Science, Society and Communication Studypath

Are you doing your Master’s in the VU Science Faculty and do you have an interest in science communication, policy, or (social) entrepreneurship? Would you like to pursue a career in science museums, media, consultancy, policy-making, or science advocacy? Then come and shape your own 18 EC Science, Society and Communication Studypath.

Athena Institute invites Master students from the VU Faculty of Science the opportunity to do an 18EC Science, Society and Communication (SSC) Studypath. The SSC Studypath is composed of three 6EC elective courses. Students can do the SSC Studypath courses in the first or second year of their Master programme.

The SSC Studypath courses enable students to collaborate with students from different disciplines as well as with societal actors, such as science centres and museums, media, governments, (social) start-ups and NGOs (see some logos of Athena Institute partners in the picture on the right). During the courses, students work on contemporary societal challenges through interactive lectures, seminar sessions, and assignments.

The specific SSC Studypath courses that each Master programme offers can be found below.

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 organizations.

Students that have finished the SSC Studypath have the option to build-in a societal or science communication component in their final Master research project, thesis or internship. Students are responsible for finding their own project as long as it meets the conditions and end terms of their own Master programme. This final research project, thesis or internship is supervised by a supervisor from the student’s own Master programme as well as by a supervisor from the Athena Institute.

Is your programme not listed below? Most Science, Society and Communication Studypath courses can also be followed as separate electives by any Master student, from in- and outside the Science Faculty, and from in- and outside the VU. You can find all SSC courses listed further down below.

Students or program directors with questions or SSC Studypath related requests, can email SSC Studypath coordinator Marjoleine van der Meij via m.g.vander.meij@vu.nl.

VU Artificial Intelligence Master programme (AI)

Once students have successfully completed the SSC Studypath, they can build-in a societal or science communication component in their graduation research project or thesis.

P1 (September – October)	P2 (November-December)	P3 (January)	P4-6 (February-June)
The Art of Science Communication (6EC): AM_470587	Science journalism and exhibition design (6EC): [course code will follow]	Ethics and Science in Dialogue (6EC): [course code will follow]	Interdisciplinary Community Service Learning 2 (6EC): AM_1253
Managing Science & Technology in Society (6EC): AM_470586	Communication, Organisation and Management (6 EC): AM_470572	Management of Innovative Technologies in Community Based Health Care (6EC): AM_1181
	Business Management in Health and Life Sciences (6EC): AM_470584
	Policy, Politics and Participation* (6EC) AM_470589

* Please note that for this course, the course coordinator may ask AI students to do additional background reading, since the course has several entry requirements that AI students have to work around.

VU Biomedical Technology and Physics Master programme (BMTP)

The Science, Society and Communication Studypath for Master students Biomedical Technology and Physics can be accomplished if students adopt three of the following courses in their programme. Once students have successfully completed three SSC courses, it is possible to do a graduation research project on a societal or science communication related topic.

P1 (September – October)	P2 (November-December)	P3 (January)	P4-6 (February-June)
Research Methods for Analyzing Complex Problems (6EC): AM_1182	Business Management in Health and Life Sciences (6EC) AM_470584	Epidemiology and Clinical Trials (6EC): [course code will follow]	Interdisciplinary Community Service Learning 2 (6EC): AM_1253
The Art of Science Communication (6EC): AM_470587	Health, globalisation and human rights (6EC) AM_470818	Management of Innovative Technologies in Community Based Health Care (6EC): AM_1181
Managing Science & Technology in Society (6EC): AM_470586

VU Computer Science master programme (CS)

Once students have successfully completed the SSC Studypath, they can build-in a societal or science communication component in their graduation research project or thesis.

P1 (September – October)

P2 (November-December)

P3 (January)

The art of science communication (6EC): AM_470587

Science Journalism and Exhibition Design (6EC): [course code will follow]

Ethics and Science in Dialogue (6EC): [course code will follow]

Managing Science & Technology in Society (6EC): AM_470586

Management of Innovative Technologies in Community Based Health Care (6EC): AM_1181

The courses are part of the ‘constrained choice societal perspectives’ (XM_CS_B6).

VU Drug Discovery Sciences Master programme (DDS)

The Science, Society and Communication Studypath for Master students Drug Discovery Sciences can be accomplished if students adopt three of the following courses in their programme. For this programme, a graduation research project on a societal or science communication related topic is not available (yet).

P1 (September – October)	P2 (November-December)	P3 (January)
Research Methods for Analyzing Complex Problems (6EC): AM_1182	Business Management in Health and Life Sciences (6EC): AM_470584	Epidemiology and Clinical Trials (6EC): [course code will follow]
The art of science communication (6EC): AM_470587	Science journalism and Exhibition design (6EC): [course code will follow]	Ethics and science in dialogue (6EC): [course code will follow]
Managing Science & Technology in Society (6EC): AM_470586	Communication, Organisation and Management (6 EC): AM_470572	Management of Innovative Technologies in Community Based Health Care (6EC): AM_1181

VU Biomedical Sciences Master programme

The Science, Society and Communication Studypath for Master students Biomedical Sciences can be accomplished by choosing the specialization Science Communication, or Science in Society in their programme. As part of this specialization, it is possible to do a graduation research project on a science communication, policy, or entrepreneurship related topic.
VU Management, Policy and Entrepreneurship Master programme

Many SSC Studypath courses are integrated in the MPA core programme already. Students from the Master programme MPA with an interest in science communication can choose the specialization ‘Health & Life Sciences Based Communication’. As part of this specialization, it is possible to do a science communication research internship (in year 1 and year 2) and a ‘Reflective Practice Placement’ internship (in year 2).
VU Bachelor students from the Faculty of Science
Are you interested in science communication, but still in your Bachelors? Then Athena Institute offers a few options for you as well:
- The Minor Communicatie over Gezondheid (in Dutch) between P1 (September-October) and P3 (January) each year.
- The Science Communication for Researchers Course (AB_470185) in P5 (April-May) each year.

Science Society and Communications courses for all Master students

Period 1 (Sept-Oct)

Period 2 (Nov-Dec)

Period 3 (Jan)

Period 4-6 (Feb-June)

The Art of Science Communication (6EC): AM_1335

Students learn about principles for communicating about science with different audiences.

Science Journalism and Exhibition Design (6EC): AM_1334

Students learn to translate scientific research into communication products and experiences.

Ethics and Science in Dialogue (6EC): AM_1333

Students learn to design and facilitate a dialogue about the ethical aspects around science / technology development.

Interdisciplinary Community Service Learning 2 (6EC): AM_1253

Students collaborate with residents of a neighbourhood in Amsterdam to work on a challenge that residents face.

Managing Science & Technology in Society (6EC): AM_470586

Students learn about the reciprocal interactions between science, technology development and society.

Communication, Organisation and Management (6 EC): AM_470572

Students learn about how organizations work and how to develop strategic advice for an organisation.

Management of Innovative Technologies in Community Based Health Care (6EC): AM_1181

Students analyse a specific innovation and make a redesign for it.

Science and Society in Historical Perspective (6EC, P4+5) X_400424

Students learn how science and society have influenced each other over time.

Research Methods for Complex Problems (6EC): AM_1182

Students learn about the principles of doing qualitative research (through interviews or mixed methods studies) into peoples’ perspectives, ideas, concerns and dreams.

Business Management in Health and Life Sciences (6EC): AM_470584

Students learn to set-up a business plan, and prepare themselves for the (job) market.

Epidemiology and Clinical Trials (6EC): AM_1332

Students learn about the basics of incidence, distribution, and control of diseases, and clinical trials.

Optional (if SSC Studypath is completed): Graduation project, thesis or internship (30EC) with SSC component.

Analysis of Governmental Policy* (6EC): AM_470571

Students apply the basics of qualitative research, by means of interviews.

Health, globalisation and human rights (6EC): AM_470818

Students learn to look at health care through the lens of four principles: Autonomy, Security, Equality, and Dignity.

Policy, Politics and Participation* (6EC): AM_470589

Students learn to facilitate focus group conversations and develop policy recommendations.

* Courses with entrance requirements. In case these are chosen as SSC Studypath elective, additional reading prior to participation may be needed.

Information for programme directors, teachers and exam boards
The Studypath Science, Society and Communication supports Master students from the Faculty of Science to develop A Broader Mind and gives further shape to the VU Strategy 2026-2030 key values ‘openness’, ‘personal’ and ‘responsible’ for the Master programmes in the Faculty of Science.
If students follow three SSC courses, and thus complete the SSC Studypath, they will acquire:
- Communication and collaboration skills that enable them to understand the perspectives rooted in different disciplinary and socio-cultural backgrounds, distill new knowledge from those various perspectives, and integrate that knowledge in scientific thinking and practice.
- Reflection skills to reflect on and act in accordance with the (desired) role of science in society, and the role of the student, as academic professional-to-be, in society.
- Synthese connections between (research in) their own discipline and current societal issues such as climate change, emergence of AI, human rights, the power of technological innovations, the impact of policy, et cetera.
The SSC Studypath helps Science Master programmes to strengthen their impact on societal and science communication learning objectives. Most SSC Studypath courses are embedded in the elective space or constrained choice course list of the Master programmes that participate.
Would you be interested to build-in the SSC Studypath in your programme as well? Please feel free to contact coordinator Marjoleine van der Meij via m.g.vander.meij@vu.nl.

Science, Society and Communication Studypath

About the SSC Studypath courses

About the SSC Studypath courses