Carnegie Mellon University

Fulfill the Science and Society requirement in one of two ways, you may either register for:

  1. 38-304 - Reading and Writing Science (spring only). This course is designed to hone the student's ability to read scientific writing and to communicate about scientific topics to audiences with different levels of interest and expertise in science.
    • Identify the linguistic features of scientific argumentation in research papers across a range of scientific disciplines to improve your reading and writing of scientific content.
    • Examine how scientific information changes when it is reported in the popular media and the effects these changes have on non-experts' understanding of science.
    • Write about scientific research to non-expert audiences.
    • Practice science communication by creating oral presentations for your peers.

    The curriculum in this course is drawn from rhetoric: a discipline focused on the analysis and production of language, arrangement, and argument strategically designed to persuade an audience.

     

     

    Hear directly from MCS alumni about the importance of reading, writing, and communicating about science as it applies their professional careers as a research associate, a physician, intellectual property council, and chairman and CEO.


    OR

  2. one of the Preapproved Science and Society Electives