Prospectus

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Biomedical Sciences: Communication

The master’s programme in Biomedical Sciences – Communication consists of compulsory components (e.g. courses, research projects, training period) and electives. The total amount of credits of this two-year programme is 120 EC. Please check the list below for detailed descriptions of the components involved in the Communication specialisation.

Additional information on the programme and its regulations, can be found on the website of the Leiden University and the learning management system (Brightspace). Information on course schedules is separately provided.

The master’s programme has the following objectives:

  • to impart to students: academic knowledge, insight, skills, and methodology in the field of biomedical sciences;

  • to encourage students to adopt an academic attitude by acquiring the ability to:

  1. engage in individual and independent academic thinking
  2. analyse complex issues
  3. write academic reports
  4. apply specialist knowledge and skills in a philosophical and social context;
  • to prepare students for an academic career and postgraduate education, or to prepare them for a career in teaching or career outside academia;

Communication Specialisation

The Communication specialisation is offered by Leiden University Medical Centre in collaboration with the Faculty of Science. The programme, called Science, Communication and Society (SCS), enables students to develop knowledge and insight of, and opinions on a career outside scientific research. It broadens the student’s perspective predominantly in the field of communication (e.g. writing for a newspaper, website or science magazine or working for a museum). Yet, graduates will also be equipped to pursuit a career within scientific biomedical research. The entire programme is taught in English. For Dutch students it is also possible to follow writing classes in Dutch and to do an internship in an environment where Dutch is the only or preferred language.

The programme encompasses compulsory components of the Research master’s programme (at least 60 EC) combined with the Science, Communication and Society programme at the Faculty of Science. A communication internship will be executed at an organization/company/museum with a link to the biomedical field. The internship should contain a research project related to communication. Approval of the internship should be given beforehand by the examination board.

Programme components are:

The courses (in total 23 EC):

  • Informal Science Education

  • Policy & Development in science and Society

  • Research in science communication

  • Science Journalism (ENG) / Wetenschapsjournalistiek (NL)

  • Science Communication product development

  • SCS Scientific Narration and Visualization

Project Proposal: Science, Communication and Society (3 EC)

JRP2 Communication (23-34 EC)

For more information on SCS , go to the website of SCS of the Faculty of Science.
Coordinator M-, C- , E- and H-specialisations: Ms. Dr.ir. J. v.d. Zee

Course EC Semester 1 Semester 2

Compulsory components

Clinical Research in Practice 6
How to Write a Research Proposal 2
Junior Research Project I 29/49
Reflection Course: Scientific Conduct 1
Career Orientation 2
Informal Science Education 4
Policy & Development in science and Society 4
Research in science communication 4
Science Journalism (ENG) 4
Wetenschapsjournalistiek (NL) 4
Science Communication product development 4
SCS: Scientific Narration and Visualization 3
SCS: Project Proposal 3
SCS: Internship 14/34

Electives

The elective area contains 8-19 ECTS.

A Philosophical Inquiry concerning Biomedicine, part A 1
A Philosophical Inquiry concerning Biomedicine, part B 1
CRiP - Advanced Concepts in Epidemiology 1
CIS: Film-making for scientists 1
CIS: Presenting like a Pro 1

FOS courses in 2021-2022

Your choice of FOS courses should add up to at least 12 credits in your entire 2-year programme.

Allogeneic Transplantation and Immunotherapy: From Bench to Bedside 6
Biological Mechanisms of Ageing and Development 6
Biomedical Translational Research in Surgery 6
Chemical Biology, Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy 6
Clinical and Functional Neuroanatomy 6
Clinical Pharmacology 4
Cutting edge Immunology: from Chemistry to Metabolism 6
Depression and other Stress Related Disorders 6
Finding new causes of thrombosis: the clinical-epidemiological approach. From idea to publication. 6
From genetic disease to functional genomics 6
Glycobiology in Health and Disease 4
Imaging in Neurosciences 6
Molecular Data Science: from disease mechanisms to personalized medicine 6
Molecular Virology of RNA Viruses 6
Pathogen Host Interactions 6
Proteomics in Biomedical Research 6
Regulation of the Immune Response in Human Disease 6
Research Applications of Developmental Biology: Stem cells, regeneration and development 6
Stem Cells 6
The Pathophysiology of Coagulation 6
Translational Neurogenetics 6

FOS courses in 2022-2023

Advances in Neurophysiology 6
Cardiometabolic disease 6
Genome (in)stability, cancer and ageing 6
Optogenetics and Immortogenetics in Cardiovascular Research and Therapy 4

Career Preperation

The programme of the master BMS contains the mandatory course Career Orientation of 2 EC. The assignments and activities within Career Orientation are designed to stimulate you to reflect on your strengths and weaknesses as well as you career options and choices, and are spread out through your whole master programme. You will get to know the broad job market for Biomedical Scientists by meeting researchers, alumni and employers during the various activities within this course. You will practice how to present your professional profile to your network. Entering the job market should feel like a logical follow-up of your activities in the master and this course offers the opportunity to find out what you can and want to do with your master degree Biomedical Sciences.

LUMC also offers Career Service. Career Service of the Medicine Faculty offers support if you have questions about your career, the job market and job applications, and organizes workshops on a variety of job related subjects. Are you looking for career advice? Visit the Career Service of Medicine!

More information: https://careerzone.universiteitleiden.nl/en/career-services/medicine-lumc/