PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
PROGRAMME SPECIFICATION
Programme title:
Science and Society
Final award (BSc, MA etc):
BSc
(where stopping off points exist they should be
detailed here and defined later in the document)
UCAS code:
L391
(where applicable)
Cohort(s) to which this programme
specification is applicable:
Programme introduced 2011-12 and refers to this intake onwards.
Replaces P990 BSc Science Communication and Policy
(e.g. from 2008 intake onwards)
Awarding institution/body:
University College London
Teaching institution:
University College London
Faculty:
Mathematical and Physical Sciences
Parent Department:
Science and Technology Studies
(the department responsible for the administration of
the programme)
Departmental web page address:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/
(if applicable)
Method of study:
Full time
Full-time/Part-time/Other
Criteria for admission to the
programme:
See: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/prospective/bsc/science-and-societybsc-ucas-u80-l391
Or http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospectivestudents/undergraduate/degrees/ubssciasoc05
Length of the programme:
3 years
(please note any periods spent away from UCL, such
as study abroad or placements in industry)
Level on Framework for Higher
Education Qualifications (FHEQ)
(see Guidance notes)
Relevant subject benchmark statement
(SBS)
(see Guidance notes)
Brief outline of the structure of the
programme
and
its
assessment
methods:
H
There is no directly applicable SBS. Statements in Sociology,
Communication, media film and cultural studies SBS consulted, as
well as History and Philosophy statements.
See: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/prospective/bsc/science-and-societybsc-ucas-u80-l391
(see guidance notes)
Board of Examiners:
i) Name of Board of Examiners:
Science and Technology Studies
Professional body accreditation
(if applicable):
N/A
Date of next scheduled
accreditation visit:
EDUCATIONAL AIMS OF THE PROGRAMME
1. Provide students with an informed understanding of the academic study of the relationship between science and
society, in particular drawing on social studies of science, science policy studies and science communication.
2. provide students with an informed understanding of current issues of public understanding of science;
3. provide students with an informed understanding of the presentation of science in the mass media, literature
and other public arenas;
4. provide students with an informed understanding of the diverse contexts for science communication and with
practical experience of science communication;
5. provide students with an informed understanding of current issues of science and technology policy studies,
including the governance of science, including science’s increasing importance in society and government;
6. provide a social and ethical understanding of science, its role in shaping the modern world, and its bearing on
issues of current concern.
7. develop research skills appropriate for the these disciplines, and for communications and policy studies
generally;
Provide an underpinning for the above with a basic understanding of the history and philosophy of science
PROGRAMME OUTCOMES:
The programme provides opportunities for students to develop and demonstrate knowledge and understanding,
qualities, skills and other attributes in the following areas:
A: Knowledge and understanding
Knowledge and understanding of:
1. Sociological analyses of science and
technology, both in general theoretical
terms and through particular empirical
studies.
2. Theoretical and empirical approaches
to public understanding of science, for
example models of how the public
can and should understand science,
case studies of specific initiatives in
public understanding of science, etc.
3. Theories and case studies of how
science operates as a part of a
popular culture, including the news
media, literature and film.
4. Theoretical and empirical approaches
to science and technology policy
studies – covering the management
and operation of the scientific
community;
the
links
between
science, technology and social
change; and the control and
regulation of science and technology.
5. The social and ethical problems
associated with particular examples
of new science and technology eg
genetics, military science etc.
6. The social and ethical problems
associated with the practice of
scientific research eg human and
animal experimentation, conflicts of
interest arising from universityindustry links etc.
7. Theoretical and empirical approaches
at
the
interface
of
science
communication
and
policy,
in
particular approaches to promoting
democratic debate and engagement
with new science and technology.
8. Basic historical and philosophical
analyses of science.
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
 A combination of lectures, tutorials, seminars,
including those in which students are responsible for
presenting topics;
 Group work;
 The writing of a substantial dissertation under
supervision;
 Student’s own reading, starting from appropriate
reading lists provided for every course;
 Discussion in tutorials and seminars, aimed at
improving understanding;
 Students receive critical and constructive comment
on their progress;
 Teaching staff specify “office hours” when they are
available for academic consultation;
 The course consists in the first year of a series of
general introductions to HPS, as well as science
policy and public understanding of science. Level 2 &
3 courses then concentrate on particular areas of
SCP and PUS, dealing with them in more detail, and
developing more sophisticated concepts and
analyses. The different expectations of performance
between 100 level, 200 level and 300 level courses
are explained in the document “What to expect from
100, 200 and 300 level courses” which will soon
appear in the STS Student Handbook on the website
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts
Assessment:
Testing of the knowledge base is through a combination
of unseen formal examinations, assessed coursework
including skills exercises and essays of varying types
and lengths, oral presentations, third year dissertation
(1cu, normally 10 000-12 000 words) which should focus
on a problem in sociology of science, science
communication or science policy, or a combination of
these fields. The dissertation may incorporate practical
work if relevant.
B: Skills and other attributes
Intellectual (thinking) skills:
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
By the end of the degree, students should
be able to:
1. apply their powers of reasoning to
areas outside of their degree;
2. discuss science and technology with
respect to its impacts on society,
culture and public policy;
3. progress smoothly to an advanced
course of study (MSc, MA)
4. undertake supervised research in the
discipline;
5. analyse the key points at issue in a
range
of
contemporary
policy
problems with a scientific and
technological aspect, and describe
how they are currently managed in
the UK or elsewhere;

Skills
1. reason critically;
2. be able to gather, retrieve and
synthesis information;
3. be able to reflect on their own
accumulation of knowledge
4. use source material appropriately,
whilst avoiding either being derivative
or committing plagiarism;
5. assess
examples
of
science
communication, in relation to their
stated aims and audiences, and
produce practical work of their own
which is appropriate for such aims
and audiences;
6. have an appreciation of the level of
scientific understanding of the
audience with whom it is their job to
communicate;
7. comment on the strengths and
weaknesses of different media for
conveying information about science;
8. understand critically the role of the
mass media as a vehicle for
contemporary cultural debate about
science and technology;
9. to have a working knowledge of how
to represent scientific ideas in the
various media, the devices there are
at hand to help do this, the cultural
links that have to be made and the
structure and development of a
popularisation of science.
Assessment:
The variety of assessment methods employed place
great emphasis on the learner’s ability to demonstrate
the above skills, as appropriate to the subjects studied.
In addition, all finalists must produce a dissertation – the
aims of which are:
1. to permit the student to develop his/her own interest,
rather than to follow a set programme of study;
2. to develop research, analysis, writing and editing and
organisation skills beyond those required for other
courses, through extended exploration of a single
topic;
3. to offer an opportunity to integrate different themes
and approaches in science studies;
4. to enable the student to work independently and
critically, albeit under supervision;
5. to give the student a taste of contributing to science
studies, as well as reviewing and appraising others’
work – to enhance the understanding of the
demands, and the inevitable compromises and
trade-offs of academic work.


Intellectual skills are developed through the teaching
and learning methods provided above. All courses
involve discussion of key issues, practice in applying
concepts in writing and orally, analysis and
interpretation of material be it primary or secondary
or a combination of both; and individual feedback on
assessed work.
Instruction in using sources is given in Year 1, and
enforced in Years 2 and 3. All work is accompanied
by a plagiarism declaration, and is regularly checked
for poor citation and examination/coursework
irregularities.
In addition, students may take advanced courses in
other areas within the area of STS, including history
of medicine and history and philosophy of physical
and life sciences. The interdisciplinary nature of the
field of study is continually stressed.
C: Skills and other attributes
Practical skills (able to):
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
1. demonstrate effective note-taking and
critical skills;
2. create extensive and relevant
bibliographies for STS research
projects;
3. demonstrate improved writing skills,
including skills in structuring and redrafting own written material;
4. demonstrate critical and constructive
peer assessment;
5. demonstrate awareness of
techniques for improved time and
project management;
6. demonstrate awareness of the
methods employed in the study of
science and society..
From Induction Week during the First Year, students
receive initial advice on how to identify, locate and use
material available in libraries, on the WWW and
elsewhere.
In Year 1 students must take and pass the courses
HPSC1012 Investigating History & Philosophy of Science
and HPSC1007 Investigating Science & Society The
syllabus can be downloaded from
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/sts/study
Practical skills are developed in all courses throughout
second and third year. Teaching & learning methods
include lectures, seminars, discussion groups, essay
tutorials, media dossiers, case studies, museum visits,
guided reading, group and individual projects.
Assessment:
Assessment for HPSC1007 and HPSC2012 is by critical
research and analysis with assessment involving
individual and group work
Methods of assessment in 2nd and 3rd year courses
which explicitly develop practical skills include:
Oral presentations; seminar presentations; radio
programmes; debates; feature articles; reports; articles
for simulated periodicals; role play; advocacy projects;
collective (group) actions.
D: Skills and other attributes
Transferable skills (able to):
Teaching/learning methods and strategies:
1. word-processing, email and
WWW;
2. information search and retrieval,
using online computer resources
to access bibliographic material;
3. ability to motivate oneself;
4. ability to work autonomously;
5. ability to work effectively as part
of a group or team;
6. ability to manage one’s own time
and work to deadlines;
7. Ability to think creatively, selfcritically and independently.
1. All assessed work is word processed; course
correspondence is conducted via email; all students
are expected to become familiar with the
department’s website and demonstrate awareness
of relevant websites via bibliographies and other
searches;
2. Various writing and drafting tasks, production of
radio programme; formal and seminar presentations
etc.
3. Required for essays but demonstrated explicitly in
HPSC1007, HPSC2012 and HPSCC3004
4. Developed through a variety of structured and
unstructured learning activities and private study.
5. Fostered by essay writing, timed essays under
examination conditions; management of deadlines.
6. Group activities in various courses include
collaborative
writing
tasks,
debates,
radio
programmes and presentations.
7. Study of research methods in science and society
and analysis of results;
Fostered by essay writing, peer and self review, as well
as timed essays under examination conditions.
Assessment:
The various teaching and learning methods above are all
assessed and contribute to the students’ final degree
classification.
The following reference points were used in designing the programme:

the Framework for Higher Education Qualifications
(http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuringstandardsandquality/qualifications/Pages/default.aspx
 the relevant Subject Benchmark Statements (http://www.qaa.ac.uk/assuringstandardsandquality/subjectguidance/pages/subject-benchmark-statements.aspx)
 the programme specifications for UCL degree programmes in relevant subjects (where applicable);
 UCL teaching and learning policies;
 staff research.
Please note: This specification provides a concise summary of the main features of the programme and the
learning outcomes that a typical student might reasonably be expected to achieve and demonstrate if he/she takes
full advantage of the learning opportunities that are provided. More detailed information on the learning outcomes,
content and teaching, learning and assessment methods of each course unit/module can be found in the
departmental course handbook. The accuracy of the information contained in this document is reviewed annually by
UCL and may be checked by the Quality Assurance Agency.
Programme Organiser(s)
Professor Brian Balmer
Name(s):
Dr Emma Tobin
Date of Production:
August 2003
Date of Review:
September 2014
Date approved by Head of
Department:
August 2014
Date approved by Chair of
Departmental Teaching
Committee:
Date approved by Faculty
Teaching Committee
August 2014