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Science Methodology (SCM)

Vak
2024-2025

Admission requirements

The course is meant for MSc and PhD students in any of the natural sciences who are performing scientific research projects.

Academic Development elective for all MSc students Chemistry and all MSc students Life Science and Technology. Available as an elective course for students in other MSc programmes.

Description

During the BSc and MSc education, students learn lots of scientific facts, but do they know how science works? In this course the basic principles of the methodology used in the natural sciences are taught. The aim is to let the student contemplate on concepts like ‘truth’, ‘experiments’, ‘models’, ‘confirmation/falsification’ and make the student aware of the limitations of the ability to make objective observations. Also current practices, like the mechanisms of research funding, ‘publish or perish’ dogma and the importance of impact as well as integrity and ethics in science will be discussed.

Course objectives

At the end of the course students:

  • have a basic knowledge of the philosophy of science

  • have a basic understanding of modern scientific practices

  • can critically discuss aspects of the scientific enterprise orally as well as in writing

  • can critically discuss the relation of science and society orally as well as in writing

Timetable

Schedule information can be found on the website of the MSc programmes Chemistry and LST.

In MyTimetable, you can find all course and programme schedules, allowing you to create your personal timetable. Activities for which you have enrolled via MyStudyMap will automatically appear in your timetable.

Additionally, you can easily link MyTimetable to a calendar app on your phone, and schedule changes will be automatically updated in your calendar. You can also choose to receive email notifications about schedule changes. You can enable notifications in Settings after logging in.

Questions? Watch the video, read the instructions, or contact the ISSC helpdesk.

Note: Joint Degree students from Leiden/Delft need to combine information from both the Leiden and Delft MyTimetables to see a complete schedule. This video explains how to do it.

Mode of instruction

Lectures, group discussions and essay writing.

Assessment method

Abstract assignment (25%), written exam (75%)

Reading list

Required reading materials (such as news clippings and opinion pieces) will be linked via Brightspace.

Registration

As a student, you are responsible for enrolling on time through MyStudyMap.

In this short video, you can see step-by-step how to enrol for courses in MyStudyMap.
Extensive information about the operation of MyStudyMap can be found here.

There are two enrolment periods per year:

  • Enrolment for the fall opens in July

  • Enrolment for the spring opens in December

See this page for more information about deadlines and enrolling for courses and exams.

Note:

  • It is mandatory to enrol for all activities of a course that you are going to follow.

  • Your enrolment is only complete when you submit your course planning in the ‘Ready for enrolment’ tab by clicking ‘Send’.

  • Not being enrolled for an exam/resit means that you are not allowed to participate in the exam/resit.

Contact

Prof. Dr. M. Ubbink

Remarks

Select the Monday lectures (H-code), one of the Thursday workshop groups (W-code) and the exam (T-code).

According to OER article 4.8, students are entitled to view their marked examination for a period of 30 days following the publication of the results of a written examination. Students should contact the lecturer to make an appointment for such an inspection session.

Software
Starting from the 2024/2025 academic year, the Faculty of Science will use the software distribution platform Academic Software. Through this platform, you can access the software needed for specific courses in your studies. For some software, your laptop must meet certain system requirements, which will be specified with the software. It is important to install the software before the start of the course. More information about the laptop requirements can be found on the student website.