Science in Society

How can we improve the interaction between science and society? What societal and ethical responsibilities do scientific experts have? What does it take for scientific knowledge to make an impact outside of the laboratory? If you are interested in question like these, enrol in this Master’s specialisation to learn how science and society shape each other and how to make science better—for us.

In this specialisation, you broaden your perspective on your own scientific discipline by connecting it to social science, philosophy, and through interdisciplinary applications. You study the relevance of science in society using various theoretical perspectives and practical examples.

Leading questions are: What societal challenges does science face in the 21st century? What would it mean to make science better for society and policy? How can and should we understand the roles and responsibilities of science in society? How do interactions between scientists and societal stakeholders shape developments and create or address societal issues? These and similar questions form the starting point of SiS courses on science-policy interaction, science communication and dialogue, citizen participation in science and policy, and on philosophy and ethics of science and technology.