From the academic year 2026-2027 onwards, the Athena Institute at VU Amsterdam offers science Master students the opportunity to do a Science, Society and Communication (SSC) Studypath. The Studypath is composed of three 6EC electives, plus the option of an internship in some science programmes for an additional 30EC. Each Master programme offers a specific set of electives to choose from. You can do these electives in the first or second year of your Master. The specific SSC courses that your master programme offers can be found below. The currently participating VU science programs are Artificial Intelligence (AI), Biomedical Technology and Physics (BMTP), Computer Science (CS) and Drug Discovery Sciences (DDS).
Once you have finished your 18EC SSC Studypath, you will receive a certificate from the Athena Institute, which can be helpful when applying for jobs in e.g. government, NGOs, start-ups, or science communication (departments of) organizations.
Some science programmes (AI, BMTP, and CS) also allow you to do a 30EC societal or science communication internship. Entry requirements for the SSC internship are that you have finished at least three SSC Studypath electives successfully. Students are responsible for choosing their own internship placement and project as long as it meets the end terms of their science Master programme. During the internship, you will have joint supervision from your own science programme and the Athena Institute as well as an onsite supervisor from the organisation where your internship takes place.
Learning objectives of this Studypath:
- Students can describe and critically discuss core concepts of science-society interactions, such as knowledge co-production, citizen and stakeholder dialogue and participation, framing, epistemic diversity and normative diversity.
- Students can communicate scientific and social-scientific insights in different societal and disciplinary contexts; oral, audio(visual) and/or written.
- Students can analyse, design and/or facilitate interactions between science and societal stakeholders.
- Students can work in inter- and/or transdisciplinary teams.
- Students recognize and critically reflect on their own disciplinary assumptions, values, and ways of knowing, and appreciate alternative epistemologies from other scientific disciplines and societal actors.
- Students cultivate a sense of responsibility and agency to shape transformative science–society relations through informed, reciprocal interactions.
Are you also interested in the Studypath, but is your Master program not listed below?
VU Biomedical sciences students can follow two 54EC specializations: Science in Society and Science Communication.
Are you interested in science communication, but still in your Bachelors? Please check also our Science Communication for Researchers Course (AB_470185), which runs in P5 (April-May) each year.
Science, Society and Communication Studypath courses can be followed as an elective by any student, from outside the Science Faculty, and from outside the VU. More on these courses can be found below.
For students or program directors of other (Science faculty) Master programs with questions or SSC Studypath requests, please get in touch with the SSC Studypath coordinator Marjoleine van der Meij via m.g.vander.meij@vu.nl to discover what your possibilities are.