This module is not currently running in 2024 to 2025.
This module is organised around a work experience placement, undertaken in an institution relevant to the student's Masters' programme. This may be a museum, archive, school or other institution involved in engaging or communicating history and/or science to specific audiences or the general public.
The curriculum is flexible to allow students to work around other modules, to adapt to the requirements of different placements and to follow their interests. Placements should, with support from teaching staff, be researched and confirmed in the Autumn Term, with tasks/projects agreed.
Seminar sessions on campus will be organised to reflect the placements, offering appropriate reading, discussion and critical reflection. They are an opportunity for students to feedback on work they have achieved, giving presentations to share their experiences with other students. There will also be an opportunity for one-to-one feedback and discussion.
Work experience of at least 60 hours over the course of the term, organised as suits the student and the organisation offering the placement.
4 two-hour seminars on campus (8 hours).
This module will be assessed by 100% coursework.
A log of work undertaken each week (no more than 1000 words in total) – 15%. The log is intended purely as a record in order to demonstrate students' ongoing commitment and engagement with the placement, and help them recall what they've done as an aid for writing their reports.
Two reflective reports (1500 words each) describing and considering the work undertaken: topics to be agreed with module convenor – 30%
A formal 15-minute presentation to peers on campus, appropriate to the nature of the work undertaken (e.g. describing and placing in context an object/archive/display, an event/lesson plan and outcome or press release/marketing campaign) – 20%
One essay of 3000 words, reflecting on the work undertaken and the function of the institution/department in which the placement occurred through critical engagement with the relevant scholarship – 35%
(Will depend on student interests and placements)
B.M. Carbonell. (2004) Museum Studies: an anthology of contexts. Maldon MA: Blackwell
M. Frisch. (199) A Shared Authority: Essays on the Craft and Meaning of Oral and Public History. New York: SUNY Press
J. Gregory & D. Miller. (1998) Science in Public: Communication, Culture and Credibility. New York: Plenum Trade
E. Hooper-Greenhill. (1999) The Educational Role of the Museum. London: Routledge
A. Irwin & B. Wynne (eds.). (1996) Misunderstanding Science? The Public Reconstruction of Science and Technology. Cambridge: CUP
H. Kean, P. Martin and S. Morgan. (2000) Seeing History: Public History in Britain Now. London: Francis Boutle Publications
D. Nelkin. (1995) Selling Science: How the Press Covers Science and Technology. London: W.H. Freeman
N. Simon. (2010) The Participatory Museum. New York: First Edition
See the library reading list for this module (Canterbury)
As a consequence of taking this module students will have:
11.1 Gained experience working in an environment focused on communicating history/history of science/science with different audiences.
11.2 Developed a critical understanding of the requirements of the role/institution in which they are placed.
11.3 Gained the ability to judge and make use of modes of communication appropriate to the placement and the different audiences and/or stakeholders involved.
11.4 Gained an understanding of key themes explored by historians and communicators in exploring the relationship of history/science with the public.
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