As the very first course in science communication at ANU, Science and Public Awareness (SCOM1001) offers a smorgasbord of ideas, information and approaches to all things science communication. It’s designed to help you taste a little bit of everything and see what flavours of science communication most appeal to you!
SCOM1001 provides an introduction to contemporary social and communication issues in science, technology, and society. In the course, we will ask a whole range of questions, like:
- Why communicate science with lay-publics, the media or the government?
- What are the best ways to go about it and what are the potential pitfalls?
- How do we make sense of science as it flies between, and beyond, scientists?
- What kinds of factors affect lay/ non-expert attitudes to science, and science’s attitudes to publics?
- Is it OK to be a scientist and/or science communicator and have influence beyond your expertise?
- What “should” science communicators do?
- Just what is “the public” the “lay-public” or, “non-experts” anyway (it’s not as clear-cut as you might think)?
Focusing on current events and issues facing scientists, science communicators, policy makers, and the community, SCOM1001 students are encouraged to discuss their own perceptions of science and technology in the context of society, and the problems with (and solutions to) communicating science with non-expert audiences. A strong emphasis is placed on collaboration with other students, and students are expected to take an active approach to learning.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
- Work professionally in a collaborative environment.
- Understand and describe the key issues and importance of effective science communication, recognising how social contexts affect the practice and communication of science.
- Debate the effectiveness of the presentation of science in various media
- Critically appraise and characterise key elements of science-based evidence underlying social issues
- Defend and construct evidence-based arguments based on sound scientific and science communication/ social evidence and calling on theories and methods from across many disciplines
- Integrate personal interests, values and aspirations with practical and theoretical development in science communication
- Learn and practice narrative skills in the delivery of science communication 'stories'
Indicative Assessment
- Telling a science story (two parts) (30) [LO 1,2,4,7]
- Critical Essay (30) [LO 2,3,4,5,6,7]
- Podcast assignment (30) [LO 1,2,4,5,6,7]
- Reflective piece (10) [LO 4,7]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
The expected workload will consist of approximately 130 hours throughout the semester including:
- Face-to face component which may consist of 1 x 2 hour lecture and 1 x 1 hour tutorial each week.
- Approximately 94 hours of self-directed study which will include preparation for lectures, tutorials, and assessment tasks.
Inherent Requirements
No specific inherent requirements have been identified for this course.
Prescribed Texts
No specific prescribed text. Course materials supplied online.
Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
Commonwealth Support (CSP) Students
If you have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). More information about your student contribution amount for each course at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are a domestic graduate coursework student with a Domestic Tuition Fee (DTF) place or international student you will be required to pay course tuition fees (see below). Course tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.
First Semester
| Class number | Class start date | Last day to enrol | Census date | Class end date | Mode Of Delivery | Class Summary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3421 | 23 Feb 2026 | 02 Mar 2026 | 31 Mar 2026 | 29 May 2026 | In Person | N/A |