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- Science and society: A career and professional development course
Science and society: A career and professional development course

Scientists throughout the world are increasingly interested in the relationship between science and society. Part of their concern is with the social responsibilities scientists have in relation to broader public interests. That raises important issues to do with the ethical and social dimension of scientists' work and how scientists explain and perhaps justify their work to the wider public. Science and society: A career and professional development course, is a free course that explores this further.
Course learning outcomes
After studying this course, you should be able to:
- demonstrate an awareness of the roles and responsibilities of the modern scientist
- demonstrate an insight as a scientist into the social and ethical aspects of scientific research
- understand the rationale and role of certain contemporary tools for science governance, especially public and stakeholder engagement/consultation
- recognise opportunities to contribute to discussion and debate on the social and ethical aspects of science, either as a scientist (participating in debates about scientific work) or as a citizen (participating outside of a scientific discipline).
First Published: 09/08/2012
Updated: 02/03/2016
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Course content
- Introduction
- Learning outcomes
- 1 Introduction to the course
- 2 Preparing for the course
- 3 Timetable for the residential element of the course
- 4 References and further reading
- 5 Contributors to the course
- Conclusion
- References
- Acknowledgements
Is science losing its objectivity? File
Session 3: Science, policy and people File
Session 4: Science and society now File
Session 5: Science in its social landscape File
Session 6a: Science in the public eye (1) File
Session 6b: Science in the public eye (2) File
Session 7: Finding the science voice File
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About this free course
30 hours study
Level 1: Introductory
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