Masters in Science Communication

Education objectives

Joint master degree programme between FCSH/NOVA and ITQB/NOVA.
Portugal has a scientific culture deficit. Despite the considerable progress of the scientific community, Portuguese science does not reach its main subsidizer – society – either because it is not communicated by the research institutions or because it is not properly handled by mass media, lacking qualified professionals in this area. A third player in the mission to bring science closer to the public is represented by science museums and science centers, that represent an important link between research institutions and the public. Intending to raise society’s science literacy as its ultimate purpose, the Master in Science Communication has three main goals:
a. Raise awareness of the importance to communicate scientific issues in a society
increasingly dependent on science and technology;
b. Motivate future communicators and educators for science communication in its different forms;
c. Contribute to establish science communication as a common practice in all research institutions.

In its practical component, this study cycle has the collaboration of several entities, including the Lisbon Oceanarium.

At the end of this study cycle, students should be able to:
a. recognize the importance to contribute to increase science literacy and the main ways to do it;
b. identify the distinctive aspects of science and science communication that require specific communication training;
c. develop communication plans appropriate for different audiences, through media, in schools and science centers/museums, and at research institutions.

General characterization

DGES code

4296

Cicle

Master (2nd Cycle)

Degree

Master

Access to other programs

Completion of the Masters degree allows the holder to apply for the cycle of studies which leads to a Doctorate Degree. For the specific access requirements for doctoral programmes, consult the regulations governing the doctoral programmes at FCSH, UNL.

Coordinator

António Granado; Ana Sanchez (ITQB)

Opening date

September 2019

Vacancies

35

Fees

More information provided in the Call for Applications, available on www.fcsh.unl.pt

Schedule

(see at https://www.fcsh.unl.pt/cursos/)

Teaching language

Available soon

Degree pre-requisites

Length: 3 semesters.
Total credits: 93 credits (60 in course units of the study programme + 33 in the non-taught component).
Types of non-taught component: Dissertation or Project Work, or Internship with Report.
The degree of “mestre” corresponds to the level 7 of the NQF and EQF-National Qualifications Framework/European Qualifications Framework.

Conditions of admittance

Please consult the application call available at www.fcsh.unl.pt

Evaluation rules

1) No obligatory precedences for attending the program’s courses. 2) A final grade, expressed as a number between 10 and 20 on a scale of 0 to 20 as well as its equivalent on the ECTS grading scale, is awarded for the post-graduate diploma. The final grade of the post-graduate diploma is the average, by credit, of the grades obtained in the course units in which the student obtained the 60 credits from the taught part of the Masters course. A final grade, expressed as a number between 10 and 20 on a scale of 0 to 20 as well as its equivalent on the ECTS grading scale, is awarded for the Masters degree. The final grade of the Masters degree will be the average of the final grade of the taught part of the course, weighted to 40%, and the grade awarded to the dissertation, project work or practical work experience report, weighted to 60%.