media and Public Policy in the 21st Century (delivered by Eric Jensen)

Across many domains of social and professional life, the sciences seek to influence publics through entertainment and news media, education, dialogue and debate. This module will identify the ways in which such attempts to influence or engage public perceptions of the sciences can be investigated through specific case studies. There have been particular flashpoints at the nexus of science, media and public policy in recent years. Controversies over human cloning, embryonic stem cell research, genetically modified crops, alternative medicine, the bioethics of zoos and the climate change agenda each hold important lessons for understanding the role of mass media, stakeholders and citizens in shaping public policy. These cases show how knowledge, power and legitimacy are marshalled in struggles for dominance and consensus over science in the public realm. A sociological account of these cases will be developed to critically assess the processes of public understanding and engagement with science, media coverage and science policy consultation.

MODULE CONVENORS:

Steve Fuller is Professor of Sociology at the University of Warwick. Originally trained in history and philosophy of science and active in the field of science and technology studies for a quarter-century, he is best known for his work in the field of ‘social epistemology’, which addresses normative philosophical questions about organized knowledge by historical and social scientific means. ‘Social epistemology’ is also the name of a quarterly journal he founded in 1987 and the first of his eighteen books. His most recent work has been concerned with the science-religion relationship, the role of intellectuals in society and the shifting academic and public understanding of the concept of ‘the human’ in light of recent developments in biology and technology. In 1998 he was appointed the first fellow in the Public Understanding of Science by the UK’s Economic and Social Research Council and remains active in public intellectual media worldwide.

Eric Jensen is Assistant Professor of Sociology at the University of Warwick and is directly involved in professional practice within the domain of science, media, policy and society. His primary research interest is the practice and impacts of public engagement with science, including through zoos, museums, festivals and media. Holding a PhD from Cambridge University, Dr Jensen is also Visiting Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London / University of Cambridge and Senior Fellow in Conservation Education and Visitor Studies at Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. Current projects include research commissioned by the European Commission, Greater London Authority and the National Co-ordinating Centre for Public Engagement, as well as books on ‘Culture and Social Change: Transforming Society through the Power of Ideas’ and ‘For God, Science and Country: The Global Therapeutic Cloning Debate’.

HOW TO APPLY 

Podcast - Dr Eric Jensen discusses the MSc in Science, Media and Public Policy