Do you ever wonder why sometimes a wealth of scientific evidence leads to effective change – and sometimes it doesn’t?
Do you ever wonder how social, political, and economic contexts shape the science done within them?
How feasible is a predator free New Zealand?
Are we doing enough to combat climate change?
These are the sorts of big questions explored in the Centre for Science in Society’s fully online courses on offer in Trimester One of this year. You can study from anywhere in Aotearoa, and our asynchronous course design means you can fit study around work and other commitments. We’re currently accepting enrolments for these courses that start the week of 27 February.
SCIS101 Science in everyday life
In 2023, this course features modules on the potential and risks of big data, the social and scientific complexities of infectious disease, how we predict and respond to weather patterns, and the humanistic, psychological and biological aspects of pain. These modules feature experts from across and beyond Victoria University of Wellington, and connects academic insights to real-world events. Introductory content on mātauranga Māori and science communication show how course topics can be understood in ways that are locally meaningful and socially impactful. SCIS101 will expand your understandings of scientific topics by opening up how the ‘scientific’ is also social and political – and therefore more complex and pressing than ever.
Fully online
- 150 hours recommended commitment over 14 weeks
- Course starts 27 February (late enrolments possible by discussion)
- Total cost: $948.30 (for domestic students)
Provides 15 points: Take for a Certificate of Proficiency or put towards an undergraduate qualification
- Click here for more info about SCIS 101
- Click here and here for enrolment information
- For more information about the course, please contact Hazel Godfrey on hazel.godfrey@vuw.ac.nz
SCIS211 Contemporary issues in Science, Environment and Technology
In 2023, this course features modules which examine the impact of sea level rise and climate change – particularly within Aotearoa and the wider Pacific, evaluate the aspiration and feasibility of a predator free New Zealand, discuss the ethics and challenges of genetic medicine, and look at the role of belief and belief change in contemporary scientific issues. Each module draws from a range of scientific and humanities disciplines to unpack the relevant science and explore the societal context of the issue. SCIS211 is an interdisciplinary course that will not only develop your scientific literacy, but also your consideration of science within an increasingly polarised world.
Fully online
- 150 hours recommended commitment over 14 weeks
- Course starts 27 February (late enrolments possible by discussion)
- Total cost: $948.30 (for domestic students)
Provides 15 points: Take for a Certificate of Proficiency or put towards an undergraduate qualification
- Click here for more info about SCIS 211
- Click here and here for enrolment information
- For more information about the course, please contact Alex Beattie on alex.beattie@vuw.ac.nz
SCIS315 Historical issues in Science, Environment and Technology
SCIS315 offers historical context for many of the science in society issues facing our contemporary world, bringing the lessons of the past to bear on the challenges of the present and future. In 2023, modules address how acclimatisation science and natural history shaped empire building and the colonisation of Australasia, the interaction of science and mātauranga in New Zealand’s agricultural development, how museums function as sites of contested scientific and social ideas, and how debates over genetic modification prompted new engagement between New Zealand’s publics, politicians, and the scientific establishment. This 300-level course provides a critical understanding of how our current scientific and environmental knowledge arose, and the complex social-scientific interactions that continue to shape public understanding of and engagement with key issues.
Fully online
- 150 hours recommended commitment over 14 weeks
- Course starts 27 February
- Total cost: $948.30 (for domestic students)
Provides 15 points: Take for a Certificate of Proficiency or put towards an undergraduate qualification